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Digitalfire Newsletter - June 2006
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INSIGHT 2006 is Here
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To recognize the evolutionary development of INSIGHT we have
switched to a year-based versioning system (INSIGHT 2006 has been
out since January). We update INSIGHT every few weeks now, each
update has a new feature or two along with bug fixes and small
changes. It looks the same at first glance but you might be
surprised at the number of improvements. It can still read all
the old format INSIGHT files. You can install it and try it
without affecting your old version.
INSIGHT Key
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The INSIGHT serial numbering system is gone. INSIGHT now requires
a 100-digit key to run and our site will create a 2 month trial
for anyone and a permanent one for any logged in registered user
(even if 15 years old). The key encodes your name, login
information, version number, anniversary date, etc. You can find
your key on the download page or INSIGHT can fetch if you give it your
digitalfire login info.
Your status will be shown on the upper right of the home page
To upgrade, renew or buy just follow the links. If you are current
just download, install and give INSIGHT your digitalfire password
and matching email address when GetKey dialog asks.
Please login to see your INSIGHT status here
INSIGHT 2006 for Linux
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This version is identical to those on Windows and Mac and is
running better with every update. We have confirmed that it runs
on many versions of Linux. You can learn more in the Linux readme
file on the download page. If you do not know what Linux is you
really should learn, it is the product of world wide effort to
create an operating system based on the Open Source rather than
profit model. The Linux programming and user community are smart
leading edge people, this is no hoax or flash in the pan. You can
try Linux easily on your Windows or Mac computer by downloading
VMWare player (free) and a free Linux Image (e.g. SUSE, Fedora).
Then start VMWare, open an image and Linux will be running in a
Window on your computer!
Translated Material Names
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A special translation page will be ready soon so that our partners
can translate materials names in downloaded materials files into
a variety of languages.
Mac Universal Binary Support
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INSIGHT will be available in a few months with support for this.
The advent of the new Macintosh Intel Duo computers which are 3-4
times faster than any previous model and which run Windows may
turn the computer world upside down.
Digitalfire.com ISP Problems
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Over the past few months we have experienced some problems with
the ISP hosting our digitalfire.com site. During the period we
moved the site to another server at digitalfire.us. It is now
back at digitalfire.com on a reliable ISP and running well.
Moving the site twice really helped flush out problems and
streamline its operation. Thank you for your patience.
New INSIGHT Store/Information Page at Digitalfire.com
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When you click the INSIGHT link on our home page you are taken
here. If you are logged in it knows your registration situation
and will react accordingly. We have added other buying options
(purchase order and Proforma invoice) and dozens of links to
smaller popup information pages so you can buy and get
information in one place.
Country Discounts
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The INSIGHT sales and information page has been programmed
to deliver up to 60% discounts for people living in selected
countries around the world (e.g. Turkey). Your login email
address must be in the countries domain for this to work
(e.g. myname@myisp.tr). Just login and you will see the discount.
New INSIGHT Features
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-Preferences dialog changes and additions
-GetKey dialog to get your INSIGHT key from digitalfire.com
-Overrides dialog to maintain the overrides.xml file
-Typecodes dialog and matching popups on recipe window
-New data file locations
-Complete switch to xml data file, even for the recipe cache
-Improved translation support
-Recipe rescue after crash and persistent recipes
-New installers
-Numerous fixes in program and data files
INSIGHT Manual Wiki
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We have set up a Wiki to create a community to translate the
INSIGHT manual into many languages. The test URL is at
http://www.digitalfire.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
If you would like to experiment on one of the languages or have
suggestions on how to lay out the English one to make translation
as easy as possible please let us know. We have already
discovered that the images need to be named with as much care as
the pages so we will do this.
Comparing Kaolins
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We get a number of people asking about this every year.
If you compare two kaolins side-by-side in INSIGHT using analysis
calculation they will look almost identical. Switch to flux unity
and they will often appear much different. If you adjust the
amount of one of the flux oxides the Al2O3 and SiO2 amounts will
fluctuate wildly. Why? Don't use flux unity calculations on
materials that have very little flux. If a kaolin, for example,
has 1% RO oxides and you add only 1% more reunification will cut
the alumina and silica in half!
To update your personal and affiliation info on our website go here:
http://digitalfire.com/services/register1.php?z=
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Tony Hansen
DIGITALFIRE CORPORATION, http://digitalfire.com
Calculation/Database Software for Ceramic Industry
Mar 2005 Newsletter