Does Google Backup and Sync replace Google Drive and Photos?

Yes, you don't need Google Drive and Photos on your computer anymore. However, my suggestion would be to continue using both these products till Google Backup and Sync (B&S) is rid of a sync related bug, or till support is withdrawn (no more updates after Dec 11, 2017; blocked after Mar, 2018). The bug results in repeated attempts at synchronizing local folders with Google Photos.

If you would still like to install it, go to Settings in Google Photos and note folders that are being synchronized with the Google Photos site. Then, uninstall Photos and install B&S. Google Drive would be uninstalled automatically. You'll be asked to restart the machine.

After the restart, open B&S from the tray and select Preferences from the menu which would display the following screen:

Google Backup and Sync: Preferences screen

Set the options for Size and Removing Items as shown above. The setting shown will preserve your photo on the Google Photos website even if you delete it from your hard drive (this was how the old Google Photos app worked). Conversely, this setting does not sync your Drive if you delete a file locally (this behaviour is different from the earlier Drive app; if this option is important for you, please see the comments in this blog post; in short, there is no other way till Google B&S is updated).

Then, select Choose Folder and add the folders that must be synced with Google Photos (which you have noted down). This won't duplicate photos if the folder has already been uploaded by Google Photos. However, B&S would again go through the folder contents and compare it with what's present in the Google Photos site to ensure all is well.

Certain file types may not have been uploaded by Google Photos e.g. TIF, THM. However, B&S uploads files of these types too. Thumbnail related files like thumbs.db and zbthumbnail.info would also be uploaded by B&S. As of now, there is no setting for what files must be synced.

Select the checkbox labeled "Upload newly added photos" if you would like to keep the folders synchronized with the Google Photos site in future.

Google Photos - deleting photos

What happens when you delete a photo

• If you delete a photo from the web (photos.google.com), the photo is deleted from the site and from all your devices. The photo can restored, if you want to, within 60 days - from the menu, select Settings -> Bin, select photos and restore.
• If you delete a photo in the Google Photos app on your mobile, the result is the same as above - it would be deleted from all your devices and from photos.google.com
• If you free up space in the Google Photos app, photos and video are deleted only from your device.

Disable Backup & Sync temporarily

When you are about to shoot photos/video and may not retain all photos and video from the shoot, you may temporarily disable backup & sync and then enable it again after deleting the unwanted ones (this would prevent items that are eventually deleted from getting backed up unnecessarily).

This option is available here: Google Photos app -> Settings -> Backup & Sync -> toggle off Backup and Sync.

Note that this disables Backup & sync of all Google apps, so it's a bit inconvenient if you plan to delete photos the next day but would like other Google apps like Drive to sync data between devices.

Gallows Humour (Tamil)

உயிர் பிரியும் நிலையில் கேட்டார் கோடீஸ்வரன், “ஏன்டா என் tweet-a பாக்கல? கொஞ்சம் முன்னாடி வந்திருந்தா நான் பொழச்சிருப்பேன்ல?”. மகன் கலங்கிட்டான், “உடனே Retweet பண்ணிட்டேன், ஒருத்தன் கூடவா வரல?”.

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கோடீஸ்வரன் காலமானார். Twitter-ல் செய்தி பரவியது. தாமதமாக வந்த உறவினர் வருத்தப்பட்டார், “நான் WhatsApp-ல active-a இருக்கேன்”.

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கோடீஸ்வரனுக்கு வாய்க்கரிசி. கடைக்காரர் சொன்னார், “பாவம், எப்பவும் organic item தான் வாங்குவாரு”.

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கோடீஸ்வரன் அஸ்தியை வாங்கப்போனான் மகன், "அவர் கால்ல டைடானியம் தகடு இருந்ததே?"  சட்டியுடன் தகடை நீட்டிய வெட்டியான் சொன்னார், ”இது வெந்த காயம், மத்த ரெண்டும் வெங்காயம்”.

Laptop - ergonomics - home setup

Once the points made in the picture below are understood, it would be easier to arrive at a setup that works for you.

Good posture

Chair and writing pad

• If you have a comfortable chair or sofa with armrests, check if it is possible to place a wide writing pad across the armrests. The must extend beyond the armrests on the front and sides.
• Buy a pad that can support the weight of a laptop - plywood or cardboard writing pads with 0.5cm thickness are enough.
• Place the laptop on the pad and check if you can work comfortably (check if the feet, elbow, back and head are as given in the above picture).
• It must be stable enough to survive minor knocks that are inevitable.

Chair and table

Check if you already have a chair and table that fit the requirements. Otherwise, buy suitable ones.

• Buy a basic computer table with a pullout tray on which a mouse can be placed alongside the keyboard.
• Buy a chair that has height adjustment. If the room does not have temperature control, the chair's seat and backrest must allow circulation of air e.g. chairs woven with flat wire, wooden chairs with slits.
• Place the laptop on a few thick books. Or, buy a stand for the laptop - with the stand’s height in mind.
• Connect an external keyboard and a mouse to the laptop (USB port).

External monitor

Here's how to use an external monitor if your work demands one.

• Connect the monitor to the laptop via HDMI.
• If the monitor does not have speakers, sound has to be played via the laptop’s speakers or external speakers (select the device for sound output in the Operating System’s control panel). If you still have a problem, search the internet for a simple solution.
• Power settings may need to be changed so that laptop continues to be switched on when its lid is closed.

Kohli lbw b Hazlewood - did DRS get it wrong?

Australia vs India, Day 3 of Test Match #2.

The match is at a critical situation. The series is in balance.

Hazlewood to Kohli. The ball is on target but keeps low and Hazlewood appeals for lbw. The on-field umpire rules Kohli out - he must have thought either Kohli didn't hit the ball or that he hit it after the ball had struck the pad.

Kohli thinks it was the bat that hit the ball first and asks for a review.

The Third umpire confirms bat hit the ball, but is not sure whether it hit the ball first. So, as the DRS rules prescribe, he says the replays are "inconclusive". He leaves the decision to the on-field umpire.

DRS rules 3.3 (k) and (l) say what must be done next: "The on-field umpire must then make his decision based on those factual questions that were answered by the third umpire, any other factual information offered by the third umpire and his recollection and opinion of the original incident. The on-field umpire will reverse his decision if the nature of the supplementary information received from the third umpire leads him to conclude that his original decision was incorrect."

Returning to the match situation, the on-field umpire now knows that even the third umpire, who has access to UltraEdge and slow-motion replays from many angles, is unable to conclude whether the batsman is out or not. How then could he be sure about his original decision? When the umpire is in doubt, he cannot rule a batsman out. But he sticks to his original decision and sends Kohli on his way. Rarely does an umpire reverse his decision. What does this tell us?

Cricket and DRS

I was at the beach. Two guys came and settled down nearby with a pack of masala groundnuts. One of them seemed upset at how things had turned out for India in the cricket Test match against Australia. The other guy had a know-all look about him.

Small time player: Do we really need DRS?
Officer: Why not, we have the technology. On-field umpires need all the help they can get.

P: Then why doesn't the umpire himself consult the third umpire for LBW etc.?
O: He isn't allowed to, except for a few decisions e.g. run out, clean catch etc.

P: He is responsible for his decision, isn't he?
O: hmmm...

P: Why should the team be docked for the umpire's decision... I mean reducing the number of reviews if their appeal for review is turned down.
O: Because you can't repeatedly question the umpire's decision... time is wasted and you know time is money.

P: Isn't DRS about getting better decisions?
O: Of course, that's why they spend around US$100,000 on it for a Test match.

P: How many credible appeals are made in 80 overs, or in a day, roughly?
O: I don't know... could be 20-30 on a wicket that produces a result.

P: And a team gets only two chances if the two reviews are unsuccessful?
O: Yes, the teams have to get their decisions right.

P: Isn't that why we have umpires?
O: hmmm...

P: I think you should let the umpires get help from the DRS umpire on their own. To limit the time taken, you could give the umpires and the teams one review every 10 overs.
O: Sure, I'll inform ICC if they ask me.

Officer had emptied the groundnuts and got up for a refill.

Ballpoint pens are are not recycled, use pens that can be refilled with ink

Throwaway ballpoint pens pose a serious environment problem. Billions are used and thrown away every year. These pens, and refills, are not recycled since it is difficult to separate the metal nib and ink from the plastic.

It isn't a secret that the ballpoint pen is the most popular type of pen. It uses a thick, oil-based ink that is dissolved in alcohol. As soon as you write, the alcohol evaporates, and so the ink dries up quickly. The ink does not bleed through paper and lasts long. But since the ink is thicker, the pen must be pressed harder on paper leading to greater stress on the hand and slower writing.

Fountain Pen

An environment-friendly alternative to ballpoint pen is the fountain pen - it is commonly available too. Some kids may find it difficult to write with the traditional nib since its angle with the paper must remain the same to ensure smooth writing. To get around this, use fountain pens that have roller balls at the tip instead of nibs. (Ballpoint pens too use roller balls; however, the ink used by roller ball  pens is thinner and so the flow is better.)

Fountain pen with nib (Wikipedia)

Roller ball pens use either water-based ink or a thicker gel ink (pigments on a water-based gel). Gel ink dries quicker. It also writes thicker but may skip/slip occasionally and bleed more.

Close-up shot of roller ball at the tip
(Wikipedia)

Some pens use removable cartridges that hold ink - the advantage is that students can carry a spare cartridge to school instead of an ink pot. When the cartridge in the pen runs out of ink, it can be replaced with the spare one. The empty cartridge can be refilled later at home. Throwing away a cartridge after using it once defeats the purpose of using refillable ink pens. (Also, don't buy pens with cartridges that cannot be refilled.)

If you travel by air with a fountain pen, the guaranteed way to prevent leakage is to empty the ink tank. Or, fill it up and keep it upright.  To use the pen, wait till the flight takes off and reaches 6000 feet, which is when cabin pressure is increased to match the pressure at ground level (the air trapped in the ink tank is at the pressure at ground level; if the pen is opened before the cabin is pressurized, the higher pressure of air in the tank will push out the ink since the pressure in the cabin would be lesser).