Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2017 July 5

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July 5

selectively sign in on some Google apps but not others

On Android, some of the Google apps require you to sign in in order to function at all e.g. Google Play and GMail. Others work fine without you signing in, like Youtube. But once I type in my Google credentials, it's set on the phone itself and shared with all the apps (I think, not 100% sure about this). Is it possible to selectively sign in on some apps, let's say to Google Play and GMail, but remain signed out for others, let's say Youtube?

I wish the remain anonymous in my usage of Youtube for privacy reasons.Scala Cats (talk) 04:29, 5 July 2017 (UTC)

detecting that graphic driver is fault

Hi all,
I have a windows application. It's a GUI application, using WinForms, written in C#. How can I identify (and catch) the case that the graphic driver is fault. (For example, it happens when I uninstall the graphic driver.)
Is there some specific method for it?
Thank you very much in advance! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 31.168.108.114 (talk) 06:59, 5 July 2017 (UTC)

Novice cellphone initiant’s question (data usage if logged on through wi-fi to home/work plan?)

Hello everyone. Yes, I know it’s 2017. Nevertheless, I have just gotten my first smartphone. I’m just trying to understand something about how charges typically work for Internet browsing. My cellphone service plan provides me with a certain amount of “data”. I have an internet connection at home and at work. If I go to my cellphone’s setting and get on my home or work’s wi-fi network, and connect to the Internet in that way, is it correct that all my web surfing will be part of the home or work’s ISP, and so I will incur no data on my phone plan—but if I surf without logging into such a wi-fi network, then that is assessed against my cellphone provider service plan’s data limit?--196.52.2.56 (talk) 13:34, 5 July 2017 (UTC)

Yep, you don't pay for data via WiFi, BUT... be careful, should you hit a blackspot in your home or work WiFi network, your phone will "helpfully" switch to your mobile data plan without telling you. Let us know which smartphone it is and we can pass on some tips.- X201 (talk) 13:42, 5 July 2017 (UTC)

Great. Thank you. I'm just trying to avoid opening up my credit card statement and seeing I've suddenly spent -$500 for the privilege of looking at cat videos.--196.52.2.56 (talk) 13:47, 5 July 2017 (UTC)

Depending on model, the user can disable the "helpful" switch. Can definitely be done in my Android device. Akld guy (talk) 22:40, 7 July 2017 (UTC)

Your cellphone company should have a webpage (and may have an app too) that shows you how much of your monthly quota you have used. And your phone's OS will probably have a similar feature that shows you how much you've used in the current billing cycle - in (recent) Android, it's the "data usage" section inside "settings". If you're really worried (or if you plan on travelling somewhere, such as another country, where mobile data services might not be covered under your usual plan) you can disable mobile data (in Android it's in the same tab) and only enable it yourself manually when you're really use you want to use it. -- Finlay McWalter··–·Talk 15:05, 5 July 2017 (UTC)

Disabling touchscreen on laptop

My Windows-based laptop's getting old: one of the hinge covers broke off some months ago, some of the keys no longer work well, the clips holding the battery sometimes let go and thus allow the computer to turn off unexpectedly, etc. I'm thus looking for a new laptop, but to my disappointment, most of the models that otherwise look good are touchscreens, and I don't want a touchscreen. Happily, I found [1], with directions on how to turn off touchscreen mode. Let's say I buy such a computer and disable touchscreen mode. Will it "stick" if I disable it, i.e. the touch sensor will never work again until I reverse the setting or do a total system restore, or can I expect the touchscreen to reactivate itself whenever I do a restart? Or does the answer depend on the manufacturer of the model I buy? Nyttend (talk) 23:09, 5 July 2017 (UTC)

The instructions are good, they are disabling the driver for the touchscreen and this setting will not refresh on reboot, the touchscreen will stay off. The touchscreen is a physical component in the system as well, and disabling this will most likely improve battery life. Just enable the driver back on if you would like touchscreen again. EDIT: I believe the only way it would refresh would be with a new windows install, such as going from Windows 8 to Windows 10. But this should not be much of an inconvenience. 129.55.200.20 (talk) 17:38, 6 July 2017 (UTC)

• It is impossible to know for sure before tested with the exact same computer (manufacturer, OS build etc.) but if the setting described in your link resets at startup it would be a first for Windows' device manager. It should stick even after "small" OS updates (e.g. Patch Tuesday) but a full OS reinstall will remove it.

I am not sure it would improve battery life by any significant amount (the driver is deactivated, but the hardware may still be powered), but it certainly should not increase it. Tigraan^{Click here to contact me} 18:45, 6 July 2017 (UTC)