While doing some image editing manipulation with The GIMP (they really need a proper name, especially with the meaning of gimp) (OpenOffice.org needs to do the same: just drop the ‘.org’ in the product name and all is fine).
Anyway I ran into an issue where I couldn’t burn/smudge/blur the current active layer. Create a new image and I could, but I couldn’t on any layer in the image I was currently editing. It was strange and frustrating. Google’d and found this forum post.

At the top-right of the layers dialogue box there is a checkbox. Uncheck it and the problem will be solved.

I did not understand it especially as I didn’t have any checkbox as show below:

Unless I pulled a stupid, I just want to highlight a problem with this ‘help’. It tells you how to solve an issue based on a certain version/situation by telling the person to do something without explaining what or why he/she is doing it. This does not teach the person anything rather than to follow instructions blindly. When answering questions such as this, it is best to educate, especially when giving answers on the Internet, where sharing of knowledge is what it should be about. Please people there is way too much dribble drabble on the net and recently while doing other searches I’ve seen a person ask a question only to be replied by another asking why he/she wants to do that or questioning them on scenario but that would not change the outcome of the proper answer
Example
Question: Why won’t my car start?
Reply: Is you car blue?

Real-life Example
Can you play HD videos on the eee?

s96024 – 18:54 09 Jan 08

Is there a way to play hd videos on the eee. Perhaps with hardware or software updates. I am running XP and have upgraded to 1gb of RAM. It plays normal video fine, but HD will barely play and is unwatchable. Is there anyway to get it to play these videos or is it just not powerful enough. It’s the only thing my eee can’t do that I want it to.

colin987 – 19:02 09 Jan 08

HD?? – please explain – the 800×480 screen isnt high res enough to benefit from HD. Even the video out is VGA?

But anyway have u tried overclocking the chip. The 900mhz chip is only clocked at 630 when u buy it! Theres room to squeeze more out of it? But anyway Im not sure its a power issue more the fact it doesnt have as many pixels as HD?

s96024 – 19:39 09 Jan 08

It’s for outputting onto tv. I used to do it with my desktop via vga and it would play in HD quality.

colin987 – 21:22 09 Jan 08

You must be mistaken, because VGA is 640×480 and HD is higher res than that!
Anyway Yoni says that VLC is a better video player, you could install that on the EEE and try it?

s96024 – 08:39 10 Jan 08

Well when I play the files through my desktop via a vga cable to my hdtv. The picture is as good as hd-dvd’s played on my xbox 360 hd player. VGA cables are capable of transferring hd content. I think the eee just lacks the power to process it quickly enough. I use vlc player but it will play the first few seconds then gives up. Thanks anyway. I’ll just have to accept it can’t do it.

colin987 – 09:01 10 Jan 08

Re ‘VGA output graphics chip & socket can transfer HD content’ – just cant be true can it?

s96024 – 17:12 10 Jan 08

You can use vga, component or hdmi. All can connect HD equipment.

Anyway whether I can connect using vga to play my hd films was not my question. I have been doing it for ages. I wanted to know whether there was a way of getting it to play smoothly.

colin987 – 17:23 10 Jan 08

Sorry but you seem to be missing the point that even though a Screen may also have a VGA input, if you go through the EEE port / graphic chipset you will never get HD resolution anyway!

s96024 – 20:32 10 Jan 08

I played HD films through my xbox 360 HD-DVD player using a vga connection and I definitely got a HD picture. I had my pc connected via a vga cable for a year and have watched loads of HD films through it with a HD picture.

colin987 – 21:32 10 Jan 08

Yes but surely ur ‘VGA’ cable from the Xbox actially went from two AV sockets (on the X360) to a VGA style connector on the monitor?

It was my understanding The ‘VGA socket’ output pins on the EEE cant carry signal out at the definition u want?

I thought the hardware / graphics chip limits it but it would be nice if I was wrong – I will check with Asus and get back to u

colin987 – 20:09 11 Jan 08

Mr S96..,

Please accept my appologies I was partially wrong.

It looks like (in theory) the hardware on the EEE could play HD to an external monitor.

Would require installing capable drivers though to achieve it – this appears to be what the sticking point might be, however u know what those Linux guys are like – any excuse to sit round for weeks a hacking a source code driver! lol

colin987 – 09:06 12 Jan 08

S96,
The linux boys r working on HD drivers
The XP EEE girls however have already done it! Take a look at this 1600×900 video

quite complicated driver install though. But detailed howto on the EEE forum

Now a Linux WanabEEE. I dont even eat Ready Salted Crisps any more, I Salt-&-Shake my own!

Even if something doesn’t make sense but is possible, please just give the answer and your comments (why it is wrong / bad to do that, etc.) following it. It saves people time and frustration. When a question could have been answered in a reply or 2, but instead goes on a tangent without answering the question it annoys me. Heck it annoyed me just reading the thread, I was like “Get to the point!”. Maybe it’s the sickness that been going around and that is currently residing in my cells. That being said tangents are nice if perhaps you are waiting for a reply from somebody and it keeps the conversation going or introduces something else to talk about but I guess I have a problem when the tangent topic becomes the main topic pushing the previous main topic to the side waiting to see the light of day.