Topics

1

Finished Programs / WorkLog.py - work logging

« on: April 26, 2016, 04:15 AM »

Wrote this little script and thought it might be useful here. It allows you to keep track of what you are working on by writing a timestamped message to a CSV file.



Latest version: https://gist.github....2deaab6f3aea57ca9684

Code: Python [Select]

1. #v1.0.2
2. from random import choice
3. from datetime import datetime
4.  
5. phases = [
6.     'Ok, noted.', 'Right, back to work then!', 'Looking good bud.', 'Cheers, mate.'
7. ]
8.  
9. now = datetime.now()
10. answer = ''
11. with open("worklog.csv", "a") as f:
12.     while answer.strip() != 'exit':
13.         f.write('"{}","{}"\n'.format(now,answer.strip()))
14.         answer = input("What're you working on? ")
15.         now = datetime.now()
16.         print("[{}]".format(now),choice(phases), "\n")

Requires Python 3.5. Then just run the file.

2

General Software Discussion / Bookmarking client

« on: April 03, 2015, 03:55 AM »

Xmarks keeps corrupting my browser bookmarks, and as I couldn't find an alternative that supported the browsers I use, I have opted for online bookmarking to have access to them from all my machines.
Currently I'm using Pinboard, which I like. But I cannot find a Windows client for it. Is there one? What's everybody else using?

I'm not a power user, I just want to search through my collected bookmarks to find the one I need and launch it. I'm happy to organise them using the website.

3

Screenshot Captor / [Error] Network homedirectory problem UNC paths

« on: July 29, 2014, 03:23 AM »

I'm using Screenshot Captor on a PC where the user's home directory, desktop and documents folders are stored on a network drive (stupid idea) and this is causing startup issues with the following message:

Error moving files: could not create directory OLDER

This is followed by:
Screenshot Captor - Disabling the auto-moving of old screenshots from now on. If you wish to re-enable it, see the 'Saving and Loading Files' tab in options.

Then a folder is created in the root of the harddisk with the name and path of the networkshare ie C:\SERVER\path\to\homedrive\DonationCoder\ScreenshotCaptor because SC does not understand UNC paths (\\SERVER\share).

SC then proceeds to startup correctly.

4

General Software Discussion / [concept feedback] Workload management software

« on: January 09, 2014, 07:39 AM »

As expressed in the NANY 2014 project I unfortunately had to time for, I expressed my unhappiness with traditional todo / task list software. After reviewing my process I have come to the conclusion that I might have to write software to accurately capture / manage my workload. This would be desktop software for Windows.

Initially it seems most work (I'm working in web development) is best captured into 4 stages. I'm looking for your feedback to see if this is just how I work or if there is demand for something like this.

Code: Text [Select]

1. Stage 0: Inbox: capture informal requests, ideas and suggestions. Most important is quick input
2. Stage 1: Todo: 'next-up' where work gets specified and planned. Most important is completness of process
3. Stage 2: Active Work Items: communication and capture progress on work as we are actively advancing the task. Most important is measuring progress
4. Stage 3: Work Review: after work completes we want to report / review on it. Most important is high level review of work
5.  
6. S0: descriptions
7. S1: project, title, files, communications, planned due date, priority ordering
8. S2: Multiple progress updates, files, communications, actual due date
9. S3: Export to zip, sort by date, filter by project

The software would be a combination of Evernote + a todo list + related file explorer where work advances through the stages.

Any feedback?

5

Finished Programs / [Powershell] Update DNS for your chosen network adapter

« on: November 28, 2013, 05:45 AM »

I've got a bunch of pcs needing their DNS updated to Open DNS so here's a powershell script that will let you choose a network adapter and then set the DNS servers.
OpenDNS servers are provided. The script will make sure to run itself as admin.

[Select]

# 1.001
$servers = "208.67.222.222", "208.67.220.220"

# Functions
function IsAdmin() {
$wid     = [System.Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity]::GetCurrent()
$prp     = new-object System.Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal($wid)
$adm     = [System.Security.Principal.WindowsBuiltInRole]::Administrator
$IsAdmin = $prp.IsInRole($adm)
$IsAdmin

}

function SetDNSForNIC($s, $n) {
$dns = $n.DNSServerSearchOrder | Foreach {"$($_)"}
$description = $NIC.Description
Write-Host "OLD DNS settings for $description = $dns"

$NIC.SetDNSServerSearchOrder($s) | out-null

Write-Host "NEW DNS settings for $description = $s"
}

# Init
if (IsAdmin)
{
(get-host).UI.RawUI.Backgroundcolor="DarkRed"
clear-host
$NICs = Get-WMIObject Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration -computername . | where{$_.IPEnabled -eq $true}

$i = 1
$message = $choices = $nic_descriptions = @()
Foreach ($NIC in $NICs) {
$d = $NIC.Description
$nic_descriptions += $d
$message += "$i - $d`n"
$choices += New-Object System.Management.Automation.Host.ChoiceDescription "&$i", "Select $d."
$i = $i + 1
}   
$options = [System.Management.Automation.Host.ChoiceDescription[]]($choices)

$title = "Select Adapter to Update DNS Settings for:"
$result = $host.ui.PromptForChoice($title, $message, $options, 0)

$nic_descriptions[$result]
# exit

Foreach ($NIC in $NICs) {
If ($NIC.Description  -eq $nic_descriptions[$result] ) {
SetDNSForNIC $servers $NIC
}
}   
Write-Host "Press any key to continue ..."
$x = $host.UI.RawUI.ReadKey("NoEcho,IncludeKeyDown")

}   
Else {
$this_script = $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Path
Start-Process "$psHome\powershell.exe" -Verb Runas -ArgumentList "-command `"$this_script`""
}

Network adapters are listed by Description, this is listed in the Network Connection Details.
I would have used the NetConnectionID but not everyone will have named their network connection.

6

N.A.N.Y. 2014 / NANY 2014 Pledge: Productivity utility [withdrawn]

« on: November 25, 2013, 03:34 AM »

I haven't been happy with any solution to manage my 'current workload'. (more to come)

7

Living Room / Prim Does Your Laundry. Pickup, Wash, Fold, Delivery, Awesome (techcrunch.com)

« on: July 26, 2013, 07:04 AM »

Either way, laundry is a chore, and new Y Combinator startup Prim wants to do it for you. You can schedule Prim online to come to your place, pick up your laundry, have it washed and folded at a top-notch laundromat, and deliver it back to you. $25 for a bag. It’s that easy.

http://techcrunch.co.../07/25/prim-laundry/

You go online and select from their upcoming 9am-11am or 8pm-10pm pickup and drop-off windows. You throw your clothes in a garbage bag and wait for Prim’s text that it’ll be there in 15 minutes. The driver calls when they arrive. You can hand them the bag, leave it with your doorman, or if you’re comfortable, give them a copy of your key or send a photo of it and they’ll make a copy so they can just come into your place and grab the bag.

Wait, what?

8

DC Gamer Club / Rogue likes for PC

« on: February 19, 2013, 03:16 AM »

I seem to have become a fan of the genre of "rogue like" games. I've heard this originated with Gauntlet, but I am only familiar with IOS games like "Sword of Fargoal", "Dungelot" and "Dungeon Raid". All of these are excellent. I really like the character progression, randomized dungeons etc.
Could anyone point me to good rogue likes for PC?

9

N.A.N.Y. 2013 / NANY 2013: wordpress-basetheme

« on: November 23, 2012, 07:54 AM »

I’ve released a first look at “WordPress Base Theme“, a bare bones base for your own themes:

* DRY (don't repeat yourself)
* KISS (keep it simple stupid)
* easily customisable WordPress base theme.
* uses post formats (standard and link have been implemented)

You can build on this to speed up your own theme development. It's so minimal that I wouldn't recommend it as your final site theme. Instead it makes it trivial to apply your design to a wordpress blog, or to build out from this starting point.

single view:





https://github.com/s.../wordpress-basetheme

There must be some wordpress users on DC, so feedback is welcome Pull requests are also.

10

General Software Discussion / Keyboard shortcut of the day

« on: November 21, 2012, 03:33 AM »

I want to nominate ctrl-backspace for keyboard shortcut of the day. I have been using pcs for close to 20 years now and never realised that you could remove the previous word using ctrl-backspace!

Any unusual shortcuts you think we should know about?

11

N.A.N.Y. 2013 / NANY 2013: Carbon - website / blogging framework [alpha]

« on: September 28, 2012, 09:54 AM »

Carbon is a hackable performant (semi) static blogging system.. I intend this to be my NANY 2013 entry, however I'm getting too excited I've never build such a system from scratch but am familiar with PHP frameworks like CodeIgniter, SilverStripe etc so Carbon is class based, somewhat MVC and clearly written (I hope).

It should be considered early alpha, a first-look. There is no point using it in production yet, but you might want to have a sneak peak and give initial feedback.

Aims
* Easy to learn
* Easy to hack & extend
* Performant

There are many others. I find most of them too complex to extend, too fiddly to get running, or too hard to use. Because I wrote this one, I don't have these problems.

Source and information, issues etc on GitHub. Enthusiastic feedback welcome. Best way to start is to look at the index.php and follow the execution pipeline.

12

Living Room / Xbox Windows Microsoft Minesweeper for Games for Windows Live

« on: August 07, 2012, 08:52 AM »

"Xbox Windows" branded games coming to Windows 8 desktops, Surface
http://www.eurogamer...s-8-desktops-surface

Classic Windows freebies Minesweeper and Solitaire are among the first games to fall under Microsoft's new Xbox Windows banner.
The new game range, outed on X360A.org, appears separate to the current Games for Windows Live service.

Oh, Microsoft.   You haven't learned a thing since Microsoft Office Sharepoint Designer 2007 for Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server.

13

Living Room / Office Chair Curling - a new olympic sport?

« on: July 27, 2012, 06:58 AM »

Get into the spirit of the Olympics whilst at work, with Office Chair Curling. Here's how it works:

REQUIREMENTS
1 Office chair per player "CHAIR"
1 narrow, long hallway "RINK"
1 floortile "HOUSE" with hole offcenter "BULL"

http://officechaircurling.pen.io

14

General Software Discussion / SilverStripe - Easy to use open source CMS + Framework

« on: July 20, 2012, 09:33 AM »

Just wanted to recommend SilverStripe CMS and the SilverStripe Framework (previously saphire).  I've tried to bend Wordpress to a CMS role, and have experience developing and maintaining a Drupal, Joomla CMS site and made some sites using CodeIgniter PHP framework (and rolled many from scratch). I tried Squarespace (if you want to spend money).

However SilverStripe is so easy to manage content with. Designers can take an existing template with stylesheets and get a basic working site going within the hour. Developers can use the extensive framework and feature set and expand from there, it's very elegant.

Negatives
At the moment the documentation is not yet up completely up to date with SS 3.0 (released end of june), and you will be googling the API and documentation sites quite a bit in order to piece the various components together. Also I've asked two questions on the forums without reply (although most questions seem to get good responses generally).

Positives
That said, it's used by it's commercial developer to create and maintain sites for major New Zealand's major companies and organisations.
You can drag and drop images into an image field. You can then use Image.SetWidth(300) in your template and it will generate appropriate derivatives. You install one module and it will generate a full REST webservice based on your data. You add a few lines and your list of news items are now also exposed as an RSS feed. etc.

You will see many more sites from me in the future based on this.   Is there anyone here that have used it for any projects?

silverstripe.org

15

General Software Discussion / WebPage notes

« on: June 14, 2012, 04:16 AM »

Am looking for a service that allows you to annotate pages and see these overlaid on the page. For example for webpages containing installation instructions for wordpress you could open up the annotations of yourself and other people with issues/fixes they encountered whilst installing the page, and you could add your own annotations to read back in case you need to reinstall it.

Currently, I forget about any notes I take locally as they're not linked to the page, my annotations are longer than sticky notes (for which browser plugins exist), and none of these solutions are social - I might find that other people have already solved the issue I am struggling with. I know of StumbleUpon, but it has a completely different aim and therefore different audience. (from what I can see)

Does such a thing exist?
Illustrated gallery

16

Living Room / It's a Google world

« on: June 06, 2012, 03:52 AM »

 But in pulling a couple of screenshots for Local University Advanced on Thursday, this one for “pizza” really struck me.

from http://www.davidmihm...m/blog/google/world/

2008 comparison shot:
https://twitter.com/...493662257152/photo/1

Personally I haven't been able to replicate this though, was wondering if you had?

17

General Software Discussion / Trello - Project / Todo Management

« on: May 18, 2012, 04:37 AM »

Noone here using trello?

Trello is a collaboration tool that organizes your projects into boards. In one glance, Trello tells you what's being worked on, who's working on what, and where something is in a process.

I'm using it at work to keep an overview of all the projects that we are working on, and it is really intuitive like that.
We use one board. We currently have 6 lists (Inbox, in planning, in progress, in testing, done, postponed). 3 labels (scheduled, priority, nice to have). Each project is a card, it belongs optionally to one or more labels, but always to one of the lists.

With the features of activity messages, checklists and due dates this allows us to keep on top of things. It works well in addition to a helpdesk because there are no reports options and it's not a communication tool.

18

Living Room / Firefall developer: "Consoles, I believe, are dead"

« on: May 03, 2012, 07:09 AM »

Interesting article by Fred Dutton, speaking to former World of Warcraft lead Mark Kern:

[…] the Red 5 Studios CEO argued that the free-to-play model offers developers much more room to flex their creative muscles, rewarding gamers with more innovative gameplay experiences than risk-averse AAA console publishers can hope to offer.

“The failure is that there’s no middle ground. All the games in the middle that could have been made but have been squeezed out and we’ve seen all these independent studios get closed down over the last few years.

<br>http://www.eurogamer...s-i-believe-are-dead

The net driving force is distribution, and it’s disrupting all distribution channels.

from s.vandragt.com

19

Living Room / Blog comments - On of off?

« on: May 03, 2012, 05:30 AM »

A good overview of advantages and disadvantages of not having comments on your blog, an approach more and more writers take.

For most people, a comment form is an essential part of what a blog is, and most of us enjoy the opportunity to leave feedback (even if we do so only rarely). But there are also plenty of possible reasons why comments are unnecessary, or undesirable.

<br>http://mattgemmell.c...comments-commentary/

from http://s.vandragt.com/post/22314328616/blog-comments-on-or-off

20

General Software Discussion / Email services integration

« on: April 13, 2012, 03:55 AM »

Anyone knows any software/tips that will integrate my emails with webservices and/or their apis? I'm happy to try out thunderbird addons, gmail addons, new products etc.

I want to easily send emails to other services. For example:
* Weblinks "send to" > pinboard | instapaper
* bug reports and features i can "send to" > helpdesk
* gift ides to a wishlist etc
* recipes "send to" > evernote

And ideally archive the original email in one step.

I thought surely there must be something but haven't found anything, probably because writing a totally new email client is quite a project. Yes I know about gmail filters and email in, I'm looking for "click click done", not "reply type in an addressbook search, verify email address, send, archive".

21

Living Room / Google is being suspicious

« on: March 28, 2012, 08:16 AM »

According to google.com!
http://www.google.co...stic?site=google.com

Has this site acted as an intermediary resulting in further distribution of malware?
Over the past 90 days, google.com appeared to function as an intermediary for the infection of 28 site(s)

22

Developer's Corner / PL101: Create your own programming language in Javascript

« on: March 27, 2012, 03:07 AM »

Free! class you can sign up for by email, this sounds really interesting.

In this class you will learn how to use the principles of programming language design to implement your own working programming language in JavaScript. You'll be able to show off the finished product to your friends and prospective employers on a simple demo webpage.

http://nathansuniversity.appspot.com/

from hckrnews.com

23

Developer's Corner / EasyGit - Sane syntax for git

« on: March 26, 2012, 08:23 AM »

A better commandline interface for git! The primary reason why I have been using mercurial over git is that mercurial is so much higher level and logical to understand. But with EasyGit the commands are almost identical:

In short, Easy GIT is a single-file wrapper script for git, designed to make git easy to learn and use.

(Run 'eg help --all' for a more detailed list.)

Creating repositories
  eg clone       Clone a repository into a new directory
  eg init        Create a new repository

Obtaining information about changes, history, & state
  eg diff        Show changes to file contents
  eg log         Show history of recorded changes
  eg status      Summarize current changes

Making, undoing, or recording changes
  eg commit      Record changes locally
  eg mv          Move or rename files (or directories or symlinks)
  eg revert      Revert local changes and/or changes from previous commits
  eg stage       Mark content in files as being ready for commit

Managing branches
  eg branch      List, create, or delete branches
  eg merge       Join two or more development histories (branches) together
  eg switch      Switch the working copy to another branch

Collaboration
  eg pull        Get updates from another repository and merge them
  eg push        Push local commits to a published repository

Time saving commands
  eg bisect      Find the change that introduced a bug by binary search
  eg stash       Save and revert local changes, or apply stashed changes

Additional help:
  eg help COMMAND      Get more help on COMMAND.
  eg help --all        List more commands (not really all)
  eg help topic        List specialized help topics.

(Detailed list of differences between eg and git)

http://people.gnome.org/~newren/eg/

from HackerNews

24

General Software Discussion / Static website generator for windows

« on: March 25, 2012, 08:57 AM »

I'm looking for website generators for windows. Do you know any besides CityDesk?

25

General Software Discussion / Setting up static blog (based on movable type) / vm / local development system

« on: March 20, 2012, 06:48 AM »

I'm in the process of setting up a static blog, where all blogging takes place on a local development server running Movable Type, with the resulting static site being pushed to my shared hosting. This has all the benefits of a static blogging system (security, speed,), plus the benefits of Movable Type (robust, easier to theme than wordpress from my initial impresions, power of complete CMS, open source version available / pro version free for individuals).

I'm choosing to do this on a ubuntu 11.10 virtual machine running on VMware player. I thought it would be interesting to document the process and instructions so that it will be useful to others, and you can follow along / correct / improve this guide. Apart from a working static blogging system you will end up with a complete LAMP local development system for other web projects.

Feedback is welcome.