Recent Posts

1051

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Teaser: CrazyLittleFingers

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 11, 2008, 07:56 AM »

from personal experience?

I remember sitting with toddler at the keyboard, and it seemed to completely miss the point having to restrain hands and direct interest so closely 

1052

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 TEASER: PuzzleBox by puzzlebox

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 11, 2008, 02:13 AM »

 

Are you planning to implement the server? Maybe it's something we could use here on DC?

1053

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Intro

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 11, 2008, 12:12 AM »

I'll *try* to be in this year, probably posting one of my programming class final projects (rewrites of previous apps that have been lost/damaged/abandoned). No guarantees, but I'm hoping.

-wreckedcarzz (December 10, 2008, 11:34 PM)

  Let me encourage you... I had a carrot around here somewhere...

1054

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009: JustCloseSomeTasks

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 10, 2008, 07:42 AM »

The current option is to close the window. I think I'd also use minimize window. I have two monitors and with all that real estate you get lazy (ask anyone living on acres).

The whole training thing is an interesting question (you've got me wondering). I guess having various criteria that will calculate a point score. A little like spam, so that you could weight the different aspects differently.

• Age is greater than AbsoluteMinimumAge = 1 point
• Age is greater than AbsoluteMaximumAge = 10 points
• Age is greater than MeanAge = 5 points
• WindowNumber is greater than AbsouluteMinimumWindowsLeft = 3 points
• ???

I wonder about an option to automatically open the window when a certain number of windows get to be a certain age?

1055

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009: JustCloseSomeTasks

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 10, 2008, 06:48 AM »

Training is a great idea! So JCST would remember the InactiveSeconds of closed windows and the TotalWindowsLeft and average them over time? Or the minimum? You'd need an option to reset the "training", or maybe that should be "forget" the training.

The ability to check which ones to delete give ultimate control!

A WhiteList might be a good idea. I often leave the browser open to get back to it later, and I don't really want it closed.

  I also appreciate the feedback for the doubleClicks!

I'd also use a minimize window as well (I tend to have my screens a little cluttered).

1056

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / NANY 2009 PROGRESS REPORT - The Volunteer Voice: December 10th

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 10, 2008, 05:07 AM »

The NANY Challenge is an annual Challenge at DonationCode where coders of all levels are challenged to pledge a New Application for the New Year and release it on January 1, 2009.

This year the NANY 2009 Challenge is generating a lot of interest: we've had 34 Pledges this year! We had 15 finished entries in 2008 and 25 in 2007, so far this year we've had 10 Entries posted and have 8 Teasers.

STOP PRESS: The NANY 2009 Challenge pledge deadline extended until December 15!
The pledge deadline has been extended a week, there's now a little extra time to pledge your entry to this year's NANY Challenge. The aim of the NANY Challenge is to release a new programme, utility, game, or anything else that runs on a computer on January 1st 2009, which you have first pledged your commitment to produce in the Forum. Read the instructions here if your interested and the Challenge Reward here. If you're in need of some inspiration you can check out the Communal Idea Thread.

Teaser Focus
Visual Basic 6.0 Bible Quiz
Visual Basic 6.0 Bible Quiz is a multi-player Bible Quiz that features over 1000 questions, multiple choice answers in random order. Choice of New Testament or Old Testament at any time. Users can play by themselves or with up to 6 players competitively. There is an English and Spanish version (beta).


SuperSearch
SuperSearch allows you to search on any website that can express searches as URLs with your Android phone.


Find and Run Robot Plugins
PopQuotes will search many thousands of quotes to find ones that mention certain words, so you can paste them in emails or other applications.  You could also use it with your own custom text files (one item per line). It can read the same data files as my Popup Wisdom program (including standard unix fortune files).


Keyser will enable FARR to reuse the searches already available in one's local installation of Firefox -- those available via its Search Bar / Search Box.  Firefox makes use of OpenSearch plugins to provide this functionality.  OpenSearch plugins are used by Firefox, IE 7, and other apps to allow one to search various sites more conveniently and quickly. The plugin may end up supporting searches from browsers other than Firefox, though they don't necessarily use Open Search plugins to provide their corresponding functionality.  Possibilities that have been considered so far include: IE 7, Chrome, Opera, and K-Meleon.


CZB package will contain all the FARR plugins released by czb. This includes new plugins: JScalc, which is quite a useful calculator and plugin management system, where you can de/activate plugins, control their settings and see their html/txt files.

1057

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Intro

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 10, 2008, 04:53 AM »

Am I too late? hehehe new guy here.. I would like to pledge if it's still ok..

-puzzlebox (December 10, 2008, 04:51 AM)

Welcome! Not too late: PM me your email address, thanks

1058

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Teaser: Tree List

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 10, 2008, 03:59 AM »

There is a wee problem with the double click though. When you double click on an item nothing happens, but when you click on an already highlighted item it starts and edit (there is a very slight delay).

-Perry Mowbray (December 10, 2008, 02:25 AM)

I have a problem with my mouse - sometimes it double-clicks when I click once, so testing this isn't as straight-forward as it should be. However, the default behaviour should be:

Double-Click: Expand/Collapse Item -or- Do nothing if there are no sub-nodes.
Single-Click: Select Item
Single-Click <pause> Single-Click again: Edit Item. (this is standard behaviour - you can do the same with filenames in Windows)

-deviantopian (December 10, 2008, 03:11 AM)

  OK: that works then 

1059

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Release: Keyser

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 10, 2008, 02:56 AM »

It's an odd zip file 

• Download manager extracts it OK
• Compressed Folders fails
• Nexus opens the file but it's empty

...very odd

1060

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Teaser: JustRecently

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 10, 2008, 02:53 AM »

 

Is that Official? Absolutely no chance??

1061

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Teaser: Tree List

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 10, 2008, 02:31 AM »

• Fully expand or collapse the tree

-deviantopian (December 03, 2008, 07:42 AM)

What about a SHIFT-CLICK or CNTRL-CLICK for fully opening a tree branch?

1062

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Teaser: Tree List

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 10, 2008, 02:25 AM »

If someone could test these out that would be great

-deviantopian (December 09, 2008, 10:37 AM)

Not sure what ewemoa's issues are, but they all work fine here 

There is a wee problem with the double click though. When you double click on an item nothing happens, but when you click on an already highlighted item it starts and edit (there is a very slight delay).

1063

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Intro

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 09, 2008, 05:12 AM »

Additionally I think that such tool would be better for learning Regular Expressions than many other "regexp helper" tools. Currently for testing your expressions you have to have text file with already written content. That way you have to write each possible combination by yourself and then - check does expression match. Getting that in opposite way would be lot better even if crippled a little bit.

-fenixproductions (December 09, 2008, 04:53 AM)

What a great point! I love it more!! What do you think rulfzid?

Maybe limiting the number of results would be helpful: I can imagine getting an unmanageable number of results would not be helpful 

1064

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Intro

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 09, 2008, 04:29 AM »

Is it too late to join?

-rulfzid (December 08, 2008, 06:34 PM)

Certainly not! In fact we're thinking of officially extending the Pledge Deadline - the more the merrier!

If you'd like to pledge your commitment, just do it here (you don't necessarily have a completed proposal) and PM me.

1065

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 PROGRESS REPORT - The Volunteer Voice

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 07, 2008, 09:09 PM »

I'm curious about what look like negative values on the graph...

-ewemoa (December 07, 2008, 08:43 PM)

We've had a couple pull out (so they are definitely negative values  )

1066

Living Room / Re: I had the strangest dream last night...

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 07, 2008, 08:00 PM »

@Deozaan and Perry - I think you both had too much to dream last night...

-Darwin (December 07, 2008, 05:14 PM)

Generally I don't remember my dreams at all, but when I do, there are never any toothbrushes in them

After thinking about fOdder's comment I realised that the only way mere (poor) mortals would ever get a powerful enough system to drive that type of interface was if it was hooked to your wallet (or your potential wallet). So instead of Google watching where you go and what you click, they'll be watching your thoughts: you'll think "I'm a bit peckish" and there'll be advertisements for all your favourite buyable foods. You'll think "That lounge is a bit old" and you'll get links to online sofa stores. Maybe that's why the name was Google Office?

 

1067

Living Room / Re: I had the strangest dream last night...

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 07, 2008, 08:37 AM »

Deozaan: Do you sleep walk?

Because, if you do, you may want to either check the amount of toothpaste left in the tube, or any tell tale toothpaste drips where they shouldn't be... and if you find any: definitely get a new toothbrush!

1068

Living Room / Re: I had the strangest dream last night...

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 07, 2008, 07:35 AM »

But with a direct brain neuro-interface hookup, it might be usable, and even nice to use?

-f0dder (December 07, 2008, 07:31 AM)

MicroSoft wont be around then, will they??  That'd be scary if they were in your brain!

1069

Living Room / Re: I had the strangest dream last night...

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 07, 2008, 06:58 AM »

Ah, Carol, that may well be true    but it did make me wonder as I clipped the Camellia hedge today where we were headed and if the paper and pen in my bilum that I carry everywhere would ever be replaced.

@app:
Goodness only knows how Word got in there! And thankfully, the render was a touch more tasteful 

1070

Living Room / I had the strangest dream last night...

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 07, 2008, 06:42 AM »

As often happens with dreams, the beginnings started before retiring for the night. I was explaining to my wife about things Web 2.0 and of Mash Ups and of making sense of the ever growing Internet.

But I woke this morning after a most realistic dream: I was sitting at my computer, though it wasn't the Windows box I have today. In fact, as it often happens in dreams, I was not aware of my computer at all: just that I was using it.

I knew that I was using an application called Google Office (though I don't know how I knew), and I'm not sure how I was controlling it, as I was not aware of a monitor, mice or keyboards; but the 3-D space that was Google Office stretched out in front of me, much larger and less defined than how I think of a monitor interface.

Google Office was a 3-D application in the form of a room, an office in fact, with desk, reading lounge and from memory, a corridor running past the room, in which I could see people passing. In some ways, not dissimilar to some 3-D Desktops that are available today (not that I've seen or used any of those 3-D Desktops).

On my desk was all manner of the usual objects: clock, digital photo-frame, books, etc. I was able to produce some writing paper and begin a document (using MicroSoft Word of all things), I filed it in the cabinet under the desk, and could see many other documents that I'd written or saved (must have been in a different dream, because I didn't remember doing any of it). A diary was there, which I opened and I could see the suspected applications. These existed in 3-D space, I could pick them up, move them and open them. They could be used on the desk or expanded to work on them at a greater zoom. There were even Post-It notes!

In my dream, I was aware of the "newness" of the application (no bugs thankfully and no crashes: it must have been a dream!). The separation between the application and myself was minimal, meaning, I seemed to be in the application (as players are in the action games I see my boys playing). I could see my 3-D representation, but I was not aware of using any input devices.

I retired to the reading couch, moving through 3-D space, and opened the newspaper. I started to read an article about someone I knew (not that I actually knew the person in reality, but I knew that I knew him in the dream). I focused the newspaper and read the article. In the article was a picture of the person I knew, with someone else, whom was included in the article (but I did not know).

I was able to activate the picture and it became a video, which started to play (much like what happens on youTube). Then I was able to reach out and touch the person whom I knew in the video. He became a 3-D entity that emerged from the video and started reacting to me. It was like what happens in a chat programme or a video chat, except it was in 3-D space. At the time in my dream I thought that the contact details for this person had to be included in the image and video somehow: and I thought how wonderful that was, that the ease of connectivity was just like it was when we used to talk to people at the shops next to the tomatoes.

After I finished talking with this person, I released his 3-D image, which went back into the image and the animation stopped. I put the paper down on the reading table. There were people walking past the room, or at least, there were 3-D representations of people walking past the room; I knew that if I wanted I could stop and chat with them (much like we use chat programmes today, except I was visually aware of the people whom I could chat with).

And then I woke up and remembered it all. And now I don't know if I need a dream analyst or a coder?

1071

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Teaser: Mouser's Magic Keyboard

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 06, 2008, 11:08 PM »

I think this is taking the concept of a Tease a little too far 

1072

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Intro

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 06, 2008, 11:06 PM »

ahem 

That would make 31 pledges!

1073

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / NANY 2009 PROGRESS REPORT - The Volunteer Voice: December 6th

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 06, 2008, 04:11 AM »

The Volunteer Voice: December 6th

NANY 2009 Challenge: 29 Pledges & 14 Entries so far!

We have encouraged this year's entrants to post a Teaser of their entry, and not wait until the project has been completed. Some entries are still being developed and are even open for feature requests. Here are some of the fine entries so far:

Jellyfish Lists
Jellyfish Lists is a small web application that handles lists and notes. Jellyfish Lists has an HTML and WML interface, and can also be used from any WAP/WEB enabled phone.


Comparer
Comparer is a file comparer application which uses Total Commander's WDX plugins to compare two file's properties (ID3 Tags, File Attributes, EXE Headers, Word/Excel Document Properties, OpenOffice Document Properties, EXIF Tags, Image Information, HTML Meta Tags, Shortcut Properties, etc.)


File Replicator
File Replicator is a program that searches for a specified file within a specified root folder and replaces it with another copy of the file. This is useful for updating a file that is located in multiple folders to a newer version.  This is a GUI based replacement for the File Propagator script.

1074

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / NANY 2009 PROGRESS REPORT - The Volunteer Voice

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 06, 2008, 04:05 AM »

The Volunteer Voice

December 6th marks the NANY 2009 Challenge as a little over three weeks old and we've seen an explosion of interest, pledges and teasers already! We've also had, in addition to the NANY Mug, some great rewards pledged by DonationCoder members for the coders that satisfy the Challenge requirements.

The aim of the NANY Challenge is to release a new programme, utility, game, etc on January 1st, which you have first pledged your commitment to produce in the NANY 2009 Intro thread; our aim was to have the pledges close on December 7th: so there's still time to join the fun! Read the instructions here if your interested: we're always happy to bend some aims to increase the fun. If you're in need of some inspiration you can check out the Communal Idea Thread.

This thread will include regular updates by your humble volunteer that will focus on the various entries (in no particular order), but first some interesting details about this year's Challenge.

NANY 2009 Challenge Details (updated Jan 1 2009)

• 39 Pledges
• 1 Teaser
• 35 Entries

One of the wonderful surprises of each NANY is the wide variety of entries, and this year is not different, though there is (understandably) a strong bias towards Windows:

• 30 Windows Based
• 3 Interpreted (Ruby, Java, AdobeAir)
• 1 Web Based
• 1 Android Based

So far the entries have focused on getting things done, with the main Categories:

• 31 Utilities
• 4 Entertainment based (including 1 addictive game)
• There's also been strong support for the development of our beloved FARR with 3 new Plugin releases.

Regular Updates

• December 6: 29 Pledges, 7 Entries
• December 10: 34 Pledges, 10 Entries
• December 14: 36 Pledges, 12 Entries
• December 18: 37 Pledges, 12 Entries
• December 22: 38 Pledges, 15 Entries
• December 28: 39 Pledges, 21 Entries
• January 1: 39 Pledges, 34 Entries

Congratulations to all our Coders!

6/12/2008: Added graph
10/12/2008: Updated figures, graph
12/12/2008: Corrected a typo, corrected grammar, added a link or two
14/12/2008: Updated figures, graph
18/12/2008: Updated figures, graph
22/12/2008: Updated figures, graph
28/12/2008: Updated figures, graph
1/1/2009: Updated figures, graph
3/1/2009: Updated figures, graph (WishList was erroneously left out: sorry

1075

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009: JustCloseSomeTasks

« Last post by Perry Mowbray on December 05, 2008, 08:18 PM »

  I've not really programmed in AutoHotKey, I'm more used to AutoIt3, but that function was the only area I could see that things could go wrong, so I added a check for when the active window was skipped over (removed from the list).

The other small point is that I thought that I saw a line of code that should have brought in all the currently open windows (at least that's what the comment suggested I think). I'm not sure that was working: but I think it'd be an idea to get a list of currently open (minimized or not) windows and use the start time as the last active time.

BTW: I think this is a great idea