Recent Posts

2826

N.A.N.Y. 2011 / NANY 2011 Withdrawn: Something cross-platform

« Last post by app103 on May 13, 2010, 04:22 AM »

I pledge at least one cross-platform application for NANY 2011.

I have been meaning to rewrite a few of my applications to be cross-platform, so that Linux and Mac users can enjoy them, too. This will involve a rewrite, since all that Win API stuff I have in them will have to be done another way, since those other OS's wouldn't be able to handle that stuff the way they currently are written.

I am not sure which of my apps will be the first to be finished, so I am not committing to a statement of that at this time.

There are a few things I am going to need volunteers for, when the time draws closer to the actual release date:

• Someone with a Mac that can handle compiling a Lazarus/freepascal project and testing it. (I don't own a Mac)
• Someone with some mad art skills that can redesign the icon for Instant Boss (if that application will be one of the ones released), retaining its personality, but creating something suitable as a dock icon for Mac. The current icon art is too small and can not be easily made larger and still look good...and we know how fussy the average Mac user can be with regards to this kind of stuff. A great app with an awful icon won't see much use from the average Mac user.

2827

Living Room / Re: Dagnabbit - I want my cercle!

« Last post by app103 on May 10, 2010, 09:25 PM »

"Cercle"?
What is a cercle?  I cannot find it in the dictionary.

-parkint (May 10, 2010, 08:17 PM)

Won't find it on DC forum either. 

2828

Living Room / Re: Bit.ly is Harmful to Your Reputation

« Last post by app103 on May 08, 2010, 02:09 PM »

Rather than fix the problem in a way that makes sense, bit.ly has gone ahead and changed the wording of their page.

The top banner now says "Stop - there might be a problem with the requested link" rather than "WARNING - visiting this website may harm your computer"

It now identifies reshortened links as such, but goes on to state

    * Some URL-shorteners re-use their links, so bit.ly can't guarantee the validity of this link.
    * Some URL-shorteners allow their links to be edited, so bit.ly can't tell where this link will lead you.
    * Spam and malware is very often propagated by exploiting these loopholes, neither of which bit.ly allows for.

The link you requested may contain inappropriate content, or even spam or malicious code that could be downloaded to your computer without your consent, or may be a forgery or imitation of another website, designed to trick users into sharing personal or financial information.

Better than it was, but still not acceptable, as far as I am concerned. If they can detect that a URL comes from a shortener at the time someone clicks, they can do it at the time it is shortened and just not allow it.

old:



new:

2829

Site/Forum Features / Re: Discussion: How can we Improve DonationCoder?

« Last post by app103 on May 06, 2010, 01:16 PM »

Just out of curiosity, what color do you use?

 

-40hz (May 06, 2010, 07:54 AM)

#aa00aa (which is the default color for visited links on my system)

The whole thing is here: https://www.donation...ex.php?topic=18548.0

2830

Site/Forum Features / Re: Discussion: How can we Improve DonationCoder?

« Last post by app103 on May 06, 2010, 07:05 AM »

i was thinking i would just make this the default behavior whenever you click on main link to a topic, to go to last read post; then it wouldnt matter if you clicked new button or not.

-mouser (May 06, 2010, 03:03 AM)

No, please don't do that! I rely on the color of the link to draw my eye to threads I have already read before. I have even gone so far as changing the color in the usercontent.css file of my browser to make it stand out more.

If you change the default behavior, then the link color will change back to the default unvisited color for every thread whenever a new post is added. I'll never be able to tell previously read threads.

2831

Living Room / Re: Geek gadgets - Calculators...

« Last post by app103 on May 05, 2010, 08:08 PM »

Perhaps you could port the source code to Pascal or whatever it is you use yourself?

-rjbull (May 05, 2010, 02:12 PM)

While he did supply me with the source, it is not open source. Therefore, if I were to port the code and make any improvements, it could only be for my own use. I could not distribute the modified version, either in compiled or source form.

It is something I have considered, though.

2832

Living Room / Re: Do you collect anything?

« Last post by app103 on May 05, 2010, 10:06 AM »

BTW, nobody else but me seems to collect :
1/ Mp3 players
2/ Watches (mainly Casio)

-MerleOne (May 04, 2010, 10:53 AM)

My dad collects watches. Every time I see him he has a different interesting looking watch on. If I am stuck for a gift to give him for some occasion, I just buy him another interesting watch.

This is on my list of future possibilities.

He also occasionally gives me interesting looking watches (he has been doing this since I was a kid).

My 2 favorites:

• One that looked like 5 watches connected together, only the one in the middle was a working watch. The rest had no hands, and in place where the watch face should be was a penny. I had the pennies replaced with silver coins, like he suggested. Was rather difficult to find a good looking coin that was the same size.
• One I had when I was a kid that had a clear plastic case that let you see all it's inner workings. I learned a lot from observing that watch, including how to easily fix a slightly over-wound watch (shake it, shake it, shake it!)

2833

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Release: Trout (audio player)

« Last post by app103 on May 05, 2010, 08:52 AM »

Ctrl-up/Ctrl-down will move a contiguous selection.

-skwire (May 04, 2010, 02:33 AM)

Why did I not know about this? 

2834

Living Room / Giveaway: HP #23 Tri-Color InkJet Print Cartridge (hp c1823d)

« Last post by app103 on May 05, 2010, 01:53 AM »

HP #23 Tri-Color InkJet Print Cartridge (hp c1823d)



New, still in it's factory sealed box. (packaging varies from the pic, but it is the same product inside). Originally purchased for around $40. I don't have the printer any more, so I don't have a use for it. I'd like this to go to someone that owns a printer that can use it.

I am willing to ship it anywhere in the US.

2835

Living Room / Re: Geek gadgets - Calculators...

« Last post by app103 on May 04, 2010, 05:59 PM »

He may be worrying unnecessarily.  TapeCalc is VB, dated 1993/1994, and works on Vista Home Premium.

-rjbull (May 04, 2010, 03:05 PM)

But does that old VB IDE work on Vista Home Premium? And how about Win7? And what kind of future could it have if Microsoft isn't supporting that IDE any more?

2836

Site/Forum Features / Re: NANY 2011 :: A New Concept -- Have your say!

« Last post by app103 on May 04, 2010, 01:42 AM »

One aspect of NANY that I think is a shame is that the years go by and the previous entries are almost forgotten... but I'm not entirely sure that it's all customer voting by their feet... some of it I think has to be just not being made aware: there are some great programmes from previous years that would be good to have easy access to (well: easier access).

-Perry Mowbray (May 03, 2010, 11:36 PM)

I think in the days leading up to the unveiling of all current NANY application submissions, it might be nice in your update reports to pull some of the hidden gems from previous years and mention them. It would be like taking something old and making it new again.

Also, in the days leading up to Jan 1, mentioning various apps that have been contributed by members that were not/are not NANY submissions, but were created during the course of the year.

It would turn NANY into a year end wrap-up of all we have done in the past year, what we did for previous NANYs, and leading up to the fresh new year loaded with new apps.

We used to do a "best of" list with links to the best forum threads of the year: https://www.donationcoder.com/2008/

Perhaps if we took that approach with the software that has been created here during the year, it might give attention to some of the forgotten stuff.

2837

Site/Forum Features / Re: Discussion: How can we Improve DonationCoder?

« Last post by app103 on May 04, 2010, 01:17 AM »

I am not sure when it happened, but the main page of the site stopped looking like a site where you can download software and began looking like a general technology blog.

The blog is a great idea, but I don't think it should be the main focus of the main page, with the software buried behind a link in the top border of the page.

If you are going to use the blogging mod to place content on the front page, it should be all DC software & review related, with the rest being on the actual blog page.

I might even go as far as breaking the front page into sections, showcasing the main points of what DC is all about: the software we offer, the reviews we write, and something about what we do, why we are doing it, and why the visitor might want to support this site.

Currently, this is what makes up the bulk of the main page:



Based on that, what would you think this site is? Really look at it objectively through the eyes of a first time visitor.

2838

Living Room / Re: Geek gadgets - Calculators...

« Last post by app103 on May 03, 2010, 10:18 AM »

Well while we are at it then, App (or anyone else), have you found anything that does a justifiable job of recreating a Time Value of Money (TVM) calculator? 

-steeladept (May 03, 2010, 09:15 AM)

Don't look at me. I have no idea.

2839

Living Room / Re: Geek gadgets - Calculators...

« Last post by app103 on May 02, 2010, 10:17 PM »

Update on the calculator app story...

Tom Muck answered my email and says that he never sold that calculator because it was never properly finished. He gave me a slightly newer version of it for free, without the nag screen, with the VB source, and an even newer version with some extra features (a proper tape!)



This is starting out to be a great day! 

2840

Living Room / Re: Geek gadgets - Calculators...

« Last post by app103 on May 02, 2010, 03:47 PM »

No, I just noticed that it didn't seem to have a tape, so I suggested ones that do.

-rjbull (May 02, 2010, 09:33 AM)

That dropdown at the top is the history tape.

If his calculator is interestingly different, it's a pity that it doesn't appear on his current Web site.

-rjbull (May 02, 2010, 09:33 AM)

It's about 10 years old and written in VB. That might have something to do with it.

2841

Living Room / Re: Geek gadgets - Calculators...

« Last post by app103 on May 02, 2010, 06:08 AM »

I first learned 10-key on something similar to this: http://www.etsy.com/...a-quanta-20-electric

Technically not a calculator, but an electric mechanical adding machine. It was probably 20-30 years old by the time I got to it.

2842

Living Room / Re: Apple acquires music service Lala

« Last post by app103 on May 01, 2010, 09:42 PM »

So how am I going to be able to listen to my digital streaming-only music I purchased from Lala?

-Deozaan (May 01, 2010, 02:30 PM)

You are going to receive a refund for the stuff you paid for, in the form of an iTunes gift certificate.

What the heck? I had like 50 song credits on my account and now they're gone!

-Deozaan (May 01, 2010, 02:31 PM)

They took everyone's remaining credits, because they don't want you spending them now. You'll get it back when they give you your iTunes gift certificate.

2843

Living Room / Re: Geek gadgets - Calculators...

« Last post by app103 on May 01, 2010, 03:57 PM »

Heh, heh - Edvard, I think app meant that she likes virtual calculators whereas I *think* you're assuming she meant the old, big desktop printing calculators?

-Darwin (May 01, 2010, 12:34 PM)

No, Edvard got it right. I fell in love with the big desktop calculators with the tape when I had to take a 10-key class (all accounting students were required to do that, back in the 80's). Didn't get one of my own till I contracted a job that required me to have one. (early 90's)

app, I use another probably impossible to find ancient piece of software, PC Magazine's TapeCalc from the days before they started charging for their utilities.  I have an archive of it, which I can make available if wanted.

Oh, and there's the better-known Moffsoft FreeCalc as well, for another that has tape.

-rjbull (May 01, 2010, 01:48 PM)

This calculator app I mentioned is a little special. Not sure if you noticed the different modes in the screenshot, but one of them is "fraction". That was the original reason for downloading it. (it also expands into a scientific calculator)

My daughter had misplaced her TI Math Explorer solar calculator supplied by her school and needed it for her homework. That TI calculator was the first designed for teaching fractions, and was kind of hard to find a replacement or substitute, since they were only made available to educational institutions, in packs of 10.

But this little calculator app did the trick and she passed her math class.

That ability to change modes has come in handy quite a bit over the years, for various things.

Incidentally, I never bought the full version which was something I had been meaning to do all these years, but the email address in the about box is no longer in use and I couldn't find the developer. After making my original post about it, I tried one more time and found a web developer by the same name (Thomas Muck). I sent him a note through the contact form on his site asking if he was the same guy that wrote that calculator, and just received a reply back confirming that he is. So now to find out if he is interested in letting me purchase the full version without the nag screen. (I hope he will, he deserves my money and I'd like to finally get rid of the nag)

2844

Finished Programs / Re: DONE: automated mp3 rip from video clip

« Last post by app103 on May 01, 2010, 10:11 AM »

About the only other thing I can think to add would be to handle multiple files dropped on the executable (it only handles one for now).  Let me know what you want...

-skwire (November 24, 2009, 09:11 AM)

That's something I would like.

2845

Living Room / Re: Steve Jobs tells us how he really feels about Flash...

« Last post by app103 on May 01, 2010, 06:43 AM »

Something about this really bothers me and this is supposed to be the most important reason. This same argument could be said about a number of cross-platform developer tools, Lazarus/freepascal for example. Are they going to ban apps from OSX written with that, next?

We know from painful experience that letting a third party layer of software come between the platform and the developer ultimately results in sub-standard apps and hinders the enhancement and progress of the platform. If developers grow dependent on third party development libraries and tools, they can only take advantage of platform enhancements if and when the third party chooses to adopt the new features. We cannot be at the mercy of a third party deciding if and when they will make our enhancements available to our developers.

This becomes even worse if the third party is supplying a cross platform development tool. The third party may not adopt enhancements from one platform unless they are available on all of their supported platforms. Hence developers only have access to the lowest common denominator set of features. Again, we cannot accept an outcome where developers are blocked from using our innovations and enhancements because they are not available on our competitor’s platforms.

Flash is a cross platform development tool. It is not Adobe’s goal to help developers write the best iPhone, iPod and iPad apps. It is their goal to help developers write cross platform apps. And Adobe has been painfully slow to adopt enhancements to Apple’s platforms. For example, although Mac OS X has been shipping for almost 10 years now, Adobe just adopted it fully (Cocoa) two weeks ago when they shipped CS5. Adobe was the last major third party developer to fully adopt Mac OS X.

Our motivation is simple – we want to provide the most advanced and innovative platform to our developers, and we want them to stand directly on the shoulders of this platform and create the best apps the world has ever seen. We want to continually enhance the platform so developers can create even more amazing, powerful, fun and useful applications. Everyone wins – we sell more devices because we have the best apps, developers reach a wider and wider audience and customer base, and users are continually delighted by the best and broadest selection of apps on any platform.

Do they think cross-platform developers don't know this?

What makes them think that the decision of what tools and language to use should be theirs? Should not the developer have the right to make that decision?

Should the developer not have the right to create apps that have consistency across platforms, so that no matter what OS you are using, the app looks and works exactly the same for the user? Would it not be better for the developer to use one single tool to accomplish this, instead of writing a different version in another language, duplicating only what the version for other platforms have and nothing more?

Just because you give unique features, no matter what Apple says and does, it won't mean developers will use those extras, especially if they are going for consistency across the various platforms.

The end result is that more than being unfair to Adobe, they are being unfair and creating more work for developers.

2846

Living Room / Re: Geek gadgets - Calculators...

« Last post by app103 on May 01, 2010, 04:32 AM »

I must come from a different world than you guys because this is my idea of a nice calculator. 

It might also explain why I hate the Windows calculator and its lack of history tape, and opt for this impossible to find ancient piece of software, instead:

2847

Living Room / Re: Ergonomic mouse and keyboard

« Last post by app103 on May 01, 2010, 12:36 AM »

i quite like the look of the TypeMatrix keyboard. i've also found this one, the "mouse friendly" keyboard (i've also seen a few left-handed keyboards now, which is what this is under another name): http://www.evoluent.com/kb1.html

-nudone (April 30, 2010, 10:21 AM)

I use their vertical mouse, and absolutely love it! http://www.evoluent.com/vm3.html

i have the ms ergonomic keyboard 4000 (dc member wordzilla bought it for me as a wonderful present!), and i really like it.  the one thing i would warn you though about getting an "ergonomic" keyboard, is that it does cause problems when you use another pc without it.. surely in time the brain would adjust to switching between keyboards but it's not easy.  so if you regularly use multiple pcs, you might want to reconsider getting one.

-mouser (May 01, 2010, 12:00 AM)

That's how I got my mouse. (wordzilla is a great guy!) And I would make the same recommendation about what happens when you get too used to it, but I'll take that even one more step. If you have a multi-user pc, you might want to attach another normal mouse to it for others to use. They typically will not like your vertical mouse unless they are used to it. In fact, they will probably hate it unless you force them to use it exclusively for a week. (then they will love it)

Because my daughter occasionally uses my PC, I have a second normal mouse connected that I keep behind my keyboard. When she wants to use the pc, I stick my mouse on top of the desk and move the other one forward.

2848

Developer's Corner / Re: C# Books (Recomendations)

« Last post by app103 on April 30, 2010, 01:06 PM »

Here is the C# section on my free ebook site: http://appsapps.com/ebooks/?cat=10

Might as well go for it, since they are all free.

This is one of the most popular books I have listed: http://www.programme...ven.com/2/CSharpBook

2849

General Software Discussion / Re: What free multi-user CMS best matches this description?

« Last post by app103 on April 27, 2010, 08:29 PM »

Not sure I'd want to use ZenGallery right now. Not sure I'd even want to visit their site.

2850

General Software Discussion / Re: What free multi-user CMS best matches this description?

« Last post by app103 on April 27, 2010, 01:19 PM »

Those are not very blog-like at all. I am not looking for something that can make individual groups of photos. I am looking for more of a massively multi-user photo blog CSM where all accepted submissions are posted to the same collection which is presented in a very blog-like way.

Think buzzfeed. Something similar to that.

All the image submissions will be around the same subject theme.

Wordpress would be perfect, if I were doing all the posts myself, or had a group of trusted people that was doing all the posting. But this will be open sign-up and submissions, and needs to have good moderation to prevent spam, and it needs to be fast & easy to process the moderation queue. I also wanted it to be a community of sorts, so members will feel like it belongs to them and they are not just submitting stuff to something that belongs to me.

What I don't want is something like Flickr, or some place where members have their own galleries. This would lead to them only feeling what is on their profile belongs to them.

I don't want a "I built this part of the site and it's mine" thing going on. I want a "we built this site and it's ours".