Recent Posts

2951

Developer's Corner / Re: SkyIDE - Latest Release Information

« Last post by kyrathaba on April 03, 2007, 09:34 AM »

I'm getting a File Not Found error for this URL:

http://www.skyide.co...ds/SkyIDE_Alpha5.zip

2952

Developer's Corner / Re: Introductory C# web-based tutorials

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 31, 2007, 08:24 PM »

I've fixed a couple of bugs I discovered while using the Quiz Maker program to make the quiz for Tutorial #2.  I reuploaded this "fixed" version (still seeking bug reports, though).  Also, the quiz file for Tutorial #2 is available for download.

2953

Developer's Corner / Re: Introductory C# web-based tutorials

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 31, 2007, 07:44 PM »

Yeah, there were some tricky questions.


In other news, I discovered a couple of bugs in the quiz program, one's you'd notice if using it to create/edit quizzes but probably not if you were only using it to take a quiz.  Anyway, I'm working on squashing those bugs, and will let you know when a new upload is completed.

2954

Developer's Corner / Re: Introductory C# web-based tutorials

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 31, 2007, 03:35 PM »

What did you score? 

2955

Developer's Corner / Re: Introductory C# web-based tutorials

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 31, 2007, 02:40 PM »

Found two broken image links and fixed those.  Also found one broken link to an external page and fixed it.

2956

Developer's Corner / Re: Introductory C# web-based tutorials

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 31, 2007, 02:20 PM »

My C# site, compliments of DC, now has more content.  I just finished putting the final touches on Tutorial #7.  It's available online in HTML format, and also as a downloadable zip archive.  Lots of example programs.  If anyone is making use of these, please give me any feedback you can.

http://kyrathaba.dcmembers.com

2957

Developer's Corner / Re: Introductory C# web-based tutorials

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 26, 2007, 10:29 PM »

Point of information:  the site layout has been changed to use multiple webpages instead of a single page.  Anyone who reads the  site, please report any broken links you come across.  Thanks.

http://kyrathaba.dcmembers.com

2958

Living Room / Re: widescreen monitor question

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 24, 2007, 11:03 PM »

Hmm, strange behavior with new monitor.  My Gateway GT5026E uses a 19" widescreen I-Inc flatpanel monitor, and seems to support its native 1,440 x 900 resolution.  However, when I return to my computer after being gone for awhile, the resolution is at 1400 x 1050.  I notice  when  this occurs that I have to move my mouser pointer toward the bottom of the screen to bring the  taskbar into view.  And if my webbrowser is open,  I have to move my mouse toward the top of the  screen to bring the browser's titlebar into view.  Any ideas what may be causing this?  Resolution stays the same after I set it to 1440x900, for the remainder of the worksession.  I've disabled screensaver and set power-down monitor to 2 hours.  Could  it be related to wireless mouse/keyboard?

2959

Developer's Corner / Re: Best Application for Simple Game Development?

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 23, 2007, 11:51 AM »

Some other tools you might find interesting are the various interactive-fiction engines, such as TADS and Inform.  The newer editors allow you to include images and sounds in your games.  There is a learning curve, but its slope is milder than that of learning a programming language.

2960

Developer's Corner / Re: Introductory C# web-based tutorials

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 22, 2007, 10:27 PM »

Announcement:

http://kyrathaba.dcmembers.com/

Tutorial #6 is completed, and covers for loops, while loops, complex if, switch statements, and the difference between syntax and  runtime errors.  Includes live screencasts, one with voice (although not hi-fidelity).  One screencast demonstrates stepping through a for loop in debug mode, in order to better understand what's happening under the hood. The other screencasts shows a program demonstrating a for loop put to creative use.

Moreover, my page has been greatly updated.  Now, all tutorials are available both online, and as standalone downloadable archives.

Feedback appreciated.

2961

Developer's Corner / Re: Introductory C# web-based tutorials

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 20, 2007, 07:13 AM »

My tutorials page has received a facelift: http://kyrathaba.dcmembers.com/

2962

Developer's Corner / Re: Introductory C# web-based tutorials

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 18, 2007, 10:14 PM »

Tried to post this earlier, but for some reason it  kept erroring.  Maybe it's floating around somewhere in cyberspace (or  even elsewhere on this site )

I have an early alpha-release of my quiz editor/taker application ready.  Looking mainly for feedback about anything you may find "broken" about it.  Any suggestions/comments about UI also welcomed,  but currently I'm just looking to make  sure it works at a basic level.

The zip file contains the  application, and two quiz files.  The one named "mysamplequiz.qzz" is password-protected, so the application will only open it in Tester mode (unless you happen to know the password I used, in which case you  could open it in the Editor and modify it). The other file, "computerquiz.qzz", you should be able to open, in either Editor or Tester mode.

Feedback welcome.  Remember, though, that this is an alpha-release.  Any "this thing is broken" bugs, please inform me.  Note:  the application was  developed under .NET 2.0,  so you must have that  framework installed to run it.

2963

General Software Discussion / Re: Booting into Linux from USB drive

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 17, 2007, 08:00 PM »

I'm downloading Puppy, too, Nite Monkey.   However, I just finished downloading  SuSe 10 which comes with MonoDevelop.  I'll report back on how that works.

2964

General Software Discussion / Re: Booting into Linux from USB drive

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 16, 2007, 11:58 PM »

I am running Linux right now (as I type this) as an embedded OS within Windows XP   Pretty cool.  I'm actually accessing this website and posting this using Linux.  It's running as a VM on a Seagate 2.0 Gb pocket drive, and Windows doesn't seem to mind at all  

Now I just need to see if I can install MonoDevelop on this same USB pocket drive, and I'm in business (rubs hands together).  But that must wait till tomorrow.  Must sleep.

2965

General Software Discussion / Re: Booting into Linux from USB drive

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 16, 2007, 02:10 PM »

I understand that Puppy loads in its entirety into RamDisk memory, and is blazing fast.  I've also read that it has a relatively easy learning curve for Windowites like myself.  The reason I'm primarily interested in a "live distro" is that I'd like to be able to carry around my entire operating system and my C# dev files with me on my pocket USB drive.  That way, wherever I am, I'd have my files and the MonoDevelop IDE (Visual C# 2005 might work too, if Wine works with the distro). 

I've read that there is a utility that comes with the Puppy distro that makes installing Puppy OS to a USB drive a snap.  Supposedly, you first bust the .ISO and burn the distro onto CD, then reboot into Puppy by booting off the CD.  Then you use the utility to install the Puppy OS on the USB drive.

Hoping to test it out this weekend, but I thought I'd try to pick others' brains about it.

2966

General Software Discussion / Booting into Linux from USB drive

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 16, 2007, 11:36 AM »

I haven't fooled with Mono yet.  Although, I am interested  in obtaining a Linux distro that will run on my USB 2.0Gb Seagate pocket-drive.  Right now, I'm downloading Puppy Linux, SuSe 10 (comes with MonoDevelop IDE), and Monoppix.  Anyone have any experience with any of these, or another distro that they have successfully installed to USB and booted into Linux from that USB?

2967

General Software Discussion / Re: If you plans to install Visual Studio ...

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 16, 2007, 11:00 AM »

Perhaps the most straightforward thing you could do is uninstall any and all .NET distros on your machine, then run the install for Visual C# 2005 Express.  It will install .NET 2.0 as part of the install, and the IDE should work correctly for you.

2968

General Software Discussion / Re: If you plans to install Visual Studio ...

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 16, 2007, 07:03 AM »

VS2005 is centered around .NET 2 - though their SP1 showed up around the same time as .NET 3 so I guess the two could be related. I've applied the service pack and haven't upped to .NET 3 and it's running just fine.

Same here. 

BTW, the majority of us probably won't need the extra features found in .NET 3.0; as one poster said, 3.0 isn't an overhaul of the framework the way  2.0  was for 1.0.  It's  just a little icing on the cake.

SP1 for the  IDE does take awhile to install, but it makes a lot of changes to the IDE (fixes a lot of annoying problems reported by users of VC#05 as they tested the beta).

I totally agree that Microsoft needs to spend more of their money on better-quality documentation.  I think there is a largely unspoken prevailing attitude in Redmond that most people who are going to be interested in installing a programming IDE are fairly saavy computer users and can figure things out for themselves.  A bit lazy, true, but this complacency doesn't extend to all their products.  They also know that many people never bother to read the documention anyway.  Some MS products have fairly decent documentation, though. 

And, finally, Microsoft has the enviable position of being a software superpower.  They know that they could offer "PC Wrecking Ball v1.0", an application to royally screw up a PC, and there would still be a lot of people spend $99.95 for it, just because it says "Microsoft" on it.  Name-brand recognition. 

2969

Developer's Corner / Re: SkyIDE got a brand new project manager - Please express your opinion

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 15, 2007, 10:34 PM »

Yes, a command-line compiler like GNU's c++, bcc32, dmc etc.

What about the core cmd-line compiler of the Mono project?  It's open-source.

2970

Living Room / Re: Choosing a keyboard and a mouse

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 15, 2007, 09:12 AM »

Here's some info on computing ergonomics:

http://www.pcstats.c...ew.cfm?articleID=835

2971

Living Room / Re: widescreen monitor question

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 15, 2007, 08:15 AM »

Yeah, a lot of times they'll list the native resolution as part of the specs.  In my case, though, they didn't.  In fact, hardly anything came with the monitor: one pdf file about how to use its settings.  But I'm not complaining.  I got a good price on it, and it works well.  Text and graphics do look much better on it now that I have hardware supporting the 1440 x 900 resolution.

As for connecting two PCs together, I wasn't aware of the voltage danger with firewire.  Thanks for the heads-up.  Would such a connection only allow file transfers and directory navigations, or would it also permit printer-sharing, opening apps on the other PC, etc?  I'm assuming you'd need to actually have the PCs "networked" for that...

2972

Living Room / Re: Choosing a keyboard and a mouse

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 15, 2007, 08:08 AM »

My father bought me a wireless mouse once, and I never did like it.  Finally switched back to my regular one.

Recently, I got a new PC and it came with a wireless keyboard and wireless mouse, and they work quite well.  As far as caveats go, naturally they cost more, but IMHO it's worth it not to have the additional wire-spaghetti.

I really cannot say much about one keyboard being better ergonomically than another.  For me, personally, a standard keyboard is fine and I've never had any problems with fatigue/pain/discomfort.  I'm a lazy typist, though:  often, I find my wrists touching the desk while I type.

I think choosing a particular keyboard/mouse is kind of like choosing a programming language.  Depends on the individual.

2973

Developer's Corner / Re: SkyIDE got a brand new project manager - Please express your opinion

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 15, 2007, 06:31 AM »

Is there a free compiler for C#?

I think SharpDevelop is free.  But do you mean command-line compiler?

2974

Developer's Corner / Re: SkyIDE got a brand new project manager - Please express your opinion

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 14, 2007, 11:34 AM »

I like it:  it has an attractive interface.  Is it just for C++, or could it be used for C# programming too?

2975

Living Room / Re: widescreen monitor question

« Last post by kyrathaba on March 14, 2007, 11:25 AM »

Yeah, my other PC's motherboard went south, so I just upgraded: faster CPU, more RAM, better graphics.  Pulled the hard drive out of my old PC and put it in an enclosure, so now I have an 80 GB external USB drive hooked up to my new PC    Also, transplanted a firewire PCI card from my old PC into my children's PC.  Wondering if I could use a firewire cable to connect their PC to mine.  If not, I suppose I could go with something like this:

http://www.thinkgeek...ng/accessories/8199/