NANY 2009 Communal Idea Thread

[mouser]

I thought we might start a thread here where people could suggest ideas for others to code for NANY 2009.

So, post away!

Remember there is an *optional* theme this year to honor the difficult economic situation the world is in recently: "Savings"

(you don't have to make a program that falls under this theme, and you could stretch this theme to mean anything, saving time, saving energy, saving money, saving your sanity, etc.)

[mouser]

Here's an idea:

"Purchase LockBox"

• This would be a utility where you add items to a list, specifying a description and it's cost.
• The program's job is to prevent you from spending money on large items on a whim.
• So when you put in a new entry, it adds a column that tells you how many days until you can buy the item, starting at 30 days.
• Every day you must bring up the program and push a button indicating that you still think buying the item is a good idea.
• If you fail to do this for any 24 hour period, the delay will reset back to 30 days.
• So only if you continue to indicate each day that you think buying the item is a good idea, will you reach the end of the 30 day period and be "permitted" to buy it.
• This also gives your "significant other" time to spot your intentions and put the kibosh on it.

[mouser]

If you haven't seen this SNL skit, it's a classic:
http://consumerist.com/consumer/clips/snl-skit-dont-buy-stuff-you-cant-afford-252491.php

[mahesh2k]

This is just an idea,"Exam Simulator" as open source project.

We have programming school section here on DC, so if we add this application then with help of all other members here we can add more tests for simulator as well. Anyone with Wxwidgets/QT/Java coding experience can consider this as open source/cross-platform application for NANY challenge.

What you think?

[mouser]

Can you elaborate on what this "Exam Simulator" program would do?

[mahesh2k]

More information about this Exam imulator :

= =There are two ideas for this again :
Program is like "Free exam project".

1) Fetch question/answer files from server and then use it to test yourself (be it any subject)

2) For off-line usage you can download the program : add your own question/answers,and start testing.

[Nod5]

I don't think that I will have time to finish anything until january 1st (  ) but I promise to test and give feedback on some of the cool tools that others here are bound to produce.

Here is also an idea that someone else might want to code something out of: rejuvenate/revamp/reproduce the small bookmarking tool Tourl ( http://nod5.dcmembers.com/tourl.html ) so that it works with Firefox 3 and its new bookmark system. The two features in Tourl that I still think are really good, and hope for all other bookmark tools to implement, are (i) the special hotkey layout i.e. all keys reachable with the left hand, without looking, (ii) a very simple and quick way for adding a few preset tags to the bookmarks. For this to work with Firefox 3 bookmarks I suspect that it would have to be made as a Firefox add-on and not in autohotkey. That would make it a new enough program to qualify for the NANY 2009 I think.

[Nod5]

Let me throw out one more idea for anyone with time and interest to make some program but who is still undecided on exactly what to make. Suggestion: a virtual folder tool to be used by other programs, like FARR. See discussions on such a tool here:
http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=14891.0
http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=6419.0

[deviantopian]

Here's an idea: A program that will let you use your mouse wheel to scroll through the icons in a folder or on your desktop and click the middle button to launch the selected one. Did a (very) quick search and didn't find anything that offered this.

[mouser]

I have a few bigger program ideas that could be done in 3 weeks by a skilled coder with some time -- they are ideas i keep meaning to code and probably will eventually if no one else does.  I might want to help with these if you decided to go ahead. If you fit those criteria send me a message and we can talk.  Serious inquiries only though please!

[iphigenie]

I am about to chicken out - I am a client/server and web developer, and the last time I did anything desktop-ey was playing with visual age C++ on OS/2 to learn the basic APIs. I haven't got a clue how to do a "normal" application.

I thought I would if I could find an idea, but most of my ideas are the kind of software i wish someone were doing, and totally out of my reach. The only think i can imagine doing is a password generator for passwords that are strong but possible to remember. But frankly, there are a couple already out there i think.

[iphigenie]

Here's an idea:

"Purchase LockBox"

• This would be a utility where you add items to a list, specifying a description and it's cost.
• The program's job is to prevent you from spending money on large items on a whim.
• So when you put in a new entry, it adds a column that tells you how many days until you can buy the item, starting at 30 days.
• Every day you must bring up the program and push a button indicating that you still think buying the item is a good idea.
• If you fail to do this for any 24 hour period, the delay will reset back to 30 days.
• So only if you continue to indicate each day that you think buying the item is a good idea, will you reach the end of the 30 day period and be "permitted" to buy it.
• This also gives your "significant other" time to spot your intentions and put the kibosh on it.

This is actually a cool idea, and would get coverage on all the thrifty/simplicity etc. blogs out there, possibly even lifehack and the like

[computerfritze]

any idea for me?
i´ve already submitted a program, and search a new idea to code for my second submission

[fenixproductions]

2computerfritze
How good are you with databases (SQLite I think) and threading?

You could create files indexing application which would use Total Commander's plugins for special attributes. Since I saw you've used .NET in your last app I could provide you the code for handling WDX files (or other plugs) from Comparer application. They might be "dirty" but by joining forces together we could create something really awesome.

[computerfritze]

Good Idea, I like it very much

[Perry Mowbray]

Here's an idea:

"Purchase LockBox"

• This would be a utility where you add items to a list, specifying a description and it's cost.
• The program's job is to prevent you from spending money on large items on a whim.
• So when you put in a new entry, it adds a column that tells you how many days until you can buy the item, starting at 30 days.
• Every day you must bring up the program and push a button indicating that you still think buying the item is a good idea.
• If you fail to do this for any 24 hour period, the delay will reset back to 30 days.
• So only if you continue to indicate each day that you think buying the item is a good idea, will you reach the end of the 30 day period and be "permitted" to buy it.
• This also gives your "significant other" time to spot your intentions and put the kibosh on it.

This is actually a cool idea, and would get coverage on all the thrifty/simplicity etc. blogs out there, possibly even lifehack and the like

I think that if the "cooling off period" was used to "research" the purchase, that is, put the time to good use, it would be helpful too. After I firm in my intension to purchase something comes a period where I investigate brands, models and shops. If there were tools within programme to help with that: shortcuts to favourite shopping site's search, and area to make notes, etc: I'd find it very helpful.

The original idea said "large items", but I'd find this useful for smaller ones too. Though, waiting 30 days to purchase a new mouse seems a little  over the top: what about a proportional waiting period based on cost?

Let me strongly encourage you: I'd find this sort of application very useful!

Anyway: I didn't think that chickens and cody's were compatible in the same coop 

[iphigenie]

It is a well known technique for thrift - wait 60 days before you purchase anything new, 30 days if you get it second hand etc. Makes you think - but only if you are honest with yourself.

I guess if the app had some links to open a browser and search, coded with the name of the item, that would be extremely simple and encourage research

[mouser]

what about a proportional waiting period based on cost?

good idea. 

[Perry Mowbray]

but only if you are honest with yourself.

Unless your programme can lock your credit card as well 

I guess if the app had some links to open a browser and search, coded with the name of the item, that would be extremely simple and encourage research

That's all I was thinking.

I'm really looking forward to this now 

[cranioscopical]

I think it'd benefit from some subliminal messages!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[attach]

[Perry Mowbray]

I think it'd benefit from some subliminal messages!

Chris! I don't need that sort of encouragement, thanks 

[Perry Mowbray]

• This also gives your "significant other" time to spot your intentions and put the kibosh on it.

or add their support? Maybe then the cooling off period could be reduced?