NANY 2010 Program Idea Suggestion Thread

[mouser]

I know we have lots of coders (of all different skill levels) participating in NANY this year.
Some will no doubt have their own ideas they intend to code.
But I know that others are very interested in hearing ideas for programs they might write as their application.

So I thought we could start a thread where people could suggest ideas, and where coders can request help thinking of ideas in a specific category, etc.

Note that the Coding Snacks Request Section of the forum is a great place to find program ideas -- hopefully this thread and that section won't step on each other's toes.

So, NANY coders if you want help thinking of an idea -- post what you might be interested in.
And requesters who have a good idea for a program -- post your ideas (or link to them if you've posted already in the Coding Snacks area).

And maybe we might even consider inviting people who would want to offer a reward or bounty for implementing a specific program to post here? Just keep in mind NANY is only for software that will be released as free/donationware to the public, so there is no point posting a request for a private program.  And one would want to make sure multiple coders weren't working on the same project at the same time, etc.  Let's remember that NANY isn't a competition -- there are no winners -- it's just a celebration of creating new software.

[GrowMap]

I always have lots of ideas and have shared a few here. Mine may be too complex sometimes; however, I would be glad to make suggestions directly if anyone is interested. You can also read what I have posted in the past.  The one thing I would most like to have is a way to log-in to sites without doing it manually.

I know this is possible because I saw it happen on the PC of a brilliant Engineer I once knew. Even better would be a way to automatically log in to all accounts associated with a particular persona. That would save so much time! I can explain more thoroughly if anyone is interested.

What we really need is for FireFox to allow us to have totally separate FireFox windows so we could be logged into a different set of Yahoo, Google, Twitter or other accounts in each window. The reason we need this is that some of us log into client accounts at Google or Yahoo and when we do we lose our log-in status at sites like Delicious, Flickr and MyBlogLog and what we have automated stops running and our Avatars don't show up for the activity that is related to our primary persona.

For example, my primary identity online is GrowMap and I want that to stay logged in; however, I log into Google AdWords and Analytics accounts and Yahoo Stores for clients and then Google and Yahoo think I am still them even after I log out and until I manually log back in as GrowMap. I have many other online personas like ExecGifts and NoBogies and each of them needs to be logged in separately, ideally from one PC. I hope this is clear. 

I know someone is going to suggest using different browsers. That is not a great solution because many addons that we use regularly only work in FireFox. I have been using Epiphany but Ubuntu recently dropped support for it. I have also tried using Opera. Both of those browsers have behaviors that are truly annoying like refusing to open new tabs instead of new windows. What we really need is many separate FireFox windows with as many tabs open in each as we need.

With or without separate windows, we still need a faster way to get logged in as a particular persona across multiple sites. Perhaps there could be an app that we could configure with the sites for each persona that checks status or logs the current accounts out and then logs the selected persona in. Although it would be great to be able to work in different personas simultaneously, switching between them quickly would be the next best solution.

I have requested that http://www.backlinkreporter.com/ create a version for tracking dofollow blog comments that would be just like their current tool but rename some of the comments for that purpose. If they're not interested would that be the kind of thing someone here might do?

[Paul Keith]

What we really need is for FireFox to allow us to have totally separate FireFox windows so we could be logged into a different set of Yahoo, Google, Twitter or other accounts in each window. The reason we need this is that some of us log into client accounts at Google or Yahoo and when we do we lose our log-in status at sites like Delicious, Flickr and MyBlogLog and what we have automated stops running and our Avatars don't show up for the activity that is related to our primary persona.

Cookie Swap

With or without separate windows, we still need a faster way to get logged in as a particular persona across multiple sites. Perhaps there could be an app that we could configure with the sites for each persona that checks status or logs the current accounts out and then logs the selected persona in. Although it would be great to be able to work in different personas simultaneously, switching between them quickly would be the next best solution.

Last Pass

Request:

1. Improved Ren'Py-specific WYSIWYM code editor.

2. Experimental Reverse To-Do list (added entries are checked, un-checking = rename entries then re-insert priority + position; preferably multi-level and possessing Tree-List's features)

3. Procrastinator Checker (don't really know what it's called but you know that jail cell wall numbering system where the first 4 numbers are "I" signs and the 5th number is a \ over those 4 signs? Something like that except when you mark the 5th number, the entry gets deleted. Set up how many numbers passed before deleting the entry. Optional: typing p1 right after the entry = automatic 20-50 numbers before deletion. typing p2 = 15, p3 = 10, p4 = 5. Similar to RTFM new syntax way of adding entries)

[kwacky1]

What we really need is for FireFox to allow us to have totally separate FireFox windows so we could be logged into a different set of Yahoo, Google, Twitter or other accounts in each window. The reason we need this is that some of us log into client accounts at Google or Yahoo and when we do we lose our log-in status at sites like Delicious, Flickr and MyBlogLog and what we have automated stops running and our Avatars don't show up for the activity that is related to our primary persona.

Wouldn't Private Browsing Mode also acheive this?

What we really need is for FireFox to allow us to have totally separate FireFox windows so we could be logged into a different set of Yahoo, Google, Twitter or other accounts in each window. The reason we need this is that some of us log into client accounts at Google or Yahoo and when we do we lose our log-in status at sites like Delicious, Flickr and MyBlogLog and what we have automated stops running and our Avatars don't show up for the activity that is related to our primary persona.

Cookie Swap

With or without separate windows, we still need a faster way to get logged in as a particular persona across multiple sites. Perhaps there could be an app that we could configure with the sites for each persona that checks status or logs the current accounts out and then logs the selected persona in. Although it would be great to be able to work in different personas simultaneously, switching between them quickly would be the next best solution.

Last Pass

Request:

1. Improved Ren'Py-specific WYSIWYM code editor.

2. Experimental Reverse To-Do list (added entries are checked, un-checking = rename entries then re-insert priority + position; preferably multi-level and possessing Tree-List's features)

3. Procrastinator Checker (don't really know what it's called but you know that jail cell wall numbering system where the first 4 numbers are "I" signs and the 5th number is a \ over those 4 signs? Something like that except when you mark the 5th number, the entry gets deleted. Set up how many numbers passed before deleting the entry. Optional: typing p1 right after the entry = automatic 20-50 numbers before deletion. typing p2 = 15, p3 = 10, p4 = 5. Similar to RTFM new syntax way of adding entries)

I think I've said this before, but I'll say it again, I don't understand a single word that you say Paul, I'm sure you're speaking a foreign language or maybe you have a random word generator built into your keyboard.

[app103]

I sent the info to GrowMap elewhere, but for the benefit of any here that might want to do the same thing, it is possible with using multiple profiles:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/internet/firefox/use-multiple-firefox-profiles-at-the-same-time/

[Paul Keith]

@kwacky1

Which sections did you not understand?

[Paul Keith]

P.S. Probably a good time to make a 4th request:

Cross-OS off-line proofreader:

Features:
*Spell and grammar checker off/not included - hate seeing that red line underneath the texts
*Possible sync with PopUp Wisdom books - have a list of words to avoid/to use/to replace in PopUp Wisdom, don't really like separate imports
*Separate input/edit mode - this could support auto-pop-up menu ala the recent Diigo instead of constant right clicks
*MDI + Session - Ehh... it's not alternative from turning a basic text editor into a wiki. Mostly to compare drafts.

Reference: http://en.support.wordpress.com/proofreading/

Grammar and Style Options

The proofreader applies many of its grammar rules by default. These extra options find patterns of poor writing style:

• Bias language may offend or alienate different groups of readers.
• Clichés are overused phrases with little reader impact.
• Complex phrases are words or phrases with simpler every-day alternatives.
• Diacritical marks are accents and marks attached to letters in some nouns and words borrowed from other languages. This option helps restore these marks in your writing.
• A double negative is one negative phrase followed by another. The negatives cancel each other out, making the meaning hard to understand.
• A hidden verb is a verb made into a noun. These often need extra verbs to make sense.
• Jargon phrases are foreign words and phrases that only make sense to certain people.
• Passive voice obscures or omits the sentence subject. Frequent use of passive voice makes your writing hard to understand.
• Phrases to avoid are wishy-washy or indecisive phrases.
• Redundant phrases can be shortened by removing an unneeded word.

Ignored Phrases

You may add a phrase to the ignore list by typing it into the text field and clicking Add. Click  to remove a phrase from the ignore list. A phrase is one or more words and the ignore list is case-sensitive.

[tomos]

[IDEA] an app that would allow Ctrl+Mouse-wheel to scroll sideways in all apps.
My initial idea was simply when an app has focus that it would work - but it could be even better if (like KatMouse) it worked simply when the mouse is over a window (i.e. window doesnt actually need focus - maybe I should just request it from the KatMouse author..)

[edit] of course that key combo would clash with FF & Acrobat so maybe another would be better. One would probably need exception rules as well for apps that dont work with it [/edit]

[mouser]

Firefox Plugin Idea:
A plugin which shows a panel below the main window which shows all <!-- --> html comments on the current page.

I think it would yield some very interesting discoveries.

A nice bonus feature would scan for curse words in these comments and show a count in red, to aid in finding fun discoveries.

[GrowMap]

Thank you to Paul and April. I'll check out these solutions. April, I replied to your suggestion at FriendFeed. I am not geek enough to figure out how to create additional profiles. I'm hoping you might lend me a hand?

Programmers don't realize how much easier they have it - normal PC users are not adept and command lines or knowing where what is on the hard drive. Oh I wish I had more geek in me so I could do what I need.

[app103]

Thank you to Paul and April. I'll check out these solutions. April, I replied to your suggestion at FriendFeed. I am not geek enough to figure out how to create additional profiles. I'm hoping you might lend me a hand?

Programmers don't realize how much easier they have it - normal PC users are not adept and command lines or knowing where what is on the hard drive. Oh I wish I had more geek in me so I could do what I need.

I'd be happy to help you if you were using Windows, but as a linux newbie, I am not qualified. You probably know a lot more about how to do things in Ubuntu than I do.

[fenixproductions]

Idea: Zen Coding plugin for Notepad++.

[Perry Mowbray]

As Sri posted here: something like or better that PS Tray Factory.

I'd love to be able to group my tray icons together in customizable menus, like LaunchBar Commander, except with the Notification Icons & Menus.

[awopbamboo]

Hi all,

I posted this on a different thread.....

Evening all.....

I'm happy to participate... But my brain is a bit empty on ideas.....

If there is anyone out there, who might have a good idea, unique, one that is useful and would be popular...  and would like to form a PARTNERSHIP and we'll create something together?  i.e. you come up with the idea(s) and I'll do the coding... Then I am up for that!

It'll be a partnership effort (assuming thats allowed????)

Probably best to PM me if anyone is interested???

And was (rightly) advised it's probably better on this thread....

That being the case, anyone with a good idea wanna saddle up?

As I said above, I'm open to any kind of suggestion.  I'm happy to write something for Windows, Linux or something cross platform (to a degree, depending what it does!)

Cheers

[Paul Keith]

I don't have a specific idea for this program but I'm curious at what would come up if you designed an app based on the main Twitter ui look and feel.

I know there are already tons of Adobe Air twitter clients that do this but I haven't encountered a true (not small font, not Adobe Air) program that embraces the ui.

The closest I know is CintaNotes:

What I'm particularly curious with is if it can redefine categories if you treat it like Twitter accounts and redefine Reminders if you treat it like Scheduled Twits. Also I'm wondering if you can improve the GTD Next Action if you replace @mentions with an incoming @inbox.

[doctorfrog]

EXPOSITION
I really envy my friend's Mac for only one thing: the talking clock. It's such a pleasant and slightly wooden voice, piping up every half hour to calmly state the time.

Every now and then, I look around for a Window equivalent. They're all terrible. Or require money. Or are written in MS Basic '95. Or use scratchy samples of annoying sounds.

I'm not sure why, it being nearly 2010, Microsoft doesn't have voice synthesis worth a damn. Apple has more pleasant synth voices emanating from tiny iPods. The last thing I want is a talking clock that makes any use of Microsoft voices.

I guess what that leaves me is a talking clock that intelligently uses wav samples. Fortunately, there is a fairly decent voice synthesis engine available online. It generates wav files which can be used as fodder for this program (see my caveat below, however):

http://www2.research.att.com/~ttsweb/tts/demo.php

A TALKING CLOCK, YOU SAY
So, what I'm suggesting is:
- a talking clock
- that uses a small assortment of wav files to announce the time
    - example: "It's one p.m."
    - clock seamlessly plays:
         - its.wav, one.wav, pm.wav (three wavs, played one after the other, smoothly to form a single sentence)
- user-configurable announce intervals (:15, :30, :60, never)
- clock is itself extremely small and efficient, using next to no resources
- clock has an icon that can show in the tray, or not show in the tray, depending on what the user wants.
- clock no dependence on external runtimes.

BONUS:
- hotkey/double-click announces current time
- configurable countdown timer
- alarm clock with, say, three alarms

CAVEAT:
- the att voice demo does not allow redistribution of generated files. users will have to create their own from the demo or other sources. The developer of this project will have to supply his/her own wav files with the install package. Still not a bad idea, people could record their kids saying the numbers and have the clock regurgitate them back at them, or some other irritating usage.

[GrowMap]

I don't know if this is the best place but we (serious bloggers and Social Networking users) REALLY need some tools built. I belong to a private group of really sharp power users who will gladly alpha and beta test them and with my persuasion I have no doubt that we would also be interested in promoting the tools developed to the public.

I know this is donationcoder; however, these tools would be highly marketable and we could set up an affiliate program and get power affiliates to sell them for the developer(s). The founder of our group has an affiliate marketing blog and company that is often ranked number one and some of the others are power affiliates.

We need two things:

1) A way to identify specific blogs we want to interact with consistently and track our comments and links in those blogs. Ideally this tool would include Blog Name, hot-linked URL, PR, DF, CL, KL (PageRank, Dofollow, CommentLuv, KeywordLuv). We could add that data manually or a really slick tool would identify and update PR and toggle DF, CL, KL.

2) Blogging Group tool with these features:
    a) Ability for each member to add and update their site URLs and the most important Keyword Phrases and specific page/post to link to each phrase.
    b) Ability for each member to add and update their Social Networks (ideally where they only have to add their user name and NOT the entire link - the tool should know how to format it)
    c) Section for members to share requests to spread only their most important, most recent content. If that section could allow other members to check off that they chose to share that specific item and where (columns for Tw, SU, Fa, Fr, Di, De, Re where those abbreviations stand for Twitter, StumbleUpon, Facebook, FriendFeed, Digg, Delicious and Reddit) that would make it even more valuable.

What we need is a fast, effective way to be consistently productive. Members need to focus on what is most important and this tool would hone in on that. Every business, corporation, Search Marketer, blogger could really use a tool like this. 
     

[mouser]

Here's a small one:

What about a program that sits in the system tray and lets you configure 2 colors and a numeric range.  Essentially you are setting two ends of a range, a min and max value, and a color associated with each end of the range.

At any time you could double click to type in a new current numeric value, and it would adjust the desktop background color to a blend between the min and max of the range and between the two colors.

The idea: You could set one color like blue that you really like on your desktop, and one, say Red, that you really dislike.  Then you set the range to indicate for example your weight if you are on a diet, or a min and max # of pages you have to read a book each day.  So when you deviate from your goal, the background will be something you really dislike.. might serve as a nice motivation.

[mouser]

On a related note, I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't already have this program requested in coding snacks and implemented, but what about a super simple program that lets you easily configure a list of [ActivityLabel,Color,WallpaperImageFile] items (has to be easy to edit and add these from a nice gui so it's really quick and fun!), and then lives in the tray where you can right click and choose a new Activity Label from the menu, and changes desktop to that.

I think it could just be useful to help you change what project/activity you are working on at any given time, with some nice visual feedback.

Could add other things to it like showing in menu amount of time spent in current activity, etc.

[Paul Keith]

Here's a small one:

What about a program that sits in the system tray and lets you configure 2 colors and a numeric range.  Essentially you are setting two ends of a range, a min and max value, and a color associated with each end of the range.

At any time you could double click to type in a new current numeric value, and it would adjust the desktop background color to a blend between the min and max of the range and between the two colors.

The idea: You could set one color like blue that you really like on your desktop, and one, say Red, that you really dislike.  Then you set the range to indicate for example your weight if you are on a diet, or a min and max # of pages you have to read a book each day.  So when you deviate from your goal, the background will be something you really dislike.. might serve as a nice motivation.

This doesn't fit the bill but maybe you guys can contact the people who did this program for help: F.lux

[NinJA999]

Here's a small one:

What about a program that sits in the system tray and lets you configure 2 colors and a numeric range.  Essentially you are setting two ends of a range, a min and max value, and a color associated with each end of the range.

At any time you could double click to type in a new current numeric value, and it would adjust the desktop background color to a blend between the min and max of the range and between the two colors.

The idea: You could set one color like blue that you really like on your desktop, and one, say Red, that you really dislike.  Then you set the range to indicate for example your weight if you are on a diet, or a min and max # of pages you have to read a book each day.  So when you deviate from your goal, the background will be something you really dislike.. might serve as a nice motivation.

This doesn't fit the bill but maybe you guys can contact the people who did this program for help: F.lux

Hmm, that seems a bit overkill?  They went into the video system to change the color temperature of the screen.  I think mouser was suggesting just changing the desktop background?  (Might be easier for a more novice programmer than trying to interface with low level stuff)

(as an aside, I've been using that program daily for over a year and I love it; I've nothing against it!)

[doctorfrog]

NANY Idea: Automatic Pidgin accounts.xml encryption (for Windows).

Not very sexy, I know. This will require implementation of an encryption library.

PROBLEM:

Pidgin currently saves all your account information in a single accounts.xml file, completely unencrypted. The Pidgin devs have explicitly stated that they will not encrypt this information, citing cross-platform implementation difficulties, and using the poor excuse that IM passwords aren't terribly secure anyway, and that encrypting this information gives a 'false sense of security.'

Bunk, I say. There's still a need for this feature. Any login information is useful to Folks With Bad Intentions, be it a login name or password. There's no reason not to encrypt the entire file if necessary, if only to keep casual snoopers such as kids or coworkers, out of your business.

PROPOSAL:

1. A simple, nearly transparent helper program for Pidgin that launches a user password prompt, encrypts/decrypts the accounts.xml, and launches Pidgin, then closes itself.
2. When run subsequently, the program checks to see if Pidgin is running, and if accounts.xml is in plaintext. If Pidgin is running, the program closes with no action.
3. If Pidgin is not running, and the accounts.xml is in plaintext, the program encrypts the file and closes itself.
4. When run the first time, the program asks for a (relative) path to Pidgin.exe, but accepts any other executable name (pidginportable.exe, for instance), and a password. It then encrypts accounts.xml. Subsequent runs of the program default to the behavior listed above.
5. When accounts.xml is encrypted, it should probably also be renamed, so that Pidgin does not overwrite it, if Pidgin is run 'normally.' Pidgin's behavior will then be to start a new accounts.xml, which this program will overwrite on next run.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- no reliance on external runtimes
- capable of running with relative paths for portable use
- AES 128-bit encryption, or better
- encryption of buddy lists (blist.xml) and pounces (pounce.xml)
- works with Pidgin official build or PortableApps.com version
- program does not run when it is not needed. Shouldn't be a need for this in the tray, for example.

[Perry Mowbray]

NANY Idea: Automatic Pidgin accounts.xml encryption (for Windows).

Not to put anyone off coding this up, but it could be easily achieved (I just did it in a couple of minutes) with FARR and the AMPL plugin with the steps:

• Decrypt Encrypted File (using command line encryption tool)
• Run programme (in your case Pigeon) and wait to finish
• Encrypt PlainText File
• Delete PlainText File

You'd just need to have FARR installed, as well as AHK. Let me know if I can help any more...

[mouser]

I'd love to see some games; saw this today, for making browser based (nonflash?) games: http://www.effectgames.com/effect/

[JavaJones]

Speaking of games, I went to a comedy club tonight and someone had - what I thought was - a terrific, funny idea for a sort of parody game. A game that parodies the very act of playing games if you will. The core gameplay is classic "platformer", side-scrolling most likely, you run around various environments, jump over and avoid bad stuff, collect good stuff (powerups, tokens, etc.).

The thing is, instead of being a commando or whatever, you're basically a slacker gamer, and you're running through a typical "life" scenario (probably different scenes like sidewalk, mall, college campus, whatever - some opportunity for interesting backgrounds/art), and the object is to collect useless powerups and avoid "opportunities" like jobs, college degrees, girlfriends, etc. Jump over them, around them, blow them up with your masterful video game skill powerup, whatever. So you're playing a game where the object is to waste as much of your life as possible. How deliciously ironic!

OK, ok, I know it sounds lame. But I have this picture in my head of it, and I think it could be great. Really... Or, if not great, at least popular - a la "Mafia Wars" or the current Facebok favorite "Farmtown".

I should say at this point that I've always had a fascination with taking terrible game ideas in making them into workable games. i.e. figuring out the game mechanics of really awful game concepts, things like "Burgerflip Extreme" where you play a fast food worker and the object is to flip as many burgers as possible in a given time. I know, I'm crazy. 

- Oshyan