OK, they aren't really my first AppleScripts. I used AppleScript a lot back in the Mac OS 7 days, but unfortunately most of the applications I used back then didn't support it very well. I was hoping things would be better now, but they really aren't. Apple's applications have reasonable …
Name Taken
It turns out that there is already an alarm clock utility named "Rouser": http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1654716,00.asp.
So the search for a name for my alarm clock has to continue.
Looping a Helicopter
In the movie Blue Thunder, one of the plot devices used to build up the mystique of Roy Scheider's character is his claim to have looped a helicopter, which everyone else says is impossible. For years, I believed looping a helicopter must be impossible (movies are all true, aren't they …
Work, Stress, and Goofing Off
Well, we have our software "finished", and it's a full week ahead of the deadline. I expect smooth sailing for the next week or so, which will finally give me some time to get back into a normal work schedule and to focus on some longer-term goals instead of the …
More of the Same
In Citizen Kane, there is a scene where Kane's newspaper staff is deciding what headline to run on election day after Kane's run for the governorship. Had Kane won, the headline would have been "KANE WINS!". However, he didn't win, so the headline they use is "FRAUD AT POLLS!".
I …
Rouser 1.0 Release
I don't know if anyone is interested, but my simple Rouser alarm clock application is available for download from here: http://kristopherjohnson.net/download/Rouser-1.0.dmg. Source code is included, and it's all free under an MIT-style license.
It mostly works. The Print and Help commands don't work. OS …
My Voting Experience
Happy Voting Day, everyone!
I first went to my local polling place at 10:30 AM. The line was wrapped around the parking lot, it looked like at least a two-hour wait, and rain was likely. I was, in one sense, pleased to see such a huge turnout, but I …
On Writing
I like writing code. I like writing documentation. I like writing specs. I like writing e-mail and letters. I like wikis. I like writing in my blog. I like writing.
What do I like about writing? I like the process of organizing my thoughts and seeing them on paper/screen …
Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer
After using with the single-button mouse for a almost a month, I've switched to the Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer. I've concluded that the single-button mouse is obsolete, and it is just arrogance and stubbornness that cause Apple to stick with it.
I've used the Microsoft mice on Windows machines for …
Virtual PC 7 for Mac
I received Office 2004 Professional for Mac a couple of days ago. I haven't felt like searching around for my Office 98 CDs (which I assume will be needed for installation of this upgrade version), so I haven't tried Office on the Mac yet. I was entertained by the packaging …