Way back in 2009, I released Menubar Countdown 1.0. It's a simple app that displays a countdown timer in the Mac menu bar. I created it because I was experimenting with the Pomodoro Technique and I didn't like any of the other timer apps I tried.
I made a …
Over the past couple of weeks, I've set up a few Mac OS X machines to do development of iOS and Android apps. Doing this used to be an all-day chore, but things like app stores, iCloud, and Dropbox have streamlined the process a lot.
(I could streamline the process …
A fellow developer who is getting his first Mac asked me what software he should get. Here is a list of Mac software that I, as a software developer, find useful.
First, let's look at what apps come in the box, at no extra charge:
As part of my "write a blog entry every day during November" commitment, I considered imposing a minimum word limit for each entry. I've decided against that, because I don't want to feel pressure to add filler, but before deciding that, I created an Automator service that would help me …
My wife recently gave me a nice gift: a Sony Reader device. She'd been watching me read books using the Kindle for iPhone app, and felt sorry for me because I had to read from such a small screen. The Reader is really nice. (Thanks, honey.)
Now I'm learning all …
There are a few binary Emacs packages for OS X floating around out there, but I always build it myself from the sources. This usually results in an Emacs that works the way I expect, rather than the way some "helpful" distributor thinks it ought to work.
I'll assume you …
Lately, I've been experimenting with the Pomodoro Technique for time management. The basic idea is that you work in focused 25-minute bursts, with short breaks between bursts. You are supposed to use a kitchen timer to avoid getting distracted by looking at the clock.
Of course, as a computer guy …
A few days ago, I bought a 15-inch MacBook Pro. For those of you keeping score, that brings the number of Macintoshes in our household to five. We also have two iPhones and several iPods. I wish the local Apple Store had some sort of customer loyalty program.
I bought …
My wife has a MacBook Air. One of the things that makes it so light is that it doesn't have an internal SuperDrive (writable DVD/CD). Apple sells a special external SuperDrive designed to specifically work with the MacBook Air.
Unfortunately, we couldn't get the SuperDrive to work. Any disc …
When I first started dating my fiancee, she made fun of my Macs. I told her I'd convince her to buy one herself someday. Her response: NEVER!!!
She kept that stance until she bought an iPhone. Then she started looking more closely at the Mac, saying stuff like "I really …
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