This is not a tag line!
apple
Beware of File.createTempFile
Sep 4th
By default, File.createTempFile (in Java, of course) creates a temporary file in the directory identified by the system property java.io.tmpdir. The problem is that on OS X, that directory can be quite weird. For example, on my system, it currently is:
scala> System.getProperties().getProperty("java.io.tmpdir")
res0: java.lang.String = /var/folders/ya/yaNATrKPGFu2HuSOWxSIu++++TI/-Tmp-/
Notice the ++++ in one of the directory names? Well, these little characters can later cause headaches! The reason, you ask? Simple, if that temporary file name is ever used in a URL, then those plus signs will be interpreted as spaces and whatever code is using a URL to find your temporary file will not More >
First Adium / Twitter integration thoughts in 1.4 beta 1
May 19th
It’s quite funny to see that, as I finally got some time to finish my first post on Twitter OS X desktop clients yesterday, a new one appeared the same day in the shape of Twitter support in Adium 1.4 beta 1. Well, to be fair, there already was support for Twitter in Adium but it wasn’t as widely available as a public beta. Here are some thoughts about Adium as a Twitter desktop client for OS X that I gathered as I used Adium exclusively for Twitter access yesterday.
First impressionFirst, there are some details on how this would work More >
OS X desktop Twitter clients: Twitterrific and beyond!
May 18th
I’ve had a Twitter account at the beginning of 2007 but it took me a while to really start using it. For one thing, I admit that I failed to see its potential then. Of course, it didn’t help that I didn’t know anyone with a Twitter account, thus not helping building interest… Any social application has to reach a critical mass, via positive feedback, where each new subscriber makes the whole network more valuable. I eventually got around to use it more intensively, as I started discovering usefulness to it and building a network. I do think though that the biggest More >
MacWorld 08
Jan 15th
Why isn’t the new software for the iPod Touch free? Will we see updated MacBook Pros with the new processors and the multi-touch trackpad? Will you buy a MacBook Air?
NSCoder Night
Nov 28th
I attended my first NSCoder Night at the local DC chapter, initiated by Jose Vazquez. We didn’t get to talk much about Cocoa but that was kind of expected when you first meet new people. Fun! Hopefully, I’ll find some time to attend regularly and sharpen my Cocoa skills. Thanks, Jose!
State of Java on OS X
Jun 29th
It’s fairly common these days to hear about how Java on the Mac is doomed. Sure, I’d like Apple to put more emphasis on Java on OS X but I also know that Apple runs a very tight ship and resources are constrained (see how Leopard was delayed to work being done on the iPhone). Despite all this, the Java team at Apple has managed to provide reasonably good release of Java for OS X. Considering how small the team is, it’s quite an achievement. Charles Miller has summed up the situation quite well so next time someone’s hair catches on More >
Woo-hoo!
Apr 5th
AFP548 informs us that, starting with 10.4.6, we can resize partitions at last!
Apparently, it only works on Mac Intels… Go figure! On the other hand, I am now the proud owner of an iMac Intel 20″ so I don’t care! These are really nice computers, fast and all. Love it!
In other news, Apple has announced Boot Camp that has everyone and their sister talking (and probably for good reasons too). My two cents? More power to Apple! I am graced not to have to run any Windows-only apps in my daily routine (that, and the fact that I don’t own (yet) an More >
Be and NeXT to be united if Apple buys Palm
Feb 9th
Rumors of Apple buying Palm have made rounds of the blogosphere lately… Treo Today gives a couple of good reasons why this would be a good fit for Apple. I would like to add another one that I haven’t seen mentioned anywhere so far: the fact that if that buy-out was to go through, it would mean that Be assets and intellectual property would go to Apple since Palm bought Be in 2001. What does this mean? I’m not quite sure but it would at least mean that the two technologies that were at one point considered to be Mac OS’ future More >
Quicksilver gesture recognition
Feb 8th
Yes, I know, another Quicksilver post but I couldn’t help it… A couple of days ago, I was looking at the available plugins and saw a new one, called Abracadabra. This turned out to be a gesture recognition engine that can be used as a trigger mechanism. A quick Google search didn’t turn out much information about it but it’s fairly easy to use and as usual with Quicksilver, very cool looking!
Speaking of Quicksilver…
Feb 5th
Dan Dickinson has a new (yeah I know it’s actually a month old but I just found out about it) very interesting tutorial on Quicksilver triggers and the new proxy objects. He also brings more details to blacktree.com going dark for a couple of days. Good stuff!
