DG-100 reader connected to OS X
Owners of the DG-100 data logger (from USGlobalSat) who run OS X might be interested in this simple utility which lets you download tracks from the device and save them in .gpx format.
Connecting OS X and a Humax PVR
Having just bought a Humax PVR (9200T), I was keen to transfer some of the movies over to keep them in FrontRow on the mac. Unfortunately the eLinker software for USB transfer that comes with the Humax is Windows only, and doesn't even work well on Windows. However there's a little program called HumaxGui which saved the day. There isn't an official OS X build of HumaxGui yet, but for now you can download a copy of Humax Media Controller GUI for OS X from here. All required frameworks and libraries are bundled in with the Universal binary (works with OS X 10.3.9 and above). I've been using ffmpegX to convert the files from .ts format to .mp4.
Everyday language
The limits of my language define the limits of my world. - Wittgenstein
Lists in a few languages
Ruby
list = [1,2,3,4,7,8,11]
puts list
list << 13
list.each do |x|
puts x
end
Python
list = [1,2,3,4,7,8,11]
print list
list.append(13)
for x in list:
print x
Objective C
NSMutableArray* theArray = [NSMutableArray array];
[theArray addObject: @"1"];
[theArray addObject: @"2"];
[theArray addObject: @"3"];
NSEnumerator *enumerator = [theArray objectEnumerator];
id obj;
while ( obj = [enumerator nextObject] ) {
printf( "%s\n", [[obj description] cString] );
}
Java
list.add ("13");
for (Iterator it = list.iterator (); it.hasNext ()) {
String s = (String) it.next ();
Sytem.out.println (s);
}
and something from Shakespeare that I would have totally misread if it wasn't explained to me in a biography that I've been reading the last few weeks -
Golden Lads and Girles all must,
As Chimney-Sweepers, come to dust.
Golden lads are dandelions, and chimney-sweepers are dandelions which have gone to seed. The book is by Peter Ackroyd, and is quite interesting but a bit dry really, particularly contrasted with the words of the poet he's talking about.
Flatland
Earler in the year I read flatland for the first time, which is a beautiful meditation on how many dimensions we perceive, and the way our senses dictate our world view.
I call our world Flatland, not because we call it so, but to make its nature clearer to you, my happy readers, who are privileged to live in Space.
New websites
The new site for cescotland is now up at its new home - cescotland.org. This was made using Contrepoint, just because it made life easier when generating the site. There's a new version of Contrepoint in the works, but I haven't had time to work on it much recently, because of paid work getting in the way.
Another new site I've been involved with designing this year is the RouteBuddy one - RouteBuddy is a GPS program for OS X, which you should check out if you're interested in mapping on OS X.
Hogmanay at the Blairs' house
We passed a lovely New Year at the Blairs' house, and ended up taking some snaps of everyone there, though not everyone would sit still !