18 January 2006 by Ross McLean
So i installed and played around with SpeedBasic. I chose to install the Borland C++ compiler, even though i have MSVC. I can honestly say it was a breeze. Much easier that installing VS6 or VB express! (This is stupid, how can it be that one man working by himself can do it better that MS????!!!!, lol!)
Anyway, I don’t really know much about none MS BASIC syntax, but it was easy enough to build a hello world app. Install to compilation took about 20 mins – not bad!!!!
I have found out that SpeedBasic is not being developed anymore. To be honest, the program show load of potential, but I think you’d struggle to develop any data centric app with it. It will stay on my PC for now, but I think until I become quite proficient with C++ and BASIC, it’s use will be limited if you are cognisant of these languages it still might be worth a look esp. for compiling .dlls. Whatever.
Anyway while I was looking a SB, I came across B++ [1 2]. That’s next on the list!!!
Tags: API's, C, Dev Tools, Downloads
Categories: C/C++, Downloads •
No Comments »
18 January 2006 by Ross McLean
New ideas capture peoples imagine, no doubt about it. But this struck a chord when I re-visited J-Walks old blog.
As you might expect, you’ll find lots of predictable comments and jokes by people who don’t know what they’re talking about. But there are a few interesting comments. For example:
Someone need to start OVER and rethink what a word processor needs to do. Basics like multi level numbering are impossible to teach users how to do. These apps are truly dinosaurs and we need a new killer app word processor suitable for writing books, html and pdf documentation including table of contents, indexes, appendices and normal stuff you find in documents.
John was quoting from a slap dash post.
I don’t know if John agreed with this or if he was pointing it out as a rubbish comment, John? (well someone in Tucson is reading this blog!)
Anyway, I kinda agree. Not totally, I’m sure you can teach people to do multi level numbering, but yeah have you ever used words index or table of contents functions in anger?
When Binder [1 2] still shipped with office it never really worked, but was a great idea. And that’s the thing. MS dropped Binder, why? – because “usability tests”, shown no one used it. Of course no one did. It did nothing but crash ever time you looked at the ruddy thing, but hell I still tried to. You see an 80 page Word documents sucks! It sucks, it sucks, case closed. Ok, ok.
What’s my point? I’m not sure, partly that I wish MS would properly correct and improve the existing feature of their products, and I guess Office 12 is trying to some extent to do this. Oh, it’s 01:30 am I’m listen to BGM and I have another Paragon model to run before I can leave work, I guess I’m a bit grumpy!
Tags: MS
Categories: General •
No Comments »
15 January 2006 by Ross McLean
Following a question over at JMT forums, I have literally thrown together some examples of methods for displaying “in-line” help.
By “in-line” I mean the sort of help that’s displayed right next to the area where it’s needed/used. I don’t believe any of these methods should form the base for a well structured help system, and some boarder on the silly. Still, there is clearly a place for such in-line help.
The original question made reference to the “chunkiness” of user forms. I personally quite like that chunkiness. Always keep in mind that it’s the quality of what’s said not only how it is presented!. Be very clear. List each and every step required. Be concise.
Enjoy! – Example WorkBook
Tags: Downloads, Examples, Forms, VBA
Categories: Code, UI Design •
No Comments »
12 January 2006 by Ross McLean
I have just installed a word addin that lets me post to my blog from word. Very easy to setup, just enter your user name and pass word!
But how well does it work!!!!! Well with this post we shall find out!
BOLD
Underlined
Italic
Link (to addin page)
First problem! does not support images!!!!!!!!!, but i can edit the HTML before i post it, see!
NOTE: here a screen shot!
Tags: Blogs, Cloud
Categories: White Noise •
No Comments »
Lexar POS
20 January 2006 by Ross McLean
POS has nothing to do with memory locations.
I bought this (although it was the 1g version) for £60, not that cheap really. I got it about 10 months ago. After about 3 months the plastic cum rubber key hook thing broke, in fact the casing was rubbish from the off.
After about 8 months the whole thing (now bandaged up with glue and nylon strips) stopped working: Not to worry, the handy old soldering iron comes out and we’re up and running again. Until last night, when i got home and the whole thing had fallen apart. Bits where missing, stuff was hanging out, things had snapped. One of the worst purchase I have ever made, ever!
Sooo, now.
cheap and cheerful!!!!
Tags: Comment
Categories: White Noise • 1 Comment »