For various reasons while creating Applescripts, I’ve had a need for the script to know which computer it was on, since I am writing scripts for several co-workers to use. The easiest way to do so for me was to use each computer’s username (the shortname OS X uses for the home directory). It’s a pretty easy thing to extract from the home path:

This has worked well for me to be able to purge the script’s property settings whenever the script gets passed on to someone else (otherwise it seems to keep the property assignments on the new computer as well. Also, it’s set up just in case I ever need to fork code for a particular user if their computer setup happens to have something that just won’t work with the way the rest of the other computers are set up (hopefully that will not be necessary, but you just never know).

edit:
Well as usual, there’s an easier way:

I am very soon to be a proud owner of the new Palm Centro smartphone, to replace (and combine) my existing standard flip-phone and my Palm TX.

I’ve considered before trying to “converge” all my various tech devices into one device. I had previously melded my previous PDA and my iPod into just the Palm TX, since it does a great job (for my uses) as a music and video player. I’ve always thought the Treo was too big for a phone, and didn’t compare to the quite large screen of the TX, which is great for viewing videos in widescreen format. I have been using my TX daily at work to listen to several Podcasts a day, and to watch downloaded TV shows on it while I’m on the bike or treadmill at the gym (the only thing that’s successfully convinced me to stay on a treadmill for 45 minutes).

As soon as I heard about the Centro, it intrigued me like no Treo ever had. It would allow me to combine my phone, PDA, and audio player into one device that is just barely larger than my current flip-phone. It will still work with my Bluetooth Stereo headphones, so I won’t have to dodge earphone cords all day while listening to my podcasts.

The only real tradeoff will be having a much smaller screen, especially being used to the extra screen space the TX allows. I’ll probably still use the TX for video watching at the gym, but otherwise, I’ll happily have one less thing in my pockets.

Overall, I really like the new changes in iTunes 7. The new Cover Flow view is really great - being a visual person this appeals greatly to me. I even re-discovered several songs that I had forgotten I had just by flipping through the album art - it feels much more akin to the traditional way of looking through your CD/Album collection.

However, one thing I am very unhappy about is slow but steady slide toward “the new Apple way” - and making iTunes more of a proprietary experience, instead of an open experience with the iTunes store as an added value. This is especially apparent in how iTunes 7 handles Audio books. Read the rest of this entry »

I feel cheated…like I’ve been lied to all my life. What do you mean Pluto isn’t a planet? Scientists are now saying Pluto isn’t a planet…it’s a dwarf planet.

Huh?

That’s like saying “We’re not going to call it a ball any more…now it’s called little ball.”

In doing web design - especially for smaller sites and/or smaller companies - I often run into clients who want to have one list of navigation links.

Since websites have such a large number of links associated with them, it is common to create multiple navigation areas, loosely grouped by priority and/or intent. It is well documented from extensive user testing that online users “scan” a webpage to find what they are looking for as opposed to “reading” it. Also, from past experience the typical user expects to find links either along the top, left, or bottom of the page.
Read the rest of this entry »

After lots and lots of nudging, begging, and (mostly) waiting on my part…my father has finally taken the leap into OS X. Thank goodness!
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While browsing the other night, I ran across a post by Dan Wood (creator of the fabulous - and currently in limbo - Watson), titled Starting a website is like buying a turtle, in which he discusses the phenomenon created by the Google cache and the Wayback Machine.

To me though, it’s more like getting a tattoo when you’re young. I sure hope you’ll still like what it looks like (and says about you) many, many years from now. Soon after a site is created, it’s pretty much a permanent fixture of the web, and there’s not much you can do about it, which means be careful what you say, and be ready to stand by it from that point onward. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to the online home of Dye Design. This current site is in the process of a complete redesign, so some things may be a little wonky - you have been warned. If you are in need of some design, feel free to send me a note, and I would be happy to talk to you about your creative needs.

I had to go to New Hampsire to meet with a client, and went to Atlanta to watch some friends play in the US Open Volleyball Nationals in Atlanta. Since the flight my boss booked returned through Atlanta, I decided to stay for a couple of days, instead of flying back to Nashville, and turning around and driving back to Atlanata.

Boy was it an experience. Read the rest of this entry »