Unrelated Posts

Passing clouds of inconsequential observations

  • Itching to programme?

    Someone asked yesterday how to make sprites move up and down when using Scratch. I have not done anything with Scratch for a while so I was inspired to download the latest version and give it a whirl.

    Scratch logo
    Scratch logo

    Scratch was developed at the [W:MIT Media Lab] Lifelong Kindergarten (doesn’t that sound like a great place to work?) and it provides a simple drag & drop means of building a [W:Java applet]. These can uploaded to the Scratch website and shared with others.

    If Scratch is too basic for your needs then I can commend Greenfoot which is a step closer to proper Java programming. Another option is the RunRev’s RevMedia which uses an English like language. All of these options are free.

    Although there are a lot of examples with Scratch there still seems to be a need for an introduction to creating a simple game. So here it comes 🙂

    My infallible guide to Scratch page will answer some if not all of your questions.

  • Curiouser and curiouser!

    My recent post is a chart topper with Google.com but seems to have been banished from Google.co.uk listings. A chap could start to develop a persecution complex 🙁

    Where Am I?
    Where Am I?

  • Library Books software for Gloucestershire

    Harold Chu’s Library Books software for Mac OS X tracks your borrowings and reminds you when they need returning/renewing. I had messed with an earlier version but never managed to get it to connect to the local library service. A new version was in today’s MacUpdate listing but as Gloucestershire was not included in the preset UK libraries I had another go at getting it to work. Success 🙂

    So if you live in [W:Gloucestershire], are a member of the library, have a Mac and a tendency to forget to return stuff this is what you need.

    Install and run the Library Books software. It only appears as a star icon in the menu bar. Click on the star icon and select Preferences. Select the Logins section and click the + button to add a new library.
    From the Library drop down menu select Generic Catalogue Systems – TalisPrism / Talis Catalogue System.

    The Library Books Settings Pane
    The Library Books Settings Pane

    In the General settings add a Name and your Borrower numbet. PIN can be left blank.

    In the Catalogue section add:
    Catalogue host: http://www.searchourshelves.gloucestershire.gov.uk
    Library Web Page: http://www.libraries.gloucestershire.gov.uk/
    Date format: dd/mm/yyyy
    Click the Save button.

    That’s it!

    Click on the Star icon and select Update and it will fetch a list of your borrowed items. The number of items are displayed next to the star. You can make the star change colour the day before an item is due to be returned and/or add the dates to iCal so that it will also remind you.

    The software is free and no more late return charges 😉

    Update: The details were sent to Harold Chu the developer who says that they will added to the Preset list in future versions.

  • Emergent Dragonflies

    Just missed a couple of [W:dragonflies] emerging from their larval skins and could not get close enough for a good picture.

    Dragonfly above it's former skin
    Dragonfly above it’s former skin

    Freshly emerged dragonfly
    Freshly emerged dragonfly

    I did manage to collect an abandoned skin once they had departed.

    External skin of the dragonfly nymph stage
    External skin of the dragonfly nymph stage

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