Asteroidhttps://asteroid.divnull.com/2023-04-21T17:00:00-04:00The Pelican Era2023-04-21T17:00:00-04:002023-04-21T17:00:00-04:00wordmantag:asteroid.divnull.com,2023-04-21:/2023/04/pelican-era<p>Asteroid has gone over three years without a post, and really can’t
have been called “active” since 2011. Originally, this was a place for
my opinions and observations, where posting them publicly helped keep me
intellectually honest about them in a way, having to defend them in
writing, even …</p><p>Asteroid has gone over three years without a post, and really can’t
have been called “active” since 2011. Originally, this was a place for
my opinions and observations, where posting them publicly helped keep me
intellectually honest about them in a way, having to defend them in
writing, even if no one ever actually read them. The last few years, I
suppose the psychological need to imagine that others care about my
opinions has shriveled to zero, even gone negative, as I’m more likely
to <em>conceal</em> my opinion these days. It’s also true that the
falloff seems strongly correlated to the time I became a parent, so
maybe that’s the reason.</p>
<p>I have no idea if I’ll ever make more posts to this blog. I suspect I
will from time to time. I <em>really</em> need to update my software
recommendations lists, for example.</p>
<p>One thing I <em>am</em> sure about is that I’m completely sick of
managing and updating WordPress. So, I’ve changed this blog over to <a href="https://getpelican.com">Pelican</a>, a Python application that
generates a static site (just plain <span class="caps">HTML</span> files, with little
interactivity, no database, no server-side code, etc.) from a private
source directory. Pelican comes with tools that allow conversion from
several different types of blog software, including WordPress. The
conversion isn’t perfect and needs some hand tweaking, but generally
works pretty well. As Pelican sources for posts and pages are all <a href="https://www.markdownguide.org">Markdown</a>, it pays if you know
its syntax and some of its tricks.</p>
<p>Along the way, I’ve had to give up a few things:</p>
<ol type="1">
<li>Feedback. A static site means there is no submission of comments,
questions, etc., so the “interactive” bits of WordPress are no longer
there. Accepting comments means accepting (and managing) spam, so I will
not miss them.</li>
<li>Past comments. While there is an option to include comments to past
posts in the WordPress exporter/converter, I have elected to eliminate
them. Most of my posts never garnered comments anyway, and only a couple
ever had comments that were useful or interesting.</li>
<li>Full backwards compatibility. I think that I’ve set the URLs up such
that any old links to them on the net should still direct to the correct
post. I was not able to do this completely with <span class="caps">RSS</span> links, so if my feed
was in your <span class="caps">RSS</span> reader (you do still use one, right?), you may need to
change the <a href="/feeds"><span class="caps">URL</span></a></li>
<li>Many, many links. This actually had nothing to do with the
conversion, just something I noticed while going through the posts.
While every link to other sites remain in the posts, a whole lot of them
no longer point to anything that still exists. Even many sites that are
still around have changed their link format (breaking the contract of a
what a <span class="caps">URL</span> is supposed to be for). This is particularly true of news
sites, where the article I linked to might still exist, but not at the
location I’m pointing to. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_rot">Link rot</a> sucks, but
sadly is a factor of time, not blog software.</li>
</ol>
<p>So begins a new era for my “what I think” blog. I will eventually
convert my <a href="https://divnull.com/blog/">other blog</a>, the “what
I make” blog, to Pelican as well, though that may take longer. (It’s
also possible that some more opinion-y posts there may migrate to here.)</p>Charity 20192019-12-31T17:56:00-05:002019-12-31T17:56:00-05:00wordmantag:asteroid.divnull.com,2019-12-31:/2019/12/charity-2019<p>Continuing the <a href="/2019/01/charity-2018/">tradition from last
year</a>, a mention of organizations to which I contributed in 2019, as
a way to a) encourage donations to those places and b) to make myself
accountable for donating each year. My employer matches some of my
contributions, all of which is made easier (particularly …</p><p>Continuing the <a href="/2019/01/charity-2018/">tradition from last
year</a>, a mention of organizations to which I contributed in 2019, as
a way to a) encourage donations to those places and b) to make myself
accountable for donating each year. My employer matches some of my
contributions, all of which is made easier (particularly at tax time) by
using <a href="https://www.fidelitycharitable.org">Fidelity
Charitable</a>.</p>
<p>Charities this year follow, with additions since last year in
<strong>bold</strong>:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.atlanticwhiteshark.org/">Atlantic White Shark Conservancy</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amnh.org/">American Museum of Natural History</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.obama.org/">Barack Obama Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bootcampaign.com/">Boot Campaign</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.cmzoo.org/">Cheyenne Mountain Zoo</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.csupueblo.edu/foundation/">Colorado State
University-Pueblo Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="https://denverartmuseum.org/">Denver Art Museum</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.dmns.org/">Denver Museum of Nature <span class="amp">&</span> Science</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.doe.org/">Doe Fund</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.eff.org/">Electronic Frontier Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.emmaclark.org/">Emma Clark Library</a></li>
<li><a href="https://feministfrequency.com/">Feminist Frequency</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.heroinitiative.org"><strong>Hero Initiative</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.leatherback.org/">Leatherback Trust</a></li>
<li><a href="https://marinelife.org/">Loggerhead Marinelife Center</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.longislandaquarium.com/">Long Island Aquarium</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.licares.org/">Long Island Cares</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mcclellandschool.org/">McClelland Children’s Foundation</a></li>
<li>My college</li>
<li>My high school alumni foundation</li>
<li>My local fire department</li>
<li><a href="http://www.npr.org/">National Public Radio</a></li>
<li><a href="https://hikeandlearn.org">Mountain Park Environmental
Association</a>, formerly the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo</li>
<li><a href="https://outreach-international.org/">Outreach International</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.pacificwhale.org/">Pacific Whale Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://puebloccfoundation.org/">Pueblo Community College Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.pueblolibrary.org/Foundation">Pueblo Library Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.pueblozoo.org/">Pueblo Zoological Society</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.propublica.org/about/">Pro Publica</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.rmpbs.org/about/">Rocky Mountain Public
Broadcasting Network</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.rcrfcharity.org/"><span class="caps">RPG</span> Creators Relief Fund</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.sdc-arts.org/">Sangre de Cristo Art Center</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.savory.global">Savory Institute</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.plasticbank.com">Social Plastic</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.stonybrookchildrens.org/">Stony Brook Children’s Hospital</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.suffolkcountypal.org/">Suffolk County Police
Athletic League</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.timberwolfinformation.org/">Timber Wolf
Information Network</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.voa.org/about-us">Volunteers of America</a></li>
<li><a href="http://wolfsanctuary.co"><span class="caps">WOLF</span> Sanctuary</a></li>
<li><a href="http://water.org/">Water.org</a></li>
<li><a href="https://wikimediaendowment.org">Wikimedia Endowment</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.wikitribune.com/">WikiTribune</a></li>
<li>The <a href="https://www.wildanimalsanctuary.org/">Wild Animal Sanctuary</a></li>
</ul>Charity 20182018-12-31T23:30:00-05:002018-12-31T23:30:00-05:00wordmantag:asteroid.divnull.com,2018-12-31:/2018/12/charity-2018<p>Continuing the <a href="/2017/12/charity-2017/">tradition from last
year</a>, a mention of organizations to which I contributed in 2018, as
a way to a) encourage donations to those places and b) to make myself
accountable for donating each year. I more than doubled my total
contribution amount this year. My employer matches some …</p><p>Continuing the <a href="/2017/12/charity-2017/">tradition from last
year</a>, a mention of organizations to which I contributed in 2018, as
a way to a) encourage donations to those places and b) to make myself
accountable for donating each year. I more than doubled my total
contribution amount this year. My employer matches some of my
contributions, all of which is made easier (particularly at tax time) by
using <a href="https://www.fidelitycharitable.org">Fidelity
Charitable</a>.</p>
<p>Charities this year follow, with additions since last year in
<strong>bold</strong>:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.atlanticwhiteshark.org/">Atlantic White Shark Conservancy</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amnh.org/">American Museum of Natural History</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.obama.org/">Barack Obama Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bootcampaign.com/">Boot Campaign</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.cmzoo.org/">Cheyenne Mountain Zoo</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.csupueblo.edu/foundation/">Colorado State
University-Pueblo Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="https://denverartmuseum.org/">Denver Art Museum</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.dmns.org/">Denver Museum of Nature <span class="amp">&</span> Science</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.doe.org/">Doe Fund</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.eff.org/">Electronic Frontier Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.emmaclark.org/">Emma Clark Library</a></li>
<li><a href="https://feministfrequency.com/">Feminist Frequency</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.leatherback.org/">Leatherback Trust</a></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://marinelife.org/">Loggerhead Marinelife Center</a></strong></li>
<li><a href="http://www.longislandaquarium.com/">Long Island Aquarium</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.licares.org/">Long Island Cares</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mcclellandschool.org/">McClelland Children’s Foundation</a></li>
<li>My college</li>
<li>My high school alumni foundation</li>
<li>My local fire department</li>
<li><a href="http://www.npr.org/">National Public Radio</a></li>
<li><a href="https://hikeandlearn.org">Mountain Park Environmental
Association</a>, formerly the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo</li>
<li><a href="https://outreach-international.org/">Outreach International</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.pacificwhale.org/">Pacific Whale Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://puebloccfoundation.org/">Pueblo Community College Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.pueblolibrary.org/Foundation">Pueblo Library Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.pueblozoo.org/">Pueblo Zoological Society</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.propublica.org/about/">Pro Publica</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.rmpbs.org/about/">Rocky Mountain Public
Broadcasting Network</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.rcrfcharity.org/"><span class="caps">RPG</span> Creators Relief Fund</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.sdc-arts.org/">Sangre de Cristo Art Center</a></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.savory.global">Savory Institute</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.plasticbank.com">Social Plastic</a></strong></li>
<li><a href="http://www.stonybrookchildrens.org/">Stony Brook Children’s Hospital</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.suffolkcountypal.org/">Suffolk County Police
Athletic League</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.timberwolfinformation.org/">Timber Wolf
Information Network</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.voa.org/about-us">Volunteers of America</a></li>
<li><a href="http://wolfsanctuary.co"><span class="caps">WOLF</span> Sanctuary</a></li>
<li><a href="http://water.org/">Water.org</a></li>
<li><a href="https://wikimediaendowment.org">Wikimedia Endowment</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.wikimedia.org/">Wikimedia Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.wikitribune.com/">WikiTribune</a></li>
<li>The <a href="https://www.wildanimalsanctuary.org/">Wild Animal Sanctuary</a></li>
</ul>Firsts 20182018-01-01T14:37:00-05:002018-01-01T14:37:00-05:00wordmantag:asteroid.divnull.com,2018-01-01:/2018/01/firsts-2018<p>Based on an <a href="https://plus.google.com/101426386622372860909/posts/MNMAJSgi4xx">idea
from a G+ post</a>, tracking the first times I did certain things in
2018. I’ll be updating it as the year goes on:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>First Food</strong>: <a href="https://cheese.com/kefalotyri/">Kefalotyri</a> cheese, a household
standard my father-in-law picks up in Astoria (1 Jan)</li>
<li><strong>First Liquid</strong>: some <a href="https://www.teaforte.com/store/gourmet-tea/tea-collections/bleu-collection/">crazy
blue tea</a> (ginger …</li></ul><p>Based on an <a href="https://plus.google.com/101426386622372860909/posts/MNMAJSgi4xx">idea
from a G+ post</a>, tracking the first times I did certain things in
2018. I’ll be updating it as the year goes on:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>First Food</strong>: <a href="https://cheese.com/kefalotyri/">Kefalotyri</a> cheese, a household
standard my father-in-law picks up in Astoria (1 Jan)</li>
<li><strong>First Liquid</strong>: some <a href="https://www.teaforte.com/store/gourmet-tea/tea-collections/bleu-collection/">crazy
blue tea</a> (ginger) my wife got for Christmas (1 Jan)</li>
<li><strong>First Drink</strong>: <a href="http://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g3073/mimosa-recipe/">mimosa</a>
made with <a href="http://www.lamarcaprosecco.com">Lamarca prosecco</a>
(1 Jan)</li>
<li><strong>First Meal</strong>: New Year’s brunch, mostly smoked
salmon, shrimp and so on (1 Jan)</li>
<li><strong>First Meal Cooked</strong>: <a href="https://www.rebootedmom.com/2016/06/01/mexican-albondigas-soup-instant-pot-recipe/">albondigas
soup</a>, in new <a href="https://instantpot.com/portfolio_entries/duo-plus/">Instant
Pot</a> (17 Jan)</li>
<li>First Meal With Non-Family:</li>
<li>First Restaurant:</li>
</ul>
<!-- -->
<ul>
<li><strong>First High Five</strong>: My son, after a little spontaneous
room cleaning (4 Jan)</li>
<li><strong>First Low Five</strong>: My son, for trying <a href="https://yousician.com">electronic piano lessons</a> for the first
time. (1 Jan)</li>
<li><strong>First Hug</strong>: My wife, who was sick. (1 Jan)</li>
<li><strong>First Use of “Dad Voice”</strong>: To my son, who left the
freezer door open for three hours. (3 Jan)</li>
</ul>
<!-- -->
<ul>
<li>First Public Transport Taken:</li>
<li>First Aircraft Taken:</li>
<li>First Bike Ride:</li>
<li>First Boat Taken:</li>
<li>First Drone Flight:</li>
<li>First Visit to Someone Else’s House:</li>
<li>First Bare Feet in Body of Water:</li>
</ul>
<!-- -->
<ul>
<li><strong>First Security Update Applied</strong>: Patch to this web
server for “Spectre” and “Meltdown” (18 Jan)</li>
<li><strong>First Programming Language Used</strong>: Java (2 Jan)</li>
<li>First Programming Language Used Outside Work:</li>
<li>First Robot Task:</li>
<li>First Electronics Recycled:</li>
</ul>
<!-- -->
<ul>
<li>First Lego Set Purchased:</li>
<li><strong>First Lego Set Built</strong>: <a href="https://brickset.com/sets/70612-1/Green-Ninja-Mech-Dragon">70612-1:
Green Ninja Mech Dragon</a>, mostly watching my son build it</li>
<li>First Scavenger Hunt:</li>
<li>First Plant Harvested:</li>
</ul>
<!-- -->
<ul>
<li><strong>First Bill Payed</strong>: Water bill (3 Jan)</li>
<li><strong>First Item Bought Online</strong>: Heavily discounted <a href="https://www.massdrop.com/buy/monsterpocalypse-game-bundle">Monsterpocalypse
game bundle</a> (2 Jan)</li>
<li><strong>First Item Bought in Store</strong>: cough medicine (2 Jan)</li>
<li>First Item Made With Own Hands:</li>
<li><strong>First Kickstarter Backed</strong>: <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/modiphius/john-carter-of-mars-the-roleplaying-game">John
Carter of Mars <span class="caps">RPG</span></a> (13 Jan)/li></li>
<li>First Charitable Contribution:</li>
<li>First Regretted Purchase:</li>
</ul>
<!-- -->
<ul>
<li><strong>First Doctor’s Appointment</strong>: Flu shot for son (19 Jan)</li>
<li>First Injury:</li>
<li>First Illness:</li>
</ul>
<!-- -->
<ul>
<li>First Movie: <a href="https://www.foxmovies.com/movies/the-greatest-showman"><cite>The
Greatest Showman</cite></a> (2 Jan)</li>
<li><strong>First <span class="caps">TV</span> Show</strong>: <cite>Star Trek</cite>, “The Naked
Time” (1 Jan)</li>
<li><strong>First Song</strong>: Something terrible on a New Year’s Eva
show (1 Jan)</li>
<li>First Live Performance:</li>
<li>First Book to Read:</li>
<li>First Book to Finish:</li>
</ul>
<!-- -->
<ul>
<li>First Roleplaying Game Played:</li>
<li><strong>First Roleplaying Game Worked On</strong>: The Mortice System</li>
<li>First Board Game:</li>
<li><strong>First Console Videogame</strong>: <a href="https://www.lego.com/en-us/jurassicworld/games/videogames">Lego
Jurassic World</a>, Wii U, with son (1 Jan)</li>
<li>First Mobile Videogame: <a href="https://civilization.com">Civilization <span class="caps">VI</span></a>, iOS (1 Jan)</li>
<li>First Computer Videogame:</li>
<li>First Software Downloaded: <a href="https://www.lego.com/en-us/boost/">Lego Boost</a> on son’s iPad,
iOS (1 Jan)</li>
<li><strong>First Software Purchased</strong>: <a href="http://www.dicenomicon.com/forios.html">The Dicenomicon +1</a> (23 Jan)</li>
</ul>Charity 20172017-12-11T23:21:00-05:002017-12-11T23:21:00-05:00wordmantag:asteroid.divnull.com,2017-12-11:/2017/12/charity-2017<p>Back in 2012, I intended to <a href="/2013/02/charity-2012/">start an
annual post</a> during “giving season” about where I was donating as a
way to a) encourage donations to those places and b) to make myself
accountable for donating each year. While I have been donating each
year, posting about it hasn’t …</p><p>Back in 2012, I intended to <a href="/2013/02/charity-2012/">start an
annual post</a> during “giving season” about where I was donating as a
way to a) encourage donations to those places and b) to make myself
accountable for donating each year. While I have been donating each
year, posting about it hasn’t been done anywhere near annually.</p>
<p>Figuring out <a href="https://learn.stashinvest.com/much-give-charity-budget">how much
to donate</a> is tricky, and I mostly go with my gut. I tend to be more
generous with money than with time, which maybe isn’t great. I’ve also
had the strange problem over the past two years that some of my donation
checks have never been cashed, causing me to drop some charities. As a
percentage of pre-tax income, I’ve done a bit better this year, maybe
around 4%. My list of targeted charities continues to expand as well:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://adainitiative.org/"><span class="caps">ADA</span> Initiative</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.atlanticwhiteshark.org/">Atlantic White Shark Conservancy</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amnh.org/">American Museum of Natural History</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.obama.org/">Barack Obama Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bootcampaign.com/">Boot Campaign</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.cmzoo.org/">Cheyenne Mountain Zoo</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.csupueblo.edu/foundation/">Colorado State
University-Pueblo Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="https://denverartmuseum.org/">Denver Art Museum</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.dmns.org/">Denver Museum of Nature <span class="amp">&</span> Science</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.doe.org/">Doe Fund</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.eff.org/">Electronic Frontier Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.emmaclark.org/">Emma Clark Library</a></li>
<li><a href="https://feministfrequency.com/">Feminist Frequency</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.leatherback.org/">Leatherback Trust</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.longislandaquarium.com/">Long Island Aquarium</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.licares.org/">Long Island Cares</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mcclellandschool.org/">McClelland Children’s Foundation</a></li>
<li>My college</li>
<li>My high school alumni foundation</li>
<li>My local fire department</li>
<li><a href="http://www.npr.org/">National Public Radio</a></li>
<li><a href="https://natureandraptor.org/">Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo</a></li>
<li><a href="https://outreach-international.org/">Outreach International</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.pacificwhale.org/">Pacific Whale Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://puebloccfoundation.org/">Pueblo Community College Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.pueblolibrary.org/Foundation">Pueblo Library Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.pueblozoo.org/">Pueblo Zoological Society</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.propublica.org/about/">Pro Publica</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.rmpbs.org/about/">Rocky Mountain Public
Broadcasting Network</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.rcrfcharity.org/"><span class="caps">RPG</span> Creators Relief Fund</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.sdc-arts.org/">Sangre de Cristo Art Center</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.stonybrookchildrens.org/">Stony Brook Children’s Hospital</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.suffolkcountypal.org/">Suffolk County Police
Athletic League</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.timberwolfinformation.org/">Timber Wolf
Information Network</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.voa.org/about-us">Volunteers of America</a></li>
<li>The <a href="https://www.wildanimalsanctuary.org/">Wild Animal Sanctuary</a></li>
<li><a href="http://wolfsanctuary.co"><span class="caps">WOLF</span> Sanctuary</a></li>
<li><a href="http://water.org/">Water.org</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.wikimedia.org/">Wikimedia Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.wikitribune.com/">WikiTribune</a></li>
</ul>RPG-a-Day 20172017-08-02T09:04:00-04:002017-08-02T09:04:00-04:00wordmantag:asteroid.divnull.com,2017-08-02:/2017/08/rpg-a-day-2017<p>For each of the past few years, David F. Chapman has published a list
of 31 role-playing game related questions in August, coordinated under
the moniker “<span class="caps">RPG</span> a Day”. This year is <a href="https://autocratik.blogspot.com/2017/07/rpgaday-2017-announcing-rpgaday-again.html">no
exception</a>. I have not participated in this before because, while I
like the idea, I dislike the …</p><p>For each of the past few years, David F. Chapman has published a list
of 31 role-playing game related questions in August, coordinated under
the moniker “<span class="caps">RPG</span> a Day”. This year is <a href="https://autocratik.blogspot.com/2017/07/rpgaday-2017-announcing-rpgaday-again.html">no
exception</a>. I have not participated in this before because, while I
like the idea, I dislike the way my social media feed explodes with
answers to each day’s question, tending to drown out other stuff. So,
rather than make a separate post for each question, I’m just going to
answer them all on a single page, and only post the link to social media
at the beginning and the end. This year’s questions are:</p>
<p><a href="/images/2017/08/rpgaday2017.png"><img alt="RPGaDay 2017 questions" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1419" height="431" src="/images/2017/08/rpgaday2017-1024x431.png" width="1024"/></a></p>
<section class="item" id="st-what-published-rpg-do-you-wish-you-were-playing-right-now">
<h3>1<sup>st</sup>) What published <span class="caps">RPG</span> do you wish you were playing
right now?</h3>
<p><img class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1435" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/no-thank-you-evil.png" width="256"/>There are a ton of games on this list, but I
really want to be playing something with my six year old son right now,
something like <cite><a href="http://www.nothankyouevil.com/">No Thank
You, Evil!</a></cite> by <a href="https://www.montecookgames.com/">Monte
Cook Games</a>, built on a kid-friendly iteration of the <a href="http://cypher-system.com/">Cypher System</a>. I backed both of the
Kickstarter’s for this game, so have a full complement of gear for it.
The game scales to age by simplifying the “I’m a {adjective} {noun} who
{verbs}” pattern for a character’s concept based on age (e.g. the
youngest kids have characters defined just by “I’m a {noun}”. I’ll be
interested to see how much complexity my son can handle. I’m guessing
this could lead into playing the Cypher System game <cite><a href="https://www.montecookgames.com/predation/">Predation</a></cite>,
which he would really dig.</p>
</section>
<section class="item" id="nd-what-is-an-rpg-you-would-like-to-see-published">
<h3>2<sup>nd</sup>) What is an <span class="caps">RPG</span> you would like to see published?</h3>
<p><img class="alignright size-large wp-image-1429" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/danger-patrol-gamma-sample-1.png" width="293"/>The teased and hinted at <cite>Danger Patrol
Gamma</cite>. While the current “Pocket Edition” of <cite><a href="http://www.dangerpatrol.com/">Danger Patrol</a></cite> by <a href="https://www.patreon.com/johnharper">John Harper</a>’s <a href="http://www.onesevendesign.com/">one.seven design studio</a> has
been the last word in the game, this edition gave up <a href="https://divnull.com/blog/2014/pocket-danger-patrol-cards/">some of
the things I liked</a> about the beta version. The author has hinted at
a “gamma” version, which looked like it was going to be card based.
Using cards (or the half-pages of the beta version), you guarantee that
no two people are making use of the same option in their character,
which can’t be said of the pocket edition. Yet, the pocket edition has
some clear improvements over the beta version, so I’m looking forward to
something that does both.</p>
</section>
<section class="item" id="rd-how-do-you-find-out-about-new-rpgs">
<h3>3<sup>rd</sup>) How do you find out about new RPGs?</h3>
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-1440" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/gplus.png" width="200"/>Mostly by reading my <a href="https://plus.google.com/">G+ feed</a>. If you’ve been thinking G+
is a ghost town, you’re wrong, particularly when it comes to RPGs.</p>
<p>Some other sources are worth mentioning, though. One of the best
things to happen to RPGs in the last year or two has been the culture of
play fostered by the <a href="http://www.gauntlet-rpg.com/">Gauntlet</a>
and its associated podcasts, particularly its main <a href="http://www.gauntlet-rpg.com/the-gauntlet-podcast">community
podcast</a>. It’s common for a given episode to call my attention to a
game I’d never heard of, or known only marginally.</p>
<p>I also kickstart a lot of games. Unfortunately, Kickstarter’s search
is still terrible and its support for <span class="caps">RSS</span> is non-existent. Recently, Leo
Zovic built a bunch of <a href="http://kicktracker.inaimathi.ca/">Atom
feeds for Kickstarter</a>. These can be customized, so I built one that
provides a <a href="http://kicktracker.inaimathi.com/custom/rpg">custom
<span class="caps">RSS</span> feed for <span class="caps">RPG</span> projects on Kickstarter</a>. One drawback is that it
also shows computer games marked as “rpgs”, but that’s as good as
Kickstarter’s search can manage.</p>
</section>
<section class="item" id="th-which-rpg-have-you-played-the-most-since-august-2016">
<h3>4<sup>th</sup>) Which <span class="caps">RPG</span> have you played the most since August 2016?</h3>
<p><img class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1446" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/dungeon-world.png" width="134"/>This is, sadly, an easy question to answer,
because I haven’t played much in the past year. What I have played has
been mostly <cite><a href="http://www.dungeon-world.com/">Dungeon
World</a></cite>, by <a href="http://www.latorra.org/">Sage LaTorra</a>
and <a href="http://www.adam-koebel.com/">Adam Koebel</a>.</p>
<p>Specifically, we’ve been playing in Monte Cook’s <cite><a href="https://www.montecookgames.com/monte-says-ptolus-10-years-later/">Ptolus</a></cite>
setting, using a <a href="https://rpg.divnull.com/wiki/index.php?title=Ptolus_Dungeon_World">few
custom rules</a> to tune the system to the setting, which is a bit more
cosmopolitan and magic item heavy than straight <cite>Dungeon
World</cite>.</p>
</section>
<h3 id="th-which-rpg-cover-best-captures-the-spirit-of-the-game">5<sup>th</sup>)
Which <span class="caps">RPG</span> cover best captures the spirit of the game?</h3>
<p><a href="http://rpg.divnull.com/srun/graphics/shadowrun-cover.png"><img alt="Shadowrun cover" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1447" data-align="center" height="400" src="/images/2017/08/shadowrun-cover.png" width="303"/></a></p>
<h3 id="th-you-can-game-every-day-for-a-week.-describe-what-youd-do">6<sup>th</sup>)
You can game every day for a week. Describe what you’d do!</h3>
<p><img alt="clay-that-woke" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1454" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/clay-that-woke.png" width="133"/>I’m assuming this means
<em>all day</em>, every day, so I’d go somewhere with great scenery and
minimal hustle and bustle, like <a href="https://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm">Zion National Park</a> or a
yacht anchored off <a href="http://www.kleftikomilos.com/">Kleftiko</a>
or something. The games would depend on the players, but I’ll guess a
bit. This would probably be a trip without the kids. We’d divide each
day into three four hour sessions, with meals in between.</p>
<p>Each morning session would be a different game, run as a one-shot. In
these games, we’d try to enforce the tone, whatever that might be. We’d
probably run, in no particular order:</p>
<ul>
<li><cite><a href="http://www.onesevendesign.com/ladyblackbird/">Lady
Blackbird</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://www.evilhat.com/home/dont-rest-your-head-2/">Don’t Rest
Your Head</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="https://elizabethsampat.itch.io/blowback">Blowback</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="https://rpggeek.com/rpg/2537/44-game-automatic-fear">44: A Game of
Automatic Fear</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://bullypulpitgames.com/games/night-witches/">Night
Witches</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://www.gregstolze.com/adirtyworld/">A Dirty
World</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://www.technoirrpg.com/">Technoir</a></cite></li>
</ul>
<p>Each afternoon session would be one installment of a seven session
mini-campaign of something. It would probably one of these:</p>
<ul>
<li><cite><a href="https://divnull.com/blog/tags/fourth-world/">Fourth
World</a></cite>, my drift of <cite>Dungeon World</cite> to the setting
of <cite><a href="http://fasagames.com/earthdawn-whatis/">Earthdawn</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://www.evilhat.com/home/blades-in-the-dark/">Blades in the
Dark</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://halfmeme.com/clay.html">The Clay That
Woke</a></cite></li>
</ul>
<p>Evening sessions would be games that play well while drinking, and
would likely not be serious at all. Most would be one-shots, but maybe a
few could go a couple sessions.</p>
<ul>
<li><cite><a href="http://bullypulpitgames.com/games/fiasco/">Fiasco</a></cite> using
my <cite><a href="https://divnull.com/blog/2011/vegas-baby/">Vegas,
Baby!</a></cite> playset</li>
<li><cite><a href="http://stuffershack.com/shadowrun-anarchy-an-overview/">Shadowrun
Anarchy</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/212262/INDEX-CARD-RPG-Core-Set">Index
Card <span class="caps">RPG</span></a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/162084/Its-Not-My-Fault-A-Fate-Accelerated-Character--Situation-Generator">It’s
Not My Fault!</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://www.thewholehole.info/the-lowdown/what-is-low-life-re-dredged/">Low
Life</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://boldpueblo.com/wmhs/">Wandering Monsters High
School</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="https://ndpdesign.com/wwwrpg/">The World Wide
Wrestling Roleplaying Game</a></cite></li>
</ul>
<h3 id="th-what-was-your-most-impactful-rpg-session">7<sup>th</sup>)
What was your most impactful <span class="caps">RPG</span> session?</h3>
<p><img alt="exalted1" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1452" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/exalted1.png" width="152"/>It wasn’t a <em>bad</em>
session. In fact, I barely remember most of it, which was a lot of the
problem. I do remember that we didn’t get as far along as I’d hoped, and
thinking about why, a blunt question popped into my head: “why are you
<a href="https://rpg.divnull.com/exalted/">investing so much time and
effort</a> into a game with such shit mechanics? Again?” I still don’t
have a justifiable answer to this question, but after that session I
gave up on deep diving into irredeemable rulesets just because I loved
the setting to which they were attached.</p>
<p>I’d done this before. For years prior, I’d spent a ton of free time
<a href="https://rpg.divnull.com/srun/">building crap for another
game</a> with mechanics almost as bad, maintaining a big gear list, even
managing the <span class="caps">FAQ</span>. It, too, had a world that I loved then and still love
now. I gave up on that game, but for kinda the wrong reason. That was
more of a feeling that I just wasn’t getting enough back from the game
as I was putting into it. (It didn’t help that I burned a bridge with
the game’s creators entirely by accident.)</p>
<p>Don’t get me wrong, I still love the worlds of <cite>Exalted</cite>
and <cite>Shadowrun</cite>, and I will play again in those worlds in a
heartbeat, but only using totally different rules. After that session,
I’m never going to devote myself to shit systems ever again.</p>
<h3 id="th-what-is-a-good-rpg-to-play-for-sessions-of-2hrs-or-less">8<sup>th</sup>)
What is a good <span class="caps">RPG</span> to play for sessions of 2hrs or less?</h3>
<p><img alt="diesel-mice" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1455" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/diesel-mice.png" width="135"/>Pretty much any game for
kids better fit into sessions two hours or less. From what I’ve heard of
people running games with really little kids, their attention spans
don’t stick with the game for more than a half-hour or so. Turns out you
are spoiled for choice in the “games targeted at kids” arena, these
days, with games like:</p>
<ul>
<li><cite><a href="http://www.nothankyouevil.com/">No Thank You,
Evil!</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://www.magpiegames.com/epyllion/">Epyllion</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://www.crafty-games.com/buy-now/little-wizards/">Little
Wizards</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://starlinepublishing.com/our-games/golden-sky-stories/">Golden
Sky Stories</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://thirdeyegames.net/product/mermaid-adventures-rpg/">Mermaid
Adventures</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/108448/FirstFable-BUNDLE">First
Fable</a></cite> games like <cite><a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/131530/Diesel-Mice">Diesel
Mice</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://herokidsrpg.blogspot.com/p/hero-kids-overview.html">Hero
Kids</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="https://www.adventuremaximus.com/thegame">Adventure
Maximus</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="https://newbiedm.com/rpgkids/">rpgKids</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/962662760/project-ninja-panda-taco">Project
Ninja Panda Taco</a></cite></li>
</ul>
<section class="item" id="th-what-is-a-good-rpg-to-play-for-about-10-sessions">
<h3>9<sup>th</sup>) What is a good <span class="caps">RPG</span> to play for about 10 sessions?</h3>
<p><img class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1458" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/legacy.png" width="133"/>I tend not to play campaigns in this duration
much, usually either shorter or much longer. Any game that can handle
more than ten sessions can certainly handle just ten, but there are some
games which contain a bit more meat than you can reach in a one shot
where you might not want to devote a year of play to it. That seems like
it depends more on your curiosity level than it does on the game.</p>
<p>I’d be interested in playing ten sessions of <cite><a href="http://ufopress.co.uk/our-games/legacy-life-among-the-ruins/">Legacy:
Life Among the Ruins</a></cite>, to give its multi-generational and
family mechanics a good stretch. Maybe I will do that when the second
edition (<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1549920133/legacy-life-among-the-ruins-2nd-edition">currently
being kickstarted</a>) is ready.</p>
</section>
<section class="item" id="th-where-do-you-go-for-rpg-reviews">
<h3>10<sup>th</sup>) Where do you go for <span class="caps">RPG</span> reviews?</h3>
<p><img class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1462" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/gauntlet.png" width="200"/>I almost never seek out <span class="caps">RPG</span> reviews. I almost
never read “customer reviews” of <span class="caps">RPG</span> products at places like <a href="http://www.onebookshelf.com/">One Book Shelf</a>. I no longer
frequent role-playing forums.</p>
<p>The only place I even encounter reviews of games are the stray
mentions on social media and the play reports on the <a href="http://www.gauntlet-rpg.com/the-gauntlet-podcast">Gauntlet
podcast</a>. I’ve also enjoyed when Rob Donoghue deep dives into one
system or another over multiple blog long blog posts (<a href="http://walkingmind.evilhat.com/2013/08/16/opening-up-13th-age/">here’s
the first one for <cite>13th Age</cite></a>, for example).</p>
</section>
<h3 id="th-which-dead-game-would-you-like-to-see-reborn">11<sup>th</sup>)
Which ‘dead game’ would you like to see reborn?</h3>
<p><a href="http://rpg.divnull.com/graphics/primal-order-cover.png"><img alt="primal" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1463" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/primal.png" width="154"/></a><cite><a href="https://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/44903/primal-order">The Primal
Order</a></cite> isn’t really dead. No game really is, particularly with
all the resurrections being done on Kickstarter lately. <cite><span class="caps">TPO</span></cite>
was more dead than most for years, until 2013, when <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Adkison">Peter Adkison</a>
republished the <span class="caps">PDF</span> of the game. Given the lack of support since,
though, it seems likely that this republishing was more of a way to
retain certain legal rights to the property than any firm desire to
resurrect the game.</p>
<p>Also, <cite><span class="caps">TPO</span></cite> wasn’t exactly a game, but rather a
“capsystem” that allowed you to add gods to any game in a way that made
them more than just “NPCs with really good stats”. It also opened an
interesting way for playing gods as PCs, in its own early-1990’s
fashion. It’s not quite right, but there is a lot of meat there that
more modern game design could extract.</p>
<p>The game has been a bit of a legal mess, largely because it
implemented its notion of being a “capsystem” (a rules set that sits on
top of other rules systems) backwards. At the end of <cite><span class="caps">TPO</span></cite>
were a set of appendices, each one of which detailed how to use
<cite><span class="caps">TPO</span></cite> with an existing system (e.g. <cite><span class="caps">AD</span>&D</cite>,
<cite>Ars Magica</cite>, <cite>Shadowrun</cite>, etc.). Game rules can’t
be copyrighted and the book properly sighted copyrights and trademarks,
so legally wansn’t infringing. People brought lawsuits against it
anyway. That was part of what killed the game. The other was that its
small-time publisher soon had its hands full turning another game it
produced a year later, <cite>Magic: The Gathering</cite>, into a
globe-spanning juggernaut.</p>
<p>At any rate, now days, making a “capsystem” would more likely succeed
the other way around: being issued as an open license. Publishers (or
fans) could then build the conversions themselves, if they needed to.
(In the present environment, I’m not sure anyone would really find
converting something into whatever system they used that unusual or
burdensome enough to need a special document for it anyway.)</p>
<p>I have toyed with the idea of buying the <span class="caps">IP</span> for <cite><span class="caps">TPO</span></cite> for
the sole purpose of releasing it under a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">Creative
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International</a>
license. In fact, I’ve wondered allowed about setting up something like
a charity that exists to secure permission to do this with other dormant
games. This is probably a pipe dream though, as most publishers appear
to be content sitting on games that earn nothing and would cost too much
to put back into print, assuming some alchemy will suddenly make them
worthwhile again (I guess) rather than find out what cool stuff an
unfettered world with do with it.</p>
<section class="item" id="th-which-rpg-has-the-most-inspiring-interior-art">
<h3>12<sup>th</sup>) Which <span class="caps">RPG</span> has the most inspiring interior art?</h3>
<p><img class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1467" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/numenera.png" width="147"/><cite><a href="http://www.numenera.com/what-is-numenera/">Numenera</a></cite>
wins awards for interior art for a reason. The whole product line just
looks phenomenal and makes me want to explore the place. It also has the
advantage of being slightly strange without being grimdark body-horror stuff.</p>
</section>
<section class="item" id="th-describe-a-game-experience-that-changed-how-you-play.">
<h3>13<sup>th</sup>) Describe a game experience that changed how you play.</h3>
<p><img class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1472" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/wushu.png" width="164"/>After playing a lot from grade school through
a number of years after college, I entered a long stretch where I was
moving around and couldn’t really get into a gaming groove. Eventually,
I got back on the horse but, in the interim, things like the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indie_role-playing_game">Forge</a>
happened and I missed most of it. So, when I happened across a copy of
<a href="http://danielbayn.com/wushu/">Wushu</a>, a wuxia action game, I
was, appropriately, punched in the face by its introduction:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Action movies have always been at odds with realism. Fortunately for
us, their conflict is easily resolved with a series of savage kicks to
realism’s face! Impossible leaps, insane acrobatics, and victory against
overwhelming odds are all staples of the genre… and the essential
elements of action role-playing games.</p>
<p>Sadly, traditional RPGs have long been in league with realism. They
penalize players who want to, say, kick seven mooks with one spin kick
by piling negative modifiers onto their roll, which makes them less
likely to succeed. The inevitable result is that smart players stick to
simple, boring actions and take a tactical approach to combat. Wushu
breaks up this insidious alliance with a core mechanic that rewards
players for vivid descriptions and over-the-top stunts by making them
more likely to succeed, each and every time.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>For anyone who’d been paying attention to what was happening in
gaming up to then, this sentiment would be totally unsurprising and
obvious but, for me, it was a <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satori">satori</a></em> moment,
combining both a sense that I’d been doing it wrong for decades with a
clear illumination about how to proceed. (Then, I wandered from the path
immediately by starting to play <cite>Exalted</cite>.)</p>
</section>
<h3 id="th-which-rpg-do-you-prefer-for-open-ended-campaign-play">14<sup>th</sup>)
Which <span class="caps">RPG</span> do you prefer for open-ended campaign play?</h3>
<p><img alt="monsters-magic" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1476" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/monsters-magic.png" width="155"/><img alt="13th-age" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1475" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/13th-age.png" width="155"/>I’m answering this one with
what game I would pick if I wanted to start a new open-ended campaign.
Such campaigns tend to feature long player power curves, where
characters “improve” over a long time scale, and more traditional games
tend to focus on this more. Apart from some of the other games I’ve
mentioned in previous questions, it’d be a toss up between two different
takes on fantasy.</p>
<p>One choice would be <a href="http://www.13thagesrd.com/"><cite>13th
Age</cite></a>. When Wizards of the Coast went off to ruminate on
building the <a href="http://dnd.wizards.com/">fifth edition of
<cite>Dungeons <span class="amp">&</span> Dragons</cite></a>, the lead designers of third and
fourth editions teamed up to create an alternative, released about a
year before “D&D Next” was. The result impresses me as more than
just an extension/evolution of 3E and 4E, but a more cohesive game
entirely. Running an open ended campaign in this system, I would
definitely throw their unique take on the megadungeon, <a href="index"><cite>Eyes of the Stone Thief</cite></a>, into the mix.</p>
<p>Another choice would be <a href="https://mindjammerpress.com/monstersandmagic/"><cite>Monsters
<span class="amp">&</span> Magic</cite></a> by <a href="https://sarahnewtonwriter.com/">Sarah
Newton</a>. Unlike some <span class="caps">OSR</span> stuff which merely apes early D&D
editions (all of which also still exist), M&M is framed to allow use
of all those old school adventures you have (particularly the <a href="http://judgesguild.org/product/">old Judges Guild stuff</a>) right
out of the box, but still embraces the idea that game design has
usefully advanced in 40 years. (If, for some reason, you want to know if
this makes it a “legitimately <span class="caps">OSR</span> game”, there are no shortage of
self-appointed <span class="caps">OSR</span> gatekeepers eager for followers they can shepherd to
the answer; my interest in that question is zero.)</p>
<p>There are so many other games, I’m not sure I’ll ever get either of
these to the table, but each sounds fun for its own reasons.</p>
<h3 id="th-which-rpg-do-you-enjoy-adapting-the-most">15<sup>th</sup>)
Which <span class="caps">RPG</span> do you enjoy adapting the most?</h3>
<p><img alt="anima-prime" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1480" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/anima-prime.png" width="200"/>I’ve had a ton of fun
hacking on <a href="http://www.animaprimerpg.com/main/"><cite>Anima
Prime</cite></a>, a game by <a href="http://www.berengad.com/site/">Christian Griffen</a> that bills
itself as a “fast-paced, spontaneous roleplaying game inspired by the
<cite>Final Fantasy</cite> series of video games as well as
<cite>Avatar: The Last Airbender</cite> and other animated shows and
movies”. (Note: because of the name, this game is sometimes confused
with the heartbreaker <a href="https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/anima-beyond-fantasy-rpg/products/anima-beyond-fantasy-rpg/"><cite>Anima:
Beyond Fantasy</cite></a>. There is no relation.)</p>
<p>My immediate thought when first reading <cite>Anima Prime</cite> was
“oooo…I could hack this to play <cite>Exalted</cite>” and I’ve spent
quite a bit of effort doing just that. I posted my <a href="http://exalted.xi.co.nz/wiki/ExaltedPrime">first tinkerings on the
unofficial Exalted wiki</a> in 2011. Since then I’ve gone a bit
overboard with it. I built a big document just for my group called
<cite>Exaltation Prime</cite>, which turned into a full layout project,
using inspiring “borrowed” art and lots of changes and iterations (on
version 1.5 at the moment). I wound up with something of manageable size
that would allow you to play any type of the exalted (each of which
required 250 page “splatbooks” in their original system) plus a number
of character types that you can’t really play in the original game.
(Want to play as a manse? No problem.) <cite>Exalted</cite> is a
“kitchen sink” game, and my hack can also manage most of its more
involved systems (e.g. sorcery, shapeshifting, shaping, crafting,
astrology, warstriders, etc.).</p>
<p>One of the things I love about <cite>Anima Prime</cite> is that it is
a <em>little bit</em> crunchy, but not massively so. This hits a sweet
spot for me. Another thing I like is that with just some simple ideas,
there is quite a bit to hang hacks onto. In the time that I’ve been
hacking on it, its author has done some hacking of his own, usually
aimed at making the game more simple or <span class="caps">GM</span>-less or the like. My hacks
tend to go the other way, making it a slightly more complicated.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I can’t really release what I’ve done in its current
form, mostly due to the borrowed art, but also because
<cite>Exalted</cite> is a closed system. Fortunately, <cite>Anima
Prime</cite> itself is released under a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/">Creative
Commons license</a>. I’ve been toying with the idea of sanitizing the
hacks I’ve made to it of references to <cite>Exalted</cite> and
releasing more of a “hacking guide” to the game, called <cite>Prime
Spiral</cite>. I should really get cracking on that.</p>
<h3 id="th-which-rpg-do-you-enjoy-using-as-is">16<sup>th</sup>) Which
<span class="caps">RPG</span> do you enjoy using as is?</h3>
<p>Every game. At least the first time I play it. There is a tendency to
want to drift games as you read them, thinking “that probably won’t work
unless I tweak it like this”. Resist! The designer probably thought
about whatever it is longer, harder and deeper than you have. You owe it
to both yourself and the designer to try the game as written at least
once. It may turn out that you were right, but sometimes you discover
surprises during play.</p>
<h3 id="th-which-rpg-have-you-owned-the-longest-but-not-played">17<sup>th</sup>)
Which <span class="caps">RPG</span> have you owned the longest but not played?</h3>
<p><img alt="vampire-masquerade" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1482" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/vampire-masquerade.png" width="151"/>The phrasing of this
question results in, to me, a surprising answer: the original <a href="https://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/44187/vampire-masquerade-1st-edition"><cite>Vampire:
The Masquerade</cite></a>. While I certainly bought some games before
this that I never played, I do not still own them, and haven’t for a
while. <cite>V:tM</cite> is still on my bookshelf, though.</p>
<p>I almost played once, even going so far as to conceive a character,
but that game never actually hit the table. After that, whatever
motivation I might have had to play was stymied by lack of interested
compatriots. I didn’t really look very hard, I suppose.</p>
<p>This game features an example of something that happens to me when I
read games from time to time. Occasionally, while reading, I’ll get
fixated on a sentence in the text and that leads somewhere for play. I
remember reading a sentence in the <cite>V:tM</cite> that mentioned
vampires of a particular clan tend to get “stuck” in the fashions of the
time they first became vampires and thinking “man, what if you got
turned when fashion sucked?” This, naturally, led to the character I
conceived: a young Ventrue stuck in the pastels and stubble of
<cite>Miami Vice</cite>-era fashion.</p>
<p>I still want to play that guy.</p>
<h3 id="th-which-rpg-have-you-played-the-most-in-your-life">18<sup>th</sup>)
Which <span class="caps">RPG</span> have you played the most in your life?</h3>
<p><img alt="universal-brotherhood-flyer" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1488" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/universal-brotherhood-flyer.png" width="154"/>This
question was asked on G+ a while back and figuring out my answer
surprised me. By hours played:</p>
<ol type="1">
<li><cite><a href="https://www.shadowruntabletop.com/">Shadowrun</a></cite> (second edition)</li>
<li><cite><a href="http://theonyxpath.com/category/worlds/exalted/">Exalted</a></cite>
(first edition)</li>
<li><cite><a href="http://www.starfrontiers.com/">Star
Frontiers</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://topsecretnwo.com/">Top Secret</a></cite></li>
<li><cite><a href="http://www.purpleworm.org/rules/">D&D</a></cite>
(second edition)</li>
</ol>
<p><cite><a href="http://www.knights-n-knaves.com/osric/a1.html"><span class="caps">AD</span>&D</a></cite>
misses the list, but only barely. If you combine D&D
editions/Pathfinder, it might push into third position, maybe second.</p>
<h3 id="th-which-rpg-features-the-best-writing">19<sup>th</sup>) Which
<span class="caps">RPG</span> features the best writing?</h3>
<p><img alt="gamma-world-6-gmg" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1489" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/gamma-world-6-gmg.png" width="146"/>Everyone is going to
answer this question with <a href="http://halfmeme.com/">Paul
Czege</a>’s <a href="http://halfmeme.com/clay.html"><cite>The Clay That
Woke</cite></a>, which is the right answer, but I already mentioned that
game above, so I’m going to take a different angle.</p>
<p>A whole bunch of roleplaying games have a “what is a roleplaying”
section. Many also have a “what is being a game master all about”
section. The vast majority of these are terrible. One, however, was not.
The sixth edition <a href=""><cite>Gamma World Game Master’s
Guide</cite></a> opens with a chapter called “Some Assembly Required”
that might be the best “what is being a game master all about” advice of
all time. The book is otherwise fairly unremarkable, but that opening is gold.</p>
<p>That chapter was written by <a href="http://gregstolze.com/">Greg
Stolze</a> in 2004, about three years before he wrote <a href=""><cite>Reign</cite></a> (a game that, among <a href="/2008/01/chance-of-reign/">other things</a>, lacks both a “what is
roleplaying” and a “how to <span class="caps">GM</span>” section). Since then, he has made two
short PDFs with introductory advice available for free on <a href="http://gregstolze.com/downloads/">his download page</a>, called
“How to Play Roleplaying Games” and “How to Run Roleplaying Games”. At
this point, no game needs to ever add sections addressing these two
topics, because these two PDFs already exist.</p>
<h3 id="th-what-is-the-best-source-for-out-of-print-rpgs">20<sup>th</sup>)
What is the best source for out-of-print RPGs?</h3>
<p><img alt="jorune" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1490" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/jorune.png" width="145"/>I don’t really want to answer
this one, because it means competition for when I want to find something
out of print. But, the answer is pretty obvious to anyone who has gone
looking for out-of-print RPGs: <a href="http://www.waynesbooks.net/">Wayne’s Books</a>.</p>
<p>The store’s interface leaves a little to be desired, but functions
well enough. Most of the listings are also posted on Amazon as well, so
searching there may lead you to his listings as well.</p>
<p>When a history of roleplaying games was published (the four-volume <a href="http://www.evilhat.com/home/designers-dragons/"><cite>Designers
<span class="amp">&</span> Dragons</cite></a>), it really put a dent in my wallet as I was
reminded of games I’d had and lost, games I’d always wanted but had
forgotten, and games I never knew existed. I found a great deal of what
I was after at Wayne’s Books and the experience was flawless each time,
particularly in the accuracy of how the book’s condition was described.</p>
<h3 id="st-which-rpg-does-the-most-with-the-least-words">21<sup>st</sup>)
Which <span class="caps">RPG</span> does the most with the least words?</h3>
<p><img alt="mechanical-oryx" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1493" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/mechanical-oryx.png" width="142"/>I’ve seen a lot of <span class="caps">RPG</span>
contests come and go but, honestly, very few entries of any of them
really grab me. But I wanted to play <a href="https://200wordrpg.github.io/2017/rpg/winner/2017/04/15/MECHANICALORYX.html"><cite>Mechanical
Oryx</cite></a> instantly. As the winner of this year’s <a href="https://200wordrpg.github.io/">200 Word <span class="caps">RPG</span> Challenge</a>, author
<a href="http://lookrobot.co.uk/games/">Grant Howitt</a> managed to turn
just 200 words into something profound. The game might be thought of as
playing as the robots in the world of <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/horizon-zero-dawn/images/"><cite>Horizon
Zero Dawn</cite></a>, if the robots’ were intended to be benevolent
caretakers of the humans.</p>
<p>Seriously, just go read the thing and marvel at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergence">emergent complexity</a>
of how the goals of the players will mix with the mechanics they have
available to reach them. All in a couple of sentences.</p>
<p>After the winner of the contest was announced, one of the judges <a href="http://www.gauntlet-rpg.com/the-gauntlet-podcast/episode-104-the-200-word-rpg-challenge">interviewed
the author</a>, which is worth a listen not only for talking about this
particular game, but also about <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gshowitt/spire-rpg"><cite>The
Spire</cite></a>, which just completed a successful Kickstarter.</p>
<h3 id="nd-which-rpgs-are-the-easiest-for-you-to-run">22<sup>nd</sup>)
Which RPGs are the easiest for you to run?</h3>
<p><img alt="fiasco" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1495" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/fiasco.png" width="133"/>The ones that don’t require a
game master. Duh.</p>
<p>Of these, <a href="http://bullypulpitgames.com/games/fiasco/">Fiasco</a> is probably
easiest to run, because you can bust it out on people who don’t know
anything about roleplaying games, and they can “get it” quickly enough.
Wil Wheaton, Alison Haislip, Bonnie Burton, and John Rogers demonstrate
playing on <a href="http://geekandsundry.com/fiasco-alison-haislip-bonnie-burton-and-john-rogers-join-wil-on-tabletop-ep/">episode
eight of <cite>Tabletop</cite></a>.</p>
<p>Some other <span class="caps">GM</span>-less games may work better for what you are after
though, like:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.dog-eared-designs.com/"><cite>Primetime
Adventures</cite></a></li>
<li><a href="http://jellysawgames.blogspot.com/2016/12/cheat-your-own-adventure.html"><cite>Cheat
Your Own Adventure</cite></a></li>
<li><a href="https://norwegianstyle.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/archipelago-iii/"><cite>Archipelago</cite></a></li>
<li><a href="https://heartofthedeernicorn.com/product/fall-of-magic-scroll-edition/"><cite>Fall
of Magic</cite></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.lamemage.com/microscope/"><cite>Microscope</cite></a></li>
<li><a href="https://glyphpress.com/talk/product/shock-social-science-fiction"><cite>Shock:
Social Science Fiction</cite></a></li>
<li><a href="https://buriedwithoutceremony.com/the-quiet-year/"><cite>The Quiet
Year</cite></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.museoffire.com/Games/about.html"><cite>Capes</cite></a></li>
<li><a href="https://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/65385/ocean"><cite>Ocean</cite></a></li>
</ul>
<h3 id="rd-which-rpg-has-the-most-jaw-dropping-layout">23<sup>rd</sup>)
Which <span class="caps">RPG</span> has the most jaw-dropping layout?</h3>
<p><img alt="nobilis" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1497" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/nobilis.png" width="200"/>The use of “jaw-dropping”
confuses this question. I mean, the layout for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hol_(role-playing_game)"><cite>HōL:
Human Occupied Landfill</cite><cite></cite></a> probably qualifies as
“jaw-dropping”, but only because you couldn’t believe anyone would
release a book looking that shitty. Similarly, the distractingly bad
indenting in the otherwise intriguing <a href="http://www.aetherco.com/continuum/"><cite>Continuum</cite></a>
makes me slack-jawed.</p>
<p>Neither of those are a good thing.</p>
<p>But if the question is meant to mean jaw-dropping in a good way, you
probably don’t need to look further than the second edition of <a href="https://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/44919/nobilis-2nd-edition"><cite>Nobilis</cite></a>.
Known as the “Great White Book”, this work was designed like a coffee
table museum book, and elevated the humble game manual to a hight that
has rarely been matched.</p>
<p>One game that came close recently was the archival quality production
of two-volume <a href="https://www.chaosium.com/the-guide-to-glorantha-slipcase-set/"><cite>Guide
to Glorantha</cite></a>. What makes your jaw drop about these books,
though, is less the layout (which is quite good), but more the weight,
using high quality glossy paper similar to a really highbrow classical
art book. It wasn’t that I really needed to buy these books, it’s just
that I couldn’t escape their gravitational pull.</p>
<h3 id="th-share-a-pwyw-publisher-who-should-be-charging-more.">24<sup>th</sup>)
Share a <span class="caps">PWYW</span> publisher who should be charging more.</h3>
<p><img alt="sufficiently-advanced" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1500" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/sufficiently-advanced.png" width="155"/>(Unlike of lot of
people who responded negatively to this question, I’m interpreting it as
“tell us about a cool <span class="caps">PWYW</span> publisher”.) A lot of publishers have
released occasional pay-what-you-want products, but I’m limiting my
consideration for this question to publishers who make predominant or
sole use of <span class="caps">PWYW</span> publishing. (I’m also discounting publishers who make
things funded in some other way that then get released as <span class="caps">PWYW</span>, such as
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/evilhat">Evil Hat’s amazingly good
Patreon</a> which creates “world books” for their patrons, but also
releases them as <span class="caps">PWYW</span>.)</p>
<p>For my answer, I’m going with <a href="http://valentgames.com/">Valent Games</a>, which is “mostly Colin
Fredericks, with occasional help from other folks”. Everything in his <a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/28/Valent-Games">DriveThruRPG
catalog</a> is either free or <span class="caps">PWYW</span> and is usually Creative Commons to
boot. He is unafraid to experiment, and all of it reaches further than
your typical “100 Thingys From Random Tables” <span class="caps">PWYW</span> content, particularly
<a href="http://suffadv.wikidot.com/"><cite>Sufficiently
Advanced</cite></a>, a diceless, far-future, transhumanism game.</p>
<p>(Fredericks also had the gall to release a game named
<cite>Valence</cite> over a decade before I released my <a href="https://divnull.com/blog/2010/little-game-chef-2010-valence/">crappy,
unfinished Game Chef entry of the same name</a>, but I forgive him.)</p>
<p>I also have a couple of honorable mentions for this question:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/2623/Neoplastic-Press">Neoplastic
Press</a>, the “publishing imprint of <a href="https://rpggeek.com/rpgdesigner/22764/rafael-chandler">Rafael
Chandler</a>”, also has a catalog that is either free or <span class="caps">PWYW</span>. His
production and writing are high quality. (They also heavily embrace body
horror, which isn’t really my jam.)</li>
<li><a href="https://rpggeek.com/rpgdesigner/24900/levi-kornelsen">Levi
Kornelsen</a> also mostly uses the <span class="caps">PWYW</span> model for <a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/3908/Levi-Kornelsen">his
games</a>, all of which have a distinct visual style and “toolkit” approach.</li>
<li>Only <a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/4483/Red-Box-Vancouver?pwyw=true">some
the games</a> from <a href="https://redboxvancouver.wordpress.com/">Red
Box Vancouver</a>, written by <a href="https://www.patreon.com/johnstone">Johnstone Metzger</a>, are
<span class="caps">PWYW</span>, but they all rock. Nearly all of them are also released
simultaneously for two systems: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labyrinth_Lord"><cite>Labyrinth
Lord</cite></a> and <a href="http://www.dungeonworldsrd.com/"><cite>Dungeon
World</cite></a>.</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="th-what-is-the-best-way-to-thank-your-gm">25<sup>th</sup>) What
is the best way to thank your <span class="caps">GM</span>?</h3>
<p>Running a game yourself so they can be a player.</p>
<p>Or, y’know, a <a href="https://wyrmwoodgaming.com/prophecy-2/">Prophecy gaming
table</a>.</p>
<p>Either way.</p>
<h3 id="th-which-rpg-provides-the-most-useful-resources">26<sup>th</sup>)
Which <span class="caps">RPG</span> provides the most useful resources?</h3>
<p>Usually, is not the <span class="caps">RPG</span> that provides the resources, its the <span class="caps">RPG</span>’s
fans. Back in the day, <a href="http://forums.dumpshock.com/">fans of
<cite>Shadowrun</cite></a> always brought it. This is even true with
games that have been dead for years (maybe especially true with them).
Take a look at <a href="http://www.starfrontiers.com/">what’s out there
for <cite>Star Frontiers</cite></a>, for example.</p>
<p><img alt="fate-core" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1506" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/fate-core.png" width="133"/>But, if you have to pick
resources provided by the publishers themselves, I’ve been really
impressed with what <a href="http://www.evilhat.com/">Evil Hat</a> is
doing with <a href="http://www.evilhat.com/home/fate-core/"><cite>Fate
Core</cite></a>.</p>
<p>First, they have no qualms offering and supporting a slimmed-down
version of the game that seems even more fun to me: <a href="http://www.evilhat.com/home/fae/"><cite>Fate
Accelerated</cite></a>. Not many publishers have the guts to do this
simultaneously, and back up both as “first tier” products in their line.
It helps that they can write products usable by both games without too
much effort.</p>
<p>Second, they also have released what amount to <a href="http://www.evilhat.com/home/fate-toolkits/">hacking manuals for
the game</a>. These books function at a slightly different level than,
say, <a href="http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/"><cite><span class="caps">GURPS</span></cite></a>
books do. The latter tend to be collections of new rules and options you
can splice into a setting, while the <cite>Fate</cite> toolkit line is
aimed more at teaching you how to invent rules and alter the game to
match a setting. In the same ballpark, but not really the same thing.</p>
<p>Third, I mentioned <a href="https://www.patreon.com/evilhat">Evil
Hat’s Patreon</a> up above, which creates some really compelling setting
hacks for the game. But this Patreon came after they published a series
of “world books”, like <a href="http://www.evilhat.com/home/fate-worlds-volume-one-worlds-on-fire/"><cite>Worlds
on Fire</cite></a> and <a href="http://www.evilhat.com/home/fate-worlds-volume-two-worlds-in-shadow/"><cite>Worlds
in Shadow</cite></a>, each of which contains six different settings.</p>
<p>It’s also worth calling out what they don’t do. A lot of larger
gaming companies try to build mini-ecosystems out of a single product
idea. These are sometimes really great, like the adventures, miniatures,
maps, and wide variety of stuff surrounding the <a href="http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG"><cite>Pathfinder</cite></a>
adventure path <a href="http://paizo.com/pathfinder/adventurePath/riseOfTheRunelords"><cite>Rise
of the Runelords</cite></a>. But its like the difference between a <a href="http://www3.cs.stonybrook.edu/~skiena/combinatorica/animations/search.html">depth-first
versus breadth-first searching</a>. Where much game support dives deep
into a single concept, <cite>Fate</cite> support casts a wider (but more
shallow) net, knowing half the fun is filling in the blanks as you play.</p>
<p>Lastly, they’re not afraid to drink their own Kool-Aid and hack and
drift their core rule set into distinct games merged to a distinct
setting, like <a href="http://www.evilhat.com/home/dresden-files-accelerated/">Dresden
Files Accelerated</a> and the <a href="http://www.evilhat.com/home/atomic-robo/">Atomic Robo <span class="caps">RPG</span></a>.
Even you you don’t play in those settings, you can still learn a lot
about how they changed the game to fit them.</p>
<p>I’m also giving Honorable Mention here to <cite>Eclipse Phase</cite>.
The first big game to really embrace the crap out of the potential of
the <a href="http://eclipsephase.com/cclicense">Creative Commons
license</a>, the game goes a step beyond in offering their <a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/3228/Posthuman-Studios-LLC/subcategory/5532_5966/Eclipse-Phase-Hack-Packs">hack
packs</a> which include art assets you are encouraged to use (also under
the <span class="caps">CC</span> license).</p>
<h3 id="th-what-are-your-essential-tools-for-good-gaming">27<sup>th</sup>)
What are your essential tools for good gaming?</h3>
<p>Good players.</p>
<p>And Post-Its® in various colors.</p>
<h3 id="th-what-film-or-series-is-the-most-frequent-source-of-quotes-in-your-group">28<sup>th</sup>)
What film or series is the most-frequent source of quotes in your group?</h3>
<p><img alt="tick" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1514" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/tick.png" width="264"/>My current group doesn’t do a lot
of movie quoting, surprisingly. One reason may be that they are steeped
in anime lore while I am not at all. We all, however, have kids, so we
get a surprising amount of milage out of <a href="http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/The_LEGO_Movie"><cite>The Lego
Movie</cite></a>.</p>
<p>The last group I really remember quoting stuff tended to be at the
time and place where we pulled lots of quote from <cite>The Tick</cite>
animated series. “‘You are here.’ Uh-huh…uh-huh…being here is a lot like
being lost, Arthur.” Every line the Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at
Midnight said probably showed up in that campaign at one time or another.</p>
<p>(Odd aside, I wrote most of the responses to these questions well
ahead of time. I hadn’t heard any Tick quotes for some time, but about
an hour after originally writing this, <a href="https://rpgcharacters.wordpress.com/">Dyson Logos</a> posted a <a href="https://plus.google.com/+DysonLogos/posts/DKaCLS2mwBE">Tick
reference</a>. Really weird, Jungian crap, man.)</p>
<h3 id="th-what-has-been-the-best-run-rpg-kickstarter-you-have-backed">29<sup>th</sup>)
What has been the best-run <span class="caps">RPG</span> Kickstarter you have backed?</h3>
<p><img alt="13trueways" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1517" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/13trueways.png" width="144"/>I back <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/divnull">a lot of
kickstarters</a>, most of them <span class="caps">RPG</span> kickstarters. And I don’t really know
how to answer this question. Most would assume that a well-run
kickstarter is on that communicates well, delivers what it promises and
does so exactly on time. And, to be sure, there a number of <span class="caps">RPG</span>
kickstarters that have done all three (pretty much anything by <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/montecookgames/created">Monte
Cook Games</a>, <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/1409961192/created">Goodman
Games</a>, or <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/bullypulpitgames/created">Bully
Pulpit Games</a>, for example). But, I’m not so sure that “well-run”
means “best-run”.</p>
<p>I have even more respect for projects where things go to hell but,
eventually, the creator makes good anyway. You don’t have to look far
for <a href="/2013/12/deadbeat-kickstarters/">people who gave up</a>
when things went bad. The best example I’ve seen of someone sticking
with it and ultimately doing right by his backers as been Jack Dire’s <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1388470134/superfight-a-party-game-of-super-powers-and-super">Superfight!</a>
campaign, but that was a card game, not an <span class="caps">RPG</span>.</p>
<p>But, I have a hard time singling out one <span class="caps">RPG</span> kickstarter as
“best-run”. So, I’m going to go with two creators for atypical reasons.</p>
<p>First, the packaging used by the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fireopalmedia/13th-age-expansion-book-13-true-ways-0">13
True Ways</a> project went above and beyond every other kickstarter I’ve
backed. No corners squished during shipping for those books.</p>
<p>Second, the projects from <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/1513061270/created">Reaper
Miniatures</a> have always been extremely complicated, yet easy to
follow, and I always got my correct order. It a logistical feat
unrivaled in the kickstarters I’ve backed. (Even if they do sometimes
fixate on insipid “tits <span class="amp">&</span> ass” promo figures.)</p>
<h3 id="th-what-is-an-rpg-genre-mashup-you-would-most-like-to-see">30<sup>th</sup>)
What is an <span class="caps">RPG</span> genre-mashup you would most like to see?</h3>
<p><img alt="god-engines" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1519" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/god-engines.png" width="135"/>“Hard(ish) science-fiction”
mashed up with “gods among us”. I want to know how Thor and Loki are
sneaking around the year 2555 <span class="caps">AD</span>. I want to play as demigods wandering
worlds where some mortals don’t believe gods actually exist but control
technologies that can give them immortality, heightened physical and
mental abilities. I want to be involved in inter- and intra-pantheon
politics in a galaxy where new religions rise and fall with the speed of
social networking and various mortal factions vie for control over
sections of not only known space, but over the hearts and minds of
sentient beings. I want to play artificial minds that have faith in what
they cannot explain and explore what that looks like. I want to play in
a world where <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6470498-the-god-engines">demons
have to be whipped to provide faster-than-light travel</a>.</p>
<p>But I do not want that world to have anything to do with Lovecraftian bullshit.</p>
<p>And, yeah, maybe I <a href="https://divnull.com/blog/tags/exodus/">already wrote about an
eighth of such a game</a>, but I’m looking for something else.</p>
<h3 id="st-what-do-you-anticipate-most-for-gaming-in-2018">31<sup>st</sup>)
What do you anticipate most for gaming in 2018?</h3>
<p><img alt="faith" class="icon alignright size-full wp-image-1522" data-align="right" height="200" src="/images/2017/08/faith.png" width="139"/>I tend to be surprised when new
games come out, so I’m not in a great position to answer this one. What
I do know comes mostly from Kickstarters that promise delivery in 2018.
I’ve mentioned some of these already, above. Things I’m looking forward
to include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Based on my answer to the prior question, it should come as no
surprise I’m anxious to see <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/burninggames/faith-the-sci-fi-rpg-core-book-miniatures"><cite><span class="caps">FAITH</span>:
The Sci-Fi <span class="caps">RPG</span></cite></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1549920133/legacy-life-among-the-ruins-2nd-edition"><cite>Legacy:
Life Among the Ruins</cite></a>, second edition.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gshowitt/spire-rpg"><cite>The
Spire</cite></a>.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1409961192/dcc-lankhmar"><cite>Dungeon
Crawl Classics Lankhmar</cite></a>.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/50091988/gauntlets-and-goblins"><cite>Gauntlets
<span class="amp">&</span> Goblins</cite></a>.</li>
</ul>An iMac in Every Kitchen, Revisited2017-02-15T22:04:00-05:002017-02-15T22:04:00-05:00wordmantag:asteroid.divnull.com,2017-02-15:/2017/02/an-imac-in-every-kitchen-revisited<p>A small discussion about my kitchen iMac on G+ a few months ago
revealed that it has been over ten years since I first talked about <a href="/2005/08/kitchen-imac">putting a computer in the kitchen</a>. A
decade later, I can’t imagine not having a computer in the kitchen, but
there have been …</p><p>A small discussion about my kitchen iMac on G+ a few months ago
revealed that it has been over ten years since I first talked about <a href="/2005/08/kitchen-imac">putting a computer in the kitchen</a>. A
decade later, I can’t imagine not having a computer in the kitchen, but
there have been some upgrades to the setup we use. For those who want to
try something like this, hopefully you can avoid some of the trial and
error we went through.</p>
<h3 id="hardware">Hardware</h3>
<p><a href="/images/2017/01/el-1.jpg"><img alt="Kitchen iMac" class="alignright size-full wp-image-1403" data-align="right" height="480" src="/images/2017/01/el-1.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black;" width="640"/></a>We continue to use an iMac, though
we’ve gone through a couple iterations since the previous post. The iMac
design has refined down to now being a flat panel screen with a computer
hidden inside, which works great for a kitchen, when you don’t want
stray hardware and cables all over the place. Our current model is
several years old (late 2013, 21.5-inch, 3.1GHz i7). With this
particular model, however, we wanted to mount it on a wall mounted
swinging arm. We have remodeled the kitchen, and the machine is no
longer in a corner. Instead, part of the counter extends into something
like a table/island. A swinging arm allows the iMac to be reoriented
depending on use in various ways, and always keeps the computer floating
off the table. The remodel also allowed us to run <span class="caps">CAT</span>-6 ethernet cable
into the kitchen, freeing the kitchen machine from the vagaries of wifi.</p>
<p>Apple doesn’t make them easy to find, but they sell a variant <a href="http://www.apple.com/shop/buy-mac/imac-vesa">iMac with a built in
<span class="caps">VESA</span> Mount</a> instead of a stand. Pretty much any wall mount, desk
mount, articulating arm, etc. follows the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Display_Mounting_Interface"><span class="caps">VESA</span></a>
standard, so you can tailor your mounting choice to your kitchen. Note
that iMacs keep getting bigger and bigger screens, so it’s not clear how
long Apple will continue to sell models that fit under cabinets.</p>
<p>We went wireless for the keyboard (the only computer in the house to
do so). In a kitchen environment, typical mouse solutions get gummed up
quickly, so the Magic Trackpad turned out to be a really good fit. One
thing that helped way more than we expected was <a href="https://hengedocks.com/products/clique-magic-trackpad-and-wireless-keyboard-dock">Henge
Docks Clique</a>, a simple plastic mount that holds the keyboard and
trackpad together as a single unit. It also has the advantage of
shielding them both from spills on the counter. It also lets you easily
use it on your lap, if you want to. (Note that there is a <a href="https://hengedocks.com/collections/cliques/products/clique-2">new
version</a> for dealing with Apple’s latest keyboard/trackpad, which we
do not have.)</p>
<p>We get brownouts fairly often, so we still use an uninterruptible
power supply, but with a machine floating on a swing arm, finding one
that doesn’t take up the whole counter presented a challenge. We tried a
couple of things, but I eventually found the <a href="http://www.powercom-usa.com/ProductDetail.asp?ID=6">Powercom
E-Book <span class="caps">EBK</span>-500S</a>, a battery backup system that can be mounted under a
kitchen cabinet. This has worked great but is presently hard to find,
listed as out of stock in <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842106112">most
places</a>. The batteries in my unit needed replacing once, but
fortunately are <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017XHZWX2/div05a-20">pretty
standard</a> and easily swapped.</p>
<p><a href="/images/2017/01/el-2.jpg"><img alt="Drive behind the iMac" class="alignright size-full wp-image-1404" data-align="right" height="640" src="/images/2017/01/el-2.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black;" width="480"/></a>We keep some
hard-to-replace stuff on this machine, so it has a dedicated backup
drive. We futzed with this a lot, but have recently settled on a <a href="http://www.seagate.com/consumer/backup/backup-plus/">Seagate
Backup Plus Slim <span class="caps">2TB</span></a> <span class="caps">USB</span>-powered drive. With a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X5X3LI2/div05a-20">case</a>
on it, it fits snugly into a gap in the <span class="caps">VESA</span> mount behind the iMac,
hiding the cabling. We dedicate the whole drive to be a <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201250">Time Machine</a> disk.</p>
<h3 id="software-use">Software <span class="amp">&</span> Use</h3>
<p>Somewhere along the way, we gave up on the “kiosk” features mentioned
in the decade old post, but still care about the other use cases it
mentions. The machine’s primary job is to be a central place for family
photos and music, and where iPods and such get synced.</p>
<h4 id="pictures">Pictures</h4>
<p>Over the last few years, nearly all of Apple’s Mac applications have
suffered a transition to a more iOS-like user experience. This is
nowhere more evident and painful than in the transition from iPhoto to
Photos, wherein a number of features we counted were either eliminated
or altered to require using iCloud. We very much want the kitchen
machine to be the central place to store all the family photos, but
refuse to put our pictures in the cloud.</p>
<p>Though we looked around for alternatives, we continue to use Photos,
but only because it has matured a little since its original release and
we found some additional software that makes it work for us: <a href="https://photosync-app.com/">PhotoSync</a>. Versions of this
application are made for macOS, iOS, Android and Windows and they all
allow the device that is running them to sync (in various ways) to other
devices running the app. The iOS version makes good use of geofencing
features, and can be set up to automatically sync pictures from a phone
or other device each time the phone enters the house.</p>
<p>PhotoSync can duplicate photos, especially if you do manual
re-imports, though it has gotten better about this recently. Still,
removing duplicates is something that Photos will not do for you. <a href="http://overmacs.com/?p=photosweeper">PhotoSweeper</a> will,
though. In the tradeoff between usability and power, it leans more
toward power, but definitely gets the job done. Totally worth the money.
It can also deal with Aperture and Lightroom.</p>
<h4 id="music">Music</h4>
<p>Music has faded in importance to us over the years. Some of this is
because we now can count the minutes in our commutes to work on one
hand, and tend not to listen to it once at work. A number of years ago,
we paid <a href="http://www.ripstyles.com/">Ripstyles</a> to digitize
our several hundred CDs, and our collection hasn’t grown that much
since. The kitchen machine provides a great place to manage our merged
musical tastes, rather than managing separate libraries on laptops or something.</p>
<p>Plain old <a href="http://www.apple.com/itunes/">iTunes</a> has been
sufficient for handling all this, without the need for anything else (or
Apple Music). When we remodeled the kitchen, I wish I’d thought ahead
enough to install some speakers into the ceiling. Instead we use a <span class="caps">USB</span>
speaker bar, mounted under the cabinets. Not the best, but works well enough.</p>
<p>More often, we use <a href="http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/airplay.htm">AirPlay</a> to
pipe music to other rooms, particularly nighttime music into our son’s
room. During parties, the kitchen machine streams to multiple Apple TVs
in the house, usually controllable by phone with (the somewhat twitchy)
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/itunes-remote/id284417350">Remote</a> app.</p>
<h4 id="video">Video</h4>
<p>You could use a kitchen machine as a video hub, but we don’t. The
main limitation is that the iMac drives tend to be small (especially a
few years back, when SSDs were just getting going). If you have one more
more <a href="https://www.apple.com/tv/">Apple <span class="caps">TV</span></a>s (we have
collected a handful), you can use their “Computers” app to stream video
from shared iTunes libraries on the local network. So, the idea would be
to load up iTunes with your movies, set up sharing, and then stream to
any Apple <span class="caps">TV</span> or iTunes instance in the house.</p>
<p>We actually follow this model, we just don’t use the kitchen machine
as the hub. (The video hub is in a rack in the attic, connected to a
multi-terabyte <span class="caps">RAID</span>, but that’s probably a different post.) What we do
use the kitchen machine for is to stream video to watch. You can also
stream Netflix and so on. I have toyed with installing stuff like <a href="https://www.plex.tv/">Plex</a>, but haven’t really caught the
fever for it.</p>
<h4 id="sync">Sync</h4>
<p>A large source of frustration, trial and error over the last ten
years has been syncing information to and from the kitchen machine.
We’ve tried various syncing applications, rsync jobs, Dropbox hacks and
so on, but it never really worked all that well. Then BitTorrent Sync
came out (now renamed to <a href="https://www.resilio.com/">Resilio</a>). It works exactly the way
we want it to, works seamlessly and has given us no real problems. It
even syncs Mac file metadata, such as tags. (One caveat: do not share
the root of a Mac drive, as this really confuses the software.)</p>
<p>On the kitchen machine, we share both the Photos archive and iTunes
library as read-only shares, allowing them to be backed up in multiple
places (including the aforementioned machine in the attic). We also
share some directories for specific purposes (such as a common wallpaper directory).</p>
<p>Calendars and contact information have also been troublesome over the
years, but this is one area where Apple’s <a href="http://www.apple.com/icloud/family-sharing/">family sharing</a> is
finally useful. We have a family id (used by the kitchen machine) and
individual ids for each family member. This lets each person have both
private and shared calendars. Lots of planning discussion now happens
around the kitchen machine, as it displays all the shared calendars.</p>
<h4 id="reference">Reference</h4>
<p>One thing a machine in the kitchen helps with is going paperless. Any
time we get something with a manual (an appliance, device, tool, toy,
etc.) we download a copy of the manual to a “Manuals” directory (shared
by Resilio) and recycle the paper manual. So, the kitchen becomes the
goto place for instructions. And, since there is an iOS client for
Resilio, you can do things like easily find the manual for your camera
while on vacation.</p>
<p>A cooking database also fits on a kitchen machine naturally. We had
the best luck with SousChef, right up until it collapsed, moved to <a href="http://nicemohawk.com/">other developers</a>, then vanished off
the face of the earth. So, we’ve gone back to <a href="http://marinersoftware.com/products/macgourmet/">MacGourmet
Deluxe</a>, which has improved over the last decade (but still isn’t as
good as SousChef was).</p>
<p>Naturally, the web browser gets quite a bit of use on the kitchen
machine for looking up various stuff, checking the weather, and so on.</p>
<p>It occurs to me writing this that I really should move my <a href="https://calibre-ebook.com/">Calibre</a> and <a href="https://delicious-monster.com/">Delicious Library</a> data to the
kitchen machine as well.</p>
<h4 id="lists">Lists</h4>
<p>Managing the grocery list comes naturally to a kitchen machine, but
it gets complicated with getting the list to people’s phones and so on.
Fortunately, there has been a lot of development in this area over the
last few years. We experimented with a lot of it, but made the change to
<a href="https://www.onenote.com/">OneNote</a> a while back, and haven’t
seen any reason to stop yet. (Tangentially, I’ll also mention that
Microsoft’s Mac software, after falling far from the <a href="https://www.wired.com/2004/06/word-refuseniks-never-upgrade/">glory
that was Word 5.1a</a> and Outlook Express, is now quite nice again.)</p>
<h3 id="the-future">The Future</h3>
<p>Given that we planned a computer into our kitchen remodel, it should
come as no surprise that as long as I have a kitchen, I’ll have a
computer it in. It remains to be seen how much longer Apple will make
iMacs that still fit under kitchen cabinets (screens seem to get larger
with every iteration). As my son gets older, it will also be interesting
to see if/how the demands on the machine change. What would you use a
kitchen machine for that we missed?</p>Deadbeat Kickstarters2013-12-22T17:24:00-05:002013-12-22T17:24:00-05:00wordmantag:asteroid.divnull.com,2013-12-22:/2013/12/deadbeat-kickstarters<p>Kickstarter has now added a feature where you can mark delivery of
projects you have backed, so I’m going through my list and verifying
delivery. Since I’ve <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/divnull">backed 400+
projects</a>, this will take a while, and I’ll update this post as I go.
Along the way, I …</p><p>Kickstarter has now added a feature where you can mark delivery of
projects you have backed, so I’m going through my list and verifying
delivery. Since I’ve <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/divnull">backed 400+
projects</a>, this will take a while, and I’ll update this post as I go.
Along the way, I discovered some projects with…oh…let’s call them
“unreasonable delays”. I thought I’d mention them here for posterity.</p>
<p>I should start by mentioning that, at its core, Kickstarter is a
<em>risk transfer machine</em>. The financial uncertainty of a project
traditionally borne by the creator (or, perhaps, a publisher) is moved
to the backers. This works because a) the meet-your-goal-or-get-nothing
approach protects the backer from projects that can’t gather enough
interest to be viable and b) because most of the time the creator
delivers. (Given the number of projects I’ve backed, it should be
obvious that I like this system quite a bit.)</p>
<p>The flip side is that, should the creator not deliver, the backers
are left holding the bag and, realistically, there isn’t much they can
do about it. Oh, you might entertain fantasies of some sort of legal
suit, or punching the guy in the face or something, but neither is
really viable. You know this going in. That’s why it’s called “risk”.
I’ve not come across any cases of genuine fraud; usually a failed
creator had the best of intentions, but couldn’t see them through. But
the creator runs a risk as well, not financial, but of reputation. No
one backs a failed creator twice.</p>
<p>Which brings us to the following projects (note: the “prognosis”
section are my own opinions, not official project statements):</p>
<h3 id="e20-system-evolved"><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gmsarli/game-design-e20-system-evolved-roleplaying-gam-0">e20
System Evolved</a></h3>
<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 16%"/>
<col style="width: 83%"/>
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Creator</td>
<td><a href="http://gmsarligames.com/">Gary M. Sarli</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Funded</td>
<td>16 Mar 2010</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Category</td>
<td>Role-playing game</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>History</td>
<td>Based on the strength of <cite>Star Wars Saga Edition</cite>, I
backed this heavily. I even <a href="http://divnull.com/blog/2010/kickstarting-e20/">lobbied for it on
my blog</a>, which I almost never do. The project’s last update is from
27 Dec 2011. The creator’s last update to his own forum was 4 Dec
2011.</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Prognosis</td>
<td>This project will never be delivered. The creator had some sort of a
financial/mental breakdown and has more or less vanished.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3 id="aruneus"><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/trollitc/aruneus-zombies-rise-heroes-die-a-high-fantasy-zom">Aruneus</a></h3>
<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 16%"/>
<col style="width: 83%"/>
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Creator</td>
<td><a href="http://www.trollitc.com/">Ben Gerber</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Funded</td>
<td>23 Aug 2010</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Category</td>
<td>Role-playing game</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>History</td>
<td>Last update made on 10 May 2012, releasing a supplement to the
product not yet completed. Prior updates mention problems, including
shoulder reconstruction.</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Prognosis</td>
<td>This may still deliver, but I’m not holding my breath. The same
creator has since run another Kickstarter which already delivered.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3 id="powerchords"><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1891514319/powerchords-magic-music-and-urban-fantasy-rpg-from">Powerchords</a></h3>
<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 16%"/>
<col style="width: 83%"/>
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Creator</td>
<td>Phil Brucato</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Funded</td>
<td>1 Oct 2010</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Category</td>
<td>Role-playing game</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>History</td>
<td>While updates have been constant (and overly abundant), they haven’t
consisted of much other than mentions of endless tinkering with the
text.</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Prognosis</td>
<td>This project has become the poster child for flaky role-playing
projects (and has led to a good rule of thumb for such projects: only
back projects that have already been written). It may ship eventually,
but I’m past the point of caring.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3 id="periodictable-of-elements-dice"><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1905752814/periodictable-of-elements-dice/posts/94562">PeriodicTable
of Elements Dice</a></h3>
<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 16%"/>
<col style="width: 83%"/>
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Creator</td>
<td>Andrew Inaba</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Funded</td>
<td>28 Mar 2011</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Category</td>
<td>Dice</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>History</td>
<td>According to updates, the dice were produced, but most were
destroyed during shipping. Refunds were promised, but never delivered.
The creator’s web site no longer exists.</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Prognosis</td>
<td>It’s possible this was just all bad luck, but it smells more like
fraud. Either way, no dice.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3 id="wreck-age"><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hyacinthgames/wreck-age-a-far-future-dystopian-post-exodus-adven">Wreck Age</a></h3>
<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 16%"/>
<col style="width: 83%"/>
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Creator</td>
<td><a href="http://www.wreck-age.net/">Hyacinth Games</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Funded</td>
<td>28 Dec 2011</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Category</td>
<td>Role-playing game</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>History</td>
<td>Last update on 28 Feb 2013, still talking about completing a few
chapters.</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Prognosis</td>
<td>This smells like it will probably ship eventually, but not in a
hurry.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3 id="quantum-roleplaying-game"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/joshuafrost/quantum-roleplaying-game-an-all-new-science-fantas">Quantum
Roleplaying Game</a></h3>
<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 16%"/>
<col style="width: 83%"/>
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Creator</td>
<td><a href="http://www.infinitexstudio.com/">Joshua Frost</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Funded</td>
<td>30 Dec 2011</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Category</td>
<td>Role-playing game</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>History</td>
<td>Last update on 6 May 2014, calling the project “dead”.</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Prognosis</td>
<td>Creator used the project funds as venture capital or his roleplaying
company (and, possibly, to pay rent and such). The text of the project
may see the light of day, as it was largely completed.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3 id="warren-c.-norwoods-double-spiral-war-rpg-savage-worlds"><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1292093911/warren-c-norwoods-double-spiral-war-rpg">Warren
C. Norwood’s Double Spiral War <span class="caps">RPG</span> (Savage Worlds)</a></h3>
<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 16%"/>
<col style="width: 83%"/>
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Creator</td>
<td><a href="battlefieldpress.com">Battlefield Press, Inc.</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Funded</td>
<td>31 Jan 2012</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Category</td>
<td>Role-playing game</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>History</td>
<td>Though it ran into a number of delays, this book was apparently done
by the end of 2012. Then it looks like the licensor hated it and went
all prima donna. It has been revised for her approval, but none has been
forthcoming. In the meantime, the creator has run six other
Kickstarters, including this same setting for a different system
(Traveller).</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Prognosis</td>
<td>Since it appears that the licensor doesn’t really know what she is
doing, I’ll be stunned if this ever gets released, even though the
creators seem good.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3 id="risus-free-adventure-project-2012"><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sjohnross/risus-free-adventure-project-2012"><span class="caps">RISUS</span>
Free Adventure Project 2012</a></h3>
<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 16%"/>
<col style="width: 83%"/>
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Creator</td>
<td><a href="http://cumberlandgames.com/">S. John Ross</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Funded</td>
<td>1 Apr 2012</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Category</td>
<td>Role-playing game</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>History</td>
<td>What started as a pitch for a single adventure for <span class="caps">RISUS</span> has been
basically sabotaged by feature creep. First by stretch goals that turned
one adventure into five. Then by the creator using the adventures as a
springboard for creating a new edition of the entire game, plus
supplements, and insisting on finishing them prior to finishing the
adventures.</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Prognosis</td>
<td>Since all this looks like it will be released for free fairly soon,
its hard to get hugely bent out of shape about it, and, it probably
really will be awesome whenever it is done. Still, probably good object
lessons in here someplace.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3 id="dwimmermount"><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/autarch/dwimmermount">Dwimmermount</a></h3>
<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 16%"/>
<col style="width: 83%"/>
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Creator</td>
<td><a href="http://www.autarch.co/">Autarch</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Funded</td>
<td>14 Apr 2012</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Category</td>
<td>Role-playing game</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>History</td>
<td>Update from 13 Mar 2013: “Dwimmermount’s creator James Maliszewski
signed a contract with Autarch that transferred the money we raised on
Kickstarter and the responsibility for delivering the promised rewards
to him. We understand that James is grieving for his father, but we have
to confront the fact that he is currently not living up to this
responsibility”. Since then others have taken over, with updates coming
progressively less frequent.</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Prognosis</td>
<td>I’m guessing this will eventually deliver, but not until the very
end of 2014, at least.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3 id="nystuls-infinite-dungeon"><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2063410154/nystuls-infinite-dungeon">Nystul’s
Infinite Dungeon</a></h3>
<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 16%"/>
<col style="width: 83%"/>
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Creator</td>
<td><a href="http://www.castlenystul.com/">Mike Nystul</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Funded</td>
<td>3 Jun 2012</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Category</td>
<td>Role-playing game</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>History</td>
<td>About a year after funding, the creator handed over the
responsibility to produce this product to <a href="http://d3adventures.com/wordpress/?cat=33">someone else</a>. They
seem in no hurry to release it.</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Prognosis</td>
<td>This will likely ship eventually, but not by any predictable
time.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3 id="aurors-tale"><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1462638575/aurors-tale-a-fan-web-series">Auror’s Tale</a></h3>
<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 16%"/>
<col style="width: 83%"/>
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Creator</td>
<td><a href="http://www.youtube.com/aurorstale">Leo Kei Angelos</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Funded</td>
<td>6 Jul 2012</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Category</td>
<td>Web video series</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>History</td>
<td>One episode of this three-episode series was produced, then all
updating stops. Given the creator moved and the series may possibly
(reading between the lines) have had some legal trouble with Warner
Brothers…</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Prognosis</td>
<td>This reads very much like the creator just didn’t know what he was
doing, mostly in terms of fulfillment. The rest of these episodes will
never be created.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>Wordman’s Recommended OS X Software2013-05-02T01:20:00-04:002013-05-02T01:20:00-04:00wordmantag:asteroid.divnull.com,2013-05-02:/2013/05/recommended-osx-software<style>td.icon {width: 128px;}</style>
<p>To save time the next time someone asks me, I put together this list
of Mac <span class="caps">OS</span> X software. It is intended for people who have just started
using a Mac. Most of these recommendations are based on my own use of
the software. Some entries …</p><style>td.icon {width: 128px;}</style>
<p>To save time the next time someone asks me, I put together this list
of Mac <span class="caps">OS</span> X software. It is intended for people who have just started
using a Mac. Most of these recommendations are based on my own use of
the software. Some entries might be more obscure “best of breed”
solutions for problems that you might have (even if I might not). Other
recommendations are targeted at “switchers” from Windows who might be
looking for replacements for specific software on that platform. I’ve
attempted to avoid listing the more standard stuff, like iTunes or
commercial software like Photoshop (or many games). If you need such
things, you likely already know about them. This list focusses on the
Mac, rather than iOS (I have another page of <a href="/2012/01/recommended-ios-software/">iOS recommendations</a>, if
that’s your thing).</p>
<p><a href="/osx-software-2008/">Previous incarnations</a> of this list
seem to have been useful, but are not aging well. For one thing, the
iPhone was just getting started at that point and much of the Mac
ecosystem has changed in sympathy to it since then, as have the needs of
a typical Mac user. Apple’s app store has also made finding the software
you need much easier, at least for apps listed on it.</p>
<p>If you’re looking for a type of software that isn’t listed here, try
<a href="http://osx.iusethis.com/top">I Use This</a>, <a href="http://www.freemacware.com/">Free Mac Ware</a>, <a href="http://www.opensourcemac.org/">Open Source Mac</a> and <a href="http://www.versiontracker.com/macosx/">VersionTracker</a>.</p>
<p>Often, software listed here can be purchased for far less than the
prices listed, through bundles offered periodically by places like <a href="http://macheist.com/">MacHeist</a> or <a href="http://www.mupromo.com/">MacUpdate</a>. Also, if you have found
this page because you are merely thinking about switching to the Mac,
make sure you visit the <a href="http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/">MacRumors buyer’s guide</a>
before you buy something.</p>
<p><!-- Magic card app, video capture, gratuitous space battles, limbo. --></p>
<section class="appsection" id="freeware">
<h2>Freeware</h2>
<p>Freeware may be downloaded and used for no cost at all. Some of these
titles are “donationware”, software that the author makes available for
free, but asks for donations to fund his efforts. Since the coming of
Apple’s App Store, freeware is getting a bit harder to find. Prior to
the store, a software developer needed some sort of e-commerce setup to
charge for software, but the App Store has removed this barrier (at
least to those who don’t mind giving 30% to Apple). Also, the iOS
ecosystem got both developers and consumers used to the idea of the 99¢
or $5 app, which previously was fairly rare in the shareware app world.</p>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="adium-x">
<h3>Adium X</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.adiumx.com/">http://www.adiumx.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>An instant messaging client which can talk to just about every
service out there (Jabber, Aim, Google Talk, Facebook Chat, Twitter,
etc.). It is also extremely customizable.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: Apple’s <a href="http://www.apple.com/osx/apps/#messages">Messages</a> (previously
iChat) has evolved to the point that it can give Adium a run for its
money, especially if you need phone-based text messaging thrown into the mix.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Adium" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/adium.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="air-video-server">
<h3>Air Video Server</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.inmethod.com/air-video/">http://www.inmethod.com/air-video/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>This unobtrusive server allows you to stream video from your Mac to
an iOS device on the same network. It supports a number of formats,
converting them while streaming if necessary. To watch the video, your
iOS device needs a specific client application (a free, limited version,
or a $3 full version).</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Air Video Server" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/airvideoserver.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="alfred">
<h3>Alfred</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="https://www.alfredapp.com/">https://www.alfredapp.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Once you use an application like Alfred to launch applications, open
files and search, you have a hard time using machines that don’t offer
something similar. Its description as a “productivity application”
doesn’t do much to tell you what it does, which is a bit hard to
explain. The basic idea is that you use a hot key combination
(option-space, by default) to pop up a window, then type a few
characters to do all sorts of stuff. It is best examined by installing
it and trying it out. Alfred has a £15 <a href="http://www.alfredapp.com/powerpack/">PowerPack</a> that extends
its functionality, but it is perfectly usable without it.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: When it looked like Quicksilver was dead, I
spent some time looking at <a href="/2011/09/replacing-quicksilver/">Quicksilver alternatives</a>.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Alfred" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/alfred.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="applejack">
<h3>AppleJack</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://applejack.sourceforge.net/">http://applejack.sourceforge.net/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>You may never actually need AppleJack, but when you do, it will save
your ass. AppleJack is a boot-time, command-line tool that can do things
like disk repair and so on, without needing a second startup disk. It’s
also much easier to use than similar tools I’ve seen. It operates in
single user mode (which, as I continually forget, is accessed by holding
down command and s while booting).</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="AppleJack" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/applejack.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="battery-health">
<h3>Battery Health</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.fiplab.com/">http://www.fiplab.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>If you have a laptop, keeping this app running in the background
gives you a decent picture of what your battery is up to, and how well
it is aging.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Battery Health" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/battery-health.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="bricksmith">
<h3>Bricksmith</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Donationware</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://bricksmith.sourceforge.net/">http://bricksmith.sourceforge.net/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Bricksmith allows you to create virtual instructions for your <a href="http://www.lego.com/">Lego®</a> creations. The app is based on the
<a href="http://www.ldraw.org/">LDraw</a> library, a collection of 3D
models of Lego building blocks created by enthusiasts from around the
world. My recommendation of this software should be considered biased,
since I <a href="http://divnull.com/blog/tags/bricksmith/">contribute
code</a> to it every once in a while. If you use this software to build
models, you might also be interested in <a href="http://ldview.sourceforge.net/">LDView</a>, <a href="http://lpub4.sourceforge.net/">LPub</a> and <a href="http://news.povray.org/povray.beta-test/thread/%3C1kyr400.1yw0xyuy8n5s8N%25yvo.s%40cancel_This_gmx.net%3E/"><span class="caps">POV</span>-Ray</a>.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Bricksmith" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/bricksmith.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="chmox">
<h3>Chmox</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://chmox.sf.net/">http://chmox.sf.net/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>It is rare that you actually <em>need</em> to be able to read a
Microsoft help archive file (a <code>*.chm</code> file) on a Mac, but
occasionally you find some good reference material in that format. This
reader can open and display such files, all in a Mac-like way. Simple,
but effective.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Chmox" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/chmox.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="clamxav">
<h3>ClamXav</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://clamxav.com/">http://clamxav.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Viruses have never been that big of a problem on the Mac. Up through
Mac <span class="caps">OS</span> 9, there were <a href="http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2011/10/03/mac-malware-history/">only
a handful</a> of known virii, only a couple of which were dangerous. So
far, even fewer have targeted Mac <span class="caps">OS</span> X. Still, Macs can hold files that
contain virii from other platforms (such as the tens of thousands of
them that can affect Office documents on Win32 machines) and pass them
on. Your Win32 friends will thank you not to send them any, and this
program can find and kill them. Watching this scan your junk mail folder
is educational.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="ClamXav" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/clamxav.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="diffpdf">
<h3>DiffPDF</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.qtrac.eu/diffpdf.html">http://www.qtrac.eu/diffpdf.html</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Depending on how often you work with <code>.pdf</code> files, you may
need a utility to compare the contents of two different versions. While
not perfect, this does a fairly decent job of graphically displaying
what has changed between two versions. This is really a Linux utility,
but if you dig through the page linked to above, you should find a link
to a Mac version.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="DiffPDF" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/generic.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="easyfind">
<h3>EasyFind</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.devontechnologies.com/products/freeware.html">http://www.devontechnologies.com/products/freeware.html</a></li>
</ul>
<p><span class="caps">OS</span> X has a built-in feature for searching files called <a href="http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2531">Spotlight</a>. This feature
has come a long way since it was first introduced. If you view all
results on Mountain Lion, for example, you can click the + button at
that top to add all sorts of filtering to the results, a big improvement
over its initial incarnation. Still, sometimes you need even more power,
which this app can provide.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: Both <a href="http://www.xtralean.com/DLOverview.html">DataLore</a> and <a href="http://www.houdah.com/houdahSpot/">HoudahSpot</a> are more
powerful than EasyFind, for a price.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="EasyFind" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/easyfind.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="eclipse">
<h3>Eclipse</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.eclipse.org/">http://www.eclipse.org/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Widely regarded as just a Java <span class="caps">IDE</span> (a task at which it is unrivaled,
in my opinion), Eclipse is really more of a platform into which
functionality can be plugged. The Java plugins happen to be bundled with
the download, but there are others that extend Eclipse to be much more,
such as the ability to <a href="http://e-p-i-c.sourceforge.net/">write
and debug Perl</a> and <a href="https://marketplace.eclipse.org/user/14844/favorites">all sorts of
other stuff</a>.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Eclipse" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/eclipse.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="file-merge">
<h3>File Merge</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><site></site></li>
</ul>
<p>A gem hidden among the Mac <span class="caps">OS</span> X development tools, this is a slick
text file comparison application. Almost as good as the one built into
<a href="http://www.metrowerks.com/MW/Develop/IDE.htm">CodeWarrior</a>
once upon a time, but free. Downloading the dev tools requires a free
registration with Apple.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="File Merge" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/filemerge.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="fink">
<h3>Fink</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://fink.sourceforge.net/">http://fink.sourceforge.net/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Provides downloading, installation and management of nearly 5000 open
source Unix programs, compiled and tested under Mac <span class="caps">OS</span> X. If you are a
Linux or Unix user looking to get your favorite tool onto your new Mac,
check out Fink first. Most likely, someone has already gone through the
pain of porting it for you.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: Several other projects aim to do the same
thing that Fink does, including <a href="http://brew.sh/">Homebrew</a>,
<a href="http://rudix.org/">Rudix</a> and <a href="http://www.macports.org/">MacPorts</a>.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Fink" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/fink.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="fluid">
<h3>Fluid</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://fluidapp.com/">http://fluidapp.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Fluid allows you to wrap a particular web page up as a distinct
application. For example, if you use GMail (or Facebook, Campfire,
Pandora, etc.), you can build a GMail app that is nothing but a
dedicated browser containing just the GMail experience, but is treated
as a first class application by the <span class="caps">OS</span>. Fluid uses WebKit, so provides
the same experience that Safari would. There is also a $5 version that
gives you a few other bells and whistles (e.g. full screen application).</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Fluid" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/fluid.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="full-deck-solitaire">
<h3>Full Deck Solitaire</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.grlgames.net/page9/">http://www.grlgames.net/page9/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>The most used Windows application is Solitare, and switchers might go
into withdrawal, since no solitaire application ships with <span class="caps">OS</span> X. In the
broader ecosystem, however, you have quite a few to choose from on the
<span class="caps">OS</span> X side of things, but this seems to be the best.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Solitaire XL" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/fulldecksolitaire.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="geektool">
<h3>GeekTool</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://projects.tynsoe.org/en/geektool/">http://projects.tynsoe.org/en/geektool/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A strange little application, GeekTool allows you to display various
kinds of information (mostly output of unix scripts) on your desktop.
This doesn’t sound like much, but you can do some <a href="http://projects.tynsoe.org/en/geektool/ecrans.php">clever
things</a> with it.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="GeekTool" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/geektool.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="go2shell">
<h3>Go2Shell</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://alicedev.com/go2shell">http://alicedev.com/go2shell</a></li>
</ul>
<p>This app integrates into the Finder (by dragging the app into the
Finder’s toolbar…yes, you can do that). Once so installed, any time you
click it in the toolbar, a terminal will be opened, with the working
directory set to the directory currently displayed in the Finder window.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Go2Shell" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/go2shell.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="handbrake">
<h3>HandBrake</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><site></site></li>
</ul>
<p>The only <span class="caps">DVD</span> ripper you’ll ever need. Though it has every tweakable
setting you’d ever want, it hides this power under a simple interface,
with presets for iPods, AppleTVs and so on. It can also handle multiple
audio tracks, subtitles and so on. If you happen to have a Blu-Rray
drive, however, HandBrake cannot read it directly.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="HandBrake" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/handbrake.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="ipsecuritas">
<h3>IPSecuritas</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Donationware</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.lobotomo.com/products/IPSecuritas/">http://www.lobotomo.com/products/IPSecuritas/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>This IPSec client allows your Mac to connect to virtual private
networks (VPNs). Though not the most intuitive interface on Earth, it
gets the job done. If you have a home router capable of creating a <span class="caps">VPN</span>,
you can use this client to access your home network while you are at
work or on the road.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="IPSecuritas" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/ipsecuritas.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="iterm">
<h3>iTerm</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Donationware</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.iterm2.com/">http://www.iterm2.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>While the Mac comes with a serviceable command line application
called <a href="http://www.apple.com/osx/apps/all.html#terminal">Terminal</a>,
this replacement for it goes a bit farther, adding support for split
panes, better searching, full screen support, and so on. I wish it
supported integration with a password manager, but no such luck (yet).</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="iTerm" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/iterm.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="light-table">
<h3>Light Table</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.lighttable.com/">http://www.lighttable.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Development of this experimental integrated development environment
(<span class="caps">IDE</span>) is funded by a <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/306316578/light-table">Kickstarter
project</a> and seeks to provide a “work surface” for real-time
programming, rather than windows and nested frames of most IDEs. The
tool is still in the alpha stages, but supports Python, Javascript, <span class="caps">CSS</span>,
<span class="caps">HTML</span> and Clojure at present. Play around with it.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Light Table" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/light-table.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="metax">
<h3>MetaX</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.kerstetter.net/index.php/projects/software/metax">http://www.kerstetter.net/index.php/projects/software/metax</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Allows you to edit the metadata (title, episode id, cover art, etc.)
of video files. It offers much more advanced controls and option than
similar tools in iTunes, and writes them permanently into the video file
(which iTunes does not do), so if you move the file to another computer,
the metadata goes with it. Under the hood, it uses the <a href="http://atomicparsley.sourceforge.net/">Atomic Parsley</a>
command-line tool, and it can make use of services like <a href="http://www.tagchimp.com/">tagChimp</a> to download metadata for
millions of titles.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="MetaX" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/metax.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="neoofficej">
<h3>NeoOfficeJ</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.neooffice.org/">http://www.neooffice.org/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>While the <span class="caps">OS</span> X version of Microsoft’s <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/mac/products">Office for Mac</a> finally
contains first class Mac applications again (for a while, the Mac
versions were <em>terrible</em>), the suite remains pricy. NeoOfficeJ
offers a version of <a href="http://www.openoffice.org/">OpenOffice</a>,
but built with a native Mac look and feel. While not quite as polished
as Office for Mac, this app is file compatible with it, and infinitely
cheaper. Note that, like OpenOffice, NeoOfficeJ is a Java application.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: Apple’s <a href="http://www.apple.com/iwork/">iWork</a> suite is reasonably priced,
offers iPad versions of the apps, and has the advantage of offering its
applications separately, but the experience is a bit different than
Office for Mac. <a href="http://www.apple.com/iwork/keynote/">Keynote</a> is flat-out
better than PowerPoint. <a href="http://www.apple.com/iwork/pages/">Pages</a> is a bit more of a
page layout program and a bit less of a word processor than Word. <a href="http://www.apple.com/iwork/numbers/">Numbers</a> is a curious
beast that is sort of spreadsheet like, but not really the same thing as Excel.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="NeoOfficeJ" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/neooffice.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="onyx">
<h3>Onyx</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.titanium.free.fr/downloadonyx.php">http://www.titanium.free.fr/downloadonyx.php</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A general purpose utility for setting various (otherwise hidden)
options in Max <span class="caps">OS</span> X, such as dock “pinning” and drop shadows, permission
repairing, logs, etc.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Onyx" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/onyx.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="prey">
<h3>Prey</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://preyproject.com/">http://preyproject.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Both software and a service, installing Prey allows you to track your
Mac if it gets stolen. When you install it, you register on Prey’s web
site, which is used to mark a machine as “missing” and do other setup.
When so marked, your machine will send reports to Prey about the
machine’s location, even pictures from its webcam, to the web site. The
software is free and the service allows tracking of three devices for
free. You can also install prey on smartphones, so, if you have a lot of
devices, you might need to pay for more advanced service.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives:</em> Apple’s <a href="http://www.apple.com/icloud/features/find-my-iphone.html">Find My
Device</a> is bundled into most of their devices now.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Prey" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/prey.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="quicklook-csv-plugin">
<h3>QuickLook <span class="caps">CSV</span> plugin</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="https://code.google.com/p/quicklook-csv/">https://code.google.com/p/quicklook-csv/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>This <a href="http://www.apple.com/findouthow/mac/#quicklook">quick
look</a> plugin not only displays a popup preview of data in
comma-separated value (csv) and tab delimited files, but also changes
their icon into a rough rendering of what the document looks like.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="QuickLook CSV" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/quicklook-csv.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="simplemoviex">
<h3>SimpleMovieX</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://simplemoviex.com/SimpleMovieX/">http://simplemoviex.com/SimpleMovieX/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>If you rip your DVDs or record from television, you may find you have
a need for some lightweight editing of the results, such as trimming out
commercials, eliminating the same annoying opening credits from every
episode of a <span class="caps">TV</span> series, concatenation of several videos in a row,
adding/removing/renaming chapters, and so on. SimpleMovieX is built for
this kind of quick video work.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="SimpleMovieX" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/simplemoviex.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="sitesucker">
<h3>SiteSucker</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://sitesucker.us/mac/mac.html">http://sitesucker.us/mac/mac.html</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Sometimes you just need to download an entire web site at once. This
software provides a fairly intuitive way of doing so, with a handful of
options to tune for a particular site.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: The previously recommended <a href="http://www.chaoticsoftware.com/ProductPages/WebDevil.html">WebDevil</a>
provides a bit more power, but is expensive. The command line app <a href="http://www.greencrescent.com/blog/516/how-to-download-an-entire-website-with-wget">wget</a>
can also do some types of whole site downloading.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="SiteSucker" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/sitesucker.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="skim">
<h3>Skim</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://skim-app.sourceforge.net/">http://skim-app.sourceforge.net/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A slim-but-powerful <span class="caps">PDF</span> reader. Unlike Acrobat Reader, it supports
the new Retina displays. Unlike Preview (which comes free with <span class="caps">OS</span> X), it
allows you to control if the first page is single or double when in
two-page display mode, and its full page mode is less flickery. It also
has note-taking capabilities, so you can add annotations to PDFs.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Skim" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/skim.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="sourcetree">
<h3>SourceTree</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://sourcetreeapp.com/">http://sourcetreeapp.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>If you need a dedicated graphical client for distributed revision
control systems (<span class="caps">DVCS</span>) like Git or Mercurial, SourceTree is the weapon
of choice. While Git plugins are available for Eclipse (see above), the
dedicated nature of this app makes using these services a bit easier.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="SourceTree" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/sourcetree.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="suspicious-package">
<h3>Suspicious Package</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.mothersruin.com/software/SuspiciousPackage/">http://www.mothersruin.com/software/SuspiciousPackage/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>While most software downloads no longer require installers (just
dragging an app to a folder), sometimes files need to go in particular
places, so you get an installer package. You can never really tell what
is in such packages, unless you have this <a href="http://www.apple.com/findouthow/mac/#quicklook">quick look</a>
extension installed. Click once on the package, hit space, and get a
popup window listing everything inside the package.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Suspicious Package" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/quicklook-pkg.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="transmission">
<h3>Transmission</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.transmissionbt.com/">http://www.transmissionbt.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>With the large number of BitTorrent clients available on the Mac,
with different release schedules, something as subjective as which is
one is “best” tends to ebb and flow. Last I looked, this was the client
that worked for me, with a clear interface that did what I asked it to.
Since I keep an old machine under my desk that is more or less dedicated
to things like BitTorrent, I also appreciate that this app publishes a
browser-based interface so other machines on my <span class="caps">LAN</span> can control it.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: The <a href="http://www.utorrent.com/">µTorrent</a> client now runs on the Mac
and has a number of users who converted from Transmission. <a href="http://www.xtorrentp2p.com/">Xtorrent</a> seems more feature rich,
but isn’t free.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Transmission" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/transmission.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="video-monkey">
<h3>Video Monkey</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://videomonkey.org/">http://videomonkey.org/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Once there was an application called VisualHub, which rose above the
sea of batch video conversion applications on the Mac to become both
powerful and (very) easy to use. (Plus, it’s icon, an amalgam of a film
strip and the Rosetta Stone was totally brilliant.) Then, its creator <a href="http://www.techspansion.com/goodbye.html">gave up</a>. What
followed was a long chain of forks, clones, bizarre patches and dead
ends, with names like iSquint, Transcoder Redux (at several different
places) and FilmRedux. Video Monkey is the only free app to emerge from
the ashes that captures the essence of VisualHub. It also adds the
ability to add metadata as part of the conversion.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: A more direct ancestor to VisualHub is <a href="http://www.easelnet.com/?page_id=8">ReduxEncoder</a>, which looks
to be similar to Video Monkey, but costs £2. Even more expensive, but
perhaps a bit more polished is <a href="http://www.fuelcollective.com/permute">Permute</a>. Some of the
other applications in this list (e.g. HandBrake, <span class="caps">VLC</span>) can also convert
video, but don’t handle batches well. <a href="http://www.bitfield.se/roadmovie/">RoadMovie</a> is also worth a
look (even though it is $30), as it combines metadata editing with batch
video conversion.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Video Monkey" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/video-monkey.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="vienna">
<h3>Vienna</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.vienna-rss.org/">http://www.vienna-rss.org/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Prior to the rise of social networks, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS">Really Simple
Syndication</a>{“=““} (<span class="caps">RSS</span>) was all the rage. Now it seems like many
have never even heard of it, and <a href="http://googlereader.blogspot.com/2013/03/powering-down-google-reader.html?m=1">Google
is killing</a> the service that many <span class="caps">RSS</span> readers use for syncing. It
still works the way I do, though, (and social networking mostly doesn’t)
so I’m still an <span class="caps">RSS</span> junky. This open source reader is simple, and does
just enough for me. Recently, they added Google Reader syncing (oops),
so if anyone builds a decent replacement for the <span class="caps">API</span>, chances are it
will get updated to use it.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: I’ll like continue to use <a href="">Google
Reader</a> until it dies on July 1, 2013. It looks like <a href="http://feedly.com/">Feedly</a> might be able to replace it. These
are both browser-based. For Mac app solutions, <a href="http://reederapp.com/mac/">Reeder</a> has a lot of fans, but is
also leveraged heavily into the Google Reader <span class="caps">API</span>.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Vienna" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/vienna3.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="vlc">
<h3><span class="caps">VLC</span></h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/">http://www.videolan.org/vlc/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A video player that can play more formats than the default QuickTime
installation provides (including <span class="caps">AVI</span>, <span class="caps">MKV</span> and divx). There are some iOS
apps which can act as a remote control for playback in <span class="caps">VLC</span> as well.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="VLC" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/vlc.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="vue-pioneer">
<h3>Vue Pioneer</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.e-onsoftware.com/products/vue/vue_pioneer/">http://www.e-onsoftware.com/products/vue/vue_pioneer/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Vue creates 3D scenery using fractal terrain and can add trees as
well, with photorealistic rendering of the whole scene. It is part of a
cross-platform <a href="http://www.e-onsoftware.com/products/">suite of
products</a> that get more powerful as they get more expensive.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: Terrain rendering apps seem to leapfrog each
other regularly and target different markets. You might find that <a href="http://www.daz3d.com/products/bryce/bryce-what-is-bryce">Bryce</a>
(which would get my recommendation instead of Vue Pioneer if it were
able to run on Lion or beyond), <a href="http://www.syniumsoftware.com/terraray/">TerraRay</a>, <a href="http://planetside.co.uk/products/terragen2">Terragen</a>, one of
Vue’s more expensive brethren or <a href="http://www.daz3d.com/products/daz-studio/daz-studio-what-is-daz-studio/">Daz
Studio</a> work better for you.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Vue Pioneer" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/vuepioneer.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="wireshark">
<h3>Wireshark</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.wireshark.org/">http://www.wireshark.org/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Wireshark is a cross-platform network packet analyzer, with pretty
good visualization, decent documentation and a legion of users.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Wireshark" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/wireshark.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
</section>
<section class="appsection" id="commercial">
<h2>Commercial</h2>
<p>Commercial software must be paid for before being downloaded (though,
in many cases, trial versions may be available). This model was quite
rare in the Mac world prior to the advent of the App Store, limited to
major applications like Office or Photoshop, or high profile games. This
type of software also used to be much more geared to physical delivery
in shrink-wrapped boxes, but that is now the exception, to the point
that the line between “shareware” and “commercial” software no longer exists.</p>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="password">
<h3>1Password</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$30</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://1passwd.com/">http://1passwd.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p><del>Since the authors of 1Password removed WiFi syncing with iOS, I
have a hard time recommending this as unequivocally as I did before
(even if they do eventually offer <a href="http://blog.agilebits.com/2013/01/03/direct-syncing-in-1password-4-for-ios/">some
<span class="caps">USB</span> based sync</a>).</del> [Update: they listened to customers like me
and put Wi-Fi syncing back in iPassword 4. So, back to an unequivocal
thumbs up.] Still, this application will change the way you use the web.
Since it seamlessly integrates into major browsers, any time you create
an account on a web site, you use 1Password to generate and store a
completely random and unique password for that site. When you go back to
the site, 1Password remembers that password for you. So, you get to be
secure, without the hassle of remembering huge numbers of passwords
yourself. The application also can track serial numbers for software,
credit card numbers and so on, all stored strongly encrypted. It does
support Dropbox syncing; however, even with encryption it strikes me
that transmitting all of your passwords in the cloud is a really bad
idea, so I don’t use that feature.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: A number of other password managers exist,
many which do have wifi syncing. Few offer browser integration (yet),
which is the feature that makes 1Password useful. The most promising of
these is <a href="http://getstrip.com/"><span class="caps">STRIP</span></a>, which was <a href="http://www.elcomsoft.com/WP/BH-EU-2012.pdf">found to be more
secure</a> than 1Password. The cross-platform <a href="https://msevensoftware.com/">mSecure</a> is also a contender.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="1Password" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/1password.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="bartender">
<h3>Bartender</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$15</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.macbartender.com/">http://www.macbartender.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>More and more apps these days clutter up your menu bar with status
icons. Most of these icons can be turned off, but some can’t, and some
are still useful. Bartender allows you to collect all these menu bar
items into a submenu of sorts, with full control over which items go
where. It offers a four week free trial.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Bartender" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/bartender.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="betterzip">
<h3>BetterZip</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$20</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://macitbetter.com/">http://macitbetter.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>While <span class="caps">OS</span> X comes with a <a href="http://www.macinstruct.com/node/159">number of ways to work with
zip files</a>, BetterZip is, well, <em>better</em> at more complex work,
particularly for exploring contents of an archive without decompressing
it. BetterZip can also decompress other compression formats, such as
<code>.tar</code> and <code>.rar</code>, including most traditionally
Mac types like <code>.sit</code>. As a <a href="http://macitbetter.com/BetterZip-Quick-Look-Generator/">separate
download</a>, it also supplies a <a href="http://www.apple.com/findouthow/mac/#quicklook">quick look</a>
extension that shows the contents of a zip archive.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="BetterZip" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/betterzip.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="cheetah-3d">
<h3>Cheetah 3d</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$99</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.cheetah3d.com/">http://www.cheetah3d.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>While quite a few 3d editors exist on the Mac, Cheetah is one of the
few designed specifically for it. It’s <span class="caps">UI</span> is powerful, but more
intuitive that other 3d packages I’ve tried (user interface in 3d
packages tends toward the bizarre). The latest version (6.x) also seems
to be collecting a bunch of 5-out-of-5 ratings from all over the place.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: Some free 3d suites are popular but not as
easy to use, particularly <a href="http://www.blender.org/">Blender</a>
and <a href="http://www.daz3d.com/daz-studio-4-pro/"><span class="caps">DAZ</span> Studio</a>.
Prices get nuts on the higher end with <a href="http://www.autodesk.com/products/autodesk-maya/overview">Maya</a>.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Cheetah 3d" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/cheetah3d.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="coda">
<h3>Coda</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$79</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.panic.com/coda/">http://www.panic.com/coda/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Until Coda, there were two basic methods of creating web sites. One
way was to use a <span class="caps">WYSIWYG</span> tool like <a href="http://www.karelia.com/sandvox/">Sandvox</a> or <a href="http://www.realmacsoftware.com/rapidweaver/">RapidWeaver</a>. The
other was to do hand coding using a mix of various tools, like text
editors, file transfer programs, <a href="http://www.hostm.com/simplecss-download.m"><span class="caps">CSS</span> editors</a> and
various browsers. Coda attempts to change this (and succeeds pretty
well), providing a tool for the “hand markup” set that vastly
streamlines workflow, and essentially obsoletes about a half-dozen other
tools. Panic Software allows a 30-day trial before requiring payment,
with a small discount if you own other Panic titles.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: Coda has spawned some imitators, mostly
developers of the aforementioned “various tools”, who are trying to turn
their tool into a more widely encompassing platform, such as the way
CSSEdit 3 has mutated into <a href="http://macrabbit.com/espresso/">Espresso</a>. The cross-platform
<a href="http://aptana.com/products/studio3">Aptana</a> isn’t as slick
looking, but seems plenty powerful and is free.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Coda" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/coda.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="daisy-disk">
<h3>Daisy Disk</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$10</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.daisydiskapp.com/">http://www.daisydiskapp.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>The evolution of graphically investigating what is taking up your
hard drive space, using a “sunburst” style of display which seems more
natural than the “heat map” style of some of the alternatives. This
software also handles the little details very well, making it very intuitive.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: Applications like <a href="http://www.derlien.com/">Disk Inventory X</a> do a similar job for
free, but with less polish. <a href="http://diskwave.barthe.ph/">DiskWave</a> provides even less
polish, but is also free.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Daisy Disk" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/daisydisk.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="delicious-library">
<h3>Delicious Library</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$40</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.delicious-monster.com/">http://www.delicious-monster.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>For the anal-retentive in you, this tracks collections of books,
DVDs, CDs and games. Integrates with a bar-code scanner, if you happen
to have one (such as a <a href="http://www.mavin.com/cuecat/index.html">hacked CueCat</a>). Also
allows you to use a video camera to scan barcodes. Can enter <span class="caps">ISBN</span> or <span class="caps">USP</span>
numbers and will lookup information on item on the net. Library allows
only 25 items to be entered unless you pay for it.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: Inventory managers can be found all over the
place. Most of them are terrible. One free offering that seems to, at
least, have rough feature parity with Delicious Library is <a href="http://www.datacrow.net/">Data Crow</a>.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Delicious Library" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/deliciouslibrary.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="dupezap">
<h3>DupeZap</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$5</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.hyperbolicsoftware.com/DupeZap.html">http://www.hyperbolicsoftware.com/DupeZap.html</a></li>
</ul>
<p>It turns out to be fairly easy to wind up with duplicate copies of
files, particularly if you collect certain types of data (say, comic
book files or role-playing pdfs). This application will hunt for
duplicate files and let you delete extras; however, pay careful
attention to what it finds. If you are not sure what it is doing, you
can get burned.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: <a href="http://macpaw.com/gemini">Gemini</a>,
<a href="http://www.hyperbolicsoftware.com/DupeZap.html">DupeZap
Plus</a> (basically DupeZap 2, but more expensive); <a href="http://www.hyperbolicsoftware.com/TidyUp.html">TidyUp</a> (even
more features and cost).</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="DupeZap" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/dupezap.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="escape-velocity-nova">
<h3>Escape Velocity: Nova</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$30</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.ambrosiasw.com/games/evn/">http://www.ambrosiasw.com/games/evn/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A role-playing/space combat game that is sort of hard to explain
until you play it. The makers of this game, Ambrosia, completely rule.
If this genre is not your cup of tea, I guarantee that they have <a href="http://www.ambrosiasw.com/games/">another game</a> (some of which,
alas, only run in Classic mode) that will have you addicted within
minutes. If you like this game, you might also try <a href="http://www.vendetta-online.com/">Vendetta</a>, which is very
similar in concept, but uses 3D first-person combat and requires on-line
play with thousands of other players.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="EV:Nova" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/evnova.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="graphicconverter-x">
<h3>GraphicConverter X</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$30</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm">http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Capable of reading and writing nearly any graphic format, this
program also has slide show capability and a great directory-based image
browser. A suite of batch processing tools also make altering multiple
files the same way mostly painless. (For example, take a huge directory
of images, scale them all to be the same height, then crop them to be
the same width, then save them as a different format.)</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="GraphicConverter X" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/graphicconverter.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="growl">
<h3>Growl</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$4</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://growl.info/">http://growl.info/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Growl is a notification system used by a lot of the other apps on
this list to breifly popup a message in the corner of your screen to
alert you to an event (such as e-mail arriving, a job completing, and so
on). Though previously free, the developer has now fully embraced the
App Store model.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: Mountain Lion’s new <a href="http://www.apple.com/osx/whats-new/#notification-center">Notification
Center</a> is aimed squarely at out-growling Growl. For the moment, more
apps support Growl.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Growl" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/growl.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="icon-creator">
<h3>Icon Creator</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$4</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://mediaware.sk/iconcreator">http://mediaware.sk/iconcreator</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Once upon a time, the Mac developer tools came with Icon Composer, a
simple application for editing application icons. In the early days of
<span class="caps">OS</span> X development, Apple had to build quick and dirty tools like this,
since they were the only show in town. Now that third parties build much
better icon editors than Apple could, they have discontinued Icon
Composer. This is probably the best of its replacements, mainly for its
exporting capabilities. (Also, when I asked the author to add change the
open dialog to allow browsing inside application packages, he released a
new version that did so within days. This made creating this post
<em>much</em> easier.)</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: <a href="http://www.mscape.com/">Iconographer</a> (free, but abandoned); <a href="http://iconfactory.com/software/iconbuilder/">IconBuilder</a>
(Photoshop integrated filter).</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Icon Creator" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/iconcreator.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="ibank">
<h3>iBank</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$60</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.iggsoftware.com/ibank/">http://www.iggsoftware.com/ibank/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Even back before the <span class="caps">OS</span> X era, Mac’s had a surprisingly large number
of finance managing applications, with Quicken eventually emerging as
the dominating force. Quicken screwed up, though keeping its code mired
in technology known to be dying. When this technology was jettisoned on
the release of Lion, Quicken stopped working on modern Macs.
Fortunately, Quicken had enough haters prior to this that mature
alternatives exist. For my needs, iBank was the best replacement.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: I explored many <a href="/2011/07/replacing-quicken/">replacements for Quicken</a> when I
moved to Lion. You might find others I examined fit your needs better.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="iBank" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/ibank.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="iconquer">
<h3>iConquer</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$13</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.kavasoft.com/iConquer/">http://www.kavasoft.com/iConquer/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A very sexy Risk game, somehow more addictive than the hordes of
other Risk clones. It allows network play, but only 10 games before you
have to pay for it. For the ambitious, <a href="http://www.kavasoft.com/iConquer/developer/">developer tools</a>
are available to make custom maps and <span class="caps">AI</span> players.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="iConquer" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/iconquer.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="idraw">
<h3>iDraw</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$25</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.indeeo.com/idraw/">http://www.indeeo.com/idraw/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Shortly after the dawn of the Mac came MacDraw, a program for editing
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_graphics">vector
graphics</a> (where images are made up of editible primitive lines and
shapes). I prefer using vector graphics when possible (as opposed to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raster_graphics">raster graphic</a>
tools like Photoshop, which edit a grid of colored pixels), as they
scale better and are easier to change. I don’t know if iDraw was
intended to be a ultra-modern evolution of MacDraw, but it feels like it
in a lot of ways. It has a companion iPad app which feels even more so,
with cloud syncing between them. One strike against it (in addition to
the dumb name) is that you can’t try before you buy.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: Not long ago, few options existed in this
space other than the very expensive <a href="http://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator.html">Adobe
Illustrator</a>, but now quite a few compete. Others include <a href="http://www.tweakersoft.com/vectordesigner/">VectorDesigner</a>
(previously recommended, but now too expensive compared to iDraw), <a href="http://www.mapdiva.com/artboard/">Artboard</a> (a simpler user
interface, not as powerful) and <a href="http://www.inkscape.org/">Inkscape</a> (free, but clunky). Note
also that some traditionally raster editors are starting to get very
simple vector drawing features (such as Pixelmator, mentioned below).</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="iDraw" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/idraw.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="iphoto-library-manager">
<h3>iPhoto Library Manager</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$20</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/">http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>If you ever need to merge two different iPhoto libraries into one or
switch back and forth between multiple libraries, don’t even bother
trying to do it yourself. It should be easy to do but, inexplicably,
isn’t. Just pony up the cash for this program. You might also want to
grab <a href="http://www.rhythmiccanvas.com/software/iphotodiet/">iPhoto
Diet</a> to remove some of the bloat iPhoto creates.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="iPhoto Library Manager" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/iplm.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="itaskx">
<h3>iTaskX</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">€80</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.itaskx.com/">http://www.itaskx.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Some switchers need a replacement for Microsoft Project, and for some
time they didn’t have many choices. Now, however, dozens of
possibilities exist. Since my previous recommendation in this space, <a href="http://www.projectx.com/">Project X</a> seems to have been
abandoned, it appears that iTaskX is the current choice, as it matches
Project’s feature set well and can even read Project files.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: Some other possibilities in this space are <a href="http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omniplan/">OmniPlan</a>, <a href="http://www.merlin2.net/">Merlin</a> or, for something slightly
different, <a href="http://www.zengobi.com/products/curio/">Curio</a>. A
number of on-line only tools also exist now, such as <a href="https://teamweek.com/">Teamweek</a>.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="iTaskX" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/itaskx.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="leap">
<h3>Leap</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$26</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.ironicsoftware.com/leap/">http://www.ironicsoftware.com/leap/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Leap provides an alternate way of accessing, organizing and finding
your files, making use of the <a href="https://code.google.com/p/openmeta/">OpenMeta</a> standard to add
tags to file metadata. Using any tags you care to add to a file, as well
as other file metadata such as file type, modification date and so on,
you can perform complex searches, either ignoring the rigid hierarchy of
folders, or using it to augment the search. The “All My Files” view in
the Finder (since Lion) implements a terrible and weak version of this
concept, but Leap is a whole different level. Leap really shines if you
have a lot of a certain kind of file (such as PDFs or video) and want to
search for a specific one.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Leap" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/leap.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="life-balance">
<h3>Life Balance</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$40</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.llamagraphics.com/products">http://www.llamagraphics.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A unique, cross-platform to-do manager with iOS synchronization
(though <em>still</em> no iPad app). Their web site explains it better
than I can. Takes a little getting used to, but is the best to-do system
I’ve ever used. After a 30-day trial, save stops working unless you pay
for it. There is also a Win32 version, if you’re into that sort of
thing. Expensive, but unique.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: LifeBalance is not constructed or intended as
a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getting_Things_Done"><span class="caps">GTD</span></a>
tool, though could probably be shoehorned for that purpose. Within the
<span class="caps">GTD</span> space, <a href="http://firetask.com/">Firetask</a> seems to be the
current darling, but <a href="http://culturedcode.com/things/">Things</a> and <a href="http://www.omnigroup.com/products/omnifocus/">OmniFocus</a> are
mainstays. There are also a ton of “in the cloud checklist apps”, like
<a href="http://www.producteev.com/">Producteev</a>, <a href="http://www.6wunderkinder.com/wunderlist">Wunderlist</a> or even <a href="https://evernote.com/">Evernote</a>.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Balance" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/lifebalance.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="little-snitch">
<h3>Little Snitch</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$25</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.obdev.at/products/littlesnitch/">http://www.obdev.at/products/littlesnitch/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Brings up an alert any time your computer attempts to make a network
connection to the outside world, allowing you to accept or deny the
attempt. It can be trained to ignore things (like your web browser, chat
client, etc.). It will only run for three hours at a time unless you pay
for it. This is good enough for me, as I tend to run it only when
installing new software. (Some software “phones home” to its creating
company, transmitting who knows what.)</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Little Snitch" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/littlesnitch3.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="macfamilytree">
<h3>MacFamilyTree</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$60</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.syniumsoftware.com/macfamilytree/">http://www.syniumsoftware.com/macfamilytree/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A bit pricy, but the best family tree software I’ve seen for the Mac,
or any other platform. It’s charting and reporting is excellent, but the
3D “flythrough” options to the <span class="caps">UI</span> are more gimmicky than useful. Nothing
can be saved until paid for. Data is easily imported (<span class="caps">GEDCOM</span>, with all
the bells and whistles) and synced to the equally nice iOS version.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="MacFamilyTree" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/macfamilytree.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="medialink">
<h3>MediaLink</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$20</span> •</li>
<li><site></site></li>
</ul>
<p>If you have a burning desire to view the media on your Mac (video,
pictures, music) on your Playstation 3, this is the easiest way to do
so. Totally seamless and easy to use.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="MediaLink" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/medialink.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="name-mangler">
<h3>Name Mangler</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$19</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://manytricks.com/namemangler/">http://manytricks.com/namemangler/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Allows you to do search and replace on filenames, including support
for regular expressions. Sure, you could do similar things with the
command line, but this is easier. Also shows you the results of changes
before they are made.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Name Mangler" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/name-mangler.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="omnigraffle">
<h3>OmniGraffle</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$100-$200</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnigraffle/">http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnigraffle/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Switchers itching for something like Visio should look no further
than the professional version of this app. It does some things a bit
differently than Visio would, but generally “differently” here means
“better”. Visio, notable as one of the few products whose interface
radically improved once bought by Microsoft, could steal quite a few
lessons from the guys at Omni. Current versions also sync with an iPad
version, and contain a bunch of the layout code from <a href="http://www.graphviz.org/">Graphviz</a>. A limit is placed on the
number of nodes you can have in a file until this software is paid for.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: The Omni Group tends to build really great
products and charge <em>way</em> too much for them, but chooses products
that no one else is building for the Mac. What usually winds up
happening is that someone comes along to undercut them with a
slightly-less-good version, for much, much less money. For example: <a href="http://shapesapp.com/">Shapes</a> (though it can’t use Visio files
or export to <span class="caps">SVG</span>, and OmniGraffle Pro can). The Mac <a href="http://www.pixelglow.com/graphviz/">Graphviz port</a> isn’t really
the same kind of product (it is more about mathematical graphs), but can
be used to create similar output more programatically.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="OmniGraffle" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/omnigraffle.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="paperless">
<h3>Paperless</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$50</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="https://www.marinersoftware.com/products/paperless/">https://www.marinersoftware.com/products/paperless/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>You know that shoebox or file cabinet you have filled with old bank
statements, bills, receipts, statements and so on? Would you like to
replace that with an encrypted database of PDFs? How about if details
were optically scanned from the <span class="caps">PDF</span> and populated into searchable
database fields? Paperless can do all that. Most banks and credit card
companies now offer digital statements these days, so you don’t even
need to do any scanning (though the app supports that as well).</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Paperless" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/paperless.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="pixelmator">
<h3>Pixelmator</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$15</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.pixelmator.com/">http://www.pixelmator.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>If <a href="http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/">Adobe
Photoshop</a> breaks your bank, this image editor is a strong choice,
delivering most of what the average user will need out of a raster
editor in an elegant interface and much lower price.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: There are tons of image editors out there.
Some not as powerful, such as <a href="http://seashore.sourceforge.net/">Seashore</a>, <a href="http://paintbrush.sourceforge.net/">Paintbrush</a>, <a href="http://www.flyingmeat.com/acorn/">Acorn</a> or <a href="http://xtralean.com/IWOverview.html">ImageWell</a>. Others are
harder to use, such as <a href="http://www.gimp.org/"><span class="caps">GIMP</span></a>. Still
others are more specialized, such as <a href="http://pixenapp.com/">Pixen</a>.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Pixelmator" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/pixelmator.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="postbox">
<h3>Postbox</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$10</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://postbox-inc.com/">http://postbox-inc.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Postbox is a powerful e-mail client which works a lot better for me
than the Mail app that ships with <span class="caps">OS</span> X. Searching, for example, is more
powerful, as are its filing rules. It also integrates with GMail, if
desired, as well as with third party services like Dropbox or Evernote.
You can download a 30-day free trial of this application.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: E-mail clients tend to be a personal choice.
Some other possibilities are Apple’s <a href="http://www.apple.com/osx/apps/#mail">Mail</a>; Mozilla <a href="http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/">Thunderbird</a>, <a href="http://mailplaneapp.com/">Mailplane</a> and <a href="http://freron.com/">MailMate</a>.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Postbox" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/postbox.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="scrivener">
<h3>Scrivener</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$45</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php">http://literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php</a></li>
</ul>
<p>I don’t use this writing tool much, but I know people who bought a
Mac specifically to use it (it has a Windows version now, though). It is
a word-processor type application targeted specifically at writers of
novels, screenplays, research papers and the like, with a number of
organizational tools.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Scrivener" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/scrivener.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="snapz-pro-x">
<h3>Snapz Pro X</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$69</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/snapzprox/">http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/snapzprox/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>The king daddy of Mac screen capture programs, with a long lineage.
Capture full screens, windows, selections to multiple formats. Capture
video. Basically flawless, with a well-deserved five mice rating. Snapz
Pro X can be used for a limited time before requiring payment.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Snapz Pro X" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/snapzprox.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="sound-studio">
<h3>Sound Studio</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$30</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://felttip.com/ss/">http://felttip.com/ss/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>While there are number of sound editors available on the Mac, most of
them were pretty bad last time I looked at them. Not this one, though.
Sound Studio does more of what I need it to, particularly with some
features specifically to ease the importing of audio tapes.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: Other applications in this space are <a href="http://audacity.sourceforge.net/">Audacity</a>, <a href="http://www.rogueamoeba.com/fission/">Fission</a> and <a href="http://www.nch.com.au/wavepad/">Wavepad</a>.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Sound Studio" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/soundstudio4.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="steermouse">
<h3>Steermouse</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$20</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://plentycom.jp/en/steermouse/">http://plentycom.jp/en/steermouse/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>The Mac is known for true plug and play support of all sorts of mice
and other input devices, but sometimes the default support isn’t enough,
particularly with unusual peripherals. This driver supports a wide
variety of devices, and allows much more customization than mortal man
was meant to use. It can be used for 30 days before requiring payment.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Steermouse" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/steermouse.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="souschef">
<h3>SousChef</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$30</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://acaciatreesoftware.com/">http://acaciatreesoftware.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>If you happen to have an <a href="/2005/08/kitchen-imac/">iMac in
your kitchen</a>, you might as well keep a recipe database on it,
particularly one that can search multiple internet recipe sources by
ingredient or other characteristics. Includes a “ten foot” mode, so you
can read the recipe from across the room if you need to, and control the
display with speech. Other apps could also learn a bit from how it
handles importing via copy/paste of arbitrary blobs of recipe text into
the various fields of the database. This app sometimes makes its way
into various sale bundles.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="SousChef" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/souschef.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="textmate">
<h3>TextMate</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">€39</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://macromates.com/">http://macromates.com/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>In a world with dozens of text editors for the Mac, this app left
them all in the dust a long time ago. Highly customizable, this app
supports a huge number of computer languaes, supports macros, can be
used as an external editor for <span class="caps">FTP</span> programs (like Transmit, below) and
even makes building custom syntax hilighters <a href="http://divnull.com/blog/2012/textmate-ldraw/">fairly
painless</a>.</p>
<p><em>Alternatives</em>: Text editors tend to be more of a personal
choice than other software, so <a href="http://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit/">BBEdit</a> (or its more
limited <a href="http://www.barebones.com/products/textwrangler/">lightweight
version</a>), <a href="http://smultron.sourceforge.net/">Smultron</a>,
<a href="http://www.codingmonkeys.de/subethaedit/">SubEthaEdit</a>, <a href="http://www.skti.org/">skEdit</a>, <a href="http://www.jedit.org/">jEdit</a>, <a href="http://getxpad.com/">xPad</a> or even <a href="http://frank.harvard.edu/~coldwell/EmacsInstaller.dmg">Emacs
compiled as a native app</a> or a <a href="http://aquamacs.org/">Mac-style Emacs</a> may be more your speed.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="TextMate" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/textmate.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="transmit">
<h3>Transmit</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$15</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.panic.com/transmit/">http://www.panic.com/transmit/</a></li>
</ul>
<p><em>The</em> file-transfer protocol (<span class="caps">FTP</span>) client for the Mac (also
supporting other protocols, like <span class="caps">SFTP</span>, Amazon S3, WebDAV, etc.). Let’s
you right click on files in a remote server, and edit them with external
editors, such as TextMate (see above). Pretty much perfect. Until paid
for, sessions can only last for 10 minutes and “favorites” cannot be saved.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Transmit" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/transmit.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="unison">
<h3>Unison</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$29</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.panic.com/unison/">http://www.panic.com/unison/</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Before the world wide web, there was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet">Usenet</a>, a vast collection
of newsgroups. Though web forums have stolen most of their thunder,
newsgroups are still useful. Unison is one of the best newsreaders I’ve
ever seen. To access Usenet, you need a provider. In many cases, the
company providing you with internet access quietly offers a Usenet feed
(usually a web search for your provider’s name and “Usenet” will lead
you to instructions). Fully featured for 15 days, after which favorites
are disabled and it can only be used for 10 minutes at a time.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Unison" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/unison.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="witch">
<h3>Witch</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$14</span> •</li>
<li><a class="uri" href="http://www.petermaurer.de/nasi.php?section=witch">http://www.petermaurer.de/nasi.php?section=witch</a></li>
</ul>
<p><span class="caps">OS</span> X has a built-in feature (cmd-tab) to cycle between application,
similar to alt-tabbing on Win32. This preference panel adds a more
sophisticated version (wired to opt-tab by default) that lists active
windows as well as applications.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Witch" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/witch.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
</section>Why the “red equals sign” campaign drives me a bit nuts2013-03-28T09:10:00-04:002013-03-28T09:10:00-04:00wordmantag:asteroid.divnull.com,2013-03-28:/2013/03/red-equals-sign<p>If you’ve looked at a social network the last few days, you’ve
probably seen the “red equals sign” logo show up, showing support of the
marriage equality, currently being debated in the <span class="caps">U.S.</span> Supreme Court.
While I intended to stay silent about this campaign, now that it …</p><p>If you’ve looked at a social network the last few days, you’ve
probably seen the “red equals sign” logo show up, showing support of the
marriage equality, currently being debated in the <span class="caps">U.S.</span> Supreme Court.
While I intended to stay silent about this campaign, now that it has
taken off, I can’t hold it in: this red logo campaign is driving me a
bit nuts.</p>
<p>Not for any political reason, of course. It’s just… the compression
artifacts… they are the visual equivalent of nails on a chalkboard.</p>
<p>The red equals logo uses simple, continuous blocks of pixels, in only
two colors. Unfortunately, the most popular image compression technology
in the world, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPEG"><span class="caps">JPEG</span></a>,
which was built to compress photographs, turns out to be <em>hideously
awful</em> at compressing simple blocks of same-color pixels. It winds
up creating weird bands of unintended colors around the edges of such
blocks. For example, here is a version of the logo (3,183 bytes),
compressed with really low quality <span class="caps">JPEG</span> settings (to exaggerate the effect).</p>
<div class="centerimage">
<figure>
<img alt="Equality, with horrible artifacts" height="400" src="/images/equality-artifacts.jpg" title="This logo says 'I support marriage equality and don't really understand the technology I'm using!'" width="400"/>
<figcaption aria-hidden="true">Equality, with horrible
artifacts</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<p>The artifacts become less noticeable, but still present (especially
if you are overly sensitive to them, like me), using a high quality <span class="caps">JPEG</span>
compression (generating a file that is almost twice are large: 5,517 bytes):</p>
<div class="centerimage">
<figure>
<img alt="Equality, with slightly less horrible artifacts" height="400" src="/images/equality-high.jpg" width="400"/>
<figcaption aria-hidden="true">Equality, with slightly less horrible
artifacts</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<p>It gets even worse. Because <span class="caps">JPEG</span> is lossy, these compression
artifacts get progressively worse as you re-compress the same image
repeatedly. So, for example, if you found a <span class="caps">JPEG</span> of the red equals on
the net, then uploaded to to, say, Facebook, chances are that Facebook
recompressed it again, making the artifacts worse.</p>
<p>A different kind of compression—portable network graphics or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Network_Graphics"><span class="caps">PNG</span></a>—is,
in contrast, is <em>extremely good</em> at compressing large blocks of
same-colored pixels, particularly in a limited color palette. It shows
no compression artifacts and, since it is lossless, you can re-compress
it over and over with no quality degradation. And, as a bonus, this file
is only 1,590 bytes:</p>
<div class="centerimage">
<figure>
<img alt="Equality" height="400" src="/images/equality.png" width="400"/>
<figcaption aria-hidden="true">Equality</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<p>In support of the red equals sign, feel free to link directly to the
<span class="caps">PNG</span> version above (https://asteroid.divnull.com/images/equality.png) in
blog posts, avatar icons and so on. Or, copy and distribute at will.
Hopefully my server will keep up.</p>Launching a backup with launchd2013-03-17T01:55:00-04:002013-03-17T01:55:00-04:00wordmantag:asteroid.divnull.com,2013-03-17:/2013/03/launching-a-backup-with-launchd<p>Six years ago, I posted about <a href="/2007/12/yum_rsync">using
rsync to backup a web server</a> (many of the difficulties mentioned
there have since been fixed). I’m finally getting around to switch from
using <a href="https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CronHowto"><code>cron</code></a>
to run that backup to using the new hotness: <a href="http://blog.mattbrock.co.uk/2010/02/25/moving-from-cron-to-launchd-on-mac-os-x-server/"><code>launchd</code></a>.
This task was made easier by Preston …</p><p>Six years ago, I posted about <a href="/2007/12/yum_rsync">using
rsync to backup a web server</a> (many of the difficulties mentioned
there have since been fixed). I’m finally getting around to switch from
using <a href="https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CronHowto"><code>cron</code></a>
to run that backup to using the new hotness: <a href="http://blog.mattbrock.co.uk/2010/02/25/moving-from-cron-to-launchd-on-mac-os-x-server/"><code>launchd</code></a>.
This task was made easier by Preston Holmes’ <a href="http://ptone.com/cron2launchd/">cron to launchd converter</a>.</p>
<p>To summarize the prior post, I have a special user on my Mac named
“backup”. The only thing this user does is backup other stuff, such as
my web server. This user has a script (shown in the previous post) in
<code>~/Documents/webbackup</code>. I want this script to run at, say,
2:30am as this <code>backup</code> user, even if no one is logged on. To
do this with <code>launchd</code>, I first need a file describing the job:</p>
<div class="sourceCode" id="cb1"><pre class="sourceCode xml"><code class="sourceCode xml"><span id="cb1-1"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-1" tabindex="-1"></a><span class="fu"><?xml</span><span class="ot"> version=</span><span class="st">"1.0"</span><span class="ot"> encoding=</span><span class="st">"UTF-8"</span><span class="fu">?></span></span>
<span id="cb1-2"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-2" tabindex="-1"></a><span class="dt"><!DOCTYPE</span> <span class="dt">plist</span> PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd"<span class="dt">></span></span>
<span id="cb1-3"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-3" tabindex="-1"></a><<span class="kw">plist</span><span class="ot"> version=</span><span class="st">"1.0"</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-4"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-4" tabindex="-1"></a><<span class="kw">dict</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-5"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-5" tabindex="-1"></a> <span class="co"><!-- Write this file to /Library/LaunchDaemons/ --></span></span>
<span id="cb1-6"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-6" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">key</span>>Label</<span class="kw">key</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-7"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-7" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">string</span>>com.mycompany.webbackup</<span class="kw">string</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-8"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-8" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">key</span>>UserName</<span class="kw">key</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-9"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-9" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">string</span>>backup</<span class="kw">string</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-10"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-10" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">key</span>>ProgramArguments</<span class="kw">key</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-11"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-11" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">array</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-12"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-12" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">string</span>>/Users/backup/Documents/webbackup</<span class="kw">string</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-13"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-13" tabindex="-1"></a> </<span class="kw">array</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-14"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-14" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">key</span>>StartCalendarInterval</<span class="kw">key</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-15"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-15" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">array</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-16"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-16" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">dict</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-17"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-17" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">key</span>>Hour</<span class="kw">key</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-18"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-18" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">integer</span>>2</<span class="kw">integer</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-19"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-19" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">key</span>>Minute</<span class="kw">key</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-20"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-20" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">integer</span>>30</<span class="kw">integer</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-21"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-21" tabindex="-1"></a> </<span class="kw">dict</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-22"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-22" tabindex="-1"></a> </<span class="kw">array</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-23"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-23" tabindex="-1"></a> </span>
<span id="cb1-24"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-24" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">key</span>>StandardErrorPath</<span class="kw">key</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-25"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-25" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">string</span>>/Users/backup/Documents/webbackup.log</<span class="kw">string</span>> </span>
<span id="cb1-26"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-26" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">key</span>>StandardOutPath</<span class="kw">key</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-27"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-27" tabindex="-1"></a> <<span class="kw">string</span>>/Users/backup/Documents/webbackup.log</<span class="kw">string</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-28"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-28" tabindex="-1"></a></<span class="kw">dict</span>></span>
<span id="cb1-29"><a aria-hidden="true" href="#cb1-29" tabindex="-1"></a></<span class="kw">plist</span>></span></code></pre></div>
<p>While there are ways to run this job using <a href="http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/Darwin/Reference/ManPages/man1/launchctl.1.html"><code>launchctl</code></a>,
if you want it to run automatically, unassisted, even after rebooting
your machine, you need to write the file to
<code>/Library/LaunchDaemon/com.mycompany.webbackup.plist</code>. Note,
that is <code>/Library</code>, not <code>~/Library</code>, so you will
likely need to use <code>sudo</code> to get the file there.</p>
<p>Also note that the name of the file should match the “Label” key in
the file, with <code>.plist</code> suffix. Note also that this “Label”
is used as a unique id, so if you make more than one of these job
descriptions you need to change both the filename and the “Label” key.</p>Charity 20122013-02-21T01:08:00-05:002013-02-21T01:08:00-05:00wordmantag:asteroid.divnull.com,2013-02-21:/2013/02/charity-2012<p>According to <a href="https://www.justgive.org/donations/how-much-to-give.jsp">justgive.org</a>,
the “average American gives about 3.1 percent of his or her income to
charity (before taxes). That’s well below the 10 percent tithing level
recommended by religious institutions.” The Chronicle of Philanthropy <a href="http://philanthropy.com/article/Interactive-How-America-Gives/133709">breaks
that down by zip code</a>, which leads to <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Business/generous-states-charities-lean-republican/story?id=17030246">inevitable
political commentary …</a></p><p>According to <a href="https://www.justgive.org/donations/how-much-to-give.jsp">justgive.org</a>,
the “average American gives about 3.1 percent of his or her income to
charity (before taxes). That’s well below the 10 percent tithing level
recommended by religious institutions.” The Chronicle of Philanthropy <a href="http://philanthropy.com/article/Interactive-How-America-Gives/133709">breaks
that down by zip code</a>, which leads to <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Business/generous-states-charities-lean-republican/story?id=17030246">inevitable
political commentary</a>. Personally, I came in well below the
average—and far below the religiously recommended—for 2012 (around
2.5%). I did, however, donate to a wider variety of places this year:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.bootcampaign.com/">Boot Campaign</a></li>
<li><a href="http://theoatmeal.com/blog/tesla_museum">Building a Goddam
Tesla Museum</a>, just up the road a ways</li>
<li><a href="http://cbldf.org/">Comic Book Legal Defense Fund</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.denvercenter.org/">Denver Center for the
Performing Arts</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.eff.org/">Electronic Frontier Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.leatherback.org/">Leatherback Trust</a></li>
<li>My high school alumni foundation, to give students iPads</li>
<li>My local fire department</li>
<li><a href="http://www.npr.org/">National Public Radio</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.stonybrookchildrens.org/">Stony Brook Children’s Hospital</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.suffolkcountypal.org/">Suffolk County Police
Athletic League</a></li>
<li><a href="http://water.org/">Water.org</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.wikimedia.org/">Wikimedia Foundation</a></li>
</ul>
<p>I also <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/divnull">helped
kickstart</a> quite a few projects this year. I get a product at the end
of most of these, so they don’t really count as charity. A few, however,
are either structured mostly as charities or I funded without selecting
any “rewards”, such as the <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/massoudhassani/mine-kafon">low
cost land mine detonator</a>, an <a href="http://www.arduino.cc/">Arduino</a>-based <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/575960623/ardusat-your-arduino-experiment-in-space">public
access satellite</a>, something that may turn out to be the <a href="http://www.hermesspace.com/">next generation of manned
spaceflight</a>, <a href="http://singularityand.co/">rescuing out of
print science fiction</a> and <a href="http://www.freightfarms.com/">turning old shipping containers into
farms</a>.</p>
<p>I hope, by posting all this, you’ll find at least one thing you’d be
interested in helping with a few bucks. I aim to do better myself next year.</p>Predictions for 20132012-12-31T13:00:00-05:002012-12-31T13:00:00-05:00wordmantag:asteroid.divnull.com,2012-12-31:/2012/12/predictions-2013<p>Since we made it to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baktun">14th baktun</a> without being
swallowed by the sun, or a dragon rising from Mt. Fuji or something, I
thought I’d follow <a href="http://samablog.robsama.com/?p=5958">samaBlog’s lead</a> and make
some predictions:</p>
<ul>
<li>I will make more posts to this blog in 2012 than I did in 2013 …</li></ul><p>Since we made it to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baktun">14th baktun</a> without being
swallowed by the sun, or a dragon rising from Mt. Fuji or something, I
thought I’d follow <a href="http://samablog.robsama.com/?p=5958">samaBlog’s lead</a> and make
some predictions:</p>
<ul>
<li>I will make more posts to this blog in 2012 than I did in 2013.
(This will not be hard.)</li>
<li>We will go over the “fiscal cliff”. This will not be the calamity
imagined by the media, particularly since nearly every part of the
“cliff” is actually good for the country’s long term health.</li>
<li>Apple will finally update the <a href="http://www.apple.com/macpro/">Mac Pro</a>. It will not be what
people expect (I’m thinking it might turn out modular, with “pods” for
<span class="caps">PCI</span> cards or something).</li>
<li>Apple will release a <span class="caps">TV</span>. It will fail, but spawn imitators.</li>
<li>Apple will release a version of the iPhone and/or iOS that blatantly
copies features from Android.</li>
<li>Bashar Hafez al-Assad will die. Syria will not become democratic.</li>
<li>The gun lobby will continue to fail to realize that fighting mental
illness is in its best interest, and so make the problem worse.</li>
<li>Something will gain more views than <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangnam_Style">Gangnam Style</a>. It
will have been created by someone much less xenophobic than <span class="caps">PSY</span>.</li>
<li>Someone will start making <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001E7G3WW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=div05a-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001E7G3WW">Twinkies</a> again.</li>
<li>No one will submit a real report of actually playing <a href="http://divnull.com/blog/tags/inkadia/">’inkadia</a>.</li>
<li>The northeast <span class="caps">U.S.</span> will be hit be another major hurricane.</li>
<li>The <a href="http://www.denverbroncos.com/">Denver Broncos</a> will
reach the <a href="http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/47">Super Bowl</a>.</li>
<li>Exactly 80% of <a href="http://techland.time.com/2012/12/31/10-tech-industry-predictions-for-2013/">Time’s
tech predictions</a> for 2013 will be wrong.</li>
<li>The following will occur in the social media space, as <a href="http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/social/2012/">measured by
Nielsen</a>:
<ul>
<li>Percentage of Pinterest users who are men will drop.</li>
<li>Year-over-year growth in unique visitors to Google+ will be higher
than any other currently existing social network.</li>
<li>Year-over-year growth in unique visitors to Facebook will continue
to be negative.</li>
<li>Year-over-year growth in unique visitors to Twitter will not exceed 5%.</li>
</ul></li>
<li>A drone operated by state or city law enforcement will crash in the
U.S., causing property damage and minor injuries.</li>
<li><cite><a href="http://www.pacificrimmovie.net"></a>Pacific
Rim</cite> will score less than 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, but will make
over a billion dollars by the end of the year.</li>
<li>The <a href="http://formlabs.com/pages/our-printer">Form 1 3D
printer</a> will be featured at least three times by major mainstream
media news.</li>
<li>The initial elation of the <a href="http://www.wizards.com/dnd/dndnext.aspx">D&D Next</a> release
will rapidly cool. Sales numbers will be worse than expected. Rumors
will persist of Hasbro killing D&D, but it will not do so in 2013.</li>
<li>Average temperatures for 2013 will be higher than 2012.</li>
<li>Some places damaged by hurricane Sandy will be declared off limits
for rebuilding by new local zoning rules.</li>
</ul>Recommended iOS Software2012-01-10T19:00:00-05:002012-01-10T19:00:00-05:00wordmantag:asteroid.divnull.com,2012-01-10:/2012/01/recommended-ios-software<p>Several members of my extended family have become new iPhone/iPad
users and asked me for software recommendations. Since my <a href="http://www.divnull.com/lward/software.html">Mac software
recommendations</a> got a fairly positive response (even though they are
getting a bit long in the tooth now), I figured I’d make these public.</p>
<p>This list comes …</p><p>Several members of my extended family have become new iPhone/iPad
users and asked me for software recommendations. Since my <a href="http://www.divnull.com/lward/software.html">Mac software
recommendations</a> got a fairly positive response (even though they are
getting a bit long in the tooth now), I figured I’d make these public.</p>
<p>This list comes with some assumptions. First, it assumes you’ve at
least looked at the app store and downloaded something. So I won’t make
recommendations about very common, popular stuff. For example, I’m going
to assume you don’t need me to tell you about <a href="http://theoatmeal.com/comics/angry_birds">Angry Birds</a> or
built-in apps. Secondly, since I don’t know anything about how iOS
devices work with non-Mac computers, I’m just going to assume you have a
Mac from time to time. Hopefully, this won’t matter a whole lot.
Thirdly, some of these applications make use of services, such as <a href="http://db.tt/0PgflsYf">Dropbox</a>. For the most part, I assume
that, if you don’t know what the service is, that you can follow the
provided link to find out, though I do have a section providing more
details about certain services towards the end. Oh, also, I think
Twitter is pointless, so if you are looking for a recommendation on the
coolest Twitter-related apps, I can’t help you.</p>
<div class="appsection">
<h2 id="universal-apps">Universal apps</h2>
<p>An iOS app is “universal” if the same binary can be run on devices
with different sized screens. In practice, this means that you buy a
single app, but it runs well on both the iPhone and the iPad, adapting
its appearance based on how much screen it has to use. Generally
speaking, if you are trying to choose between two apps and one is
universal and the other isn’t, it’s likely the universal app is better
written, as making an app universal requires a bit more planning an
attention to detail.</p>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="password-pro">
<h3>1Password Pro</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$6</span> •</li>
<li><a href="https://agilebits.com/onepassword">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/1password-pro/id319898689">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/us/app/1password-pro/id319898689?mt=8">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>If you are familiar with how 1Password works on the Mac you may be a
bit underwhelmed by the iOS version, as it doesn’t integrate with the
browser like it does on the desktop (though it does have a built-in
browser of its own). The main use of this app on iOS devices is to act
as a password protected, encrypted store for small bits of information,
like passwords to machines at work or credit card numbers, in a form
that can be synced back to a desktop machine. If all that seems
intimidating, then give this app a miss (but try the desktop version; it
will change how you work on the web and make your browsing a lot safer
if you use it correctly.)</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="1Password" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/1passwordpro.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="air-video">
<h3>Air Video</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$3</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.inmethod.com/air-video/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/air-video-watch-your-videos/id306550020">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/air-video-watch-your-videos/id306550020">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Your iOS device has a built in technology called <a href="http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/airplay.html">AirPlay</a> that
allows you to stream what’s happening on your device to a television via
an AppleTV device. AirVideo allows you to go the other direction and
stream video from your Mac to the device. Importantly, AirVideo supports
a number of video formats that aren’t supported out of the box on iOS,
like <code>.avi</code> files.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Air Video" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/air-video.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="brickpad">
<h3>BrickPad</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.kenrickdrew.com/brickpad/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/brickpad/id488619194">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/brickpad/id488619194">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Allows viewing (but not editing) of LDraw files, such as the <a href="http://divnull.com/blog/tags/mechaton/">these mechs</a>, for
example. A touch interface for editing these files would be really
great, but doesn’t seem to exist yet. Also desperately needs Dropbox integration.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="BrickPad" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/brickpad.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="comics">
<h3>Comics</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.inmethod.com/air-video/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/comics/id303491945">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/comics/id303491945">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>As people try to figure out the business of digital comics, a lot of
different “comic store” apps have been created. It is likely, however,
that this one will “win”, because it is the only app that allows you to
buy comics from both Marvel and <span class="caps">DC</span> (as well as others). While the app is
free, comics need to be purchased. On the up side any purchases made can
also be read in a web browser at <a href="https://comics.comixology.com/">comiXology</a>.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Comics" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/comics.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="death-rally">
<h3>Death Rally</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$1</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://death-rally.blogspot.com/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/death-rally/id422020153">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/death-rally/id422020153">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Yes, you can use your iPad for reading and education and science. But
you can also use it to drive virtual cars with missiles or machineguns
mounted on them, in a race to the death! This is a retooling of a
“classic” <span class="caps">PC</span> game. More fun than it probably aught to be.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Death Rally" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/death-rally.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="the-dicenomicon">
<h3>The Dicenomicon</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$5</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.gandreas.com/iphone/dicenomicon/">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/the-dicenomicon/id288286599">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/the-dicenomicon/id288286599">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>There are a number of dice rolling apps out there, but this seems to
be the only that is more than a toy. Though it is expensive for what it
does, it does it well. It supports some of the more esoteric rolling
schemes out there (dice pools, Exalted’s rule of 10, <span class="caps">FUDGE</span> dice, etc)
and supports a high degree of customization (including some limited programability).</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="The Dicenomicon" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/dicenomicon.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="droptext">
<h3>DropText</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$1</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.invisionsta.com/#/content/apps.html">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/droptext-a-text-editor-for/id371880635">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/droptext-a-text-editor-for/id371880635">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>DropText lets you edit text files in your <a href="http://db.tt/0PgflsYf">Dropbox</a> (see Services, below). It will
not set the world on fire, but is simple, clean and inexpensive. It also
knows about various types of syntax highlighting, so you can touch-up
code in a bunch of different languages if you like.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="DropText" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/droptext.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="flighttrackpro">
<h3>FlightTrackPro</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$10</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.mobiata.com/apps/flighttrackpro-iphone">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/id302325893">apple web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id302325893">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Don’t fly without this, or its less-able-but-cheaper sibling <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id296240199">FlightTrack</a>. This
app routinely gives me better information about a flight I’m waiting for
than is available sitting at the gate. It also integrates with <a href="http://www.tripit.com/">TripIt</a>, which provides a really easy
way to get your flight information into the app.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="FlightTrackPro" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/flighttrackpro.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="harmonious">
<h3>Harmonious</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.angryrobotzombie.com/work/harmonious">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/harmonious./id363375481">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/harmonious./id363375481">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Though more of a toy, people have created some <a href="http://harmoniousapp.com/popular">interesting art</a> with this
procedural drawing application. Always fund to see math wielded as art.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Harmonious" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/harmonious.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="imdb">
<h3>IMDb</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.imdb.com/apps/ipad/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/imdb-movies-tv/id342792525">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/imdb-movies-tv/id342792525">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Provides a dedicated interface for the <a href="http://imdb.com/">Internet Movie Database</a>, far superior to the
experience on the browser.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="IMDb" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/imdb.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="indigo-touch">
<h3>Indigo Touch</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.perceptiveautomation.com/indigo/touch.html">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/indigo-touch/id305247971">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/indigo-touch/id305247971">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>If you use a <a href="http://www.machomestore.com/catalog/">Mac to
automate your home</a>, you are probably using a bunch of <a href="http://www.insteon.net/"><span class="caps">INSTEON</span></a> devices and <a href="http://www.perceptiveautomation.com/indigo/">Indigo</a> software
to control them. This app links to your Indgio software, allowing you to
control your home from your iOS device, via your wifi connection. (It
also supports using <a href="http://goprism.com/">Prism</a> to function
from anywhere on the net, if you choose.)</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Indigo Touch" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/indigo-touch.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="mobilefamilytree-pro">
<h3>MobileFamilyTree Pro</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$15</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.syniumsoftware.com/mobilefamilytree/">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/mobilefamilytree-pro/id442373966">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/mobilefamilytree-pro/id442373966">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>While this application is a complete genealogy application for iOS, I
use it mostly in tandem with <a href="http://www.syniumsoftware.com/macfamilytree/">MacFamilyTree</a>,
with which it syncs over wifi. Both the iOS and the Mac version are
pricey, but they have few competitors in terms of features or polish. If
you want to know what an “Apple-style <span class="caps">UI</span>” looks like for genealogy, this
is it.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Mobile Family Tree" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/mobile-family-tree.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="netflix">
<h3>Netflix</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://netflix.com/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/netflix/id363590051">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/netflix/id363590051">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>While not the best app in the world, it is still on the recommend
list for its ability to stream video. It’s queue management still leaves
quite a bit to be desired, and is better left to their web site, or
another app on this list, iQueue (see below). Still, Netflix streaming
offers a pretty large (and growing) selection, and this is one of the
easiest ways to stream video to your iOS device.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Netflix" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/netflix.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="pandora-radio">
<h3>Pandora Radio</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.pandora.com/#!/go/mobile">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/pandora-radio/id284035177">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/pandora-radio/id284035177">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Pandora provides customizable radio over the internet, using the <a href="http://www.pandora.com/corporate/mgp">Music Genome Project</a> to
gather music similar to a song or artist you specify. Free streaming
radio, unfortunately including advertising.Best over wifi, Pandora works
surprisingly well over a 3G connection, though eats through data quotas.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Pandora" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/pandora.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="pcalc">
<h3>PCalc</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$10</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.pcalc.com/iphone/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/pcalc-rpn-calculator/id284666222">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/pcalc-rpn-calculator/id284666222">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>I’ve had nothing but praise for this calculator since it was System
7-era Mac application, and the iOS version doesn’t disappoint,
especially if you like <span class="caps">RPN</span> calculators (this one goes both ways). It now
has a <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pcalc-lite-calculator/id300311831?mt=8">free
little brother</a>, but I find the added features of the Pro version
totally worth the money. If you don’t ever deal with hexadecimal, you
may not care.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="PCalc" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/pcalc.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="prompt">
<h3>Prompt</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$8</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.panic.com/blog/2011/04/introducing-prompt-ssh-for-ios/">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/prompt/id421507115">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/prompt/id421507115">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Panic, Inc. is known for making innovative, quality software with
excellent user interface and charging just slightly too much for it.
This <span class="caps">SSH</span> client fits this model perfectly. If you don’t need <span class="caps">SSH</span> on the
road (or don’t even know what that means), you don’t need this app. But
if you do, this is easily the best of the lot.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Prompt" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/prompt.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="remote">
<h3>Remote</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.apple.com/itunes/remote/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/remote/id284417350">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/remote/id284417350">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>You don’t need an <a href="http://www.apple.com/appletv/">AppleTV</a>
to use this app, but it helps. Without it, the app lets you control
iTunes on a local network (including selection of AirPlay speakers).
With the Apple <span class="caps">TV</span>, you get much better control over playback and, most
important, a decent keyboard to use when entering passwords and such.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Remote" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/remote.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="skysafari3">
<h3>SkySafari3</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$3</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.southernstars.com/products/skysafari/">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/skysafari-3/id437108143">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/skysafari-3/id437108143">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A number of apps use the compass and gyroscope in iOS devices to turn
the device into a “window” that shows you the stars in view. This seems
to be the best of them. For one, it is a universal app, which not all of
them are. And it seems a bit more streamlined to me. It also comes in
three different versions (at three different price points), which let
you pick the features you want. (I don’t need telescope control, for
example, so I stick to the cheapest one). And, face it, this type of
stuff makes a killer demo for an iPad to people that have never used one before.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="SkySafari3" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/skysafari3.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="slay">
<h3>Slay</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$4</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.windowsgames.co.uk/slay.html">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/slay/id305324342">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/slay/id305324342">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>While it lacks snappy (or even modern) graphics and uses only a few
simple rules, this turn-based strategy game is fiendishly good, and gets
devilishly difficult, with really good <span class="caps">AI</span>. About the only thing that
would make this game better is multi-player support.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Slay" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/slay.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="sportstap">
<h3>SportsTap</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://sportstap.mobi/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/sportstap/id284930451">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/sportstap/id284930451">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>As I am not a massive sports junky, this app is the only sports
related app I use, mostly to view scores and stats for tennis and the
<span class="caps">NFL</span>, but it covers many other sports as well. I suspect that for true,
die-hard fanatics, this app just scratches the surface.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="SportsTap" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/sportstap.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="spyglass">
<h3>Spyglass</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$4</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://happymagenta.com/spyglass/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/spyglass-ar-compass-rangefinder/id332639548">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/spyglass-ar-compass-rangefinder/id332639548">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>This “augmented reality navigator” is a bit gimmicky, but sure looks
cool. It places a “heads-up display” over a live feed from the device’s
camera, showing a compass, <span class="caps">GPS</span> data, sextant, angle calculator, and a
rangefinder. Your device has an array of sensors of various kinds, and
this app displays the state of them all. It’s also extremely customizable.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Spyglass" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/spyglass.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="temple-run">
<h3>Temple Run</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.imangistudios.com/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/temple-run/id420009108">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/temple-run/id420009108">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A simple concept, brilliantly executed and instantly explained in the
first 30 seconds of play. You run, jump and side to evade the ape-beasts
that endlessly nip at your heels. This is also a coin-gathering game
(with associated pay-to-buy-more-coins idiocy), but buying coins is not required.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Temple Run" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/temple-run.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="tivo">
<h3>TiVo</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.tivo.com/mytivo/product-features/stay-connected/">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/tivo/id401673976">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/tivo/id401673976">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>If you use a <a href="http://www.tivo.com/what-is-tivo/tivo-is/">TiVo</a>, just try this
app. You may no longer need your remote. Searching for shows and
scheduling recordings are much, much easier using this app than TiVo’s
on-screen interface. Like the Remote app, one very useful feature is the
ability to use the iOS device as a keyboard (to enter, say, your Netflix password).</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="TiVo" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/tivo.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="yummy-browser">
<h3>Yummy Browser</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.yummyapp.com/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/yummy-browser-delicious.com/id304441141">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/yummy-browser-delicious.com/id304441141">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Since the free app I have been using to view <a href="http://delicious.com/wordmanward">my bookmarks</a> on <a href="http://delicious.com/">delicious</a> no longer is available, I had
to find a new one. You’d think there would be a number of universal apps
that support delicious, but this appears to be the only one. It also
supports <a href="http://pinboard.in/">Pinboard</a> and seems
serviceable. If you need to <em>add</em> bookmarks on your iOS device,
the $2 full version of Yummy should do the trick. (Note that this app <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/wandlesoftware/status/155195499228561408">may
not be available</a> on the <em><span class="caps">U.S.</span></em> Apple store, so the links
above go to the Canadian one.)</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Yummy Browser" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/yummy-browser.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="zagat">
<h3>Zagat</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$10</span> •</li>
<li><a href="">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/zagat/id296428490">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/zagat/id296428490">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>This app makes good use of location services to limit searches for
restaurants to certain distances from your present location. It also
works off-line, containing the Zagats database within the app. It has a
gimmicky augmented reality view of restaurants within sight of your
camera, and can make reservations in major cities (via <a href="http://www.opentable.com/">OpenTable</a>). I have basically
stopped buying Zagat books and use this app instead.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Zagat" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/2011/12/zagat.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="zinio">
<h3>Zinio</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/zinio/id364297166">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/zinio/id364297166">app
store</a>{?mt=“8”“”}</li>
</ul>
<p>Magazines are still trying to figure out how to best use iOS devices
and you will run into a lot of attempts in the app store. This is the
one I think will succeed. What I like most about it is that it collects
magazines into a single interface, rather than having to manage one app
per magazine (though Apple’s new <a href="http://www.apple.com/ipad/built-in-apps/newsstand.html">Newsstand</a>
feature may clean this up). It also has titles I actually care about,
such as <cite><a href="http://www.economist.com/">The
Economist</a></cite> and <cite><a href="http://www.imaginefx.com/">ImagineFX</a></cite>. One thing I hate:
this and other magazine apps all use closed file formats. I’d be a more
enthusiastic digital magazine buyer if this were not the case.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Zinio" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/zinio.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<section class="appsection" id="sibling-apps">
<h2>Sibling apps</h2>
<p>Some applications are available for both the iPhone and the iPad, but
as two separate applications, one for each platform. I call these
“sibling” apps, and find them irritating. When a developer chooses to
release sibling apps, it usually means that they are a) too lazy to
figure out how to build a proper universal app or b) greedy. In any
case, some of these are good enough to recommend, though usually only
for one platform or another. In this section, links will lead to the
iPad version unless the iPhone version is particularly recommended.
Usually the page to which they lead will contain a link to the other version.</p>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="accuweather">
<h3>AccuWeather</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.accuweather.com/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/accuweather-free-for-ipad/id364616869">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/accuweather-free-for-ipad/id364616869">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Of the metric ton of weather applications on iOS, this is the
only<br/>
one that remains on my devices, mostly because of good looks, decent
feature set and costing nothing.<br/>
You may care differently about the weather than I do, though, so shop around.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="AccuWeather" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/accuweather.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="bloomberg">
<h3>Bloomberg</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/bloomberg-for-ipad/id364304764">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/bloomberg-for-ipad/id364304764">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>One of the earliest financial news/ticker apps for iOS, I’ve stuck
with this app mostly because it covers futures, bonds and currency
markets as “first class citizens” while others tend to focus on stock
markets, with maybe some add-on pages for other markets if you are
lucky. (That said, if <a href="http://finviz.com/">finviz</a> ever makes
an iPad app, I’d probably convert to it immediately.)</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Bloomberg" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/bloomberg.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="brushes">
<h3>Brushes</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$8</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.brushesapp.com/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app//id363590649">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app//id363590649">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Last I looked, there were a number of strong apps—based around
painting with your fingers—engaged in a feature-escalation war. In the
occasional “shoot-outs” comparing them, this one often comes out on top,
though it depends on the focus and what versions were compared. Sadly,
it doesn’t come with painting talent.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Brushes" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/brushes.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="catan">
<h3>Catan</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$5</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.usmiphone.de/catan_en.html">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/catan-hd/id390422167">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/catan-hd/id390422167">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A faithful (and official) port of the board game <a href="http://www.catan.com/">Settlers of Catan</a>, a resource
management/trading strategy game, to iOS devices. Alas, it does not
reproduce the <a href="http://www.brothers-brick.com/2011/02/24/lego-catan/"><span class="caps">LEGO</span> version
of the board</a>.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Catan" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/catan.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="civilization-revolution">
<h3>Civilization: Revolution</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$10</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.civilizationrevolution.com/ipad/">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/civilization-revolution-for/id364150646">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/civilization-revolution-for/id364150646">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>I’ve been known to play <a href="/2009/09/civilization-revolution-on-deity">a game or two</a> of
Civilization. This version started life as a console game, so is greatly
simplified from the main line of Civilization games. This simplification
and <span class="caps">UI</span> serves the iPad very well, though, making games a bit quicker
(just one more turn!) and not as micromanaged.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Civilization: Revolution" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/civrev.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="comicbooklover">
<h3>ComicBookLover</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.bitcartel.com/comicbooklover/">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/comicbooklover-for-ipad/id376383314">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/comicbooklover-for-ipad/id376383314">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>The Comics app mentioned above is great for reading comics available
in their store, but not so much for other comics, such as those in
<code>.cbz</code> or <code>.cbr</code> formats that you might find in
the darker corners of the internet. This application (and its companion
Mac app) can handle this type of file better than most.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="ComicBookLover" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/comicbooklover.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="ebay">
<h3>eBay</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://mobile.ebay.com/iphone/ebay">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/ebay/id282614216">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/ebay/id282614216">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Although the iPad version has a better interface, the iPhone version
is more useful, if only because you are more likely to have your phone
with you when some auction randomly ends. Both version offer
surprisingly effective browsing and bidding, however.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="eBay" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/ebay.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="galactica">
<h3>Galactica</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$2</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.thumbspark.com/galacticahd/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/galactica-hd/id381509490">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/galactica-hd/id381509490">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>This badly-named app is a great demo app for the touch interface.
Even though there isn’t much to it, you can mess with it for for quite a
while. Sort of soothing.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="galactica" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/galactica.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="geared">
<h3>Geared</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$3</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://bryandev.com/blog/?cat=3">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/geared-for-ipad/id368624362">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/geared-for-ipad/id368624362">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>This puzzle game is sort of hard to explain, but easy to demonstrate.
The idea is to use a small selection of gears to connect a spinning
source gear to one or more target gears. This sounds absolutely dreadful
when put like that, but it is more fun that it sounds.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Geared" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/geared.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="goodreader">
<h3>GoodReader</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$5</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.goodreader.net/goodreader.html">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/goodreader-for-ipad/id363448914">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/goodreader-for-ipad/id363448914">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>This app is the reason to own an iPad, as far as I’m concerned, but I
read a lot of <span class="caps">PDF</span> files (mostly role-playing games). It can handle a
number of other file types as well, such as Microsoft Office documents,
really high resolution images (e.g. maps), <span class="caps">HTML</span> archives and so on. It
can pull files from many sources, including Dropbox.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="GoodReader" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/goodreader.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="master-of-alchemy">
<h3>Master of Alchemy</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$3</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.chillingo.com/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/master-of-alchemy-hd/id373513573">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/master-of-alchemy-hd/id373513573">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>In this puzzle game, you direct droplets of liquid onto targets using
various kinds of parts to build <a href="http://www.rubegoldberg.com/">Rube Goldberg</a>-like contraptions.
While similar to games that have gone down this trail before, like
<cite><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Incredible_Machine_(series)">The
Incredible Machine</a></cite> or <cite><a href="http://www.pangeasoft.net/enigmo/info.html">Enigmo</a></cite>
(both of which are also in the app store), this app offers a bit more
polish and punch (and maybe a bit more difficulty as well).</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Master of Alchemy" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/master-of-alchemy.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="opentable">
<h3>OpenTable</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.opentable.com/page.aspx?pageid=4&ref=5920">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/opentable-for-ipad/id375864276">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/opentable-for-ipad/id375864276">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Quite a few apps in the app store exist solely to get you to sign up
to their website service. This is the only one that actually worked on
me. <a href="http://www.opentable.com/">OpenTable</a> is a useful and
easy way to find open times at big-city restaurants, and this app makes
it even easier.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="OpenTable" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/opentable.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="osmos">
<h3>Osmos</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$5</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.hemispheregames.com/osmos/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/osmos-for-ipad/id379323382">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/osmos-for-ipad/id379323382">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>The ambient music, graphical details, unusual pacing and novel
premise of this game provide a mesmerizing experience and a strange sort
of serenity, especially on airplanes, using headphones.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Osmos" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/osmos.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="shazam">
<h3>Shazam</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.shazam.com/music/web/ipad.html">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/shazam-for-ipad/id364305715">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/shazam-for-ipad/id364305715">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p><span class="cost">Free</span> •When <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarke's_three_laws">Arthur C.
Clarke</a> said that sufficiently advanced technology is
indistinguishable from magic, this app is what he meant. If a song is
playing somewhere nearby (restaurant speakers, car radio, tv, etc.) you
hit a button to sample several seconds of the song, and the app will
tell you which song it is.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Shazam" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/shazam.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="sketchbook-pro">
<h3>Sketchbook Pro</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$5</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://m.autodesk.com/mobile/servlet/product?siteID=17221380&id=17425818">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/sketchbook-pro-for-ipad/id364253478">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/sketchbook-pro-for-ipad/id364253478">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Another painting application, which may or may not be better for you
than Brushes. Note that several versions of this application exist, at
differing feature/price points, so you might find the free version adequate.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Sketchbook Pro" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/sketchbook-pro.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="spider-bryce-manor">
<h3>Spider: Bryce Manor</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$3</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.tigerstylegames.com/Spider/tsobmhd/index.html">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/spider-bryce-manor-hd/id380867886">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/spider-bryce-manor-hd/id380867886">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>An odd little game where you move a spider through a manor house,
spinning webs and eating bugs as you go. This game is entertaining while
it lasts, but is a bit too short. Still, you’ve probably never seen a
game like this before and it makes good use of the touch interface.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Spider" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/spider.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="vlc-remote">
<h3><span class="caps">VLC</span> Remote</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$3</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://hobbyistsoftware.com/VLC-more">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/vlc-remote-for-ipad/id364705355">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/vlc-remote-for-ipad/id364705355">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>This won’t be useful for everyone, but if you have your computer set
up to display video on a <span class="caps">TV</span>, or use your monitor like a <span class="caps">TV</span>, this lets
you control one of the more versatile video playback applications, <a href="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/"><span class="caps">VLC</span></a> (which can play tons of
video formats), from across the room on your iOS device. There is a free
version of this app, but it is pretty limited. Three bucks buys you
better control, on device file browsing and so on.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="VLC Remote" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/vlc-remote.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
</section>
<div class="appsection">
<h2 id="ipad-only-apps">iPad only apps</h2>
<p>These apps are created specifically for the iPad, usually because
what they do wouldn’t easily fit on the smaller screen of the iPhone.</p>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="circus-ponies-notebook">
<h3>Circus Ponies Notebook</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$30</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.circusponies.com/notebook-ipad/take-great-notes">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/circus-ponies-notebook/id405636065">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/circus-ponies-notebook/id405636065">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p><span class="caps">OK</span>, this app isn’t worth thirty bucks, even if you are a serious
note-taker; however, if you ever see it on sale, you might think about
it. It allows you to produce “notebooks” where each page can be
different. Maybe one page is graph paper with a drawing on it, another
is an outline, another is a todo list and so on. Various ways (including
Dropbox) of syncing these notebooks to the (also expensive) <a href="http://www.circusponies.com/notebook/take-great-notes">Mac
version</a>. Can also be used to annotate and draw on <span class="caps">PDF</span> files.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Circus Ponies Notebook" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/circus-ponies-notebook.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="friendly-plus">
<h3>Friendly Plus</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$1</span> •</li>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/getfriendly">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/friendly-plus-for-facebook/id382011064">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/friendly-plus-for-facebook/id382011064">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>This Facebook client recommendation comes with a caveat (so you might
want to try the ad-supported free version before buying): the quality of
this app seems to decrease with each revision. Much of that is no doubt
due to Facebook changing their APIs all the time (which tends to make
features that used to work stop working or disappear entirely), but some
of it is on the developer, too. In any case, for the small amount I use
Facebook, this provides a better iPad experience than the web <span class="caps">UI</span>.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Friendly" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/friendly.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="idraw">
<h3>iDraw</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$9</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.indeeo.com/idraw/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/idraw/id363317633">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/idraw/id363317633">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Easily the best vector drawing (where you make drawings with editable
shapes rather than “paint”) on the iPad, especially since it now
supports import/export of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scalable_Vector_Graphics">.svg</a>
files. I haven’t used the Mac version of the app, but it also seems nice.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="iDraw" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/idraw.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="galcon-fusion">
<h3>Galcon Fusion</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$5</span> •</li>
<li><a href="">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/">apple web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A collection of “conquer the galaxy” type games using swarms of
little ships. Useful for quick breaks, as each game usually takes under
three minutes, so you need to make quick tactical choices. Contains a
bunch of single-player variations and supports multi-player games online.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Galcon Fusion" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/galcon-fusion.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="small-world">
<h3>Small World</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$7</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.daysofwonder.com/en/thread/?frm_id=70">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/small-world-for-ipad/id364165557">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/small-world-for-ipad/id364165557">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A great port of the <a href="http://www.daysofwonder.com/smallworld/en/">board game</a> of the
same name. It’s only flaw is that it doesn’t do a very good job of
teaching you to play. It tells you how to work the various bits, but not
<em>why</em>. Look to a site like <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/">Board Game Geek</a> for <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/62246/strategy-tips-for-smallworld-races-special-powers">tips
and strategy</a>. Some of the expansions are available as in-app
purchases, but the game plays just fine without them.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Small World" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/small-world.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<section class="appsection" id="iphone-only-apps">
<h2>iPhone only apps</h2>
<p>These apps are built specifically for the iPhone and iPod Touch. They
will run on the iPad, but only in a reduced sized “window” (which can be
made horribly twice as large), making the experience so bad that it
usually isn’t worth doing. Unlike the iPad-only apps, the reason for
these applications being iPhone-only is usually boils down to one of the following:</p>
<ol type="1">
<li>The developer is too lazy to make a universal app properly.</li>
<li>The developer lacks access to an iPad for testing.</li>
<li>The app offers a custom interface to a web site, and the developer
thinks iPad users would be better off just<br/>
using the web site directly.</li>
<li>The app specifically requires features of a phone.</li>
<li>The app was written before the iPad existed, and hasn’t been updated since.</li>
</ol>
<p>None of these are particularly <em>good</em> reasons, but that seems
to be how it works. I miss some of these apps on the iPad more than others.</p>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="accufuel">
<h3>AccuFuel</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$1</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.appigo.com/accufuel/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/">apple web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/accufuel/id282769257">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Tracks fuel consumption and cost for multiple vehicles. Having used
this app for a long time, it is possible that competitors have since
surpassed it, but at the time I started using it, it was the best of the bunch.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="AccuFuel" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/accufuel.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="chemical-touch">
<h3>Chemical Touch</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$1</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://openscience.org/~chrisfen/Pages/Programs/theChemicalTouch.html">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/the-chemical-touch/id288060442">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/the-chemical-touch/id288060442">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>If you have a pathological need for a detailed periodic table of
elements on every smartphone you have ever owned (and who doesn’t), this
is the app for you. Simple, fast, good-looking and full of information.
There is also a free version without as much data.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Chemical Touch" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/chemical-touch.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="iqueue">
<h3>iQueue</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$1</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://elaydin.wordpress.com/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/iqueue-netflix-queue-manager/id371411332">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/iqueue-netflix-queue-manager/id371411332">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A companion app to the Netflix application. This one allows you to
manage your queue, search for new movies and so on. It will also launch
the netflix app to stream a selection from your queue. Could use some
work (it doesn’t handle steaming of <span class="caps">TV</span> series correctly, for example),
but servicable.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="iQueue" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/iqueue.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="life-balance">
<h3>Life Balance</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$5</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.llamagraphics.com/LB/iphone/info.php">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/life-balance/id294042606">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/life-balance/id294042606">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Life Balance is an unusual task manager which syncs via wifi to its
<a href="http://www.llamagraphics.com/products">desktop counterpart</a>.
On the surface, the app looks like a ToDo manager, which it is, but it
has mechanisms that help you spread your efforts across tasks and
preventing things from getting lost in the shuffle. Takes some getting
used to. Their web site explains it better.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Life Balance" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/life-balance.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="lock-n-roll-2-pro">
<h3>Lock ’N’ Roll 2 Pro</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$1</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://canned-bananas.com/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/lock-n-roll-2-pro/id342035920">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/lock-n-roll-2-pro/id342035920">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>This dice matching game improves on the already pretty good original.
Fairly easy to learn (once you read the help section), easy to play,
holds your attention for quite a lot longer than a lot of more expensive games.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Lock ’N’ Roll 2" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/lock-n-roll-2.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="producteev">
<h3>Producteev</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/producteev/id306289289">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/producteev/id306289289">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A client for the <a href="http://www.producteev.com/">Producteev</a>
cloud-based to-do management service. By sharing a single account, my
wife and I use this service for things like shopping lists, where either
of us can update a list and the other immediately sees it.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="producteev" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/producteev.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="redlaser">
<h3>RedLaser</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.redlaser.com/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/redlaser-barcode-scanner-qr/id474902001">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/redlaser-barcode-scanner-qr/id474902001">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Using your phone’s camera, you can take pictures of bar codes and
this app will look up the code and find pricing information about the
product. It can also scan the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_code">funky square bar codes</a>
you see popping up everywhere now.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="RedLaser" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/redlaser.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="solebon">
<h3>Solebon</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$2</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.solebon.com/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/solebon-solitaire/id283179414">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/solebon-solitaire/id283179414">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Provides 42 different solitaire card games in one slick little
package. Demon, Colorado and Eight Off are my favorites. If this was a
universal app, it’d be perfect. It could also avoid dealing impossible
games better, though this is easier to detect in some games than others.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Solebon" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/solebon.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="weightbot">
<h3>WeightBot</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$2</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://tapbots.com/software/weightbot/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app//id293642937">apple web
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app//id293642937">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>A simple, slick-looking weight tracking application. This was the
best of the lot when I first bought it several years ago. It’s possible
the state of the art has advanced since (the more expensive <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/a-weight-tracker-track-your/id413893920">A+
Weight Tracker</a> is universal, for example).</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="WeightBot" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/weightbot.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="white-noise">
<h3>White Noise</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$2</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.tmsoft.com/iphone-whitenoise.html">developer
site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/white-noise/id289894882">apple
web site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/app/white-noise/id289894882">app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>This application replicates (on an endless or timed loop) sounds with
high noise characteristics, like rain on a car rooftop, an oscillating
fan, waves on the beach, and so on. It can also generate the various
“colors” of noise (pink noise, brown noise, etc.) in addition to white
noise. Originally purchased to help me relax at night, this turned out
to be a <a href="http://www.happiestbaby.com/">key ingredient</a> for
getting my newborn son to go to sleep (the dish washer setting, in
particular). Once, in a Manhattan restaurant, this app brought him from
fussy and crying to asleep in about 20 seconds.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="White Noise" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/white-noise.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
</section>
<section class="appsection" id="services">
<h2>Services</h2>
<p>Some of the applications recommended above work with on-line services
of one kind or another. You don’t need to use any of these services, but
your iOS device becomes a lot more capable if you do.</p>
<p><img data-align="right" height="86" src="/images/icons/dropbox_logo_home.png" width="290"/>Since it runs on consumer devices, iOS shows
an interface a lot simpler than you’d see on a desktop or laptop. In
particular, you don’t have to worry about files and directories and an
such on iOS devices. The problem with that is that sometimes you really
<em>want</em> to worry about files, at least a little bit, on your
device. For example, want to read that <span class="caps">PDF</span> from work? How about that
eBook you found on the net? Or maybe a movie from a <span class="caps">DVD</span> you own? If you
ever need to do this, you will quickly find out that transferring files
to your device, <a href="http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/ipad_transfering_files_with_itunes/">while
possible</a>, is <a href="http://www.macworld.com/article/159805/2011/05/ipad_file_transfers.html">painful</a>.
For many of the types of files you might want to put on the device,
using a service called <strong><a href="http://db.tt/0PgflsYf">Dropbox</a></strong> eliminates (much of)
this pain. If you have more than one computer at home, you may already
be using Dropbox (and if not, look into it). Dropbox is a vaunted “cloud
service” that synchronizes files between your computers. Unlike most
such services, it is <em>extremely</em> easy to use. Once you set it up,
you’ll barely notice that it is running. The videos on their site to a
better job of explaining what it is and how it works, so check those
out. Several of the applications below are included specifically because
they can access Dropbox, so keep an eye out for them. (Note: all the
links to Dropbox in this post are referral links which will provide me
with additional space if you follow them to sign up for Dropbox,
essentially giving me a reward for advertising for them. If this bothers
you, you should enter the site using <a href="http://dropbox.com/">this
more standard link</a>.)</p>
<p><img data-align="right" height="128" src="/images/icons/apple-icloud.png" width="128"/>Apple, of course, also offers a “cloud
service” than can sync between devices: <strong>iCloud</strong>. You
have probably had to deal with it already, so I will not say a whole lot
about it. It is more tightly integrated with your iOS device than
Dropbox is, but also much more specifically targeted (e.g. address book
and calendar syncing). I used several other methods for keeping address
books and calendars synchronized before iCloud was released. They were
all horrible, often losing data like birthdays or duplicating records
<em>ad nauseum</em>. So far, iCloud syncing for this kind of data has
worked pretty well for me. You can also store and sync files in iCloud.
There may come a time where enough apps support this that Dropbox
becomes unnecessary, but that doesn’t look like it will happen any time
soon. By the way, iCloud offers a <a href="https://www.icloud.com/">web
interface</a>, which can sometimes be useful.</p>
<p><img data-align="right" height="128" src="/images/icons/wifiaccesspoint.png" width="171"/>Connecting your iOS device to the internet
involves some choices that can be slightly confusing, because there is
no one “best” answer. It depends on your device, your needs and the
quality of the options in your area. The iOS supports two different
method of data communication. One method—<strong>wifi</strong>—uses
hardware built into every iOS device. The second method—usually referred
to as <strong>3G</strong>—makes use of cellular phone technology that
<em>may</em> be in your device (all iPhones have it and you can get it
as on option on an iPad). If you have a cellular connection, you can
likely connect to the net almost anywhere, and the main question you
have is probably “what carrier to I use?” Seems like the most important
factor in making this choice is “how good is the coverage in your area”.
Since this varies, I have no single recommendation. If you
<em>don’t</em> have a cellular connection (and even if you do), you may
also be wondering about where you can find wifi “hotspots” so you can
use your device while out and about. You might have more options than
you realize. For example, if you get cable, does your cable company
offer free wifi to its subscribers in well-traveled spots? (Cablevision
<a href="http://www.optimum.net/WiFi/Learn">does this</a>, for example.)</p>
</section>
<section class="appsection" id="macintosh-applications">
<h2>Macintosh Applications</h2>
<p>A few Macintosh applications will let you get a bit more use out of
your iOS device. Some of these are also available on Windows or, if not,
likely have analogous counterparts on that platform.</p>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="calibre">
<h3>Calibre</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://calibre-ebook.com/">developer site</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Calibre provides a semi-iTunes-like interface for organizing,
converting and reading electronic books. It contains features
specifically for syncing books acquired from sources other than Apple
into the iBook application. (It can also do the same with a Kindle or
Nook.) It can convert between various formats; however, Calibre cannot
display or convert ebook files containing digital rights management
(<span class="caps">DRM</span>), though it can store and sync them to supported devices. While
Calibre is not the most well-polished application in the world, it gets
the job done, particularly if you happen to stumble upon some huge trove
of <code>.epub</code> files in some dark corner of the internet.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Calibre" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/calibre.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="delicious-library">
<h3>Delicious Library</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">$35</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.delicious-monster.com/">developer site</a> •</li>
<li><a href="macappstore://itunes.apple.com/app/delicious-library-2/id403067185">apple
app store</a></li>
</ul>
<p>For the anal-retentive in you, this tracks collections of books,
DVDs, CDs and so on, letting you scan barcodes (with your computer’s
camera or a bar-code scanner) and looking up item information for quick
data entry. It can export an iPhone version of the data, so you can
lookup stuff in your collection on the go. This has saved me from buying
duplicate books or <span class="caps">LEGO</span> sets, for example.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Delicious Library" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/library.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="handbrake">
<h3>Handbrake</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://handbrake.fr/">developer site</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Handbrake is a “video transcoder”. Technically, it can convert
various video formats to other video formats, but most people use to to
“<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ripping">rip</a>” <span class="caps">DVD</span> movies into
video files for playing on their computer. It comes with presets for
encoding to just the right format for various iOS devices. Note that
ripping media for personal use (using Handbrake or even Apple’s iTunes
to rip CDs) is a legal grey area. Current copyright law neither
prohibits nor allows it, and no body of case law yet exists. Handbrake,
however, may violate the insipid <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Millennium_Copyright_Act">Digital
Millennium Copyright Act</a> because it circumvents the (very lame)
encryption on commercial DVDs which otherwise prevents you from using
the media you paid for in a manner you like. This law applies only to
the <em>manufacture and distribution</em> of circumvention tools,
however, not their use for non-infringing purposes.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="Handbrake" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/handbrake.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="application">
<div class="wrapapp">
<section class="appdesc" id="iexplorer">
<h3>iExplorer</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="cost">Free</span> •</li>
<li><a href="http://www.macroplant.com/iexplorer/">developer site</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Your iOS device is, among other things, a storage device. This
application allows you to mount that storage and browse the files
contained within. This lets you copy, delete and rename files from the
main storage area of the device. Note that this does <em>not</em> give
you access to the real directory root of the device (which contains the
<span class="caps">OS</span> and such), though, if your device has been “jailbroken”, it can do
so. You still get a lot of power without jailbreaking.</p>
</section>
</div>
<div class="appicon">
<p><img alt="iExplorer" data-border="0" height="128" src="/images/icons/iexplorer.png" width="128"/><br/>
</p>
</div>
</div>
</section>
</div>
</div>The unequal spaceship2011-10-26T17:50:00-04:002011-10-26T17:50:00-04:00wordmantag:asteroid.divnull.com,2011-10-26:/2011/10/the-unequal-spaceship<p>Imagine you are a member of an alien race that lives on a big
arcology ship. The million of you on the ship mostly have jobs, and earn
quatloos in exchange for work. Your society is divided into castes,
depending on how many quatloos you earn. Most people are “betas …</p><p>Imagine you are a member of an alien race that lives on a big
arcology ship. The million of you on the ship mostly have jobs, and earn
quatloos in exchange for work. Your society is divided into castes,
depending on how many quatloos you earn. Most people are “betas”, and
they live throughout the ship, some parts better than others. The top
10% of the earners, however, are “alphas”, and live in a special,
luxurious compound within the ship. Since the alphas, even though a
small portion of the population (100,000 out of the million), control
half of the quatloos, they live really well.</p>
<p>One day, the ship-wide newscasts show you something odd. A small, but
vocal portion of the alphas are protesting about income inequality. You
watch the story, figuring they will talk about the big divide between
the alphas and the betas, but they don’t. Instead, they are complaining
that 1% of the <em>other alphas</em> control too large a portion of the
<em>collected wealth of the alphas</em>. In other words, there are 1,000
“alpha primes” that have really pissed off the alphas.</p>
<p>Now, given that you are a beta, how much do you care about the plight
of the alphas?</p>
<p>Translated to our own world (via the <a href="http://globalrichlist.com/">Global Rich List</a>), if you make at
least $25,140, you’d be an alpha.</p>