December 2011
1 post
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
– RIP Hitch
November 2011
1 post
4 tags
gcc on Lion
If you’re using rvm or anything else that specifically wants gcc on Lion. Install Xcode as usual, but also do this:
Download Apple’s gcc: http://www.opensource.apple.com/tarballs/gcc/gcc-5666.3.tar.gz
Build it
http://www.opensource.apple.com/source/gcc/
From within the source directory:
mkdir -p build/obj build/dst build/sym
gnumake install RC_OS=macos RC_ARCHS="i386 x86_64"...
October 2011
3 posts
The Thresher Shark Research And Conservation... →
An article I wrote (with fellow GUE diver Nathalie Udo) about our experience with TSRCP in the Philippines has finally been published in the latest issue (12.3) of GUE’s Quest Magazine (available with GUE membership).
Points of Interest added to crashcard
Crashcard’s map view now features “Points of Interest” showing where nearby towing services, public transport, taxis, repairers, hospitals etc are. Tapping on a POI shows you the address and allows you place a call where available.
Available now on the app store
Thanks Steve.
December 2010
6 posts
1 tag
Who with the Wot now?
A little Dropbox syncing, notes app I wrote for myself is now available for everyone else.
1 tag
Australian Media's Finest Defend WikiLeaks →
To aggressively attempt to shut WikiLeaks down, to threaten to prosecute those who publish official leaks, and to pressure companies to cease doing commercial business with WikiLeaks, is a serious threat to democracy, which relies on a free and fearless press.
1 tag
Watch“Democracy without transparency is just an empty word”
1 tag
Julian Assange and Wikileaks Deserve Protection →
It is of grave concern that in recent years, we have seen countries, including our allies, invoking extra-judicial measures in the name of democracy. We must resist this trend. Extra-judicial measures do not protect democracy, they undermine it.
1 tag
Don't shoot messenger… →
In its landmark ruling in the Pentagon Papers case, the US Supreme Court said “only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government”. The swirling storm around WikiLeaks today reinforces the need to defend the right of all media to reveal the truth.
1 tag
Tumbocalypse →
No sooner had I flicked the switch moving the site than there was a 36 hour outage. The experiment persists for now, but I’ll be keeping a close eye on things.
Yesterday afternoon, during planned maintenance that was not intended to interrupt service, an issue arose that took down a critical database cluster. This brought down our entire network while our engineers worked feverishly to...
November 2010
1 post
1 tag
Safeguard with crashcard
Finally, crashcard has been released in the App Store.
Unfortunately, car accidents do happen. CRASHCARD guides you through the collection
of important information during these stressful times, granting peace of mind and
simplifying insurance claims.
July 2010
1 post
4 tags
The Thresher Shark Research & Conservation Project
In 2011 I’ll be returning to The Thresher Shark Research & Conservation Project for a six month stint as Science Officer. Helping out on an important scientific and community project with some of the greatest people I’ve had the pleasure to meet and work with.
I spent the best three months of my life there in 2009. Diving every day, researching sharks and mantas, and helping a...
June 2010
1 post
1 tag
Air Depth Crash Bug
UPDATE 2010-06-25: Air Depth 1.3.1 is available. No more crashing on iOS3.x. Thanks for your patience.
UPDATE 2010-06-24: Air Depth is currently in Review. Hopefully that means it will be available within the next day.
Version 1.3 of Air Depth contained a crash bug related to an iOS4 framework. I’ve already submitted 1.3.1 to fix the issue. 1.3 was approved in 12 hours, so I hope 1.3.1...
December 2009
1 post
1 tag
Followup on App Store Pricing and Developer...
I received a message from Apple today, in response to an earlier post of mine. I’ve reproduced it bellow:
Hello
Your assumptions on UK VAT are correct; the iTunes Store sales prices in the United Kingdom are VAT (Value Added Tax) inclusive, as are any other goods sold in the UK. This is required by law, not by Apple policy. You can refer to the government tax website www.hmrc.gov.uk...
June 2009
2 posts
1 tag
Autotest Your Rails Apps
UPDATE: I’ve noticed that autotest seems to require complete restarts for similar reasons to the rails server. If you don’t restart it, it will report a slew of false errors.
Do this:
$ sudo gem install ZenTest autotest-rails autotest-fsevent
autotest-growl redgreen
Edit ~/.autotest (create it if it doesn’t exist) and add the following:
require...
2 tags
Tar2RubyScript, RubyScript2Exe and wxRuby
Recently, I needed to write a quick proof of concept Windows app. Not wanting to install Windows on my Mac or work on the POS Windows box over there (points to shitty box), I went in search of a way to write Windows apps on OS X.
I found Tar2RubyScript, RubyScript2Exe and wxRuby which let me use Ruby, any gems I needed and creates an app with native widgets. As a final step you can...
May 2009
1 post
1 tag
On App Store Pricing and Developer Payments
UPDATE: A reply from Apple
I had a rather long and messy discussion with Garret Murray on twitter today, after he expressed some concerns regarding apparent discrepancies in App Store developer payments. I think the confusion can be put down to two issues:
Apple is less than transparent
There is a minor misunderstanding with regard to sales taxes
On Transparency
The only official word is...
April 2009
1 post
2 tags
Busy Bee
Things are busy here at the moment. Firstly, I have a new scuba diving app in progress for iPhone OS. With the back end work done and wrapped in a nice set of unit tests, I’m finishing off the interface, which requires a lot more thought than either Air Depth or Depth Gauge. Secondly, I’m working on a large rails app for a friend’s business, which is keeping me busy and hopefully...
March 2009
3 posts
1 tag
Depth Gauge Now With More Air Depth
UPDATE: Both updates are now available on the iPhone App Store.
I’ve submitted a new version of Depth Gauge to the iPhone App Store. Other than being recompiled for OS 2.x backward compatibility, this update brings an enhanced version of Air Depth’s EAD calculator. The Depth slider’s range is now tied to the MOD of the gas.
Version 1.1 of Air Depth has also been submitted....
1 tag
Backward Compatibility
A little research by Arstechnica revealed that a significant portion of the iPhone community—around 45%—have not yet upgraded to iPhone OS 2.2.1. In light of that, the next release of both Depth Gauge and Air Depth will be compatible with all versions of iPhone OS 2.x.
Get Dropbox
Just a quick note, I’ve been using a great little app called Dropbox to sync documents etc between multiple computers. It’s seamless and works on Mac OS X, Windows and Linux. If you sign up with this link we’ll both get extra free space.
February 2009
7 posts
1 tag
Finally
Air Depth and Depth Gauge 1.0.1 have finally gone live on the App Store. The biggest change is that both now share a lot of code (in preparation for Depth Gauge 1.1), however the visible changes are:
The Nitrogen slider’s visibility is controlled by a new setting: “Show Nitrogen %”.
New gas icons replace the labels to the left of each slider.
Localización española.
Depth...
1 tag
WARNING: MacFUSE, Disk for iPhone
UPDATE: I have my MBP back and working. The Logic Board was fried. I suspect this was a remarkable coincidence and I have since started using Disk for iPhone again. It is working perfectly. However, I can’t claim with any degree of certainty whether or not it had anything to do with my MBP’s sudden demise.
A friendly warning. I wanted something to mount my iPhone via the USB cable. I...
2 tags
Inconsistency Upsets Me
UPDATE: I’ve seeded new versions of each app.
So today version 1.0.1 of Depth Gauge was rejected by Apple. Why? Because it contains a disabled slider control. A control disabled on purpose and for good reason. A control included and displayed to the user for good reason.
According to the rejection letter, Depth Gauge was rejected for two reasons. Firstly, it doesn’t do what it...
1 tag
Depth Gauge and Air Depth 1.0.1 in the Pipe
UPDATED: Apple is taking a good long while to approve this update, in the meantime I’ve added Spanish localisation.
New versions of Depth Gauge and Air Depth are in the publishing queue at the iPhone App Store.
New in this version:
The Nitrogen slider’s visibility is controlled by a new setting: “Show Nitrogen %”.
When visible, the Nitrogen slider is completely...
1 tag
Depth Gauge Released
Version 1.0 of Depth Gauge, an operating depth calculator for iPhone and iPod touch, has been released.
Aimed at technical divers, Depth Gauge calculates Minimum Operating Depth, Maximum Operating Depth, and Equivalent Narcosis Depth1 for a specified breathing gas mixture and maximum partial pressure of oxygen2.
Get Depth Gauge from the iPhone App Store.
Supports both metric and imperial...
1 tag
Air Depth Released
Today marks the release of Air Depth, an equivalent air depth calculator and my first app for iPhone and iPod touch.
Aimed at divers using Nitrox gas mixes, Air Depth can be used to calculate the Equivalent Air Depth1 of your mix, allowing the use of air based tables for planning your dive.
Get Air Depth from the App Store.
Supports both metric and imperial units. ↩
Built Website
I’ve finally built a website and removed the postit! note that occupied this space for the past seven years.