NSLog();

So, for various reasons, I'm looking at developing some basic video software. Or, more likely, hiring someone to do it.

Basically, the software should:

• Play video at regular speed, slow speed, and allow for frame-by-frame stepping through.
• Play two separate videos side-by-side within the same window.
• Allow the video to be repositioned, grown, etc. in the video window to fit the full frame and/or the half frame.
• Include a few very basic drawing tools.
• Include the ability to narrate (capture audio).
• Be able to export to a new video file with all of the above.

In other words, I want to create a Mac version of V1. V1 sells for about $800 but is buggy as shit and can't even rotate a video 90°. Yeah - it's that terrible.

But they've got the market somewhat cornered.

A partner and I would like to work with someone on a Mac version (with a Windows version well down the road) of a simple program that does what it needs to do. I can envision two versions: a "Student" and a "Teacher" edition, selling at perhaps $49 and $299.

Is anyone interested?

Here's the route my copy of Aperture 3 has (and perhaps will) take. It's unlikely given the times that any of this was flight:

View Larger Map

2/9/2010  10:35 PM - Jonestown, PA (PICK UP)
2/9/2010  10:46 PM - Rutherford, NJ (ARRIVAL ORIGIN DHL GLOBAL MAIL FACILITY)
2/10/2010 12:00 AM - Rutherford, NJ (PROCESSED)
2/10/2010 09:26 AM - Rutherford, NJ (DEPARTURE ORIGIN DHL GLOBAL MAIL FACILITY)
2/12/2010 03:52 AM - Hebron, KY (ARRIVAL DESTINATION DHL GLOBAL MAIL FACILITY)
2/12/2010 06:18 AM - Hebron, KY (TENDERED TO USPS)
2/12/2010 10:02 PM - Warrendale, PA (Shipment Accepted)

Now I'm sure DHL and the USPS know what they're doing, but on the face of it, I'm inclined to think "WTF"?

At any rate, here's to hoping I get my copy of Aperture 3 by tomorrow. But seeing as how it just arrived in Warrendale 45 minutes ago, I wonder if that's unlikely.

P.S. I chose the free, standard shipping option because, in the past, the little things I've ordered from Apple like this have shipped directly from Cincinnati or something, and I've had the items within a day or two. Not so this time.

I asked a similar question back in 2006, but here goes:

FWIW, I considered the first two options, but finally went with the second because I plan to watch a little hockey.

Monday I'm going to be a part of roughly two product launches. One - DSLRU - will launch in the form of a semi-public beta.

The other is one I've worked on with golf instructor Dave Wedzik here in Erie. It's a product I'd wanted to build several years ago, and which had always sort of remained in the back of my mind, but Dave mentioned the idea late in the fall of 2009 and I've pushed hard for it.

The basic idea is that a golfer uploads a set of videos. An instructor critiques the swing, draws on the video, narrates, and types up some notes. Everything (the video, narration, and the notes) are posted back for the user to view, read, and "evolv" as a golfer.

We're using a service called CheddarGetter, and we may have launched a bit sooner, but we need a feature that they say they'll have ready on Monday.

More tk.

Apple released Aperture 3.0 today. I'll update this post after I have a chance to read through the full list of updates, watch some videos, and play with the demo (I've already ordered my license but that will arrive later - why can't they give me a license now?).

One thing that makes me somewhat concerned: that Apple seems to view Aperture as an upgrade from iPhoto and is actively trying to push people that way. Simplicity is good, but I also don't necessarily need a "dumber" Aperture, so I hope that's not what we've got.

I also don't see myself using Faces or Places very much at all. But that's me, and the types of things I shoot are limited, and I tend to organize and name the albums and photos fairly simply and to remember those names, too.

Update: in no particular order, some thoughts…

NSLog(@"Finish Reading %d Words", 701); »

The clubhouse at Whispering Woods is in what might be called "rough blueprint" stage. It's sketched up, and by an architect, but things are still very much at play and there are a bunch of things to shift around.

The clubhouse will be 6500 square feet or so and will have a smallish Pro Shop, two indoor eating areas, a large outdoor eating area facing the 18th green. Downstairs golfers will find club storage, a small locker room with showers for men and women, and cart storage with separate entry/exit ramps.

I look forward to groundbreaking and the eventual opening of the clubhouse in 2011, and I know the people who work there are excited as well.

More details tk.

Carey and I watched the Super Bowl. It was on in the background while we did other things, but I was glad that Peyton choked like the girly man that he is. I think Indianapolis and Peyton (and Eli) and Tom Brady have gotten far more hype than they deserve, and frankly, I'm sick of Peyton Manning appearing in every other commercial on TV.

Peyton's got one whole Super Bowl win now. Whoopty doo.

Top five QBs in the league? Sure. Brady and Peyton belong there, but I'll still take Ben Roethlisberger every day of the week and twice on Sundays, as they say. But you had to know that… More on that here.

OK, I hadn't intended to post on QBs, so forget that. I think the commercials were - as usual - stupid again this year. Frankly, the funniest one to me might have been the Miller High Life commercial where four "local businesses" were given time.

Carey was rooting for the Saints because someone has been obnoxious - for months - about the Colts in a professional setting where they should just say nothing or keep it short. So she was delighted. She was happier than I was when Peyton threw that pick that sealed his fate.

Carey was talked into getting a "MyFrogz" case for her iPhone awhile back, and I liked it, so I picked up a yellow/black (Let's Go Pens!) recently as well. It does what I need - protects the back of the case from scratches and provides a bit of grip as well.

I used to have a leather DLO hip holster, but the leather wore through the metal belt clip and I didn't replace it because, most of the time, the iPhone was out of the case anyway and unprotected.

Carey and I also have an anti-glare plastic sticky thing (screen cover?) on our iPhones. It's a weird feeling at first, but it virtually eliminates glare AND fingerprints, and the feeling is better than sliding across the glass itself. They're only $12 or so for three ((Ha ha, I wonder how much that'll cost for an iPad cover - I'd probably buy one at $20.)), and I consider them a great buy.

What cases (and/or screen covers) have y'all bought for your iPhone?

Goodness gracious. Or whatever that phrase is.

Spam is not a huge deal for me. I only get 50 or so a day (and most of those come through servers I don't control and thus don't have SpamAssassin on). Hundreds or thousands of emails are blocked and deleted at my server(s) every day.

But sometimes, for curiosity's sake, I hop into my Junk mail folder and look at some of the messages.

WHO CLICKS ON THIS SHIT?!?! STOP DOING IT!!!!

If nobody clicked on spam and bought Viagra or tried to make their penises larger or whatever people are selling these days, nobody would get spam anymore.

It's almost like a kid can stop another kid from bullying him: he either beats the crap out of the other kid or he doesn't react. The latter option works wonders - just ignore the spam, don't click it, and they'll go away.

What percentage of people out there click on these things? 10%? 50%? I'm curious, because whatever percent it is, they're really mucking it up for the rest of the world.

The wife and I have decided that we'd like to buy a recliner. Currently, I sit on the couch and Carey sits on the love seat for reading. I'll slide down and sit on the floor to use my computer, or use the couch table lamps for reading. She'll do everything on the love seat.

We'd like to add a recliner. I imagine I'll be using it primarily and Carey will move over to the couch on occasion. We'd like something that's incredibly comfortable - particularly for reading.

I've read some articles (like this one and ).

Budget is $600 to $1000 (fairly firm at the top of course). The couch and love seat are a microfiber/faux suede, and neither of us are dead set on any particular fabric or finish except that we're pretty sure we don't want vinyl. The recliner won't go against a wall and there's room behind it, so we don't need a wall-saver type. A rocker type that spins might be nice, and I think we'll want a footrest included so we don't have an ottoman.

It'll be a little while before we really get into it, but if you have any opinions or insight, please share.

I have the latest version of Adobe Photoshop. I have the latest version of Mac OS X. And yet I can't copy and paste an image with transparency into Photoshop.

I often come across this problem after I "copy image" from Safari or when I hold down the control key when taking a screenshot to put the image on the clipboard.

Pasting into Photoshop turns this image:

Into this pile of garbage:

The only way around this is to take an actual screenshot and open the actual PNG file in Photoshop.

This bug has existed for quite some time - perhaps since 10.6 - and unfortunately I've yet to see anyone talking about fixing it. Is Adobe even aware of the issue? They should be. Searches reveal plenty of others complaining about it.

The only reason the last choice even exists is so that I could choose it. 😛

You see, I hadn't planned to buy an iPad because, frankly, I had absolutely no need for it. None. I'm quite content to use my iPhone, laptop, and desktop and don't feel inconvenienced or put out in doing so, so I won't "invent" a need.

But Brad's going to buy me an iPad because we're going to release Cyndicate 2.0 for the Mac with syncing support for an iPad version of Cyndicate. Reading feeds on the iPad would be nice.

And since a good portion of what I do at night is to read some web articles I couldn't read during the day and to cruise the forum, an iPad with Cyndicate, the built-in Safari, and Tapatalk ((Though the larger screen and the built-in Safari may render Tapatalk pointless…)), perhaps I'll find myself using the iPad for more than development, bug testing, and feature suggestions.

I still hope magazines comes out, though, and in a big way. I want to stop getting paper magazines in the mail.

As I just said on mailing list: Magazines could be the "killer app" for the iPad. I'd buy one if that's all it did. I'm not buying one now.

Me, earlier today. But hey, I've been saying the same thing for a whole week now. 🙂

There's also this and my friend Don's take on it.

I launched Adobe Photoshop and was told - for the umpteenth time in the past few weeks - that Adobe Updater wanted to update Adobe Reader.

Instead, I deleted everything with "adobe" and "reader" in the filename. Let's see what problems that causes…

It's truly horrifying how accurate this is.