One of my delightful neuroses is collecting abandoned non-functioning macs and fixing them. Last week I managed to pick up a completely dead 2010 one for $174, all parts included, just totally dead. Today I got the carcus of another for $51 (no screen, no memory, no motherboard, no glass). The carcus’ power supply …

I’ve released my first application for the macOS App Store. It’s a rebrand of a remake I did years back. I added some small new features based on requests I’ve had from users of the earlier version. A little over 8 years ago I posted Shit Talker Phoenix for Mac OS X here on dawning.ca for download. I eventually also …

After getting an Apple Watch I decided to author an app for it. I was also re-watching Star Trek DS9 for the 50th time which means I kept hearing Quark (etc) recite the hilarious and disgusting Ferengi Rules of Acquisition. So I made it an app. The process required that I also make an iOS app to deliver the Watch app …

Here’s another diary entry.. Hence this is more for me when I later do a similar project and run in to the same head-aches. But maybe this will help someone else too. After much pain updating a well-endowed development environment configured for a work project, I ran in to various annoyances getting CDT for Eclipse …

My Macintosh-hording neurosis project has equipped me with various (mostly) 2008-vintage MacBooks. I’m a particular sucker for the 17" ones. Two of them I paid $20 for, the other two were $34 and $50. Each one of them was sold for scrap as they were tested & reported as totally non-functional. I tend to take warnings …

A local eRecycler is enabling me to develop kind of a thrilling computer-hording neurosis. I’ve managed to score 4 17" MacBook Pros and 2 15" units ranging from 2006-2008 vintages and it’s cost me very little. Some of these have serious problems, no matter, I’m having fun. The 2008 Macs top-out at macOS 10.11, which is …

About a year ago I processed raw CT data I acquired of a relative of mine and generated multiple 3D models. Since it was my first ever experience with 3D modelling, it took a while, but I figured it out and ended up with an intensely awesome model. Then I turned to my 3D printer and printed off a bunch of them. …

My main personal web server became infected with some effin malware that was injected it very nearly every single .php script on the server. The injected code was basically: //###=CACHE START=### @error_reporting(E_ALL); @ini_set(“error_log”,NULL); …etc $strings = “as”; $strings .= “se”; $strings .= “rt”; $strings2 = …

The time came to upgrade my trusty MacPro3,1 to macOS Sierra. As many know, El Cap is the latest build of OS X macOS that supports this platform. How to a MacPro3,1 on Sierra is well-documented, nevertheless this blog is half just a diary that I use to re-trace my steps later. After making a backup image of my system, …

Yahoo! used to be an awesome business that had a few products I used. But I’ve noticed lately when I install certain free utility applications, Yahoo! has managed to pepper-in their own adware. Dear Yahoo!, It’s time for a major course-correction. Either die entirely or get your crap together. Tricking people in to …