Justin’s blog

I finally got a new desktop to replace my old one!

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp;jsessionid=307CDD2D8F6DBC0CA920E9460907EDF4.bbolsp-app03-34?skuId=9366599&type=product&id=1218092152723

A short list of the specs:

2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Quad

6GB RAM

750GB HDD

nVidia G100 512MB

CD/DVD-RW-DL drive

802.11n wireless card

It came with Home Premium x64, but as anyone should do after getting a new PC, the first thing I did was wipe it out. And since I have all those Technets from awhile back, I obviously chose to install Ultimate.

Anyway, I’m really enjoying my new PC, and it was a pain to take time from my heavy VM-ming and multitasking on it to write this.

Today marks the release of the iPhone OS 3.0 Software Update. As most people already know, iPhone users get it for free while we iPod Touch users are forced to pay for it. I find this extremely unfair, and I refuse to support such nonsense. Besides, the iPod Touch costs more than the iPhone anyway.

No one should be forced to pay $10 for something iPhone users get for free. So I present these download links for the iPod Touch 2G and the original iPod Touch.

iPod Touch 2G: http://justindaigle.com/files/iPod2,1_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw

iPod Touch 1G: http://justindaigle.com/files/iPod1,1_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw

How to use:

1. Download the IPSW file to your computer by copying the link above (that corresponds to your iPod Touch model) into your browser’s address bar.

2. Open iTunes and connect your iPod Touch to your computer.

3. Shift+click (Or Ctrl+Click, I forget which, and I think it’s different between Mac and PC) either the update or restore button, depending on whether you want to do an update or a clean install. You should now see a window asking you to browse for a firmware file. Select and open the one you downloaded.

4. Wait for the update/restore to complete.

5. Enjoy your new 3.0 firmware!

Please don’t let Apple trick you into buying this update. Even if you have the money for it. What they are doing is wrong, and we must show them we won’t let them rip us iPod Touch users off like this.

Edit: iPod Touch 1G link up.

Edit (again): Seems Apple has pulled the links. I will personally host the IPSW files to make sure this doesn’t happen again. I had the 2G one up already in case this should happen, and I’m in the process of getting the 1G file and will have it up by midnight, Central time. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Edit again (again): iPod Touch 1G link up again. Sorry it’s so late. I got caught up with a bunch of crap.

After some thought, I’ve decided to unsuspend eS development. Mainly because I really have nothing else to do and I don’t want to spend all summer sitting around bored. That is… eS development is unsuspended if I can keep from screwing it up. Apparently, the Visual Studio 2010 beta has something against my code, and it broke the project. Fortunately, I have backups, and eS RC1 should be coming shortly. I apologize for any inconvenience caused by the expired Beta 2 build. Expect RC1 within a week.

Due to some circumstances in my personal life, I’m sad to announce the indefinite suspension of development of the echoShell project. Depending on how things go, I may never release eS. I’m sorry for any inconvenience. If you’re using eS as your default shell, you may want to consider it expires soon. As I was using an unreleased release candidate build, I don’t remember the exact expiration date of the Beta 2 build. Since I was the only coder on the project, there is no one else to continue it at this point.
And yes, I know. I’ve said in the past that personal circumstances should never interfere with things like this. It turns out I was wrong, so consider this my apology to anyone who I’ve said this to as well.

Edit: Forgot to mention, this ONLY affects echoShell. JDC will remain up and running, and I’ll remain a root admin at TS.

I’ve gotten my hands on the Office 2010 Developer Preview that leaked today, and I’m pleased to be one of the first to post screenshots of it.

I find the new user interface changes to be quite sexy. Comment on your opinion on the changes. Tried it? Tell us what you think of your experience!

Anyway, I’m not actually writing a review. Nor am I embedding my screenshots. Far too many. So I now present, for your viewing pleasure, 70 screenshots of the leaked Office 2010 Developer Preview!

http://justindaigle.com/browsableresources/office2010screen/

Maybe I’ll embed just one… the new splash screen’s sexy.

JDC v6 features a new Joomla site, using the RedEvo Aphelion theme, and the Pixeled theme for Wordpress on my blog.
The logo was made using a Photoshop tutorial for making the PS CS4 logo.

I decided July’s too far away to release v6, server move or no server move. Sure I’ll be breaking tradition, but when I moved to this server all that came was a broken version of v5 anyway.
Anyway, I decided the release will instead be on Monday!

It’s been what… four months since I’ve last mentioned v6?

I can now say I have more final plans for v6, and it’ll bring all sorts of interesting stuff

Among those things will most likely be the RTM release of echoShell!

Since I traditionally release new versions with server moves, I’ll most likely release v6 some time in July, when I get my own server. This will give me plenty of time to get v6 and echoShell up and running.

JDC v6. Coming this July

And… the echoShell Beta 2 release is finally done!
Still uploading the newly compiled trial build atm though…
Anyway, this build includes the following improvements over Beta 1:
1. Compiled for .NET Framework 2.0 as opposed to 3.5 - This means it’ll hopefully run on the computers at my school now

2. Numerous bugfixes

3. Numerous minor changes/improvements
4. Switch option in top bar
5. Run option
6. Some added icons
7. Code now obfuscated, making it much more difficult to decompile
8. Activation system modified

This just about wraps up all major development before echoShell 1.0 goes on sale.
The last major feature I have to add before this is perhaps adding the ability to convert the trial.

Anyway, an important note before using this build:
If you want to keep your settings, you will have to go into your registry and find HKCU\Software\Justin Daigle (.com)\Codename Eventually Reloaded and rename it to echoShell. All the settings from the old builds are still compatible but it now looks for them under a new name.

Now for the download links:
Trial: http://justindaigle.com/files/echoShell_Beta_2_Trial.rar
Full (requires key): http://justindaigle.com/files/echoShell_Beta_2.rar

echoShell Beta 1 has now gone public!
http://justindaigle.com/files/eS_public_beta1.rar
http://justindaigle.com/files/eS_public_beta1_trial.rar

echoShell Public Beta 1 - Release Notes (copied from the topic at TS):
The time has finally come for echoShell Beta 1. This is the first released build to have the Dock, and it also includes a vital fix involving password changes. Above you will find links to the Beta 1 downloads. The first requires a product key in order to use (VIP’s - the keys posted in VIP still work in this build ;-)), the second is a trial that expires after 5 uses and does not accept a key and will not activate (…yet; I will soon include a means of converting the trial).
This is also the Professional version. If you wish to retain features such as Gadgets and the Dock in the final version, you will have to pay for them (currently, I’m thinking around $10 USD).
Also, the Dock IS capable of running shell commands. This means using the wrong commands in Dock launchers can screw up your system.
If you wish for a key to use the full version, please PM me asking for one.
This version is also folder-dependent for some very small settings items (primarily whether Gadgets are enabled or disabled; it still uses Application Settings for this functionality, I will most likely fix this before the final release). All other settings are stored in the registry and will apply regardless of where you run the application from.
Also, it is crucial that you leave all the files it comes with in the same folder. You can rename the folder, but if the libraries it includes are not left in the same folder, the application will not start.

Build number: 20090421.20.02 (jdaigle)

Expect a Public Beta 2 within 1-3 weeks.