TeddyBearNotes v1.2.0-0
Source Code
New version release. This version includes both bug-fixes and improvements, refer to the change-log for a detailed overview of such changes.
Change-Log:
- Bug-Fix: If you had TeddyBearNotes keeping your window always open, when you shut-down your computer or simply close TBNotes, the notes would not be saved. They are now.
- Behaviour change: If you had TBNotes auto-hiding the window when it would lose focus, whenever you would click on the icon to get the window to open again your text cursor would be behind the text already on the note window, whereas now, the cursor shows up on front of all the text present in the box, allowing you to start typing right away.
Got any suggestions for TeddyBear Notes? Please e-mail them to me at tiago[at]espinhas[dot]net or post comments here, on my blog!
How TeddyBear Notes will change your life
However, post-its use up space, either stuck to your monitor screen or messed up around your desk, and let us face it: nowadays, if you have a desk, it is very likely that you have a PC. If you do, you came to the right place.
The question I am going to ask you is: if you wanted to write a note for yourself right now on a post-it, what would you have to do? You would probably have to search for your post-it stash, then find a pen that actually still does its job (and we all know how hard that is...) and only then write your notes down, only to be limited by a really small writing area.
What if I told you that you could have a (friendly-looking) icon in your system tray (that zone next to the clock on your Windows start bar), where you just have to click it to have a fully customizable text box show up? Even better, what if that text box instantly vanishes as soon as you resume the work you were doing on your computer, safely encrypting the notes in your hard drive with a world renowned algorithm, effectively keeping your notes secure?
It sounds good so far? Well keep reading!
Imagine this scenario: your office or your home gets broken into. Tough luck. You had post-its all over your computer monitor, with your passwords for your online banking, for your instant messaging services, for your e-mail, for your online DMV access, and now it's all gone. The thieves stole your computer altogether and it is all in their hands now. You have to go through all the hassle of changing all your passwords.
What if you were using TeddyBear Notes? Not by a slim chance would they have access to your stuff! Not only can you store a limit-less amount of information in it but you can choose to encrypt the notes! Do you know which encryption algorithm TeddyBear Notes uses? You do not need to be a genius to know this: it uses the AES algorithm, also widely known as the Rijndael algorithm. Heck, that is the algorithm used by the US government! We all know how the North-Americans value their security so whilst I do not know the inner workings of the algorithm (I am not a mathmatician), I certainly trust what is one of the most secure algorithms out there.
You cannot go wrong with this little application. TeddyBear Notes is lightweight, it has a really really small footprint on your computer's memory and you can customize it. No longer will you have to stick with boring yellow post-its. Are you a girly girl with a passion for pink? Great! Change the background colour for pink and customize the font type and colour for whichever you like.
Do you know what is the pièce de résistance about TeddyBear Notes? It is and and absolutely free and open-source! Just like Linux, to name an example. Now, when was the last time you heard of someone using Linux and getting hacked or catching viruses? You probably have never heard about it. The big advantage of using open-source software is that it is not just my eyes (the developer's) that are ensuring that this application is safe, instead, it is the eyes of hundreds of programmers all around the world! Simply because the code is available for everyone to download and have a look. Doesn't this make TeddyBear Notes unsafe, you ask? Not in the slightest. The safest algorithms and programs in the world are all open-source (including AES) and the reason for that is what I just mentioned: they are being proofed by thousands of people all around the world. Besides, your notes are encrypted with an algorithm through the means of a password. Without that password, tough luck for hackers. It would take decades worth of really massive computing to crack your notes specifically, and another whole lot of decades to crack anyone else's.
Do you like what you see? Wonderful. This post is my introduction post to TeddyBear Notes, so essentially all you have to do is go to www.tiagoespinha.net and then click the tag "teddybearnotes" on the right-hand menu. Now you only have to search for the post with the latest version (1.1.1-5 at the time of the posting), download it and install the program.
Lastly, if you want to donate, please feel free to. Donations are voluntary and TeddyBear Notes will always be free. However, if you like the program and are feeling generous, you can donate any amount you like to my PayPal account through the link on the right or by clicking here.
TeddyBearNotes v1.1.1-5
Source Code
This version is just a hotfix for a bug (this time on Vista) that was introduced with the last version. The bug would make TeddyBear Notes crash on Startup, should that option be enabled. Updatting is recommended.
Change Log:
- Bug fix: The «Startup Path» for the shortcut that is put in place for automatic startup was including the filename in the path, which would lead to Windows Vista (it was not tested on XP but it is likely that the problem is also replicable there) to close TeddyBear Notes.
TeddyBearNotes v1.1.1-0
Source Code
That's right! Such a young application and there's already an update for it. This is actually a somewhat critical update if you have been experiencing issues with vanishing notes. If you had such issues, worry not, your notes are totally safe - if you had not had any issue at all, you are still advised to upgrade as soon as possible.
This version has two changes:
- The XML and the XSD files now have a version of its own, this meaning that I can keep releasing versions that do not directly interfere with the structure of the said files, without having to worry about providing means of backup and restore across installs of such versions.
As a more technical background on this change, the XML and XSD file names now have a version based on the executable version, whereas the actual application version is given by the assembly version. So basically, if you right click your executable and click «Properties», the version you will see there is actually the version of the files it is using as storage.
- The second change is a bug fix. The option of getting the program to startup with Windows had a flaw under Windows XP (this does NOT affect Windows Vista - read below why). TeddyBear Notes would create a shortcut under Windows' startup folder but it was setting a wrong «Startup Path», resulting in the following effect:
-> If you started storing notes when the program was launched on Startup, and then for some reason you closed the program and opened it again manually, you would have an empty note window.
-> The same would happen if you were to start using the program by launching it manually and then tried to access your notes when it had been started up automatically.
Q: Why does this not affect Windows Vista?
A: Due to slackness of myself (and partly due to convenience), I am storing the data files on the installation directory. Microsoft does NOT condone this practice on Windows Vista and it has measures in place where it will simply automatically redirect the files elsewhere, as it will also redirect the shortcut startup path.
[This note does not apply if you are making a clean install of TeddyBear Notes]
NOTE: If after installing this version you can no longer see your notes, do not panic! Just follow these simple steps:
1. Click Start then go over to "Startup"
2. You should have a file named "TBN_1_1_0_4.xml" in there
3. Right-click the file and choose "Cut"
4. Go to the path where you have installed TeddyBear Notes (by default C:\Program Files\TeddyBearNotes)
5. Right-click inside that folder and "Paste" the file in it.
On step 2, if there is no file under "Startup", please contact me through my e-mail: tiago[at]espinhas[dot]net .
A thank you is due to my friend and TeddyBear Notes user (and beta tester), Esther van Ginneken.
Google Code Jam part 2
That is right, I managed to successfully solve a small data set for one of Code Jam's problems but not only did I take a very long time to do so, the large data set was also wrong. This said, at the end I did not have the enough points to get through to the next round and I am out.
In a way I am glad that I did not pass... I was getting an headache after each round, and that's something I can do without.
TODO List
This post will be my ongoing list of things I want done in future versions of TeddyBearNotes. So for 1.2.0-0 here's the TODO:
- Position the cursor at the end of the text when the Notes window is opened.
If you have any suggestions for bettering this application, please by all means, send me e-mails, post comments, your choice!
Links updated
Here I am again to announce that TeddyBearNotes is now officially a SourceForge.net project!
I leave here the new links (which have also been edited on the original post):
And also the link for the project in SourceForge: here.
(TeddyBearNotes) Note for the readers…
The note I want to leave is that on the current version of this application (1.1.0-4), the users are linked to http://www.tiagoespinha.net on the About page. Well, just so that people will not end there by mistake, that page is still being worked upon so for now, this is the home of TeddyBearNotes.
See you soon!
Google Code Jam part 1
a real shame. The opinion is shared though: many other people were complaining about how cryptic the problem descriptions were and that was so. The genius heads at Google are more likely probing our mind reading capabilities, rather than our skill at programming algorithms.
Am I the only one to disagree that on a competition called "Google Code Jam" we are to be tested on our mathematical skills? I mean, for God's sake, programming is not (just) about maths! There is so much more to it. One thing I can tell you all: I am going to try my luck tomorrow, but certainly not going to apply for the 2009 version of the competition.
I am done with the headaches for no end-game at all. And now.... Stargate Atlantis time, the true joy of life 
.NET Framework 3.5
- If you have Internet access where you want to install the framework, then download this
- As an alternative, you can download the full thing here which is a bigger download and it installs the .NET Framework 3.5 without requiring Internet access at the target computer.
Keep in mind: if you do have Internet access, the first option is the indicated for your needs as it will only download the necessary files.