NSArray *pathsForDownloadedFiles = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
 NSString *pathMain = [pathsForDownloadedFiles objectAtIndex:0];
 NSLog(@"main download directory is [%s]", [pathMain UTF8String]);

The first line lets you allow Apple to put the application download directory anywhere it likes. It will also be able to change it at will, without breaking your program.
The second line means that there is only one directory you need to access and its the first one. Remember in C arrays are zero based which means the first element of the array is at index number zero not at index number one.
NSLog will let you run the app in the simulator OR on your device and send logging information back to the debug console in XCode. Nice and integrated.

An alternative method:

 NSString *mainPath = [self getDataPath];

Uhhhhh yeah a bit shorter. Its not deprecated from what I see so one can use this method also.

Finally lets see where our resource is. Again, if you use this method, then XCode will be able to re-layout the resource directory structure anyway it wants without breaking your program. You KNOW they’re going to do this someday and they won’t tell you until its been done. So lets Program Defensively. Just like you drive defensively.
To find a specific resource that was compiled into your application:

 NSString *resourcePath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@"mission1" ofType:@"jmf"];
 NSLog(@"Path for mission file is [%s]", [resourcePath UTF8String]);

The AT (@) sign is the NSString constructor without declaring an NSString. In case you’re wondering.

Good Luck and God’s Speed to ya mates.

Parents’ Choice Awards : Software : Mobile Apps

If Steve steps down in a more permanent manner, Tim can take the company in whatever direction he and the board feel it should go. But until then, everyone needs to pull in the same direction that they know Steve would go. Steve is important just because he is Steve, and not because he runs Apple and is the genius behind all of these industries he has dominated. The money, the Apple stock price, the products be damned. They don’t mean anything.

Our best to you Steve, and we wish strength and wisdom to Tim.

Anyway, this guy calls up last week (Jan 10-14, but I can’t find the audio clip), and it sounds like he was making more than enough money for a full time job from You Tube videos. The gist of it was that You Tube (i.e. Google) revenue shares when your video goes viral. They monitor this and are proactive by sending you an email when it hits one of their thresholds. Then they put ads on your video and share the revenue with you. Cool.

Here are a couple of links about how to get started:
You Tube
Frank Furness
Making Hot Ice – Look at the number of views. People want to know how to do things.

-T-

http://amarsagoo.blogspot.com/2007/09/making-sense-of-standard-deviation.html

Kudos to Amar Sagoo

Mwhahahahhahaaaaaaaaa I LOVE world domination.

The Dead Sea Effect article is funny because its true. Read that also. Most of us live that article every day. This guy is a good observer. Here’s another observation for you to read. Bruce posted this link to the slashdot thread.

Seriously, where is it written that just because things have been done “this way”, that “this way” will forevermore be THE ONLY CORRECT WAY? Well ok we’ve seen that in Amazon’s management books, but who are they? People who want to self-promote. Rant over. Bring the rain.
1) Give your top developers the best tools that money can buy. They will produce ten times more than the mediocres.
2) Fire all the mediocres. There is no room in a startup for those people.
3) Budgeting your department DOESN’T mean to say NO to every purchase that you’re asked for. If you trust them with developing the future of the company, they “PROBABLY” aren’t asking for crap that they won’t use. They are saying “I want to be more productive, please help me . . . .Spock. . . . help . . . . me. . . “. Why are you turning them away? For what a $500 piece of software. Are you batty? Fire yourself, THAT IS A SMART MOVE.
4) If they’re late or leave early an hour or 10 minutes. IT . . . IS . . . OK. The world will NOT stop turning ok? Don’t be so draconian to forget about what it means to be a drone. Its hellish sometimes. But guess what pinhead, when you NEED that person to work overtime, they won’t make an excuse to NOT work overtime. Use the T word THINK! (We should make a tshirt of this).

Ok I’m done. I’ve seen enough. I’m going home.
-T-