PEN_SQ  Checkoff was GPL at version 3.8, looks like the dev had a change of heart. I have the 3.8 binary, and 3.6 source, put up in a fresh project on Sourceforge. If anybody has the latest code, please reply!

http://sourceforge.net/projects/checkoffosx/files/Check%20Off%203.8%20app.zip/download  
(Version 4.0.1)

PEN_SQ  The source is kept in version control, you can browse the latest version at http://videomonkey.svn.sourceforge.net/. Click on the "D/L GNU tarball" link to just grab the whole lot. If you want the source for that specific release, then you have to install macports and svn.  
(Version 0.1)

PEN_SQ  The 2.13 update is severely broken on my 2007 white MacBook (with i950). The first hint is when it is required to redo registration. After that, my voltage settings were lost. After rediscovering and entering the voltages, I didn't see Coolbook do anything useful with them.

I uninstalled and went back to version 2.12.   
(Version 2.13)

PEN_SQ  The important part that the "five free e-file" says is that you can e-file 4 other friends' returns before the program tells you it's time to buy a new license. If your fifth friend wants to do a return, then they could still print one out and mail it in (it was that way in TC'07, at least).

Preparers cannot charge an _extra_ premium for e-filing. Still, there are a lot of compliance issues, very little time to write and certify the return preparation, IRS formatting, and transmission software (starting when Congress finishes writing the law in January!). The expense of all that is figured into the box.

/This communication does not represent the views of whichever firm I may or may not work for.   
(Version 2008)

PEN_SQ  Wow, they have some seriously Ivy-League prices. When they carry a $900 two wheel PIC bot that's equivalent to a $100 Parallax bot, I start questioning whether this $300 program is worth it.

I'll stick with Parallax and Arduino, thanks.  
(Version 6.01)

PEN_SQ  I'm just reviewing to join the small chorus of "thank yous"! MPlayer was the light of my life back when I ran Linux, and it was sad to see it's state when I switched to Mac. It's great see active development on this port again. MPlayer is still my rock against a sea of shifting formats, retarded encoders, and damaged files.

Right now, I have mpeg and flv bound to MPlayer, mkv bound to VLC (for superior h.264 threading), and juggle common avi's to whichever isn't busy.

One other thing I'd like to toss in - mplayer's filtering abilities are only scratched on in the GUI, and can really dance around other players. Start with typing "-vf pp=ci/ac -spuaa 4" in the advanced options.  
(Version rev8)

PEN_SQ  The iTunes hot-keys were a terrible step backwards towards making a Mac look more like a cheap PC "Media" klutterboard. FunctionFlip restores your keyboard's Mac-ishness quickly, simply, and invisibly.   
(Version 2.0)

PEN_SQ  One other thing, their Mac publisher has worrisome activation for PAA. If their store ever shuts down in the future, and you need to re-install, you're stuck. Just like with Wal-Mart or MS digital music purchases.

On the third, and final hand - This is not an endlessly replayable title, so I don't expect to miss my ephemeral license years from now.   
(Version 1.0)

PEN_SQ  It looks pretty, but the demo quickly gets boring. There's no variety in enemies, the battles, or the linear map. I'd pass on #1.

However, Episode 2 is now out, and that demo has more meat on it. Battles feel more alive, with different formats of encounters, and good use of the real-time battle clock. The maps feel more natural than being caged into a little lane, even if there isn't a whole lot more to explore.

Both episodes are now selling for $15 apiece. At that price, get them in Lucas order - Buy #2 first, and only get #1 if you really need to fill in why Fruit Vader turned evil.  
(Version 1.0)

PEN_SQ  According to the resources inside, it's made in Power Game Factrory, by Sawblade Software.  
(Version 1.2)

PEN_SQ  Even the simplest app has to have one bug. This is no exception - the fingerprints are left about a knuckle lower then they should. Other than that, it's important for any system, even without any interest in iPhone programming.

Switching over to the gorilla hand when you run it on a 30" Apple Cinema Display is a nice touch.

Some features to look forward to in the boxed version -

No Hand mode - just leave the fingerprints around.

Drag-n-Drop Smudge streaks.

Adjustable greasiness and color stains, all the way up to "had a bag of Cheetos".

Fingernail growth.

Jabbing the finger if you ram into the menubar too fast.

A "trackpad" mode where the hand clicks with the thumb.

Hand holding a mouse mode. Not any ordinary mouse, but some of the most uncomfortable mice made, such as the Asus Mouse/Flash (google it), and the Apple Puck.   
(Version 1.0)

PEN_SQ  Broken in 10.5.2. The background elements of the widget are missing, and most of the gui lists are unpopulated and unresponsive.  
(Version 1.0.2)

PEN_SQ  Derr, "Browser openBrowser". That's better.  
(Version 1.0)

PEN_SQ  In case if anybody's wondering..

Sophie is built on the Squeak smalltalk programming language. You can press Cmd-period to break away from the regular UI. From there, right click on the interrupt window, and the red menu will get you fairly useful things. Any text area you can type into - type "Browse openBrowser", highlight it, and press cmd-d. It's a lovely language, and nice to see ambitious projects built on it.  
(Version 1.0)

PEN_SQ  Nice, relaxing little game. You shoot a colored ball from the launcher on top, and that ball breaks loose all the color matched objects standing, hanging, or railroading around. Those free objects can break loose yet more in the same color, but it all eventually bounces and slides down to your catch bucket at the bottom, which you mouse side to side to catch all the goodies. A shot that doesn't break loose any field pieces resets your bonus multiplier, this seems to be the only obstacle the game puts against you. Keeping the big points rolling will take bank shots, timed sniping, and a little planning to keep your options open.

The graphics are clean and simple, and the animation runs perfectly on my Intel MacBook (integrated graphics). Controls are simple, point and click with the guidance of a ballistic line. The game has relaxing music, standard fare for any puzzler.

There are no enemies, crucial obstacles, or game over screens in Spring Up. To some, this might sound pointless, but I was caught for the full length of the demo.   
(Version 1.0)

PEN_SQ  I think it's just a matter of what you look at. SMART is pretty good at reporting how heavily it's eating into the spare block count, and once the first regular block is finally broken, the disk is done. Smart may not report the disk as totally No Good until the spindle is finally snapped, but I'm shopping for a new drive the moment the spare count drops. I wish/hope this program does the same.  
(Version 2.3.7)

PEN_SQ  OK, the writeup misses the point. This is part of a background app to download binaries from usenet. There is a firefox plugin mentioned on the blog that integrates this with usenet search websites, so you can click any find straight into a download queue. Looks like a bit of a bother to set up, but should be very slick once you do.

Another app for dealing with usenet is pan, which is available via darwinports.   
(Version 1.01)

PEN_SQ  Neither VisualHub or Transmission have any business touching the kernel. The only real sense behind that is if the network driver has a bug dealing with high CPU load. Try running Transmission alongside something like CpuTest. Besides an Apple bug, the "network driver" could also be modified by some third app. For example, VMWare and Parallels use their own net driver to talk between the host and guest. Anything "Little Snitch"-like is also a possible suspect (Though it's always been good to me.).

Good luck.  
(Version 1.31)

PEN_SQ  Snapz Pro X conflicts with VLC. Every time VLC plays a movie with any output mode besides ascii-art, it crashes. No Quartz, no GL, only ugly Text works. On the plus side, Snapz has an excellent uninstaller, once the kernel module was removed, VLC was back in business.

Quicksilver will break Snapz' attempt to set up a key binding. This can easily be remedied by setting up a binding in QS, just set an open action on Snapz Pro X.app.

It's a good trade-off if you happen to be filming "you suck at Photoshop", Jing doesn't have the performance for quality captures.   
(Version 2.1.2)

PEN_SQ  Excellent simulator, mostly mirrors my own experience. Having initially served as a German Eichenreepairglitchenveldar, and later been captured and set to work on American armour, I can safely say that both play modes are indeed accurate. I still have nightmares from the pre-beta, before the parental settings locked out the mini-game about cleaning out the previous tank crew. The mule provided in-game to pull a new track onto the main sprocket is a little more ornery than I recall, but I guess you kids have to embellish a little for good gameplay. One other point - Multitouch support for multi-head welding (the only way to get a reliable puddle on German panzers) would be appreciated in a future release. This game brings up painful memories of the worst years of my life, but you kids need to learn what life was like under the Führer, and to appreciate how good you have it playing the American campaign.   
(Version 1.0)

PEN_SQ  MacATM worked fine in Tiger, though the withdrawal fees were a little high. After upgrading to Leopard, though, it stopped recognizing my PIN. Now the system refuses to eject my card, and MacATM's technical support only has a phone menu that loops every time I press (4)-I do not have a butterknife. All the right hand side buttons are stuck on "Instant Reverse Mortgage", severely limiting my transfer options. MacATM also messed up my print drivers to where half the alphabet is now substituted with tiny pictures of former Soviet currency. My girlfriend was mugged while using the previous beta release, though to be fair to the development team she shouldn't have used MacATM so late at night.

Still, more useful than Bob. 3 out of 5.  
(Version 1.0)

PEN_SQ  No, using a gigabit ethernet connection moves data up to 30MB/s (to a 50MB/s drive). When I use a 20MB/s USB drive, an NTFS write goes at best 4MB/s.

There's some technical issue where OS-X gives all-or-nothing caching for disk access, which the NTFS driver has to opt out of.

How about using Parallels/VMWare to attach a USB drive to a virtual windows, and then drag files between MacFinder and MS-Explorer? That should give reasonably fast access. (Now I have to try it out!)  
(Version 1.1.1)