Behind the Curtains

Continuing in the footsteps of both Hypnotize and Functional, Obscurity is also being made open-source. So go take a peek behind the curtains and see how this parlor trick is being performed.

New in This Version:
- Obscurity now is open-source, and is published under a 'Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License'.
- Obscurity now registers correctly with Finder as a unique application.

Christmas Presents!

And as a couple of belated christmas presents, both Hypnotize and Functional have been updated to versions 1.1. You’re all very welcome!

New in Hypnotize 1.1:
- Hypnotize now is open-source, and is published under a 'Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License'.
- The timers comprising Hypnotize now all register correctly with Finder as unique separate applications.
- Finder now displays the correct information in the 'Get Info' and 'Quick Look' windows for each of the separate timers comprising Hypnotize.

New in Functional 1.1:
- Functional now is open-source, and is published under a 'Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License'.
- The utilities comprising Functional now all register correctly with Finder as unique separate applications.
- Finder now displays the correct information in the 'Get Info' and 'Quick Look' windows for each of the separate utilities comprising Functional.

Merry Christmas

Merry christmas, everyone! I really hope that you will take a step back from your everyday chores this holiday and, for once, simply live a little. I know I will...

Open Sesame

ROMlaunch continues to evolve, and is today updated with its biggest development yet: Guided game association. ROMlaunch version 1.3 completely removes the need to understand the mechanism behind file-type associations. Simply double-click a ROMlaunch game launcher, select the relevant games in the presented 'Choose file' dialog, and the games will automatically be associated with their respective emulator. Easily, simply, straight forwards!

New in This Version:
- Games of each supported gaming system can now easily be associated with their respective emulators by double-clicking the relevant ROMlaunch game launcher and following the on-screen instructions.
- 'Create ScummVM Game Shortcut' now tries to automatically associate game shortcuts with ScummVM upon creation.
- Fixed bug that caused 'ROMlaunch 32X' to remain open on certain Mac OS X configurations.

Making Shortcuts

With the functionality of ROMlaunch finally getting up to code, it’s time to focus on usability. With this in mind, ROMlaunch is today updated to version 1.2 with a brand new AppleScript for automatic creation of shortcuts for all your ScummVM graphic adventure games.

New in This Version:
- Added 'Create ScummVM Game Shortcut' AppleScript for easy game shortcut creation.

Keeping a Secret

Obscurity has been updated to version 1.1, addressing several previously known shortcomings.

New in This Version:
- Obscurity now works as expected even if placed on the Desktop or in the Dock.
- Files and folders dropped onto Obscurity are now processed and moved to the mock folder as would be expected when dropping files and folders onto a normal folder.
- All cryptic errors have been disabled, and Obscurity will now keep quiet should anything go wrong.

You Rebel SCUMM!

Oh yes, you read correctly! ROMlaunch is updated to version 1.1 with perhaps its most requested feature so far: ScummVM support! Go grab it while its hot!

New in This Version:
- Added brand new 'ROMlaunch SCUMM' game launcher for launching graphic adventure games with ScummVM.
- 'ROMlaunch 32X' now supports every Sega console compatible with Kega Fusion, including (but not limited to) Sega 32X, Sega CD (Mega CD), Sega Genesis (Sega Mega Drive), Sega Game Gear and Sega Master System games.
- 'ROMlaunch Arcade' has changed name to 'ROMlaunch MAME' for the sake of unity.

Ready to Shine

ROMlaunch is finally ready for prime time with this brand new 1.0 release.

New in This Version:
- The game launchers now work completely transparently, no longer showing up in the Dock when launching games.
- The game launchers now get out of the way once a game has been launched, no longer staying open waiting until the respective emulator has quit.
- ROMlaunch 32X now brings Kega Fusion to the foreground once a Sega 32X game has been launched.
- ROMlaunch 32X now launches Sega 32X games in fullscreen.
- ROMlaunch Arcade now ignores file extensions, and will launch arcade games both in the presence and absence of file type definitions.
- The code sets of all the game launchers have been even further optimized, now weighing in at less than 20% of their initial release.

Pre-Released

ROMlaunch has just been updated to pre-release version 0.9.

New in This Version:
- All the game launchers have been completely rewritten from the ground up, and the active code reduced by more than two thirds.
- Games are now fully launchable from any location, even if located in the Dock (including Stacks).

More Free Mac Stuff

In line with last week’s introduction of some of my free Mac apps here at Mednotes.net, I am tonight adding some game-related entries to the list.

Like everything else here on this web site they are completely free to download and use, so drop by my artist portfolio and give them a spin.


ROMlaunch application icon by MazeNL77.   EMUlaunch application icon by Alexis Gallisa.

Whoa... Slow Down There!

It hasn’t even been 2 days since I published a few of my Mac OS X utilities here at Mednotes.net. To my astonishment I discover today that there has already been written several long articles at Addictivetips.com, Lifehacker.com, Lazyhacks.com, Wonderhowto.com, Makeuseof.com, and Apartmettherapy.com regarding one of them (namely 'Obscurity'), which, in turn, have been recited on more than a dozen other web sites around the web. And I thought my lecture notes spread fast...

My applications were originally written to cover my own needs and preferences, and were never meant for mass market. They were published here at this web site in order to expand my portfolio, and, in best case, find their use from the odd Mac user dropping by. This makes the more than 2000 downloads of 'Obscurity' (including downloads at its listing at MacUpdate) in less than 2 days even more surreal to me.

I’m happy to see that others find my applications intriguing in both the positive and negative sense of the word, and, by all means, download them and see if they fit your digital lifestyle. But please view them as what they really are: Small simple scripts written to solve small simple tasks in my own personal everyday!

Free Mac OS X Software

In recent years, I have, from time to time, been programming applications for Mac OS X in order to teach my Mac new tricks. They are all none-obtrusive software utilities expanding the capabilities of an already excellent operating system, and today I’m publishing several of them here at Mednotes.net.

They are already available in the brand new computer programmer section of my artist portfolio, so go check them out if you’re lucky enough to have a Mac lying around!


Hypnotize application icon by MazeNL77.   Functional application icon by MazeNL77.   Obscurity application icon by Apple Inc..

Socialization

After wanting to add a star rating system to the downloads here at Mednotes.net for the past 5 years, I have finally come to the realization that I still don’t have sufficient understanding of the principles of MySQL relational databases and still won’t have the time to attain this competence any time soon. However, as the popularity of my lecture notes has increased year over year, it has become increasingly important to provide you as my readers with a way to let future visitors know which compendia will guarantee academic success and which compendia are due for a much needed update.

As such, I am today adding Facebook 'Like' buttons to all of the downloads here at this web site. As a byproduct to this update, you will also be able to freely share your favorite lecture notes with all your friends and colleagues. I will also be adding both comments sections as well as an official business page you will be able to follow at Facebook as soon as time will allow this.

So get socializing!


Revolution!

And as my ego trip comes to an end, I am proud to announce that I have now started working on addressing the most frequent complaint, and, in this respect, also the most frequently requested feature of my lecture notes! As with writing the notes in the first place, this will take a lot of blood, sweat and tears in order to accomplish. But this time I won’t be doing it alone, and perhaps I will even be asking for assistance from you as my readers along the way! Exactly when this project will enter full production mode is hard to say just yet, but I hope you will be able to harvest the fruits of this revolution already within the first months of next year. However, in order to accomplish this, I will have to take a break from my work as a medical doctor. As such, the end result of this project will bear a small symbolic price tag. But don’t fret! My notes in their current incarnation will continue to stay completely free of charge at Mednotes.net for generations of future medical students.

So make sure to check back from time to time during this fall for a completely novel way of studying medicine... LITERARILY!

Re-Animated

It has been an incredible journey down memory lane for me the past few weeks rummaging through piles upon piles of my creative legacy. But nothing lasts forever. And, to tie it all off, I have spent some time the past few days filling in the last few blank spaces on my artist portfolio with previously crafted video and audio material. So, for the first time, there’s now both movement and sound here at Mednotes.net. And, as a finishing touch, I’ve even tied all the arts of my artist portfolio to their respective mentions in my CV.

So take a short break from your studies and go check them all out!

More than Medicine

For the longest time imaginable I have been wanting dust off my earlier, as well as more recent, creations and share them with a new and broader audience. However, due to obvious reasons, I have not been able to nurture this desire, and the entire project has been put on hold indefinitely. That is, until today! Today I am proud to unveil my artist portfolio here at Mednotes.net. Initially I will be publishing select works from professional assignments cited in my CV, and many of those have already been made available for your enjoyment. However, I am hoping to expand the portfolio with many of my personal non-profit projects in time.

So for those of you with interests outside the realm of medicine, my artist portfolio is now available in the submenu of 'About Me' in the menu on your left. Enjoy!


Line drawing of Brynjar Bye.

Meaning Business

And while working on publishing my CV here at Mednotes.net, I have finally found the time to redesign the hard copy of the CV as well as designing a brand new corresponding business card. For those of you specially interested, they are now available for download at the very end of the on-site CV.

Business card of Brynjar Bye.

Most Known Unknown

For many years now I have comfortably been publishing my works under the artist alias 'BRY.'. This has provided minimal risk in my own educational situation, and has given me, as a private person, the ability to avoid the public eye to the largest extent possible. But as life as a professional has become the unavoidable reality, it is becoming increasingly important for me to establish a true public profile. And, in this respect, I am today publishing my curriculum vitae here at Mednotes.net. In addition to my own obvious benefit of this, I hope that its presence also will give you as my readers an opportunity to peek behind the curtain and see how I have lived my life.

The CV is available now by clicking 'About Me’ in the menu on your left. Happy reading!

Portrait photo of Brynjar Bye.

Break Out the Champagne!

I have been aware of this unavoidable event for quite some time now, but I still can’t believe my own eyes. Today my lecture notes finally surpassed their 250.000th distributed copy! That’s more than a quarter million downloads in less than 5 years, a number staggering by any academic measure! To think that even a thousand downloaded notes over their cumulative life span was unimaginable for me when I laid down the ground work for Mednotes.net, makes today even more mind-blowing to me.

Thank you for all your support. Thank you for all your heart-warming words. And thank you for all your kind donations. You are truly appreciated!

Here’s to the next 250.000!

Donations Now Accepted

Mednotes.net is a completely nonprofit initiative created and supported solely by yours truly in order to ease your pain through medical school and help you become skilled medical professionals. However, I can only continue doing this as long as the web site does not become an economic burden to me. But, with steadily rising traffic to the web site, this is rapidly becoming a reality. Mednotes.net is already dependent on your contributions, and I now see no other way to maintain this offer than to shove it in your faces. So, as of today, I will be accepting your kind donations through PayPal.

If you are actively using my notes in your studies or if my notes have already helped you excel in one or more subjects, please consider donating what you feel passing your exams is worth to you. No matter what amount you might chose, I promise you it will be divisions cheaper than even a single main press medical textbook.

Thank you in advance for helping me guide future generations of medical students through university.

Yours truly,
BRY.

Instant Gratification

And speaking of the thesis, Mednotes.net is today moving to the next level. As of this instant, you will be able read my medical thesis in its entirety directly on the web site without having to download it in advance. This is a sharp departure from the web site’s previous function of solely providing downloads, and hopefully I will find the time to offer much more content directly on the web site in the future.

You find this option as 'Read Now' right next to the familiar 'Free Download' link on the page of the thesis.

Countdown

My notes are quickly moving towards their 250.000th download, and, in this occasion, I will be introducing a massive content update here at Mednotes.net over the course of the next month. And, first off, is a highly requested download from all you regulars: My medical thesis titled 'A Short and Concise Review of Hypnosis in the Twenty-First Century'.

So if you are interested in the science of hypnosis, or simply just want to get some pointers on how to attack writing your own, you now find it by clicking 'The Thesis' in the menu on your left.

Download Problems

Some intestinal helminth of the rear of the internet has figured out a back door to the PHP script mediating the downloads from Mednotes.net. From time to time this low life protozoa is deleting parts of the download registry or the download registry in its entirety leaving you unable to download my notes. As my knowledge of PHP is limited I am unable to close this back door, and I now have to patrol the downloads and manually restore the download registry to the best of my memory as I discover that this infectious pustule has been around again.

As such, I urge you to let me know as soon as you are not able to download a set of my exam notes, and I will fix it within a reasonable amount of time. Thank you for your understanding.

Independence Day

Happy new year! A lot of work has gone down under the hood of the web site this past month, and, as of today, this web site is now running completely independently from my previous brain child and sister site Pecs-Students.hu. The changes are, for the most part, miniscule, mostly noticed by links now pointing directly to Mednotes.net.

However, this also means that all the notes have changed download location. So if you are linking directly to my notes from your web site, blog or Facebook wall, now is the time to point those links to their respective new locations. Just a heads up...