2025.01.05.

2025.01.04.

Sophiestication/Cappella

CoverSutra 4.0 got open-sourced (actually, it was open-sourced on Christmas, but I just got around to blogging about it).

Originally launched as an iTunes controller in 2007, CoverSutra is making its comeback as a standalone music player for your Mac! Version 4.0, code-named Cappella, brings you seamless music access directly from your menu bar. With its elegant interface, you can instantly search by album, artist, or song—all while staying focused on your work without needing to switch apps.

I used to love CoverSutra back in the day. In fact, I even created a Hungarian localization for the app (here’s an archive.org link to my old hungarian blog which looks like some old MySpace crap).

However, the app mysteriously disappeared around 2013. If I remember correctly the developer, Sophia Teutschler, was hired by Apple at that time.

A few months ago, Sophia brought CoverSutra back, but I’m not particularly pleased with the new version. It has become a separate music player, which is quite different from the original app.

These days, I primarily use Sleeve, which is quite similar to the early version of CoverSutra. It retains the feature of displaying the current song’s album artwork on the desktop, just like the CoverSutra did. I also use Sleeve to scrobble my music to Last.fm like it’s 2007 again.

I Live My Life a Quarter Century at a Time

Interesting story from James Thomson about the development of the early version of the Mac OS X Dock.

So, we are coming up on a little anniversary for me this weekend. On the 5th of January 2000, Steve Jobs unveiled the new Aqua user interface of Mac OS X to the world at Macworld Expo.

By the way, my birthday is January 5th too.

On the other hand, I got a little bit angry when reading this part (especially how Space Karen talks crap about remote work lately).

Steve left, and then visited my manager’s manager’s manager and said the fateful words (as reported to me by people who were in the room where it happened).

“It has come to my attention that the engineer working on the Dock is in FUCKING IRELAND”.

I was told that I had to move to Cupertino. Immediately. Or else.

I did not wish to move to the States. I liked being in Europe. Ultimately, after much consideration, many late night conversations with my wife, and even buying a guide to moving, I said no.

They said ok then. We’ll just tell Steve you did move.

As a software developer who has been working remotely for more than 15 years, I have never understood why it’s so important to be in the office…