"Moon in the Mac" is a mini-application which shows the phases of the moon for given dates. You can set a date, using the text fields at the bottom of the main 'Moon in the Mac' window, and the phase of the moon will be shown both by name and as a picture at the top of the window. The window looks like this:
You can shrink the window so that it takes up less space by clicking on the moon icon. This way you could leave it running all the time (if you wanted to) as it takes very little memory. In fact, it can probably run in even less than the 128K it's set to use by default.
When you close the window, the application shuts down.
It has been tested on a Macintosh IIci running System Z-7.0.1.1; there's no reason that I know of why it shouldn't run on any other Mac with Color QuickDraw running System 7, but it's less likely to run on System 6 or non-Color QuickDraw machines.
So ... who needs it? Well, practically no one, aside from exceptionally cautious burglars, absent-minded astronomers and werewolves with a busy social calendar (avoid the embarassment of coming over all hairy in the middle of important dinner parties ... gives a new meaning to the phrase "I'm sorry, it's my time of the month."). But it was a learning exercise, and it does what it sets out to do (admittedly, not very much).
If you use it ... heck, if you even run it once before sticking it in the trash ... you are legally obligated to send me absolutely nothing at all, but if you want to make me feel wanted and loved, then I can be reached by email at:
The code used to calculate the phase of the moon is adapted from a widely-available C distribution, and the person who supplied it asserted that its use would not violate copyright. So sue him, not me.
It was implemented using Symantec's Think C 5.0, so appropriate recognition, kudos etc. should go to Symantec.
Since writing this program, I've discovered a very similar program called 'Moon', by David Palmer. 'Moon in the Mac' was actually written independently, without having ever seen or heard of 'Moon', and I happen to think it's still a bit cuter, although it took me longer to write than the four hours it took Palmer to write 'Moon'. On the other hand, I can't do better than David Palmer's closing instruction - "If you like it, strike a blow against Tyranny." That goes for 'Moon in the Mac' too ...
