XTimer 1.9.4
     July, 1996

For best viewing: If your screen can accomodate a larger sized window, 
[enlarge this window so that all text between the brackets is on one line.]

The graphic in the chapter "XTimer Features" may be cropped at the left and right edges if the width of the window is smaller than the width of the graphic.

Full  online documentation for XTimer is available from  XTimer's Apple Menu.  Press the space bar for a pop-up short-cuts screen, when a timer window is in front.

If you haven't seen XTimer with "Greg's Buttons" , DOWNLOAD IT NOW! 

      Your time is money.  That is why XTimer exists.  For most users, XTimer virtually manages itself.  All of you out cruising the Web via FreePPP (MacPPP), you can now use XTimer to automatically track and log your time and expenses.  If you have multiple online accounts, XTimer can now adjust the current rate, as needed, according to what program you are using.  When your free time is used up, XTimer can switch to a pay rate automatically.  When your billing cycle resets every month, XTimer can clear your logged times from the previous month and begin logging your new charges.  After configuring the right settings (see the Help for details), you may need to do little more than leave XTimer out running!
     For more information on the Rate Switcher and Log Clearing, see the Help.  Both features may be selected and configured from the Settings menu.  For information about Auto-Tracking, see "XTimer Auto-Tracking & XTimer Spy" in the Help, and read the chapters about XTimer Spy.  The XTimer Spy extension tracks time online automatically for CompuServe and America Online users.  FreePPP/MacPPP tracking does not require XTimer Spy.
     Answers to most questions are in the documentation.  If you are having problems, it is possible there's a bug in the program that must be fixed, but it is also likely you're encountering a common situation, which has been covered in the Help.  Don't be afraid to twiddle with the program.  Experiment and see what happens; try out the different menu items.  You can always start over by trashing the XTimer Preferences, located in your Preferences folder, within your System folder.  Learning by doing is the easiest way to see how it all works.

The XTimer Web Page

http://members.aol.com/XTimer4Mac/

     This site is a great place to introduce your friends to XTimer.  It's also a place to hear what's coming up in future releases, and to download new versions with features and fixes not yet released anywhere else.  You can also download any of my other programs which are publicly available.  If you enjoy the site, I'd be very pleased if you link it to other sites, if, or when you have the opportunity.  This site also has links to sites registered users have created.  If you have a site, let me know the URL when you register, and provide a 2-3 line description to tell people what to expect at your site.

Other plans:
     I'm hard at work on XTimer 2.0, a major upgrade release which is a complete overhaul of the code to make it more efficient and more modular.  This will enable me to expand features more easily and to allow scripting, for even more power.  2.0 will not be scriptable, but versions shortly thereafter will be.  2.0 will change the format of how some things are handled, so users can have greater control over how rates are calculated.  It will add "Accounts" to the present structure, which is limited to only "Rates".  This will allow users to bill multiple rates to accounts.  The current limitation of 7 rates will be increased.  I am not sure where that will land.  Since I would like to introduce a commercial version, I can't put all the goodies into a shareware version; however,  I will put enough in to convince users who need the more powerful features that the commercial version is worth investigating.  Keep your eyes peeled!

The Mailbag

     A lot of the mail I receive is from those who are new to the online world.  That's no surprise, since the number of people coming online is growing exponentially.  There's a lot to get used to when you come online for the first time.  It may seem overwhelming at first.  I remember asking, "Hey, what does '.sit' mean?!"  "What files should I download?"
     Everyone becomes an explorer when they enter cyberspace.  I've posted little tidbits in the notes here, before, just for fun and interest, like information about where registrations have or have not come from.  (Are there any Mac users in Idaho?)  People seem to like it, so this time I thought I'd just share what some of my favorite downloads are, for those of you who are just getting into the water, or even for those of you who know your way around.  Who knows, maybe one of my favorites will become yours.

Favorites In Our Home:  I mentioned Greg's Buttons, above.  That's my all-time favorite.  Many people prefer to use a similar program by the same author called Aaron.  Décor makes our desktop beautiful to look at, by displaying full-screen graphics in place of the usual patterns.  Bail prevents many useless accidental launches of large programs, that take forever to load, by letting me kill the launch in process, by holding down the mouse button.  ArtValve has saved me loads of time, that would have been wasted receiving artwork from AOL.  My wife plays Solitaire Til Dawn, endlessly.  Jewelbox had us both addicted, for a long time.  As an author, I couldn't live without DropStuff and ResCompare.  I'm also pretty fond of a simple extension that does nothing except cause the default button to be REPLACE when I receive that system dialog that asks if you want to replace the existing file with a new one of the same name.  Its name is what it does, Replace!  Another fine program, I use daily, is TypeIt4Me. It's name is also what it does.  If you are always running amuck through your hard drive, searching folders and launching applications, Hover Bar could change your life!

Hope you find something interesting in that list. (-:

Note: The files above that are shareware are all programs we have registered.
(The author of ArtValve graciously provided me with a complimentary registration.  Thanks, Bill.)

XTimer is versatile and powerful.  I encourage you to invest in a program that pays for itself.  XTimer isn't available at computer stores, it's only available in the global computer warehouse— the Internet!  If you pay for commercial applications that meet your needs, then take seriously the shareware concept, and when you find quality shareware programs that meet your needs— buy them!  

Thanks to all the beta testers.
Enjoy the program!

Eric (-:  
 
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