TimeTeller makes your Mac speak the time using a digitized voice. The spoken times are determined by a schedule that you can change using ResEdit, as described below. TimeTeller requires System 7, and works only on a Mac II or later machine. TimeTeller uses only 48K of application memory while running. Its “disk footprint” is less than 64K. Since TimeTeller is a background application, it does not trap any patches and can’t cause compatibility problems.
Version 1.1 is compatible with Apple’s Sound Manager 3.0. If you aren’t using Sound Manager 3.0, I suggest that you continue to use version 1.0 of TimeTeller, which requires only 32K or application memory.
To use TimeTeller, drag it to your System Folder and let the Finder put it into the Extensions folder. When you reboot your machine, TimeTeller will be active. It will speak the time according to the following schedule, unless you or someone else has changed it:
08:00AM — 12:00AM every 30 minutes
01:00PM — 04:30PM every 30 minutes
05:00PM — 06:45PM every 15 minutes
07:00PM — 09:00PM every 60 minutes
10:00PM — 10:55PM every 5 minutes
To change the schedule, use ResEdit on a copy of TimeTeller. You can’t edit the copy in the Extensions folder unless you reboot with extensions disabled. Open the TIME 128 resource and modify, create, or delete schedule entries — the labels are self-explanatory.
A schedule entry is applicable when the current time falls within the range of begin time to end time. Intervals are relative to the entry’s begin time. Thus, if the start time is 7:00 and the interval is 5 minutes, TimeTeller will speak at 7:00, 7:05, 7:10, etc. Changing the start time to 7:01 will move the speaking times to 7:01, 7:06, 7:11, etc.
The first applicable entry in the TIME resource determines the speaking schedule. This is important if you want to have an entry overlap the time range of another entry (e.g. you have an entry set for a 15 minute interval that runs all day, but you want to hear the time at one minute intervals from 6:55 to 6:59 PM). The more specific entry (the 6:55 to 6:59 in the example) must come before the more general entry (every 5 minutes all day, in the example).
I recommend that you not alter the resolution entry. This is the number of ticks (units of 1/60 second) between clock checks by TimeTeller. As shipped, the resolution is 300 ticks (5 seconds). There’s not much point in setting a lower resolution; it could bring the speaking time consistently closer to the change of the minute, but it’s not guaranteed to do so.
To remove TimeTeller, hold down the shift key while starting your system, until you see the “Extensions disabled” message. Remove TimeTeller from the Extensions folder and restart once more.
This program may be freely distributed online according to the following conditions: (a) the program must be unaltered, (b) the program’s documentation must be included, and (c) no money may be charged, except for customary online connect-time charges.
Organizations (both for-profit and non-profit) which produce compilations or libraries for sale on physical media may include this program only according to the following conditions: (a) prior to production, a written statement of intent must be submitted to the author for approval, and (b) one copy of the compilation must be provided to the author at no charge.
The author’s email address is DBLamkins@aol.com. Comments from end-users are welcomed.
