Arrow keys broken for console applications in OS X 10.6.3

I was just trying to configure some project using the curses based ccmake tool. I noticed that I cannot do that, since the arrow keys on my keyboard stopped responding when running ccmake. Turns out, Apple broke curses in OS X 10.6.3. Workaround is to copy the ncurses dylib from a 10.6.2 system, which I don't have at hand right now. Funny enough, the keys are also broken when using xterm instead of the standard terminal, so there is definitely something very broken in ncurses right now.

XCode cannot compare SVN directories

I am missing one feature in XCode: it can't compare whole directories under version control. Only single files can be compared. For example, I have a directory named "Classes". It's info dialog does not show the version control tab:

However, if I choose some source file, I get the SCM tab and can compare my local version with the head version in the repository:

Nice things about the iPad

Well, one nice about iPad development is that porting your app is pretty easy. Took me 1 minute exactly. Sure, you have to re-tweak your UI, but the OpenGL ES rendering is instantly high-res.

iPad WiFi problems

Yes, it's true. The iPad WiFi problems are definitely there. I currently have one iPad lying around here, which has obscenely bad WiFi performance: bad signal, slow, disconnects. The eduroam node I am using is 6m away, almost line of sight (two open doors).

Python: swapping variables

I forgot where I read this, but this is a neat way of swapping variables in python:

u = 1
v = 2
print "%i %i" % (u, v)
u, v = v, u
print "%i %i" % (u, v)

Finder could not be started...

One of those mysterious error messages, which can only be solved by logging out and in again:

Making transparent iPhone-Sim Screenshots

This is a real time saver: Cmd-Shift-4, hit the space bar, select the iPhone simulator window. This makes a nice transparent screenshot, like this: