Three Point Estimate for iPad (ThreePointEstiPad)

ThreePointEstiPad is a utility app for iPad that calculates the PERT-based three point estimation technique, which allows for a more accurate estimation than just by single point methods of estimation. Use this app to estimate time, cost, or practically anything that needs estimation. 

FEATURES: 

* Use a slider to control the decimal precision (up to 10 digits) 

* Easily toggle between positive and negative input values. 

* Computes the standard deviation (SD) in addition to the three point estimate. 

* Numeric-only input keyboard minimizes user input errors. 

* Results are updated in real-time when the decimal precision slider is moved.

* Checks inputs for instances of multiple decimal digits and alerting the user.

  

For comments, questions, and suggestions, please contact me at: gaston.santiago@gmail.com

ThreePointEst

ThreePointEst is a utility app that calculates the PERT-based three point estimation technique, which allows for a more accurate estimation than just by single point methods of estimation. Use this app to estimate time, duration, cost, or practically anything that needs estimation.

FEATURES:

* Use a slider to control the decimal precision (up to 10 digits)
* Easily toggle between positive and negative input values.
* Computes the standard deviation (SD) in addition to the three point estimate.
* Numeric-only input keyboard minimizes user input errors.

Please contact me at gaston.santiago@gmail.com if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions.  

RecPolar for iPad

Released November 19, 2012

RecPolar for iPad was designed to take advantage of the iPad's larger screen, providing the user faster results by eliminating the need for switching back and forth different screens. The app's natural interface is modeled with simplicity in mind, so you can focus on getting the results with less confusion and extreme clarity. A graph shows the resulting data from conversion from both operations, as well as slope and radian values.

For more details, go to the Apple iTunes App Store at:

https://itunes.apple.com/mz/app/recpolar-for-ipad/id364910088?mt=8

My 3rd iPhone App - Approved!

Parol was approved by Apple today, and is now available in iTunes App Store. With the Parol app, you can make customized parols with a slide of your finger in seconds. Use this app to help you design your own real parol, or have someone else do it for you.

The Parol is a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem that guided the three Wise Men to the manger where Jesus Christ was born. Filipinos have built Parols to celebrate the spirit of Christmas. Using bamboo, paper, rice glue, capiz, and other materials, the original purpose of the Parol was a lantern in a procession to Misa de Gallo (mass at dawn).

I wrote the Parol app in a relatively short period of time, hoping to release it before Christmas. I drew all the artwork from scratch, using GIMP software to do the sketching and coloring. I was at first not that familiar with creating line drawings, and I had to learn how to create paths first, then render the lines to follow the paths. This is about the same procedure when you create lines and shapes in Cocoa’s Core Graphics. Once I got the hang of it, it was then second nature to do the line drawings. I could have used Core Graphics to create the drawings procedurally, but I felt it would look too mechanical and lack the subtle, charming imperfections of a real Parol.

The programming itself was not as time-consuming as the artwork. Originally, I tried to use multiple view controllers, but in the Apple tradition of keeping things simple and reliable, I redesigned the interface so you can change the Parol shapes, colors, and streamers conveniently in the same screen. Also, I removed any other text clutter that were not contributing to the function and aesthetics of the interface. By keeping the interface simple, the coding was easier to follow and the debugging process went very smoothly.

I plan on adding more features and types of parol shapes, colors, and possibly animation in the next version. If you have already bought this program, I thank you very much for your patronage. In return, I will keep this app fresh by updating it from time to time.

Please e-mail me at: gaston.santiago@gmail.com if you have any comments, questions, or complaints.

Maligayang Pasko!

RecPolar

My 2nd iPhone App - Approved

RecPolar was approved by Apple today, and is now available in iTunes App Store. The purpose of this app is to help convert rectangular to polar coordinates, and vice versa. I have seen other converters out there, but could not find one that had a natural interface for entering data. Having a natural interface in this case means that the format of the numbers is identical to how you would write it when solving by pen and paper method. I wrote RecPolar with simplicity in mind, avoiding clutter, so that the results are straight and to the point.

Using the agile method of programming, I first made sure that the underlying modules worked first before moving on to the more complicated ones. Throughout the development, I did a lot of testing to ensure the calculations were done correctly. There were certain cases that the results will be undefined, so those was taken into consideration as well.

This marked my first time to use Quartz graphics, which was very simple to use (as opposed to OpenGL ES). For the type of graphing involved in RecPolar, Quartz was sufficient, since only lines and arcs were needed. For my future apps (which will be games), I will use either OpenGL ES, or Unity for creating 3D apps.

I thank everyone for supporting me by purchasing my apps. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to drop me a line at gaston.santiago@gmail.com.

Thanks for your support!

My First App - Alibata Guide - Approved!

Alibata Guide started as a concept back on 4/26/09, when I saw a Wikipedia article regarding an ancient Filipino writing called Alibata (also called Baybayin). I did a search on iTunes App Store, and did not find anything related to Alibata. This intrigued me, since most of the Filipinos are not aware of this beautiful, elegant writing which most schools in the Philippines neglected to teach. I for one, feel that a part of my cultural heritage was taken away from me, by the Philippine education system not teaching Alibata to me during my youth in the Philippines.

Fast forward to 2009, and I felt a surge of anger and also a sense of purpose that I need to promote Alibata using the most user friendly and extremely fun interface platform ever created --- the iPhone. I have had my eyes developing apps for the iPhone, but have put it off for a while due to the cost of having to upgrade my Mac and also having to pay for the Apple developer fees. Through the determination of letting people know more about Alibata, I was able to develop the Alibata Guide program in a course of less than two weeks.

To build the program, I used Xcode and the Interface Builder provided by the iPhone SDK. The iPhone uses Cocoa Touch based on the Objective C language. I have had C, C++ and C# experience before, but Objective C was a bit different. It uses classes like C++ and C# do, but the syntax formats are noticeably different. It can bit a bit overwhelming sometimes to look at a Foundation framework class name that seems like 100 characters long. Cocoa programmers, you know what I mean!

To prevent copyright issues, I decided to hand-draw the Alibata symbols / scripts myself using a Bamboo Fun CTE-450 tablet, an inexpensive yet highly functional way of drawing or writing in an electronic environment. The software I used for drawing was the free open source software called GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program), which can be downloaded for free on public domain software sites. This part took me the longest to do, since I want to get the Alibata symbols proportionately right. It sometimes took me 20 times to draw a single symbol, because I wanted to get the right calligraphy-like look for it. I treated this stage in the development with extreme care, because there is beauty in the symbols, and I wanted to share my yearning to learn this long, lost, forgotten ancient writing to everyone.

I submitted Alibata Guide on 5/7/09. As this was my first app, I had a lot of anxious nights whether or not Apple decides to approve or reject my submission. I did multiple tests prior to the submission, to make sure that there are no bugs. However, there were also other things that the app can be rejected for, besides coding. In any case, I have had a few sleepless nights worrying what Apple might think of my first app.

Today (5/14/09), I learned that Apple has approved my app! I quickly went to the Apple iTunes App Store, did a search for “Alibata”, and there it was. My jaw dropped. My name is published on the Apple iTunes Store. Just how cool is that! I am also my own first customer, and I gladly paid $0.99 for my own app, which I downloaded to my iTunes app library. I hope you do too, so you can learn Alibata for the sake of bringing back a part of a lost cultural heritage.

Mabuhay!

First Blog

Welcome to my Blogger site. I will post more later.