Lately I can't help but notice people raging on Facebook about how Windows Live Messenger (commonly called MSN) refused to let them log on and resorting to using Facebook chat, then raging about the issues with that after it grinds to a halt with the sudden unexpected user increase and load on the servers.
I have been largely unaffected by this due to the fact that I have lately been using Digsby - an IM, Email and Social Networking client.
Digsby isn't just easy to use, it looks great too. Customisations and little things that make it 'just fit' on my desktop. A system tray icon notifying you of updates for the social networking side of things; with a quick access to view them without opening a separate window.




One of my favourite features is the option to dock the buddy list on the side of the screen and auto hide it. Making it act much like a toolbox in Visual Studio; hover over and view. This doesn't clutter your desktop and allows easy access.

Tweeting even allows you to insert a shortened URL with ease using the provider of your choice.

As if that wasn't enough. The mascot should swing you into trying it out!

Analysis
This practical's purpose was to introduce and use pointers and to practice string manipulation.
Implementation
Code
The Alpha sting's task was to accept up to 100 lines of input from the user of 80 characters long and search for a word the user provides counting how many times it appears in the text.
If the user enters an empty line of text the entry loop terminates
Alpha Sting
Syntax highlighting thanks to pastie.org

Analysis
This practical's task was to use Dr. Giuseppe Di Fatta's code in a new function 'DateCompare' to return values as to if it is before, less or equal to the dates provided to the function.
The Alpha Sting section was to implement this using Structures
Implementation
Code
Syntax highlighting thanks to pastie.org

The University of Reading's Systems Engineering module SE1SA5 has introduced the majority of programming concepts in the C programming language. This example program is used to summarise the later units of this module so far.

Topics

• Repetition
• Conditions
• Arrays
• Functions
• Compilation Units (multiple files)
• Structures

Analysis

A Program should be created in order to demonstrate the uses of each topic. It should be clearly commented for future reference.

Design

Individual functions should be created in order to demonstrate the uses of each topic. At least one of these functions should be external to the file with the main(); function. With a prototype for this function defined in a header file. This will allow for demonstration of compilation units.
Implementation
The program consists of 3 files; main.c util.c util.h
Each of these files are required for the program to compile.
Code
Syntax highlighting thanks to pastie.org