Software Curiosity Shop


Welcome!
I write software for fun, and this page contains links to a few of those software products: Soduko, Subspace Communications, SoundEffects, UPT, Telnet Server Example, xMinder, TrapWatcher, xScream, and Restore. The software is downloadable and usable as a "freeware", but any download legally binds you under the software license agreement.

NetPen - Internet Whiteboard
Beta Now Available
Literally hundreds of instant messaging tools, and if they bothered to add a shareable whiteboard, it looks like it was designed in the 80's. I'm an engineer, so for me a drawing tool has to not get in the way of what I'm trying to communicate. It's got to be quick, simple and have the features I want. NetPen starts to bring the shared whiteboard concept up to the 21st century! It's available now for Beta download, send me your ideas for how to improve it!

Process Modeler
This is a simple process builder/manager to automate manual processes. It's a prototype I built in under two weeks of evenings that really demonstrates the power of Microsoft's Visual Studio. Essentially the process engine activates preexisting scripts or programs to get and set data. The best feature is perhaps that data to or from one script can be used as data for another script. I built the tool as an example for how a company could automate their hundreds of scripts and avoid the key entry mistakes and save the human time it took to run those scripts manually. The company had looked at other process modeling tools, but the effort of building dialogs and integrating the logic for the processes had been too overwhelming. This tool specifically eliminates those barriers.

It supports any scripts/programs, supports if logic, supports loops, and has a process debugger. At it's heart is an expression evaluator that can solve simple expressions (e.g., $init = $init + 1, or if ($init > 4 && $routerID == "PHOENIX2") goto modelXYZ). Take a look at the video to see it in action and the GUI video to see how dialogs are built. If you'd like to see the code send me email. It uses the Microsoft .NET framework and built in C# using Visual Studio.

Sudoku Twist
This is currently the standard game of Sudoku, but at some future date I plan to swap out digits for other symbols. If you have any suggestions please feel free to send me email It uses the Microsoft .NET framework. I haven't put any documentation together yet, but one non-obvious feature is that holding down the SHIFT key while typing a number will display the number as a possible value.

Subspace Communications
This voice over IP program runs in the background while you play games to allow communications between your players. It's similar to TeamSound, BattleCom, Roger Wilco, etc. With all those choices you'd think I'd have been happy! Sadly I couldn't find one that had all of the features I wanted, and Subspace is the result. It features selectable hot keys, sequenced talking (i.e., players can't overtalk each other), automatic connections so your buddies don't need to know your IP address or port, automatic reconnect (darn useful after one of your buddies crashes), you can put any team mate on any set of channels, and a variety of other cool features (see the user manual for details). If you have any suggestions on how to improve it please send me an email. Works with EQ, GW, SWG, and many more!

SoundEffects
This free PC software packages allows you to mix WAV files together. In the program each WAV file is treated as a separate object, so not only can you combine them, but change the start timing, volume, etc. It has standard editing and recording capabilities. The magic unavailable in other programs is that you can adjust each wave file independently and play the combined sound back. When you're happy with it, you save it as a new wave file. Click here for documentation and here to download now.

Universal Provisioning Tool
I wrote this program to give a telecom company one generic interface to all of the network elements in their network, but it can simplify the management of any group of devices that have an ASCII based Command Line Interface accessible over IP (e.g., Telnet). Unzip the files with the -d option into a new directory to preserve the directory structure. It's written in Java 1.2 and therefore portable across PCs or UNIX computers. The two manuals should get you started, but it you have questions just send me an email.

Telnet Server Example
I wrote this Java program to give a telecom company an example of how to write a Telnet server that would interface with Telnet clients. It's skips over special server-based terminal features, but is otherwise fairly complete. Send me email if you have questions.

xMinder
xMinder is a free network surveillance program that will monitor a network of TL1 devices. Unlike most surveillance systems; xMinder doesn't manage alarms, it manages devices. In an alarm management system you can receive hundreds of alarms from just a few devices; the volume of alarms quickly masks what's really wrong with the network. In a device management system you see only the devices that have alarms, and then by selecting a device you can examine the alarms it has.

xScream
Ever need an alarm stream for testing, but don't have access to gear? I did, so I've built this network simulator. It can easily absorb alarms from any system and provides a convenient GUI for alarm simulation. It allows you to build, save, and load entire networks complete with standing alarms. It's written in Java 1.2 and therefore portable. The downloadable zip file's (70 kb) main contents are the JAR file (39 kb) and the MS Word documentation (79 kb).

TrapWatcher
A diagnostic tool that listens for SNMP traps and provides the decoded ASN.1 information (17 kb). Also included is the source for the ASN.1 decoder, TrapRecorder (which records traps to a data file), and TrapPlayback (which, you guessed it, reads information from a TrapRecorder data file and builds/sends traps to the desired destination).

scpMinder
This is a derivative of xMinder, but simplified to monitor a signal control point. It uses one centralized collector and and a client. Written in Java 1.2 so the clients can run on most any platform The clients use telnet to get to the collector's data, so the collector needs to run on a platform that supports a telnet client and the UNIX tail +0f command.

Restore
I had some files I backed up to floppy in the '80s using the trusty MSDOS backup command and recently had a need to get them back. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a program that would read them (I was worried about using the original program as I had converted to FAT32). So I wrote this little utility in portable C to restore files (the source is included). I'm not sure what OS version of MS DOS this was for (3.x I think), but it's the one with control.001 and backup.001 files.

Legal Stuff
All Software is Copyrighted by Paul Regenhardt, All rights reserved.
Paul Regenhardt ("The author") PROVIDES THE SOFTWARE "AS-IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESSED, IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING AND WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF INFORMATION, OR ANY OTHER LOSS) , WHETHER OR NOT ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE, AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS SOFTWARE.

   Tipping is Allowed!
Imagine a fine meal at a restaurant when suddenly the manager says the meal is Free! Would you tip the waiter? Sure you would! Now, via Paypal you can leave a tip at the Curiosity Shop if you appreciate the tools. Tips are definitely appreciated!