ClockChecker

The Clearinghouse for International Computing

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ClockChecker

by Tom Bernard

ClockChecker addresses a bug that appears in some versions of Mac OS X. When the user starts his or her computer, the clock often reads December 31, 1969 17:01 instead of the correct date and time. ClockChecker checks the time when the user starts up. If the current time is earlier than the time of the user's last login, the user is prompted to verify the clock.

Installation:

· Choose "System Preferences" from the Apple menu. Choose "Date & Time" from System Preferences. Click the "Time Zone" tab within "Date & Time" and verify that your time zone is selected. Connect to the Internet if needed. Choose the "Network Time" tab within "Date & Time". Click "Set Time Now".

Note: If you enjoy a continuous connection to the Internet, you may wish to click "Use a network time server". If you do so, you should not have further problems with the wrong clock settings at startup, in which case you do not need this software.

· Unpack ClockChecker from its .sit file. Drag ClockChecker to your Applications folder or /Applications/Utilities/ folder. You may also put ClockChecker anywhere you like. Leave open the window for the folder containing ClockChecker.
· Choose "System Preferences". Choose "Login Items" within System Preferences. Drag ClockChecker from its folder to the box containing the list of login items. Do not check the Hide box for ClockChecker. Quit "SystemPreferences"

· Run ClockChecker. ClockChecker will start and quit without displaying a window. This is normal. ClockChecker initializes itself, then quits.

When you next log in, ClockChecker will start up. If the time is later than the time of last login (or later than the initialization time mentioned above), then ClockChecker updates the time of last login and quits, again without displaying a window.. If the time is earlier than the time of last login, ClockChecker prompts you to verify your clock.

Removing ClockChecker

· Open "System Preferences". Choose "Login Items". Select ClockChecker in the list. Click "Remove".
· Delete ClockChecker from your hard drive.
· Locate the file ~/Library/Preferences/com.bersearch.clockchecker.plist and delete the file.

Credits

Design and Programming: Tom Bernard
Testing and Feedback: Chris Newman

Privacy Note

ClockChecker stores the time of your last login on your hard drive. ClockChecker stores this information in an XML-encoded property list in the file ~/Library/Preferences/com.bersearch.clockchecker.plist. ClockChecker uses the time of your last login to verify the clock when you log in. If you do not wish to store the time of your last login on your hard drive, then do not use ClockChecker.

License

ClockChecker is FreeWare. You may keep and enjoy ClockChecker without charge. You may also freely distribute ClockChecker, provided that you include ClockChecker's documentation and source files with ClockChecker. The source code for ClockChecker is included. You may study the source to see how ClockChecker works. You may also incorporate the source into your own work, provided that proper credit is given. Please see the open source license below for further detail.

License is granted free of charge to any person (Licensee) in possession of ClockChecker and its source to make any use of ClockChecker and its source provided that Licensee acknowledges the source by including this copyright notice and license in human readable form with any products incorporating ClockChecker in whole or in part, and further that Licensee extends these same permissions to the recipients of Licensee's products that include ClockChecker in whole or in part.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

Bersearch Information Services
PO Box 2429
66 Protector Place
Breckenridge, Colorado 80424-2429
United States