Download the EXE file (right-click and Save As...). Size 986112 bytes.
Download the documentation.
The program is ready to use (say, just put it to the desktop). Read the file timer.txt.
This program helps the presenters at a conference to keep track of the time of their presentation, thus liberating the moderator from the unpleasant obligation of forcing the presenters to stop their presentations.
Just put the file somewhere (say, on the desktop).
The program is intended for the use by the moderator of the session at a conference. The moderator installs the program on a computer specially dedicated to this purpose (different from the one on which the presentations are run). The screen should be located in such a way that the presenter can see it clearly all the time, but the public cannot see it. Before each presentation, the moderator starts the timer, so that the presenter can see the time left for the presentation. It is recommended that the moderator explain the basic ideas of the use of this timer to each presenter before their presentation.
Run timer.exe. Type in the duration of the talk, in minutes. Click on the Start button (or just press Enter). This will run the timer. Alternatively, you can just click one of the buttons with pre-defined duration; it will immediately start the timer.
The timer will show the countdown clock: the number of mintes left for the presentation (not the elapsed time of the presentation!), in white digits on black background. When the time left is 5 minutes, the background changes to green (as the green traffic light: "go ahead"). When the time left is 3 minutes, the background changes to yellow ("attention!"). When the time left is 1 minute, the background changes to red ("stop!"). When less than one minute is left, the screen will show the word "end". When the time expires, the screen starts blinking (and will blink until the Stop button or one of the predefined time buttons is clicked).
At the bottom of the screen, a progress bar shows the percentage of the time elapsed. When the progress indicator comes to the right-hand end of the screen, the presentation is over.
When the Stop button is clicked, the timer is reset to the duration it was set last time; no need to type it again. Since the Start/Stop button usually has the focus, it is very simple to control the timer from the keyboard: once you have entered the duration of the talks, you only need to press Enter (first time) or the space bar to start and stop the timer; no need to re-type the duration.
Idea: Alexander Gelbukh. Implementation: Sulema Torres Ramos and Alexander Gelbukh. The program was created for the CICLing conference.
Anybody is allowed and encouraged to use this software. Commercial distribution requires a written permission from the authors. Free distribution is allowed provided that the software is distributed in its entirety and unaltered, including this !README.txt file.
This software is supplied as is. The authors do not assume any responsibility, expressed or implied, for any possible damage or loss caused by the use of this software. Use it on your own risk.
January 31, 2010.
Alexander Gelbukh