Programming ideas (probably the 1000th thread...)

[Desolation]

Hey guys. I know this is probably like the 1000th thread about that, but I really need ideas of things I could program this summer to pass time (other than working, going to the gym, etc.). If you guys have any ideas of programs or APIs that you'd need or that you know would be useful, feel free to share them. One thing though, I'm not particularly good at using external APIs like SDL, OpenGL, MFC, GDI or any other kind of library for that matter so if the idea requires only "pure" C++, that's better but I guess working on my weaknesses can't be a bad idea either.

Thanks to anyone helping a fellow in need =D !

[Queatrix]

Get creative. Come up with somthing that you know you can't do with what you know, and try it anyway.
You may learn a bit and surprise your self.

[ChaosEngine]

is there any particular area of C++ you'd like to focus on?

[Dave_Sinkula]

If you guys have any ideas of programs or APIs that you'd need or that you know would be useful, feel free to share them.

There's probably this stuff out there already, but it's a wheel I like to reinvent from time to time:

• Picture renamer organizer thingy.
  
  
  I've got piles of pictures, some get edited, some are fine as-is. I'd like to rename some of the edited ones to get rid of the _edited part of the filename.
• An MP3 organizer updater thingy.
  
  
  Again there are tools that I use, but it doesn't do what I want (as far as I know).
  
  Make something that gets album covers, correct titles and attributions, etc.

Stopping a little short. The basic idea: what do you have on your computer that you handle in a bulky way? What might you write to simplify interacting with things that interest you?

Code colorizer #123456? Some SNMP thingy to tell you all about your PC and devices on your network?

Basically, what do you like to do that your project might make easier for you or (possibly) others? But be selfish first -- great ideas always spring from "laziness".

[Desolation]

Thanks for the ideas ! Keep them coming ! =D

As for the area of C++ I'd like to focus on, there's not really one that springs to mind but maybe trying to improve my (very) poor networking skills wouldn't hurt. I know this isn't really C++ since networking requires an external API but oh well, I wouldn't mind working on that.

[Dave_Sinkula]

As for the area of C++ I'd like to focus on, there's not really one that springs to mind but maybe trying to improve my (very) poor networking skills wouldn't hurt. I know this isn't really C++ since networking requires an external API but oh well, I wouldn't mind working on that.

Again, to me it's not so much the means but the end. What do you want in the end? If it builds your abilities as far as the means, great. But avoid pursuing means to which you don't care about the end. It'll kill your interest.

[Desolation]

That's why I had nothing in mind to focus on. Those two "organizer thingies" ideas seem interesting. I'll try and think of how I could do that.

[UMR_Student]

One of my projects right now is an AOL instant messenger bot. Lots of network programming because I'm creating my own implementation of the protocol, and some good AI stuff. Just food for thought