Alvin Alexander

I ran into a situation recently where I wanted to batch convert a number of BMP images into JPEG images. Fortunately, as a Linux command line user, I didn’t have a problem using ImageMagick, and their mogrify command.

In short, I was able to convert the images from the Linux command line like this:

mogrify -format jpg *.bmp

I found this information at this URL on the ImageMagick website.

Batch image processing on Mac OS X

If you don’t happen to be a Linux command line user, I’ve also written about how to do similar things on Apple Mac OS X computer systems. Here are links to some of my Mac image processing tutorials:

• Batch convert Mac OS X BMP, JPG, PNG image files
• Mac - Convert BMP image to JPEG, PNG, TIFF, GIF, or PDF
• Free Mac batch image resizing with Automator

If you’re looking for different ways to convert images from one format to another on Mac OS X system, or resize images on a Mac, I hope those examples and tutorials are helpful.

One thing I wish Apple would do is to come out with a “retro iMac” version, using this style that they used in the 2002 through 2004 iMac design:

An iMac design like this would be perfect for my kitchen area, especially if it had a touchscreen.

As I’ve written on my devdaily.com website, I’ve created a “Mac Siri” app that runs on all current Mac OS X computers, including any MacBook or iMac, but it won’t run on the 2002-2004 iMac, because those systems didn’t use Intel processors, and also aren’t powerful enough.

My app can do things like play iTunes, play DVD movies, read web pages, get the current weather, and much more, so my Mac Siri software, combined with this retro/vintage iMac design, would bean awesome device in any kitchen.

It’s currently December, 2011, and I think I bought my 24″ iMac back in 2009, and a simple picture will show you what I think is the best iMac design feature:

I’m not sure what you can that ledge/stand for the iMac, but it sure is a handy design feature.

While driving a lot lately (thousands of miles) I’ve been listening to the Steve Jobs audiobook, and somewhere in that process, I decided to look for Steve Jobs NeXT business card, which I eventually found:

If you don’t know his history, Steve Jobs:

• Founded Apple with Steve Wozniak
• Was run out of Apple in 1985
• Founded NeXT
• Bought Pixar
• Returned to Apple in 1997
• Saved Apple from financial ruin, “discovered” Jonathan Ive at Apple, and helped create all the Apple products you know and love

The Mac OS X operating system is actually based on the NeXT operating system, which was named NeXTSTEP. The primary programming language used with NeXTSTEP, an object-oriented programming language named Objective C, has evolved into the programming language of choice for the Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

(This post sponsored by my Apple and Mac tutorials on the devdaily.com website.)

We’ve been really pleased by the response to our 99-cent application that helps you hide your desktop and desktop icons. This is a small app that is available for Mac OS X systems.

Oops, I almost forgot, we have a fun video that demonstrates our “Hide your desktop” app on YouTube.

I’ve written a few other tutorials for using the Mac. Those links are shown here:

• How to use burn folders to make backups on Mac OS/X
• How to make Java applications look like native Mac applications
• How to bundle a Java application on Mac OS/X using the Jar Bundler

I’ve written a series of tutorials on how to create podcasts on Mac OS/X using GarageBand. The links for these tutorials are shown here:

• How to create a podcast on the Mac with GarageBand
• Creating a podcast on Mac OS/X with GarageBand (part 2)
• How to create a podcast on Mac OS/X with GarageBand (part 3)