Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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More Visual Beep

Lets you know your computer has finished its current task
  (+14, -1)(+14, -1)
(+14, -1)
  [vote for,
against]

I was running a computer program at work that I knew would take about 15 minutes. So naturally I went to talk to some friends of mine across the floor.

Problem is, I couldn't know when my computer had finished because I'd never hear the beep all the way across the floor. There might have been a dialog box on the screen, but I couldn't see the screen from where I was.

What's needed is a helium balloon that attaches to your monitor, and when the program finishes running, it releases the balloon so it sticks up and you can see it even over cubicle walls.

Visual Basic has a "Beep" command; there's no reason why they can't have a "Balloon" command, too :)

phundug, Aug 01 2005

(?) Balloon tips http://www.vbaccele...s_in_XP/article.asp
Halfway there, I s'pose [Extreme Tomato, Aug 01 2005]

[link]






       [good idea flag pops up on side of monitor.]   

       Ooh... better give this a croissant, then. [+]
st3f, Aug 01 2005
  

       Maybe a green balloon if the program finishes, but a red balloon if there's an error during the program.
phundug, Aug 01 2005
  

       A flag-waving device plugged into your computer's headphone socket would do. It could be made to wave flags when the computer made any sound.
hippo, Aug 01 2005
  

       <pops head above cube wall – sees red balloons everywhere> “Phew, network troubles. Thought my program crashed again.”
Shz, Aug 02 2005
  

       You can't just have the program page you when it's done?
DrCurry, Aug 02 2005
  

       Paging would be key. Or if you have a nice Cell Phone, Maybe you could receive a Picture Message of the screen shot of your computer. -Then if you could just control your mouse from your cell phone you'd be all set.   

       Im sure balloons could do the trick 2. +
Kcsolutions123, Aug 02 2005
  
      
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