5 ms·

Poke at system files with Shortcuts

61 points by wallflower 8y ago

kccqzy 8y ago
Looking at the system version is always possible for any third-party app. If you have, say, the Pythonista app[0] for running Python code, running the following is the equivalent: with open('/System/Library/CoreServices/SystemVersion.plist', 'rb') as f: print(f.read()) But the apparently builtin plist parsing is a nice touch I'd say. [0]: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pythonista-3/id1085978097?mt=8 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pythonista-3/id1085978097?mt...
- tlrobinson 8y ago
  Neat, I didn't realized Apple started allowing interpreted code in developer tools [1][2]. It's surprising they even allow accessing the filesystem, etc. 1. https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/06/07/apple_relaxes_developer_rules/ https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/06/07/apple_relaxes_devel... 2. Aside from the built-in JavaScript engine in WebKit which was always allowed?
  - kccqzy 8y ago
    Apple has always allowed interpreted code, apart from a brief period in the pre-iOS 4 era. What was new in 2017 was that apps can download that interpreted code on its own, instead of being user input. It's not surprising at all, if you are in the iOS ecosystem and you are a power user/tinkerer. Pythonista is just one of those apps. IIRC I had quite some fun running Haskell on my iPad about five years ago.
    - tinus_hn 8y ago
      There is a limitation on JIT compiling though which does not apply to the built in JavaScript vm.
      - johncolanduoni 8y ago
        It does unless you’re running it in another process as part of a WebKit instance, via WKWebView or SFSafariViewController. Using JavaScript core directly still limits you to interpretation.
djhworld 8y ago
This brings back fond memories of being in secondary school (high school), and finding out you could circumvent the rudimentary "student friendly" restrictions of Windows 95/98/2000 by simply creating a shortcut to the C:/ drive on the desktop. This allowed us access to CMD.exe and, well, it didn't take long for people to find a way to install games
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 8y ago
  Bypassing your school's computer restrictions in order to play games was a right of passage for the 90s computer nerd.
  - eric_h 8y ago
    In 7th grade, I and several of my friends were able to convince our ATP (Academically Talented Pupils) teacher that making and playing multiplayer Marathon maps was a worthy academic undertaking ;)
  - ttul 8y ago
    As was installing Linux on the unused secondary 2GB partition on every lab machine and enabling dual-boot so that you could come into the lab in the evening and launch a real operating system for the night's work and entertainment.
    - billylindeman 8y ago
      I used to carry a usb stick with knoppix on it Most of my teachers had no idea what i was doing but actively encouraged it even though it was against most policies. I'm super grateful for them
  - billylindeman 8y ago
    that and the schools proxy :) I remember finding some unquota'd directories on some non-default but open system shares on the school district's NAS and we would put some shooter games on it and play it after school. I got caught for that eventually and banned from the computers for 6 weeks or so. Also, one time in elementary school I did a netsend that popped a dialog on every computer in the district :)

61 points by wallflower 8y ago

Looking at the system version is always possible for any third-party app. If you have, say, the Pythonista app[0] for running Python code, running the following is the equivalent: with open('/System/Library/CoreServices/SystemVersion.plist', 'rb') as f: print(f.read()) But the apparently builtin plist parsing is a nice touch I'd say. [0]: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pythonista-3/id1085978097?mt=8 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pythonista-3/id1085978097?mt...

tlrobinson 8y ago
Neat, I didn't realized Apple started allowing interpreted code in developer tools [1][2]. It's surprising they even allow accessing the filesystem, etc. 1. https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/06/07/apple_relaxes_developer_rules/ https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/06/07/apple_relaxes_devel... 2. Aside from the built-in JavaScript engine in WebKit which was always allowed?
- kccqzy 8y ago
  Apple has always allowed interpreted code, apart from a brief period in the pre-iOS 4 era. What was new in 2017 was that apps can download that interpreted code on its own, instead of being user input. It's not surprising at all, if you are in the iOS ecosystem and you are a power user/tinkerer. Pythonista is just one of those apps. IIRC I had quite some fun running Haskell on my iPad about five years ago.
  - tinus_hn 8y ago
    There is a limitation on JIT compiling though which does not apply to the built in JavaScript vm.
    - johncolanduoni 8y ago
      It does unless you’re running it in another process as part of a WebKit instance, via WKWebView or SFSafariViewController. Using JavaScript core directly still limits you to interpretation.

djhworld 8y ago

This brings back fond memories of being in secondary school (high school), and finding out you could circumvent the rudimentary "student friendly" restrictions of Windows 95/98/2000 by simply creating a shortcut to the C:/ drive on the desktop. This allowed us access to CMD.exe and, well, it didn't take long for people to find a way to install games

AnIdiotOnTheNet 8y ago
Bypassing your school's computer restrictions in order to play games was a right of passage for the 90s computer nerd.
- eric_h 8y ago
  In 7th grade, I and several of my friends were able to convince our ATP (Academically Talented Pupils) teacher that making and playing multiplayer Marathon maps was a worthy academic undertaking ;)
- ttul 8y ago
  As was installing Linux on the unused secondary 2GB partition on every lab machine and enabling dual-boot so that you could come into the lab in the evening and launch a real operating system for the night's work and entertainment.
  - billylindeman 8y ago
    I used to carry a usb stick with knoppix on it Most of my teachers had no idea what i was doing but actively encouraged it even though it was against most policies. I'm super grateful for them
- billylindeman 8y ago
  that and the schools proxy :) I remember finding some unquota'd directories on some non-default but open system shares on the school district's NAS and we would put some shooter games on it and play it after school. I got caught for that eventually and banned from the computers for 6 weeks or so. Also, one time in elementary school I did a netsend that popped a dialog on every computer in the district :)