Around 2002 I built an application called GeekAlarm! in Delphi 7 using the VCL. I released it as shareware on quite a few shareware sites and it saw quite a few (10k-100k) downloads. It forces you to take a break from your computer for a configurable amount of time (4 minutes every 30 minutes is the default). The description of the app is “GeekAlarm! is a unique way for you to keep track of when you should take a break while using your computer. By taking breaks you can increase your productivity, reduce eye strain, and allay fatigue. GeekAlarm! has varying degrees of break enforcement including passive, medium, and aggressive enforcement. This helpful utility is a must have for anyone that uses a computer for long periods of time.” Here is a screenshot of the original version and you can check out the GeekAlarm! website from 2006.
I have been personally running the GeekAlarm! break app on my machine since then (so maybe 18 years or so). Fast forward to a couple years ago when a Windows 10 update came out and seemed to break the app. Not sure where the source code is so I rebuilt the app in the latest version of Delphi using the FireMonkey framework. It should run on Windows 10 and I believe I have tested it on macOS. Now I am making the source code available for free over on Github to celebrate Delphi’s 25th Anniversary! If you use your computer a lot you owe it to yourself to take break and this might just help you do that!
Head over and download the full source code for GeekAlarm! built in Delphi 10.3.3 FireMonkey!
