Encryption? A GUI for pausing rather than just stopping the process when you don't want it? Server synchronisation?
I can see why this project will take longer than 2 hours if you introduce new requirements.
I have a bash alias that almost solves the problem as stated. I'm not on my PC at the moment, but it's something like (forgive formatting on mobile, space inserts keyboard suggestions so even this much indentation involves a bunch of copy-pasting).
while :; do
x="$(xclip -out)"
if [ "$x" != "$lastx" ]; then echo "$x"; fi
lastx="$x"
sleep 0.5
done
If you pipe that function (I call it whilepaste) into |grep https?://, you've solved the problem as stated. If you want more, if it's not just for yourself (the author literally said they just wanted the program to use for themselves) and it needs further usability features, automatic run on startup, etc., that's a different set of requirements that you apparently didn't mention when the student posed the clarifying questions. But even so, making a tray icon and automatic startup on windows is probably approximately two hours if you're experienced in coding and just need to look those two things up. I remember doing both as a teenager back in the game maker 7 days using a DLL, so I have a vague memory of how much work this was.
I don't disagree with the general point that some problems are deceptively hard and that, if you're making this for someone else (even this tech-savvy coding teacher), you'll probably spend an afternoon with polishing and extended testing included, and that gets longer the bigger the initial estimation (the famous one-weekend project). Still, a problem like replicating Twitter is probably a better example of something that seems very simple and the amount of time needed only becomes clear once you realize how much work it is to setup all the stuff around the core function of showing short messages to followers.
I can see why this project will take longer than 2 hours if you introduce new requirements.
I have a bash alias that almost solves the problem as stated. I'm not on my PC at the moment, but it's something like (forgive formatting on mobile, space inserts keyboard suggestions so even this much indentation involves a bunch of copy-pasting).
If you pipe that function (I call it whilepaste) into |grep https?://, you've solved the problem as stated. If you want more, if it's not just for yourself (the author literally said they just wanted the program to use for themselves) and it needs further usability features, automatic run on startup, etc., that's a different set of requirements that you apparently didn't mention when the student posed the clarifying questions. But even so, making a tray icon and automatic startup on windows is probably approximately two hours if you're experienced in coding and just need to look those two things up. I remember doing both as a teenager back in the game maker 7 days using a DLL, so I have a vague memory of how much work this was.I don't disagree with the general point that some problems are deceptively hard and that, if you're making this for someone else (even this tech-savvy coding teacher), you'll probably spend an afternoon with polishing and extended testing included, and that gets longer the bigger the initial estimation (the famous one-weekend project). Still, a problem like replicating Twitter is probably a better example of something that seems very simple and the amount of time needed only becomes clear once you realize how much work it is to setup all the stuff around the core function of showing short messages to followers.