mozillaadware4vs.png (PNG Image, 751x554 pixels)

mozillaadware4vs.png (PNG Image, 751x554 pixels)

Microsoft at its best...

OSNews.com - News blog

OSNews.com - Exploring the Future of Computing: "Ready or not, Windows XP update is coming"

Ready or not, Windows XP update is coming
  Posted by Eugenia Loli-Queru on 2005-02-25 20:13:09 UTC

Microsoft is alerting customers
that it will soon start delivering Windows XP Service Pack 2 to all
customers using Automatic Update, whether they want it or not.

C++ exception-handling tricks for Linux
  Posted by Eugenia Loli-Queru on 2005-02-24 19:26:17 UTC

Handling exceptions in C++
has a few implicit restrictions at the language level, but you can get
around them in some instances. Learn ways to make exceptions work for
you so you can produce more reliable applications.

After the Exams...

Exams went of very swiftly In fact I didn't even bother to write any experience of the exam this time. I had only two exams, One was Intro to VTK endsem, which was a surprisingly good/tough paper as against his previous midsem. It went ok.

Second was the Ethics Midsem 2, it was also very simple after reading the big txt file send by vinodgupta in email. The first result of a search on the topic gave a sufficient material to read, understand and write, so I did. I consider putting that link here worth. The title is "Why be Moral".

Building sciences doesn't have any midsems so all the grading will depend on the end sem and the project only.

My thoat problem reappeared, this is I guess the 5-6 time in the current academic year I am facing the problem. I don't understand what is wrong with my throat.

Finally Hacked Blogger to use PHP ;-)

I was looking for an option to make the use of feature of php on blogspot page. These include that include capability on the top. Finally I have made my template contain php

In the php file I can write any php stuff. I have the option of editing PHP anytime I want, as it is on my local server. Curently I have just put Ranta's blogroll link there.

Also inserted the counter code in to my website. (counter was not counting my 1 year old blog which I wrote on my 200 site).

From the Google Blog

Google Blog: "A richer Zeitgeist brew
If you were in India, what would you search for? Inquiring minds from Mumbai to Bangalore wanted to know, so now there's a new Google India Zeitgeist."

Google Video is a new product that enables you to search an index of transcripts from recent TV programs. It's just an early-stage beta product at this point; you'll only see stills and text snippets from shows that match your search terms, and you can only search shows from a few channels, dating back to December, 2004, when we started compiling the index. But we'll be steadily improving Google Video in the months to come, so as they say in the TV biz, stay tuned.

Cyberlaws: Troubling an innocent

Slashdot article... This fellow (I read his interview), didn't know what it means to put some files on bit torrent and put Apples' developer only(or beta kinda) copy of his software on bit torrent. He is now sued by Apple for a huge amount. What will apple get by suing him?
Isn't forgiving the best thing Apple can do here?.
Also of importance is the fact : "Do read the term and conditions (accept/decline) stuff before you say accept. AFAIK It doesn't matter in India currently, but you never know"

Drunkenbatman posts this impressive article with a pointed quote from Apple co-creator Steve Wozniak and 24 others from all parts of the Apple Software world, criticising Apple's stance
against a 23-year-old pre-med student, desicanuk, who distributed a
pre-release Tiger build over a popular Mac Bittorrent site. There's
also an interview with desicanuk on drunkenbatman's site. (Original Slashdot article here.)"

Good reference for printing commands: CUPS Software Users Manual

Good reference for printing commands: CUPS Software Users Manual

Setting the Orientation

The -o landscape option will rotate the page 90 degrees to print in landscape orientation:

lp -o landscape filename ENTER
lpr -o landscape filename ENTER

Printing On Both Sides of the Paper

The -o sides=two-sided-short-edge and -o sides=two-sided-long-edge options will enable duplexing on the printer, if the printer supports it. The -o sides=two-sided-short-edge option is suitable for landscape pages, while the -o sides=two-sided-long-edge option is suitable for portrait pages:

lp -o sides=two-sided-short-edge filename ENTER
lp -o sides=two-sided-long-edge filename ENTER
lpr -o sides=two-sided-long-edge filename ENTER

N-Up Printing

The -o number-up=value option selects N-Up printing. N-Up printing places multiple document pages on a single printed page. CUPS supports 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 16-Up formats; the default format is 1-Up:

lp -o number-up=1 filename ENTER
lp -o number-up=2 filename ENTER
lp -o number-up=4 filename ENTER
lpr -o number-up=16 filename ENTER

Status of LUG shirts...(They are on the way )

Many ppl who gave me money for the shirts are eagerly waiting for them, when you ask me when the shirts are coming, even I feel bad that we didn't keep our word of delivering them by one week. But as usual the problem was in collecting money which we needed to pay him in advance before he starts making the shirt. It took us around 4-5 days to collect the money for half the orders itself.

But they are coming soon. The fellow has shown a sample peice to Kirti Sinha and said it will take 4-5 days to complete the shirt meaning Shirts SHOULD come by coming Wednessday. We can boost about our LUG in coming up events like OpenHouse.

In case your friends are interested in buying the shirt tell them that they can get them even now. We have ordered the shirts according to initial number of requests which were around 275, but till now only around 200 ppl have paid money so we might have some extra shirt,to be given(I mean sold) on FCFS basis. Please make the payment to KirtiSinha for this asap.

This one came yesterday:
Friend of Mine: Why are u taking so much time in bringing the shirts? You said one week that time.
me: When we said one week, we had only 100 shirts ordered. When we started collecting the money, we got around 250 requests. So obviusly the time required becomes 2.5 weeks.

Movie of the year --- BLACK

I saw black yesterday with Ramneek in IMAX. It was quite easy to get ticket once we reached 1 hr in advance. I was not very happy with the idea of going in the afternoon, but that was probably the only option. We spent some time shopping (we did actually buy some stuff). In the hall I got a seat next to a *AAL, Ramneek protested, but I knew he was also no better. I was not able to talk either, anyways the movie was good enuf for me not to divert my attention. I would recomment BLACK to one and all.

Some SCREENshots of movie black to be put here soon.

Current Affairs...

Got less than average marks in PR endsem :( nothing to feel bad, I had already felt bad about it after the exam.
So the grade will possibly be A-/B, doesn't matter much I have already done enuf wonders( two C-'s) last sem, they will overshadow this grade.

VTK last assignment is completed. So the only thing left in that course now is the Endsem. Hoping for the best.

Project Management is still stuck at almost same place ... can't help no one is interested :(

I saw Amille recently it is a cool movie, with some deep thoughts...

Revisiting blogs explains there importance...

As I remain quite confused etc now aday, I visited my blogs of last year. Blogging clicked me in April possibly and I wanted to make my own bloging software. (It was probably, because I didn't see blogger and other options at that time).

Reading your own blogs is a real good timepass. I enjoyed reading them a lot. So I am motivated to go over heavy blogging again. Good one here, look for one with date 30 July 2004, regarding Linear Algebra.

In other stuff, blogger.com doesn't have a feedback option, this is too bad for a software to grow. My observation:Software bought buy google doesn't improve over time as much as Google's inventions do. (e.g Orkut, blogger compared with Gmail, Google Search etc).

Now I am thinking of using kind of differentiator to discuss general happenings and project ideas, observation seperately.

Windows Vs Linux the never ending debate

Why Opensource: Another BC-ful discussion

Yesterday night, on the coffee shop(aka Jersey Shop), we had a ellaborate discussion on same the same old topic, "Opensource". I have already written at various place how these kind of discussions have been going on since last 3 years and how informative etc they are.

Majji started somehow that "I don't like OpenSource", I don't remember what lead to this comment. Then Ranta explained him why software should be free as in freedom (using what we have learnt from RMS, that same friend asking software copy stuff). No offence intended, but Majji is another person who feels that Free means free as in freebear. I have explained him many times, but he won't agree to me. probably writing may be better way. Example of Paid free software 1) Red Hat Linux Enterprize edition, AfAIK single copy of Redhat costs more than Windows server.2) RMS and later GNU use to sell Emacs for around 150$. These software are free but paid, may be confusing but not contradictory. (RMS did tell us a lot about this to clarify the philosophy, Read Ranta blog on RMS visit for details).

Rather than writting in report format I will write in conversation format.

Majji: Ppl don't learn when OSS is available they copy the code.
Piyush: I have learnt writing matrix library in 2'nd sem but still I can prefer to use a professional version.

Thoughts: Does everyone using Windows:Matlab learn how matrix operations are done, Can they even think of understanding?

Majji: Software should be paid, 'coz we are writting it for money.
ME/Ranta: Don't confuse between Freedom and Freebear.

BC started...

Later we moved to Windows Vs Linux. Don't know why.

Utkarsh, Majji, Sachin: Why do you always compare Windows with Properiatery software. You are only agains Bill gates or microsoft not in favour
of OpenSource etc. Majji: ppl in Linux community want software for free thats it.
Me: Why do u always take example of Linux. Aren't u only unhappy with Linux with Free and not with the concept of Free software. Why take na
me of Linux Community as a group of ppl who want everything for free. Doesn't a Windows user keep looking for freewares and pirated stuff all around the
net. We all care for our money and spent it wisely, Ppl in Linux Community look for F/OSS while Windows community look for Pirated/Freeware software.

Then we started talking about Bill Gates as a person. I reminded two slashdot article one quoting bill as against patents in 1990 and another ab
out him talking of laying off 800 ppl from a Dutch overtaking for Dutch not signing European Patents law. Utkarsh and others appreciated BillGates for w
hat he has done in these 10 years, well I don't know but we can't just appreciate one anything/everything he does. We should also have our stand. I don'
t always agree with RMS/Linux Torvalds, I find my thinking different with them at various points.

Sachin: Ppl are only against successful ppl in the world. Ppl don't like their success.
Vardhman: Same applies to Linux heros too aint it?

I am not against bill gates earning lots of money, I just feel that when I have an option of Open Source and Closed source of same quality I wou
ld buy OpenSource. This may be because I am a Geek(I feel so), but also that I can't imagine being something that I am not(laymen). (PPL say laymen like
s Windows. Well laymen in Brazil have proved this wrong.) Window is simple to use once setup, so is Linux if you use a proper distro.



We have had a debate earlier someone saying "My Mom loves Window". Well My Bro loves Linux. Not that he is a geek or something because I gave him a version with lots of Linux games in it. My Computer is not powerfull enuf to run hefty graphics games and I also don't recommend him to waste his time getting addicted to those games. Now that question if My mom is using a Comp only for listening to songs why should I spend 500$ on hardware and 400$ on MS windows, shouldn't I rather buy her a Apple IPOD at 500$. At least she won't have to care about installing antivirus and updating system everytime new flaws are discovered in the OS? On similar lines if Comp was to be given to some one to just play games I would rather buy him/her a Sony Playstation or PSP(if only I had that much money to spent that I would be buying Windows).

Dissatisfaction increasing with Blogger service

I thought blogger.com was going to be stable blogging service for some time, but it doesn't seem like so now. Blogger sucks sometimes, I don't know if their is any solution to these problems:
1) Searching data in ur blog option?
2) Making a simple change in template causes, republishing stuff, Why not allow us having a inline php include kind of option, so that we can include a php page on the fly?
3) Photoblogging my major requirement didn't get sufficient answers. Interface shud have been simpler and cooler
4) I would always like to have my blogs with some non standard HTML tags for making searching etc easier. There should be ways to provide search on basis of these tags too.
5) Adding new info to that side bar is APITB(a pain in the back).
6) A good offline client should have been much more interesting.
7) Blogsom provides much better options
8) Changing old blog posts requires so many clicks to come to the target and change it, should have been easier.
9) ARE GOOGLE ENGINEERS SLEEPING?? No major update/addon since long time.

RMS visit

After lot of confusion whether to go or not, Finally me and Ranta left to "Hari Hara KalaBhavan" for this talk. Deepak's quote "He is coming from US to give a talk, can't we goto Secunderabad to hear it ?" Pointfull really.

It took us lot of time and money to reach that place as the address was given in a rather senseless manner. We reached at around 6 PM, bougth two GNU/T-shirts and went it.



The initial part was boring intro to telgu Linux and stuff, then stallman took over and went on for around 1 hrs drinking small cups full of tea every 2-3 minutes. Rantas blog has more content on the same.
http://research.iiit.net/~smr/cgi-bin/blosxom.cgi/blogs/linux/1107969360.html

Finally finishing some work

Yesterday we finally completed our PR project report. I just got reminded to sent it to Ranjith. (The event was triggered when we say Ranjith in PJN sir's room checking PR copies)

Not much progress as such in MS project. Had a long conversation with Mom regarding my worries in continuing MSBR, she was very supportive and encouraging and asked me to give more time before making a strict decision.

We are trying to work over our PM project Report today, hope we do some good work and get some good grade.

Arjun's Belated B'day Celebration

We went to Ohri's for celebrating dear Pandits 23rd B'day. This decision was made after almost 15-20 minutes of standing on the Bus-stop.


After reaching there we realized that no cakes were available so me, Dixit and Tiwary went looking for a B'day cake, which we found at Rana Bakers and Confectionaries oppst Music World.








Then there was cake cutting and Dinner. Left from Ohri's around 11:30 PM and came back to IIIT in seven seater from mehdipatnam playing funfull antakshari all the way.



After a long time Tiwary was again back in his moods of BC today as we have given him some room, not reminding him about Mrs Tiwary.

Felicity 2k5

Felicity was success again( It always will be(?)). I can't see how it can be a failure. Lots of company give money prior to the festival in form of sponsorships, and all of it is basically goodwill (meaning they don't really expect any direct benefit from their advertisement), so there is almost nothing to lose even if crowd is less etc.

First day proved most useful to me, as me and Sachin combined won the second prize in Java JARGON. Admist full of confusion and hardluck: I went to Chandanagar police station for this passport work at 2:30PM with the contest being organized at 3:30PM, even with full attemp I couldn't come back before 4:00PM, by the time contest was over, Sachin had come only at 3:50 PM and solved hardly 20/45 questions. Somehow we got time and we did better. The night was this Bombay vikings stuff, which I didn't really enjoy, but it was followed by Dance party which was good.

Second Day: It had some good contests like C-bug-D-bug, IT Quiz in all of which we lost in prelims only. The day didn't go much good. In the night I went to dentist and missed the Fusion night (which I had enjoyed anyways last year). Again had some DJ in the night b4 sleeping. The major event this day included Classical dance by my batch girls. It was good.

Third Day: The most awaited event for me was this hacking contest, in which I sucked badly. I and nirnimesh formed a team. We knew the answer but this visual perception created all the problems, we overlooked a hidden file with name ". " and stuggled for around 40 minutes on a stupid round. In the end we lost badly. The DJ was interesting this day, played lot of interesting sound on the stage events including the TARKAN's kiss sound. The Rock show was great specially because of INSOMNIA, followed by a good DJ party for around 3 hrs i.e till 3AM when we finally bid a good bye to felicity. Lots of photos are there in the Real to be developed soon.

LUG shirt coming soon..

Trying Flickr Photo Service

Having uploaded some images in to flickr, I am just trying that url here if it works more photos will be up soon, Starting with photos of Simla Trip here.
Having Fun on the tracks of Simla-Kalka Express.