Just returned from Cocktail Dinner offered in Honour of the Google Team in Mauritius for G-Mauritius 2009 held at Sheraton Four Points

It was an excellent day!

The event has been live-tweeted under the hashtag: #googlemu, #GGMD etc..

Join the Google Mauritius Group on: Google Mauritius

My Flickr Set for Day 1 Photos: G-Day Photos

Had a great opportunity to use and review an HTC running Android. Using the Android SDK running on Windows and simulating the mobile is another thing and using the real phone is another…

It was a nice time to meet key IT personalities in Mauritius and share contact cards

am tired and have to rest in order to be ready for G-Mauritius 2009 Day 2

Ok fine, I have not been blogging on the Freelance Category, I admit. Let me share a bit of this experience…Well recently (4th May), I was in the process of delivering the product required to be developed.

Unfortunately, the client’s Pen – drive was infected and I have to use Flash Disinfector to solve the problem.

After copying the code files, my browser was opened to show a tab full with VB.NET codes. To my great surprise, I got the reaction just shown as in the blog post picture! I wanted to talk a bit about the code assuming that the client has an interest in programming in general and that knowing a bit about another language apart from JAVA, wou Hld be informative for the client. But alas, I had to close the tab in order to complement the unwillingness to view codes. I did not had any other options rather than to swith the demonstrating the functionality of the desired software to be developed. Phew…….

Personally, this has been an enhancing experience to “toy” a bit with Netbeans  6.5 IDE which I find more interesting that Eclipse and JCreator. Another enhancing experience is downloading repositories from sourceforge.net and getting acquainted with gibhub where one can create repository. Github has been developed by Linus Torvalds (who hates CVS btw) and used for Kernel Development for 7 years + now.

Will keep posting on the Freelance experience, as the momentum will be regained as soon as the exams over! phew got some projects pending in the list. Till then, keep connected…

Posted in Freelance, Geek Stuff, Java, Linux Tagged: Computing, Open Source ]]> http://asheshr.wordpress.com/2009/05/09/boo-hoo-its-code/feed/ 0 curiousEngine http://asheshr.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/migration-progress-report-1/ http://asheshr.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/migration-progress-report-1/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:52:46 +0000 Ashesh http://asheshr.wordpress.com/?p=407 ]]>

Here is a series of posts of the most common problems I encounter on migrating on a nice Linux Distribution. Remember: Google is our friend!

PROBLEM 1: Amarak cannot play MP3 files

ERROR MSG: Some media could not be loaded (playable)

SOLUTION:

In openSUSE 11.0 all our codec handling will be done using One-Click-Install.

This will enable you to have:

• Flash
• Java
• Latest Amarok (with MP3 Support) for KDE, or Helix-Banshee for GNOME users
• Encrypted DVD (libdvdcss)
• Extra xine codecs, for MPEG-4 etc. (libxine1)
• K3b with MP3 Support (k3b-codecs)
• Win 32 Codecs (w32codec-all)

..as well as the option of installing many more applications (select Customise mode at the screen), including:

• Opera
• VLC
• ..and more

If you are using the KDE Desktop Environment ,click on  codecs-kde.ymp

in the download file dialog, the default option is open with: YaST Media Package Handler.

Choose Amarok Packman (and Mplayer also)

Providing an uncrippled version of Amarok with MP3 support etc. using the XINE engine.

libxine is the beating heart of xine (a free gpl-licensed video player for unix-like systems) which among others provides support for decoding (and playing back) of many today available audio/video codecs, like mpeg-4 (DivX), mpeg-2 (DVD, SVCD), mpeg-1 (VCD), Quicktime and RealMedia just to name a few.

Enter Root password

TADA! :d

PROBLEM 2: Akregator

SOLUTION:

• Go to www.google.com/reader
• Click on Settings
• Select the import/export tab
• Click on Export your subscriptions as an OPML
• Download the file
• Open Akregator
• Click on File>Import Feeds
  
• Browse for the .opml file and select it
• then give a folder name to the imported feeds and

TADA! :d

Posted in Linux Tagged: Open Source ]]> http://asheshr.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/migration-progress-report-1/feed/ 2 curiousEngine openSUSE http://asheshr.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/mission-linux-migration/ http://asheshr.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/mission-linux-migration/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2009 04:45:41 +0000 Ashesh http://asheshr.wordpress.com/?p=402 ]]>

One fine day, I was reading a very interesting blog post: Choosing a Free Linux Distribution for a server. In doing so, I opened three tabs in my browser: openSuse, CentOS, Fedora. Three linux distributions to download and experiment with (have fun with to the max until uni resumes) !

Geeko

I started to download openSuse – I had always wanted to download it and give it a try – at Softel Triolet, I was trying to download it at work (sucking the bandwidth when the manager is not here ). but unfortunately, couldn’t download it

Whilst downloading from FlashGet, the iso file was being stored in my FAT32 partition (fat32 so that Ubuntu can read it, maybe). The problem there was a write to file error: please use SCANDISK utility! I googled the solution which was: to convert the partition to NTFS to support more than 4 GB download. and Partition Magic Pro 8 did the work!

openSuse Installation was quick and I am very happy with it!

The installer offers a choice between KDE and Gnome Desktop.

openSUSE rocks!

I am happy to blog from openSuse 11! Yupi, that’s freedom. I want to get rid of Windows as soon as possible:

Now the cool stuff that I want the OS to provide me with:

1. Flash plugin for firefox

2. HP laserjet p1006 driver and good configuration

3. Disc Burning Utility

4. My laptop features – hotkey, bluetooth, standby etc

5. My software:

Alternative for

• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Flash
• QuarkXpress/ Adobe InDesign
• Blender/ Maya
• Google Desktop ( I like it a lot)
• Microsoft Visio, Project
• Windows Media Player/ powerDVD

6. NetBeans

7. Tortois CVS

8. Adobe PDF pro

Elo openSuse, bye bye Windows, slowy but surely, the Microsoft Empire will melt down, especially in times of Hot waves of Recession!

A warning sign (Disclaimer): I don’t want this migration to automatically tag me as: anti-Microsoft Geek. My reason for doing so can be found here on my all time favourite blog coding horror.

First of all, sorry for late blog update. I am currently busy as a University Student with assignments and test. So, I was astonished when during the Unitech 2008 organised at the University of Mauritius, when the Mauritius Telecom guy was presenting the new product NetPC, I told him that “I am anti-Microsoft”. The issue was raised when I wanted to know what OS is on the NetPC? Unfortunately it’s not Linux. So, lets blog on Windows v/s Linux without engaging into a religious war.

Firstly, as my favourite blog Coding Horror says, “Software development is basically a religion. It’s not surprising that software developers are predisposed to these kinds of religious arguments. Pick your poison: * Linux vs. Windows * Mac vs. PC * C# vs. VB.Net * Ruby vs. Python * Static typing vs. Dynamic typing * Spaces vs. Tabs .. and so on, and so on, and so on, ad nauseam.” and google search would make you land on: this and this. From my personal experience of using Linux since 3 Feb 2008, I would deduce that: I love Linux for:

• It is fun to do C++ programming in Geany Editor. I love the “solidarity” of the compiler. It even tells me for eg. “perhaps a semi-colon is missing after line 34″.
• I love the notion behind Linux that I can be creative and do whatever I want with my hardware running Linux.
• I love the Open Source world. I have been trying the famous icons on open source and I am happy. This blog is running on an Open Source CMS.
• FREE. I like this word. Instead of paying the license for MS Project, I am hyper happy with OpenProj, the open source alternative to MS Project.
• The SECURITY features of Linux are too good!
• I love to learn new commands in Linux

But Still I cannot live without Windows because:

• Adobe software: I need them!
• MS CRACKABLE software
• Running Packet Tracer!

I hate windows: VIRUS, SPYWARE, MALWARE, TROJAN Money: License, Cracks, Serials Here is another interesting article.

Today, as I was in the Bookshop of Edition de LOcean Indien in the Reduit Campus, I came across a book on Linux Kernel Development. Having a quick skim at it, I found it interesting. However, it was too early to learn CSE 2002Y SYSTEM SOFTWARE.

After a brief googling, I came across the following interesting websites: http://www.kernel.org/ http://www.lpi.org http://linux-magazine.com. The article on the new GCC and Kernel codenamed bloody large is interesting. Concerning the new Kernel, here is the mail personally sent by the creator of Linux, Linus Torvalds. Here are the interesting parts of the mail:

“Just to have some fun, I did trivial statistics, and of the 1.4M lines of diffs, about 38% – 530k lines – were in architecture files (400k+ lines of diffs in arch/, 100k+ lines of diffs in include/asm-*), and another big chunk is in drivers (including sound) at about 44% – 610k lines – of changes.”

the intel graphics driver is starting to do suspend/resume natively (ie even without X support), which is a welcome sign of the times and may help some people. It helped on my laptop.

Given I had the suspend/resume problem last friday in the aweful pointers class, I think I should upgrade Ubuntu to this Kernel, but I don’t know how to!! Any help on this topic would be much appreciated.

Today, as I had not been able to go to learn programming in Scheme for “administrative” reasons, I had in my agenda, to share my knowledge and experience on Linux to a BSc. Physics student, who is a close friend of mine.

For this first Linux-tutorial session, I found the following book very interesting:

Introduction to Linux, a Beginner’s Guide

With a hot cup of tea of table, the clock was ticking around 0915. As the first tutorial, we went through the following topics in Chapter 1: What is Linux: History. UNIX. 1.1.3. Current application of Linux systems 1.2. The user interface 1.2.1. Is Linux difficult? 1.2.2. Linux for non−experienced users 1.3. Does Linux have a future? 1.3.1. Open Source 1.3.2. Ten years of experience at your service 1.4. Properties of Linux 1.4.1. Linux Pros 1.4.2. Linux Cons 1.5. Linux Flavors 1.5.1. Linux and GNU 1.5.2. GNU/Linux 1.5.3. Which distribution should I install?. and Chapter 2: QuickStart 2.1. Logging in, activating the user interface and logging out 2.1.1. Introduction 2.1.2. Graphical mode 2.1.3. Text 2.2. Absolute basics 2.2.1. The commands 2.2.2. General remarks 2.2.3. Using Bash features 2.3. Getting help 2.3.1. Be warned 2.3.2. The man pages 2.3.3. More info What is very interesting with the book is that: 1) the Hindi Version is available! 2) there are exercises at the end of the chapters (Remember: Perfect Practice makes Perfect) 3) It teaches what we should know (I think so..)

It was a very interactive session. We both shared our knowledge on linux. I learn the following new command which I tried out:

shutdown 16:30

This command is supposed to shut down my laptop at 16:30, i.e after the rapidshare download is over. As soon as I pressed a key on my laptop, Linux talked with me!!:

When I returned at around 17:15 to check whether it really shut down, I got a the terminal in full screen mode. I was surprised. It did not worked as expected, instead, someone talked with me in Creole!I had no option to reboot and login in to obtain an error message about loading of GNOME failed and then re-login again to return to normal!

Phew…….I don’t know how Linux talked with me!?!

Anyways, I am very keen to continue the tutorial with my friend on each friday, if possible. Those who are interested to join us are welcomed, just let my know by commenting (so that I can print enough pages from the book for each student who wants to be creative and have fun with Linux.)

The sad thing is that, despite we have a Linux User Group in Mauritius, whose founder is a famous, hard-working lecturer in the CSE dept., in the Reduit campus,despite having so many registered societies, there is not even one on for Linux Users. This society could have been consisting of those students, lecturers, non-academic staff and persons who are interested to learn and have fun with linux under the guidance of Linux Geeks. I think such a project needs to be consideration by the Information Systems Society or any other body.

I have to contact the Linux Geeks now in order to know how come linux talked with me so that I don’t waste my time to look for wizards to remove the blackmagic!

Here is an interesting article for Valentine’s Day: Source: linux.com

What can a Linux geek do for that special someone on Valentine’s Day? Create a gift using open source software, of course.

One of the easiest and most heartfelt things to do is make a love note with Audacity and put it on your significant other’s portable music device or smart phone. The note does not need to say much — just let her (or him) know that you appreciate and enjoy having her around. Audacity makes this task easy — just hook up a microphone, click the record button, and off you go. If your valentine doesn’t have a music player, you can put the audio track on a CD and slide it into her car stereo for the Valentine’s Day morning commute.

If you want something a little more traditional, you can create a Valentine’s Day card with a custom message using OpenOffice.org. There are several excellent resources on the Internet for OOo templates and clip art. The OpenOffice.org project has a special area just for templates, and the OOExtras project has a couple of greeting card templates.

Consider compiling a CD of music that your valentine might like. Several full-featured burning utilities for Linux make this process easy. In addition, there are several Linux-friendly digital music services, including Magnatune, Mindawn, and Amazon MP3.

If you have some spare time, put together a scrapbook or picture book of special times in your relationship. Several Web sites allow you to make photo books, but for the true hands-on experience — and full creative freedom — I suggest using Inkscape or Scribus. Either tool allows you to create pages with borders, captions, notes, and clip art. When you are finished, print the pages and bind them with ribbon, or put them in a store-bought photo album. But I ain’t got nobody

Not everybody has a special someone on Valentine’s Day. If you’re interested in somebody, Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to make something happen — and of course Linux can help.

A neat way of letting somebody know they have a secret admirer is to record audio tracks on strategically placed CDs or cheap MP3 players. The idea is to record small, funny, romantic bits and put them places where the person will find them. On the last track, instruct the person to meet you for a romantic dinner. Linux can help in many ways for this little project: Audacity to record the audio, other applications for burning the CDs, and OpenOffice.org templates or Koverartist for creating disk covers.

If you want to go all out, you can compose a cartoon with Synfig Studio or Blender that has a message for your muse. A good idea is a cartoon of yourself that makes your introduction and lets the admiree know that you would like to take her out on a date. When you are finished creating your masterpiece you can render it then put it on the Web. You can render it to digital video and use Kino to edit and put the video on a DVD.

You can also record a video of yourself professing your love, edit it with Cinelerra, and upload it to a video sharing site such as YouTube. Then just send the link to the object of you affection.

As far as WWW is concerned, we have Hallmark’s Free E-Cards and Facebook’s killer apps like Valentine’s gifts and flowers. Happy Valentine’s Day.