50 Random Articles
- Government of Kerala, India To Replace Microsoft Windows From Public Institutions With Linux
The government in India’s southern state of Kerala is campaigning to eliminate Microsoft products from use in public institutions.
As part of a drive against “monopolistic” organizations, schools and public offices across the state are being encouraged to install free software
- Summarizing Information Overload Without Information Overload
Kuro5hin author rianjs wrote an article on information overload in our daily life. The article itself is a burning example of verbosity and useless information overload. Hence I decided to summarize (my commentaries are in italics in the end of
- Images From My DoubleTwist Past
Working at DoubleTwist was my best experience as an employee. I loved every minute working there. I am still in touch with several of my friends from DoubleTwist. While cleaning my my old computer I found some pictures from my
- FireFox 1.5.0.2 Released With Critical Security Fixes - Recommended
This is primarily a security fix release patching 5 critical defects and one high priority defect. Couple of them are regression defects (introduced in 1.5). The major feature is Universal Binary support for Mac OS X which provides native support
- The Mystery of Apache HTTPD Server Hanging and Solution
As I mentioned previously my Apache server was inexplicably hanging every morning (PST). And in panic I had to restart my VPS, whenever I could find it. It is clearly not an acceptable situation. And then I found the solution
- Cheating Wives, Girlfriends and MySpace
I get tons of requests to hack MySpace so someone can spy on their wife / husband / girlfriends / spouse / daughter. The requests are varied but the overall theme is same. Someone feels betrayed or has the nagging
- Google Goodies for Firefox Users
Google has finally decided add support for Firefox users with its latest release of Google Toolbar for Firefox. It also came up with two other useful extensions for Firefox users.
Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer was one big reason why many
- For WordPress Users Only Section Started
I have started a page dedicated to WordPress users only.
Here you will find links to latest WordPress plugins, news, information, tips, how-to and guidelines. In short everything WordPress related.
Future WordPress projects (in pipeline) will be announced here first. Check
- Java Studio Creator 2 Early Access is available for free
I have found Java Studio Creator to be very useful and worthwhile for JSF based development.
Join the Java Studio Creator 2 Early Access program and download the new IDE for FREE through October 2005. Includes SDN Membership.
As a Sun
- How To Add Revision Number, ID Automatically To Subversion Files in Two Simple Steps
Revision number of a file is an important information. Two most common uses are in serialization and in making version specific database upgrades for an application. I am using it for the later. Here is a simple way how you
- What Matters Most To You & Me As A Blogger
Darren Rowse posted an interesting question: "What matters most to you as a blogger". Here's my answer:
1. Blog as repository of knowledge. I am an avid reader; I learn new things everyday. However I keep my RAM (quick search memory)
- Google Checkout: Google's Internet Payment System
This week, possibly as soon as Wednesday, Google is expected by many to unveil a new Internet payment system. It may start out as an online wallet but could become a PayPal-like infrastructure for payments across the Web, handling everything
- An all time dumb question: [On programming languages]
An all time dumb question:
Person A. Duh... in what language should we program?
Person B. Wake up and smell the Java you IDIOT!!!
Source: Oracle/Java FAQ
- Google.com Down!
For the last hour or so Google.com is down.
Update: Everything is back to normal.
- Java Tip: Basic Authentication with HttpURLConnection
Java provides a super simple, yet hidden from plain view, way to do basic authentication of HttpURLConnection / URLConnection.
Before making a connection add the following lines of code:
final String login ="...";
final String password ="...";
Authenticator.setDefault(new Authenticator() {
protected
- (Java Applets == Stupid Design) == Stupid Comment
I just read a post titled - Java Applets = Stupid Design. The actual contention was -
My example would have been web pages that are written entirely as Java applets. HORRID!
I can see web applications designed entirely as applet
- How To Block IP Addresses On Linux Server
Take a look at your log file (/var/log/secure for Fedora Core 4) and you will discover numerous automated ssh hacking attempts using dictionary attack. So now you have identified the offending addresses. How do you stop them?
Here comes the magic
- SimpleXML and its Not So Simple To Use Object Model: Problem & Solution
SimpleXML is simple to use as its name suggests. However it is a pain when you need to check the value of an element which may or may not exist.
In short using it on XML schema with optional elements
- 9 Popular Social Networking Sites: Public Profile on LinkedIn, Pownce, Twitter, Facebook, Friendster, Hi5, Orkut, MySpace & Ryze
My public profiles on 9 popular social networking sites:
LinkedIn - I have started adding my friends to this. Found some old IITians from this network. Also was able to find some old friends.
Pownce - Just started...
Orkut (requires free Orkut account)
- Google Opens Up Search Engine Secrets
Google is pledging to demystify the hidden workings of its search engine while refocussing on its core business.
Google admitted that it has come to be perceived as overly secretive in the way it collects and orders information. To counter that,
- What Are Blogs Good For?
Pete Cashmore of Mashable interviews Robert Scoble. I liked it. Blogging is continuing to gain more traction, despite the naysaying gurus, while traditional media is suffering a rapid decline, at least in USA.
Today traditional media like television and newspapers are
- Firefox Download Still Sucks, At Least It Recovers
Firefox download manager is still flaky, even after three major versions. Often the download stops for no apparent reasons. At least in version 3, you can safely stop and then resume the download, which works as expected.
What is your experience
- Google Down!
It has been several hours since Google search went down. Google services on google.com domain, including but not limited to GMail or Google Analytics, Google Adsense etc., are down too while blogsearch.google.com is up and running.
Google country search sites
- Oracle Leans on India for Financial Services Business
Oracle plans to make its Indian subsidiary a hub for its strategy for the financial services market. I-flex solutions, the Indian banking software subsidiary of Oracle, said that it will change its name to Oracle Financial Services Ltd.
The new branding
- Internet Usage Stats: Asia Leads the World in Internet Usage...
Asia leads in world in total number of people using the internet. 34.5 % of the world's internet users are Asian. However the percentage of population using internet is low at 8.9 %.
North America has 68% of its users on
- Mystery of Vanishing Sysdeo Tomcat Plugin for Eclipse
I posted earlier about my inability to use Sysdeo Tomcat Plugin with Eclipse 3.1. I found the solution.
The problem was that no Tomcat related menu or options would appear. It is as if the plugin was not installed. And yet
- SCO Linux Files for Chapter 11 (Bankruptcy)
The SCO Group filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. SCO's subsidiary, SCO Operations, Inc., has also filed a petition for reorganization. As many had predicted over the years, SCO's last ditch
- Stupidity on the rise: UN approves human cloning ban
It is of much regret that the ban on human cloning has been passed in the UN, however symbolic it may be.
My heartfelt support goes to the following countries for their opposition to the ban. I am proud to say
- Google Flight Simulator Hidden / Easter Egg in Google Earth
Marco discovered a nice Flight Simulator from Google hidden within Google Earth. You need the latest version of Google Earth for it. I had Google Earth version 4.1.x which didn't work. You have to download the latest version 4.2. It
- Human Study of Potential Cure for Huntington's Disease Using Pig's Brain Cell Implants
Pig brain cells could be implanted into human brains in USA by the beginning of next year if trials of a pioneering treatment for Huntington's disease are approved by FDA.
Similar tests on primates have proved "astonishingly successful" in treating the
- Nice Free Hindi Cartoons from Kaak
Check out this site for nice cartoons in Hindi. Kaak is a popular caroonist in Hindi dailies spanning several decades. The site is unfortunately visible properly in Internet Explorer only. There is a big archive of past cartoons, mostly focussed
- Outsource Development of Complete Book Store Website (mini-Ebay) for 75$
Rentacoder is where companies outsource their software projects. Long time back I dabbled with RentACoder, got 10 out 10 on all the projects and so I still retain a high ranking and often get invited to do projects.
BTW: The
- Email Worm ( Sixem-A ) Targets Soccer / Football World Cup Viewers
A new e-mail worm, Sixem-A, is on the loose that preys on the intense worldwide interest in the football World Cup. It began circulating earlier this week, and has just recently been blocked by few antivirus vendors.
Victims receive messages
- How To Display & Share Google Analytics Statistics (Web & RSS Feed)
Gadging.com is a new (free) service which allows you to share your Google Analytics statistics with the world of just for your tools or application, get it as RSS feed for displaying on your blog, compare how your site ranks
- Why smart People Choke Under Pressure
I have observed this phenomena. In addition to fear of failure as mentioned in the article smart people often also tend to be over sensitive which occupies enough brain processing cycles and memory, leaving them vulnerable to failure. The second
- Translator Plugin Pro Translating Even Admin Pages: Bug or Feature?
Today I received an email from our QA engineer. Translator Plugin Pro 4.0 (WordPress plugin to automatically translate your blog to 10 or more languages) is translating even WordPress admin pages correctly. Is this a bug or a feature?
- How To Use AWK To Simplify Scripting: Multi-Database Backup Example
AWK is an extremely versatile and powerful language for processing files and text data. Often you can use awk to perform complex tasks on Unix / Linux / Mac OS command line which would otherwise take a full-fledged programming effort.
- Be Cheerful Or Be Home Mandates IT Firm
German IT firm Nutzwerk Ltd. has come up with a solution to whining in the workplace. It made cheerfulness a contractual obligation.
Ananova reports Thomas Kuwatsch, Manager at Nutzwerk, has declared that those who don't measure up to the prescribed level
- Get Insulted - Menu: Biblical or North Korean
Biblical Curse Generator - Now you would never run out of juicy insults, O thou denizen of the underworld, with this javascript based curse generator. Lets also see how you can make one for your weblog.
If you like modern
- MySQL Master-Master Replication...
Have you tried Master-Master replication (bi-directional slave-master replication) for MySQL? I am finding myself in a position where I need to have this replication to support the load on my blogs and sites.
I would very much appreciate if you
- Oil Price Falls From Record as London Blasts Threaten Economic Growth
Crude oil, after reaching a record $62.10 a barrel in New York, plunged as terrorist bombs that killed at least 37 people in London raised the possibility of an economic slowdown. It was the biggest price swing in 14 years.
Today's
- Change in Commenting Policy
I made a small change in commenting policy. I am experimentally blocking comments from "open and insecure proxies". This is to prevent the deluge of comment spam I have been getting lately on this blog (over 3000 per day). If
- Data Broker LexisNexis said Personal Data of 310, 000 U.S. citizes feared stolen
An investigation by the firm's Anglo-Dutch parent Reed Elsevier determined that its databases had been fraudulently breached 59 times using stolen passwords, leading to the possible theft of personal information such as addresses and Social Security numbers.
This is the second
- Fidel Castro Casts Suspicion on Appearance of Bin Laden Tape Ahead of U.S. Election - from TBO.com
Fidel Castro Casts Suspicion on Appearance of Bin Laden Tape Ahead of U.S. Election - from TBO.com
- Why Do Bloggers Get Comments With Strange Author Names
Would you approve a (blog) comment where the commenter's name is "Best Way To Loose Weight"? Any sane blogger would never approve such comments even if it is relevant to context. Do you know why?
As comment author is linked with
- Experts-Exchange: How To Get Answers Without Subscribing / Paying
Experts-Exchange provides deceptive advertising and gives impression that the answers on the site are inaccessible without (paid) subscription. However the answers in Experts-Exchange are visible in plan sight should you know where to look for them. Let's find out how.
Let's
- Java EE 5 is Not Your Father's J2EE
Java Platform Enterprise Edition (Java EE, formerly referred to as J2EE) Version 5 has arrived. Its streamlined features offer added convenience, improved performance, and reduced development time, all of which enable developers to bring products to market faster. In short
- Monitoring MySQL Queries Using Bash Script
Monitoring MySQL queries is a favorite pastime of MySQL administrators especially for performance reasons. Here is a simple bash script to monitor long running MySQL queries in realtime using the ubiquitous 'show processlist'. The best part about this script is
- How To Run Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, 6, 5.5, 5.1 in Linux
Are you a developer or QA engineer, in an all Linux workplace, always looking for scarce Windows machines to run Microsoft Internet Explorer for testing your product and services? You could also be the manager who is eager to switch
- Microsoft Makes Inroads in Data Storage & Replication Market
Microsoft introduced on Sept. 27 the public beta of its System Center Data Protection Manager version 2 at the Storage Decisions conference in New York.
It is built upon Microsoft's DPM (Data Protection Manager) 2006 which is the Microsoft's first storage
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