Windows for just $3

Makes me wonder, why they would even attempt to sell Windows for just $3. The reason might be obvious, simply Microsoft is plagued by nightly fever dreams of thousands of kids in developing countries running Linux? The package will include the basic Windows XP Starter Edition, Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 and other as-yet-unnamed educational software applications. The $3 Windows pack will be available later this year, and it will be sold exclusively to governments.

This might be an attempt to get Windows running on the OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) project. The OLPC XO Children's Machine has its own specially-developed Linux-based platform called Sugar. The XO project has embraced open-source ideals, and is touting OSS's advantage as a teaching tool. According to the OLPC camp, if kids get a Linux-based machine they'll be more likely to hack it and learn how to write code. Also, wiki-based textbooks will give the kids more incentive to write.

My question is why would anyone choose the $3 Windows , which will be so much limited in features (example no network printing, etc) and chunked down to Linux? So it comes down to Free, flexible/powerful Linux and $3 Windows edition. The new estimated cost of the OLPC is $175.

Other related project include the Classmate PC by intel.

the coconut song

Ubuntu 7.04 Out!

Ubuntu 7.04 is released today, and available for download.

Don't know if it will bring any major changes, most of the comments on the forums point out the same. Hope to upgrade the Ubuntu at home, when I get back; will find out then. I still feel Fedora is better.

Who is the killer?

Seems we have a killer or force of killers who are killing, "god haters" and "drug addicts" in and just out of jail. The last episode a guy was found dead in the harbour (previous "koafaa" came down from the sky in jail). According to official sources, he was set free from police on 13th. Amazingly this guy managed to be invisible since then and appeared dead in the harbour. Its a good thing he was found, if he was not then we know what would be the case. Yes, obviously the police will be the direct pin point. So he had to be found. Some of the reports and views say if police was really the culprit, why will he even be "found". Yes, I agree. Why will he be even found if they were behind it? He won't. Thats the basic logic. I think that logic is not so hard to figure out, even for the police and MDP. I guess its a good thing he was found, if not we won't have faith in police anymore :P Yes, we would be scared for our friends and family if they were ever taken to police?

As for MDP, we know how they are. They are always looking for an excuse to anger the people and over throw the government. I think they are also too desperate to come to power. I don't think that should be the objective. There are better ways to deal with these things in a more mature way. Just by saying "golaaboa faibaa" is not solving any problems. MDP surely lacks good leadership, and people like former AG and Zaki (ex minister) are not the right people to be trusted. Its a different story that Abu Sufiyaan converted to Islam and contributed immensely to Islam but Munavar and Zaki are not those "Abu's". Under the ex AG there has been so much unjust done, and I am not ready to accept him. As for Zaki, I don't think I should say anything more.

Point being neither of the parties are doing any good to the people. The whole objective is to rule over the country and gateway to more money. Getting fed up of these fights and killings now. We need a change, and the changes we are witnessing is not set in the right directions. I mean talk about MDP, they brought out people like Mavotaa Shareef and Karnel Nasheed as MDP leaders. Come on guys, were you joking or what? No hope at all. I'd rather call MDP, DVP (Dhivehi Viyafaariveringe Party) so for me there is DRP and DVP. The whole objective of both, "money "and "power", the people come after (for the sake of votes).

The people we pay from our tax; and to whom we trust our lives with is the other story. More than trust presently we fear the police and army. Why? I don't know, maybe obvious reasons. No need to go into details but the fact is the public view is not what it should be. Maybe they lack the "good" and "honest" leadership too. Who are there to "protect and serve the Maldivians" not just to "protect and serve , blank blank". I know I'd be attacked back for saying this, but won't be anything new to me. Its just my view, and I think no one can take that freedom away from me, unless I am too found missing, then DEAD! Next, some will tell me "who cares about politics". Its no longer politics, its about peoples lives and our kids future in this country, if you ask me not to care about it...or ignore them, then what should we care about? Least we can do is voice out our concerns and views.

Now back to the original question. "Who is the killer". You and me. We are killing our own people. Each of us should be responsible for these killings, agree or not.

SMS alerts from Google Calender

Its really a nifty feature, now we can receive SMS alerts from Google Calender. Its a nice feature, and its really cool since it even works for a small country such a Maldives. Presently this feature only works for Wataniya subscribers. You can even import the calender from your outlook or iCal into Google Calender as well.

You can set up an appointment and Google will send you a reminder alert before the appointment or you can set birthday reminders, etc. Here is a tutorial on GoogleTutor

What happened to FoxPro?

FoxPro formally known as FoxBase, now Visual FoxPro use to be a very famous database programming language. From late 1980's to late 1990's Fox was one of the dominant database tools for the PC market. Same applied for Maldives. Even today we find some of Fox based applications in use here in Maldives.

So what happened to this tool? My obvious guess is Microsoft killed it. Most of you might not agree with me, but thats my view. I think FoxPro would have done far better if it was not bought over by Microsoft from Fox Software. Though I won't say it would still have dominated like it used to. The reason for the bought over of Fox was obvious. Borland and Microsoft were competing for the development tool market back in early 1990's. Borland bought Ashton Tate (and, therefore, dBase) this resulted in Microsoft buying over Fox Software (taking FoxPro under Microsoft). Microsoft already had Access and VB under them, and continued to promote Access more then FoxPro until today (After all FoxPro was the step son). At that time it was rumored that Microsoft made this move cos they wanted Rushmore engine (which was the power behind FoxPro). Till today FoxPro lives, but not as famous as it use to. It use to be part of Visual Studio, but now taken off it too. Access still is part of Microsoft Office and continues to be popular database tool.

Maybe one reason it failed was, It was too complex for end users, but not robust and powerful enough for real programmers (compared to the other databases that developers can choose from). What ever the causes were or is, FoxPro was a major application development tool in the early days of computing of Maldives, it should be respected for that. I don't know how many more FoxPro developers are still there in Maldives (still continue to use it)? I guess I can still think of one guy, one of the best FoxPro guys I've known.

So it went from Fox to VB, now we are evolving to the web based application days. I wonder what tools will be the most dominant. But obviously the flat database days are over and SQL Servers are here to stay.

300 USD and a ticket.

I was watching TVM while having dinner. I don't know which program it is, it was on since 10:15 tonight. It was a panel of people talking about health issues in Maldives. To my shock, one gentle man who had gray hair (not sure who he is), my guess is he is from the ministry of health. This guy was trying to say, the Maldivian health authorities are far better then our neighbors. He is saying that others are very commercial where else we are not? daaa! yeah? I did not know that.

The next point that kept bluffing about is comparing health services today and 27 years ago. What the fuck? What is the point here? it is obvious , things should improve with time. The question here is has it improved to the level it should have? The moment we are sick, we spend all our earnings and go to India or Singapore depending on the financial capabilities of the individuals. And yet they try to tell us, its good. I know the guys there try and do their best, but there is so much for improvements. I guess the equipment is one weak area. If we can raise money for brand new Volkswagen's for police, layout state of the art fiber network just to watch the traffic and etc. Why can't we afford to spend more money on our health services? Even if they took it like a business, still I feel its more then feasible to spend (invest). Even if we get the best of the doctors, its not enough. We need to invest on our health sector and make it a priority then it is now. Not in anyway saying its bad, but I am saying its not as good as it could have been.

Maybe there is hidden agenda behind it, right now if a poor guy is sick they can apply for 300 USD and the ticket from the Presidential welfare fund? This is very common, why? The end result is good, the government help us, they even give us the money to send us to India for medicals. Yaahoo! lets keep voting for them. Now I leave it up to you to do the calculations.

Processing

I have been experimenting around with processing over the week end. Its an amazing language, just the type of language for artists. This is also the type of language that makes me think, if I gave better attention to math classes and had a more creative mind.

Processing is an open source programming language and environment for people who want to program images, animation, and sound. It is used by students, artists, designers, architects, researchers, and hobbyists for learning, prototyping, and production. It is created to teach fundamentals of computer programming within a visual context and to serve as a software sketchbook and professional production tool. Processing is developed by artists and designers as an alternative to proprietary software tools in the same domain.

Here is screen shot of todays trial and errors.

Oppression

There is times when I am really frustrated, angry and even depressed. I guess its part of being a human. Its good to open up and share things or express your views. Though some people don't like it when it's expressed, I guess its your own freedom to express your view in a limit (meaning you can't over do it too, since you should respect others too). Anyway there is always no easy justification. Blogging maybe the new means to express personnel view and share things. There is always two sides to things, but just cos of minor bad points it should not be stopped. A few years back people hid under anonymous names and under the umbrella of one name, expressed their views. Negative or positive. Those days have been changing slowly. But yes we still do get those anonymous cowered commenting and publishing things. It can't be stopped too, they are also a group of people with their own views and justifications. Anyway I would say now its more open, and its more valued when you express your view WITH YOUR OWN REAL NAME, maybe in your own blog or someone else's. I know a few will stand up against this statement and will comment under anonymous names, I do understand that, and thats the reason why anonymous commenting is allowed too. I like it when it happens, we all should take these positively. This helps us to better understand others and also give others a chance to criticizes us. It should never be discouraged. But its always much better if you are open and come out of the shadows , unless YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE.

Anyway I do feel like dumping a lot of things at times, as i have said before. I wish thats always possible, some times we are bound by NDA's (non discloser agreements), morals and ethics (how ever we may define it). Now I know they say one mans meat is another mans poison too. So the views always differ, thats again understood. I wanna say out somethings tonight too, but I am bound by some things. Anyway its nothing really political even though the title may give such an impression. Any hows, while I was listing to this song by Ben Harper, it was something close to what was going in my mind. "Oppression"

Oppression
you pray on us when we sleep
oppression
you chase after the tired the poor the weak
oppression
you know you mean only harm
oppression
you reach out with your long arm

but oppression
I won't let you near me
oppression
you shall learn to fear me

oppression
you seek population control
oppression
to divide and to conquer is your goal
oppression
I swear that hatred is your home
oppression
you just won't leave bad enough alone

but oppression
I won't let you near me
oppression
you shall learn to fear me

oppression
I don't see how you sleep
oppression
for your bleeding conscience I weep
oppression
you may have the dollar on your side
but oppression
from the gospel truth you cannot hide
and
oppression
I won't let you near me
oppression
you shall learn to fear me
oppression
I won't let you near me
oppression
you shall fear me