Xbox 360 in the shops

Xbox 360 out and its not expensive, $299 and $399 : difference an extra storage disk.

"While most of the early buyers will be attracted to the photo-realistic graphics of the games, the Xbox 360 is more than just about games

The console can play music, display photos and show DVDs, signalling Microsoft's aim to make the 360 the heart of the entertainment system in the home." -BBC-

People don't READ emails!

Today in office, we got spammed like hell. Not from outside, but from inside.

What really happened was the company is getting new speed boats and the HR came up with the great idea of opening a contest for naming boats. This was announced in a mail; which was sent to a group in the email server which included all employees. But in the mail; it clearly says,


HOW DOES IT WORK?

• Send in the names to HR by e-mail hr@company name dot com
• Think of 5 different names with its meaning
• Submit before the closing

but seems no one noticed or read the first point and the reply was sent back to the all employees account which sends the mail to everyone (all the names that everyone suggested started to flood, this was fun though).Seems like half of the company is suggesting names; imagine the result. The best part was even the CEO did the same.

I need not say it.

Well; I've been browsing over this week end. I came across a blog which had a very similar feeling and point of view as I am having now. I would like to change some to accommodate to my feelings and views, but I guess the message is there. Not many people think about these things but I guess it's an everyday part of most of us.

Here are the links

http://middlemanager.blogspirit.com/archive/2005/10/25/reverse-pyramid-management.html

and

http://middlemanager.blogspirit.com/archive/2005/11/03/does-your-manager-make-you-want-to-work-part-1.html

没有我不是汉语

这是我的第一个中国岗位; 如果您能读这您然后是汉语或您翻译这, 然后您是真正地对我感兴趣。 或者您知道汉语。 在任何情况下如同您能猜测; 我是非常委员会。 我采取了从工作5 天。 那么在家整天和设法出去工作。 工作为7 到8 月和我需要断裂。
这个岗位是用中文; 提醒我中国朋友我有后面在学院, 我没有大多数他们的联络和失去的轨道他们。 但我知道我错过他们和非常学会从他们。 如此这是为您人花花公子。

A for Apple: in Maldives

Foucs Computers has got Apple Mac's in the show room now. Seems they are selling Mac's. On display are iMac's, Power Mac's and PowerBooks too. This was good news. Finally a good desktop environment. The question now everyone is waiting for is: will mac's make it? I think still Mac's are a bit expensive for most Maldivians plus they are too used to the PC's. Now only the rich kids use the Mac's and these guys get them down from other countries. For Office; I don't think except your boss who can spend extra money without questions being asked will get mac's. I feel the Maldivian Office environments are not yet ready to use Mac's as the desktop platform. It will be great if they do. iPods has a market :) and Surprisingly no Mac Mini's in the show room.

I have also got information from friends that another party who has got authorized dealership for Mac's is opening an Apple Store. Lets see how this goes. In any case this is exciting news. I would like to get one of those G5's.

another sms script

this works with a gprs router/modem attched to your box. can be easily modified to work with mobile phones as well. just replace the telnet part with maybe with a serial connection or connect throug bluetooth. then use the AT commands. In this case I am using a SARIAN 2000 Series EDGE Router, connect through eth. the script here works with xchat. so ppl just need to send you the msg !sms number message

#!/usr/bin/perl
#sms send script from xchat by darkm00n

use Net::Telnet ();

IRC::register("darkm00nSMS",1.0,"","");

IRC::add_message_handler("PRIVMSG", "privmsg_handler");
IRC::print("[darkm00n SMS Loaded]");

sub privmsg_handler {
$irc_message = shift(@_);
$irc_message =~ ~ /:(.*)!(.*@.*).*(#.*) :(.*)/;
$irc_nick = lc $1;

my @msgs = split(' ', $irc_message);

if ($msgs[3] eq ":!sms") {
$t = new Net::Telnet (Timeout => 10, Prompt => '/ss32263>/');
$t->open("192.168.0.99");
$t->login("username","password");
$words = @msgs;

$text= " ";
for ($r=5;$r<=$words;$r++){
$text = $text . " " . $msgs[$r];
}

$number = $msgs[4];
@lines = $t->cmd('sendsms '. $number . ' "'. $text . ' - darkm00n sms script-"');
$t->close;
sleep(1);
IRC::print(@lines);
}

return 0;
}

thaana for xchat

was in IRC tonight; and thought i'd have some fun with perl. so here is a little perl script for xchat which you can use to type in thaana. you need to have a thaana unicode font installed. then after you load this perl script. type /thaana swlWmc. might be useful.

---------------------- xcthaana.pl-------------------------------------------------

#!/usr/bin/perl -w

## thaana for x-chat
## v1.0 by darkm00n

IRC::register("thaana", "1.0", "", "");
IRC::print("[thaana Loaded]");
IRC::add_command_handler("thaana", "thaana");


sub thaana
{
$in=shift;
$out="";
for ( $i=0; $i <= length($in); $i++){
$_=substr($in,$i,1);
#convert thaana
if ("A" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07A2}"; };
if ("B" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{079E}"; };
if ("C" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0797}"; };
if ("D" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0791}"; };
if ("E" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07AD}"; };
if ("F" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{079F}"; };
if ("G" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07A3}"; };
if ("H" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0799}"; };
if ("I" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07A9}"; };
if ("J" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{079B}"; };
if ("K" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{079A}"; };
if ("L" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0785}"; };
if ("M" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0789}"; };
if ("N" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{078F}"; };
if ("O" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07AF}"; };
if ("P" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0795}"; };
if ("Q" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07A4}"; };
if ("R" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{079C}"; };
if ("S" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0781}"; };
if ("T" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0793}"; };
if ("U" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07AB}"; };
if ("V" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07A5}"; };
if ("W" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07A7}"; };
if ("X" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0798}"; };
if ("Y" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07A0}"; };
if ("Z" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07A1}"; };
if ("a" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0787}"; };
if ("b" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0784}"; };
if ("c" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07B0}"; };
if ("d" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{078B}"; };
if ("e" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07AC}"; };
if ("f" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{078A}"; };
if ("g" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{078E}"; };
if ("h" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0780}"; };
if ("i" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07A8}"; };
if ("j" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0796}"; };
if ("k" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0786}"; };
if ("l" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{078D}"; };
if ("m" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0789}"; };
if ("n" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0782}"; };
if ("o" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07AE}"; };
if ("p" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0795}"; };
if ("q" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07A4}"; };
if ("r" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0783}"; };
if ("s" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0790}"; };
if ("t" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{078C}"; };
if ("u" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07AA}"; };
if ("v" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0788}"; };
if ("w" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{07A6}"; };
if ("x" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{079D}"; };
if ("y" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0794}"; };
if ("z" eq $_ ) { $_ = "\x{0792}"; };
$out=$out.$_;
}
IRC::command($out);
return 1;
}

released?

ever been in jail? i have once; for like 17 days. when i came out it was a feeling of freedom; but what i feel now is beyond that too. just for some reason i feel free! but sad part is freedom too comes with responsibilities. i’ve like spend a few years in a state of mind; from which i am free now. i hope :)

just one wish; want to enjoy this for a while; and catch up on TV and books, etc. Why? its not the time; but it’s the state of mind in which you dive into them. self confidence is the next thing which needs to be patched. my version is buggy. when you are told for a long time that everything you do is wrong, and nothing will be right; you start to believe it. now thats not a very good thing ey? anyway wish me luck. i am no more scared or pissed; just happy and optimistic. i really do feel good. :P

14 years from now; my work is done. if i live long enough. i guess you have to go through bad to get to good. as one of my very good friend says; all ugly things are made by people who are trying to make something beautiful, i can’t remember the real words though. so its a stage in life and a process where you just experience hurt, guilt, frustrations, etc... but important thing i always believed in was not to give up. never to give up on what you believe and whom you love. don’t let them down or give up on them, and never to bring your own selfish reasons for an excuse to dump or hurt them. end of the day; they are what reflects you, and who will be your strength. somethings are momentary; like money, sex, fame and etc. if one decides to hang on to it and seek it; then i guess all hopes are gone. one day you will wake up; and realize what you have lost. worst part is then it’s too late. days pass by for each of us. we won’t be the same in 20 years.

one good experience i’ve learned is don’t hold on to people who don’t hold on to others. if someone who comes to you by dumping someone else, will do the same to you too. look for people who have a moral and have ethics. who are willing to sacrifice their own happiness over their own self. never depend on someone who is self centered; trying to hold on to people like this will result in a major chaos. if you don’t love you own family; you won’t love anything else. no matter what you say or do. now i am happy to know i have a family whom i can always depend on and have learned so much from. now the challenge is to make my children feel the same and say the same. damn!

To Java or NOT to Java?

I have been grinding my brain off over a simple issues. But I wonder if it’s simple anymore. By tomorrow I need to decide on If I would say Java is my choice for corporate development or Mirco$oft dot Net. Now this is way too simple if it was a personnel choice, I would say Java. Why Java. hey! it’s cool too. Java simple is cool thats the first things. But there is a lot more then Java being a cool platform. Things I like about Java include, starting from source code for the core libraries being open. I still feel Java us a better platform then ASP when it comes to Web Services and preferred by more people. Better integration with SQL servers like Oracle in terms of things like writing of stored procedures. Java is more future proof unlike M$ stuff; example codes written in VB 6 is now old and can’t be easily ported to dot Net. When doing stuff beyond forms and windows, dot Net just can’t beat Java. Java runs on other planets, dot Net has yet to leave Terra Firma; stupid reason but it’s the fact. Good integration and support with UML tools.

I can go; but the sad part is with all these advantages; who will develop the applications in Java her in Maldives? I am finding it hard to get even developers to do simple php stuff; keep aside Java. So just wondering if I decide to make Java I guess it’s cool and good; but not practical. But lets see; to now Java is the choice.... HELP!

Dieting season

Dieting season has start. today is the second day of the season of this year. yesterday couple of us sat in front of my apartment; watching the bikes hiss by. Man male’ sure has a lot of people compared to the land space we have; unbelievable.

Allmost everyone gets all ready for a bike ride around 5 and there is a continuous flow of guys until the magrib prayer calls. As the time closes by; you’d find some crazy guys speeding down. I guess it’s the hunger that drives. Few girls come out at this time; as it’s assumed they are busy preparing food for the final call. So it’s not much of a show to watch. People are active and this is the health time of the year. you diet all day; and at night you go for sports. Biggest difference you will notice is we don’t get people smoking out on the roads during the day (except for a few whom I know); and everyone has an excuse to be carefree and angry.

Paul Allen's Octopus in Maldives

Billionaire Paul Allen (Microsoft's co founder) owns the world's largest yacht (it's more like a cruise liner) and cost a whopping $200 million. I was told by a friend last week that it's here in Maldives. Today I saw it near male' just off feydhoo finolhu. hmmmmm! Software surely pays off.

Anyway here is some info about the Octopus

Octopus cost Allen over US$200 million and has Permanent crew of 60, including several former Navy Seals.It has two helicopters, seven boats, a 10 man submarine and a remote controlled vehicle for crawling on the Ocean floor. The submarine has the capacity to sleep eight for up to two weeks underwater.

On average, owners must spend a minimum of 10 percent of the purchase price every year to keep these yachts in good working condition and cover crew salaries. Therefore “Octopus” which cost Allen US$200 million requires a US$20 million annual budget.

Sir; Miss, Please Leave me ALONE!

I really wonder why people just can't seem to understand the words : "Live and Let Live". What the hell is wrong with some of us. They just can't follow this; they have to peek in and pass a comments or worse, create trouble for others. What ever it is; my life is mine; and what I do is my business; as long as I don't cross your line; don't cross into mine. Simple I want to be left alone. Again: what I do and whom I hang around and do is strictly my OWN and PRIVATE BUSINESS. If you don't like it then it's your problem.

Console fun!

here is something thing fun and maybe explored...

this is small python script.

import unicodedata

u = unichr(1962) + unichr(1925) + unichr(1958) + unichr(1924) + unichr(1963) + unichr(1934) + unichr(1958) + unichr(1922)

for i, c in enumerate(u):
print i, '%04x' % ord(c), unicodedata.category(c),
print unicodedata.name(c)

print u

Another IT event

I guess most of you would have seen some posters on the roads with IITF or some thing. Which says "coming soon" and with some pink art work. Seems this is an IT event which will be held soon. Commercial one; so don't expect to find any thing interesting but will be worth to check out. Seems companies like Dhiraagu, STO and Wataniya might take part.

What the F**K; MySQL and SCO?

Many of you already would have this story about MySQL and the SCO partnership. Well this sure was a surprise to me and a lot of others. SCO is one hated company by a lot of open source guys. SCO have been attacked many times too by these people. So why? Why did MySQL do this? Obvious answer will be MONEY?

MySQL has been the choice of many of us for the past few years; now I wonder if this will be the same? hmmm! I guess nothing much will change, still people will use it. That's what I feel but I don't like the move. It should have stayed as it was. Maybe it's time to think about Postgres.

Shoot me AGAIN!

I know I will be attacked for saying this. But I just can't keep quite. As everyone knows we have a optic fiber network laid in male' by ibone: this is mainly used for cable TV now. This is also use for internet. This can also be use for a lot of other data and voice needs. Example WAN connectivity, etc.

OK! As we all know another network is coming up. Which is the government network. This was said to connect all gov offices and related places. This is good; even though they still don't have the software to be used; once the network is done; they can ping from one office to other. Which is still ok! Anyway that's a different story. What ever it is this is a good move. I hope the project will be a success; I know in terms of the network it won't be an issue. My concern is the right software solution and project management. I was told that they are gonna move to a .NET based solution and Windows based. hmmmm! It's cool too: A lot of money that is and so much security issues. If I was to have a say in this; I would say why not go for a *nix based back end. So many other governments already have. The applications should be web based; and I guess a good solution will be to go for java. Something like Tomcat maybe. Anyway those guys will know better. Also its good money to be spend; some people just love to spend.

Now here comes the best part. I was also told that the Police or the NSS, wants to install cameras all over male'. This is good ey! Eyes. I totally agree: "sulhamaslahathu" is the key word here. Anyway again! Optic fiber came in to play. Seems they are also gonna lay "YET YEN YANATHER FIBER NETWORK"! Yeah! You read right! Another fiber network. This is no surprise; for some people who know security; they have different wires and different machines for LAN and internet! LOL! I mean I just can't stop laughing when ever I talk and here about it. Security ey! I guess even NSA won't have this secure networks. It's good being paranoid. But man this is 2005! And for god sake we have things like IPSec and so many other methods of securing networks. Anyway, same excuse maybe would have come to the new fiber network for the eyes. But dudes the government is already spending money on a network. Then why? Are we having excess money here? Come on; there must be some logical explanation here! Right now it is not! By the way I wonder who's brilliant idea it is and who approved such a thing. Maybe I won't know shit about these sorts of things; but anyone with a logical thinking will agree with me that this is stupid.

I was also told by one guy in that team that they have already decided to go with JB for this project. I don't think still they have got the proposals but this is already being processed maybe. So another big money project! Good good! And yeah! I know even when I write this; the guys in Blue and Green (FM and TM) will get back at me.

Bring it on! But try to talk some sense and justify a point rather then getting personnel. Anyway I don't really give a damn now abt what they write; nothing new now. Plus I know the guys are jobless and need to be paid for articles. So I do understand them as well. But one question here is: I am publishing this under my NAME! Not some stupid Maldives or the propaganda machine's name. Which they can't. They still won't come out. If they are so confident and know they on the right path; then why not be honest and open. Tell the world who you are. Why are you hiding? Must be reasons ey? They just can't! And won't. And we all know the reasons. Anyway that's abt that.

/configure && make && make install

The GNU guys have come up with a new easier method than going through a whole bunch of directories and a whole bunch of vi editing before you compile from source. Now we have mostly been used to the autogen, configure , make and make install. Well bad news is this might soon be history and you will miss it. Though its gonna be around; like when the new GUI's and gui based tools came in for *nix; most newbies use em. Same is gonna go for this as well.

Anyway the new project is called GNU Source Installer. Might be interesting to check it out. Guess soon with all the disto'sthis will be bundled.

Stupid

I have been really pissed off trying to explain things to people who claim to be technical but think in terms of a system user. Most systems example telecom equipment now 80% or more just IT stuff. Servers swiches and software plus the radios. The back end is just routing, applications and databases.

Most of the people who maintain them; are "telecom engineers". daa!?! That's what they claim to be. They give names to services like ABCD or XYZ which when you simply break down is a router or simply a web server or a service. When you tell them or request for a change on the system: simple answer is "NO!". Why cos it's not in the specification or they don't know if its possible. And then you tell them that this can be possible; they don't like it. Or simply you are just another crazy "IT" guys. What will you know about telecom stuff. Yeah true to some level. But we do know a bit about routing and databases. It's not magic!

Coffee A Health Drink?

Today on Slashdot they have a post saying coffee a health drink? this sounded interesting to me, for obvious reasons. Here is the link to the real article.

What ever it is; true or false.. Coffee has become a health drink; mentally. Its good to have a coffee with a cigarette and maybe some friends. After a long days work; or during breaks. Kinda freshens you up. Besides what else do we have in male'. Maybe it's one of the few ways or the only way to socialize.

Desktops and *nix

Been a while since I played with my Desktop. I've been having using GNOME for long now. Enlightenment is still something that I fancy and love; but GNOME is stable and cool. Simple too. Though I know a lot of you will say KDE is better; but this is an endless war. As for Window Managers I guess it depends on what you are looking for and what you are comfortable with. KDE is good; speed wise I guess it's faster then GNOME and QT library has improved over the years.

I've tested t E17 the new DR17; as always it's fun and fancy. My first experience with E was back in 1997 since then E has come a long way.

my current desktop on GNOME (yeah i fancy OSX themes)

old enlightenment screen shot: (This was what I fell for, this is how it looked back in 1997)