NgeBlogDong!@INDC : Others

Beta Version of Wi-Fi

adrian — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:44:25 GMT

I came across an interesting "fact" in the Heroes Happen Here comic strip. A radio is called a beta version of wi-fi, not exactly true, but kind of reminding me over how simple does the past usually is.

Get the comic here.

Share this post: | | | |

Hello Safari!

adrian — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 14:45:00 GMT

Just now, Apple has released yet another Beta for their Safari web browser for the PC. This update resolves security issues and, from what I've seen, stability improvements. For example, I can now write in a textbox, where previous version (the first and the updated first) does not even allow me to write a single character in any textbox.

Safari has more quirks though, shortcuts and things you usually be able to do in IE or FF suddenly gone. Notable ones are:

MCE formatting doesn't work (had to edit the hyperlinks using HTML mode).
Ctrl+Enter to automagically prepend "http://www." and append ".com" to the address bar doesn't work.
One click on the address bar doesn't select all text automatically (needs triple-click to do that).
Silverlight plugin crashes Safari (both in Beta, can't have anyone blamed, yet)
Rendering speed... just the same. Can't feel the difference (using Indosat M2 3.5G service if you're wondering) between this and IE7.
Middle clicking on the tabs doesn't close them (I assume Apple fanboys are too dumb to use any more than one button in their mouse).

Apart from it's quirks, Safari still a good browser though... Nice text renderings (yes, they're different than Windows ClearType) and support a lot of CSS+JavaScript common in Web 2.0 world. Tested www.wikimu.com and www.trendigital.com and both looks perfect.

UPDATE: Well, apparently after long writings, Safari cannot use MCE at all. I'm writing this back on IE... Down with Safari! :D

Share this post: | | | |

iPhone vs. N95

adrian — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 03:10:00 GMT

If you've went to latest computer festivals and events, you'll see agressive marketing push from Apple about their new iPhone. The banners say "COMING SOON!", but the sales guys say "next year". Apple calls next year soon.

Anyway, apart from the huge hype Apple is creating about iPhone, I've came across an interesting comment on a blog post about unlocking the iPhone. The comment outlined the difference between Apple iPhone and Nokia N95. I'll put some interesting facts below:

iPhone doesn't have a sound recorder, video capture, wireless BT earpiece, and IR module.

But then again, I'll never buy any phone that is priced way above US$100. For me a phone is a phone (calls other), not some camera or edgy mini-computer.

Oh, and another interesting fact: currently you can unlock Apple iPhone on Windows machine using application built on top of .NET Framework 2.0. That's what I call interoperability!

Share this post: | | | |

Steve and Bill Got Together

adrian — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 14:38:14 GMT

Earlier this month, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates got together in All Things Digital D5 Conference. This is a once in 10 years event! My friend Adinoto have placed a service for everyone who wanted to see their "chat" in video; instead of downloading a whopping 1Gb video (we realize that we do have bandwith limitation here and there), we're offerring you to grab a DVD copy.

While Adinoto's offerring a delivery to your address, I offer you a pickup service. I'll take orders, and you guys can pick it up either at my office (just across Mal Ambassador) or at my house (in Kelapa Gading). It will, of course, be cheaper than personal delivery, since your packages come in batches with other people. Contact me soon for orders, I'll try to handle as much as possible.

If you're just interested in the content (not the experience), you can read the transcript here.

In Bahasa Indonesia (marketing stuff):

Dapatkan segera! DVD diskusi antara Bill Gates dan Steve Jobs pada konferensi D5 bulan kemarin. Sangat inspiratif! Hubungi adrian.godong@gmail.com atau 08156003617 sekarang untuk pesanan. Sangat terbatas.

Share this post: | | | |

New Student Ambassadors!

adrian — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 13:15:19 GMT

Since Narenda and me have graduated, ITB has no SA for some time, until now. Last weekend, we interviewed several candidates and have chosen two of them to become the new Student Ambassadors.

Ronald Penalosa, a very creative guy, currently working on a Java-based company in Bandung (we're going to change that, ha!). The other one is Fajar Fathurrahman, a networking guy, very bright, and definitely IPv6-ready (just like Windows Vista!). I believe that both of them will become the key technology drivers in their own community because they are the best of the best.

Please drop some welcome message for them here or on their blogs; welcome to the club dudes!

P.S.: For the other candidates; you guys are cool, bright, and definitely unique, but there is a characteristic that we're looking for in a SA, and that's called passion. Whatever you do, be it programming, networking, even gaming, do it passionately, and show it to the rest of the world.

Share this post: | | | |

Cupertino, Start Your Photocopier!

adrian — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 07:40:00 GMT

Well, it's about time that Apple took something from Microsoft. Earlier this week's launch of Apple TV shows that. Take a look at the concept similarity... :D

Apple TV

Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005

Conclusion: watch Pirates of Silicon Valley and you'll realize that the best products are just copy of each other with added/removed function. :D

Share this post: | | | |

Microsoft Shared Source License(s)

adrian — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:51:00 GMT

Yes, Microsoft have their own open source licenses, and is named Shared Source Licenses. There are actually three levels of license, depending over how licensee (the user of the source code) can act over the source code. The licenses are Microsoft Reference License (Ms-RL), Microsoft Community License (Ms-CL), and Microsoft Permissive License (Ms-PL).

Basics: every type grants the licensee the right to use the code. The right to use the code is non-exclusive (means that not only you get the license), worldwide (means everyone, including those embargo-ed by USA), and royalty-free (means you don't have to pay for it).

Ms-RL: is the most restrictive. You can read the code, use it for internal use, but you CANNOT distribute it to anyone not in your company (non-transferable). Period. In addition, the license covers Windows-only solution. Mono and ROTOR does not count.

Ms-PL: is the least restrictive. You can read, redistribute, create derivatives, and distribute that derivatives without limitation. There's a limited version, which covers Windows-only solution.

Ms-CL: is the balanced license. The license granted is just like Ms-PL, BUT if you redistribute software that uses the original code, the original code should be licensed as Ms-CL, nothing else. There's also a limited version.

Here's a quick summary:

License	Ms-RL	Ms-CL	Ms-PL
Transferable?	No	Yes	Yes
Changeable?	No	Yes	Yes
Redistributeable?	No	(only with the same license)	Yes (unlimited)
Windows-only?	Yes	No, but Yes with Ms-LCL.	No, but Yes with Ms-LPL.

I imagine there be a lot of activities on Ms-CL. Even I'm starting a new pet project using Ms-CL license. Ms-CL provides guarantee that your works will never be re-licensed using other license (such as Ms-PL, Ms-RL, or closed-source) but encourages contribution by opening up the source code to the public.

Share this post: | | | |

bubuawards v.05 solution

adrian — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 12:01:00 GMT

Mr. Tahir and Mr. Norman have blogged about discrimination on this (or next?) year's bubuawards, self-tagged: "Indonesia's Most Prestigious Web Competition". While I know previous bubuawards reputation, the current limitation of web technology is amusing to discuss.

The amusement came from the Competition Requirements for Individual level, especially number 6 and 7 are a bit ambiguous.

One, they contain the same text to start: "The use of application programming languages and database..." This means that the rules will govern usage of programming in the competition. I've termed database together with the programming since you can't access the database without any programming.

Next is where the two rules forked. One stated that "such as ASP, MSSQL are not allowed" and the other "such as PHP, MySQL are allowed". "such as" indicates that there are more (other than the ones listed), but the differentiation isn't clear. What would .NET and Java qualify? Python? RoR? PostgreSQL? Perl scripts?

Word is, the organizer cannot provide platform availability for said technologies.

AFAIK, every single web technology available now is trial-able. Take, for example, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 required to run ASP.NET applications. Microsoft have provided a trial version of it that runs for 180 days. Long enough to deploy and vote, IMO. If you're concerned about licensing, you can check the EULA for Windows Server 2003.

In the first paragraph of the said license, Microsoft have stated that you can use the evaluation version to demonstrate and evaluate. That is exactly what they're going to do. Demonstrate the submissions, and evaluate the designs. The second statement is about production/live operating environment. Since all of the submission would be mock-up version, this shouldn't count as a production environment.

To conclude, I think bubuawards organizer need to extend their web technology allowances (by reiterating through all of the options stated above), or lessen it altogether. Make it just a combination between XHTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Or they can split the competition between web developers (that deals with application logic) and web designers (that deals with user interface). This will create a better and fair competition.

Share this post: | | | |

Wave of FREE Software

adrian — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 11:58:00 GMT

This month in particular have seen several new free applications from Microsoft.

The wave starts with Internet Explorer 7. Lots of new features, most notably is the Feed reader. The feed reader is integrated with the system, so you can expect a single database of all the feeds you're reading, no matter what client application you choose.

This week, Windows Media Player 11 hits the desktops. Featuring an improved media library, WMP looks cool to the eyes when compared to iTunes.

Finally, Microsoft have also released Accounting Express 2007. This is a financial management application toned down from the Dynamics line, provided for Small and Medium Business. I definitely going to try this one.

All of them are downloadable for free from Microsoft Download Site. Get yours now!

Share this post: | | | |

GooTube Anyone?

adrian — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 14:52:58 GMT

Earlier today, Google have completed a deal that bought YouTube.

It's not about the deal, but it's the numbers.

YouTube started with US$ 3.5mil, plus US$ 8mil several months after launch. But now, not 2 years yet from it's unofficial launch, it is worth US$ 1.65bil (roughly almost 100 times much more).

Anyone starting up a company now?

Share this post: | | | |

Campus Update

adrian — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 12:43:00 GMT

http://www.itb.ac.id/news/1139

It's amazing when you take a look of the going-ons' in this campus. Ever since I admitted four years ago, ever-increasing exclusivity has been a primary reason most of us failed to realize the problems outside this campus. When almost every other education institution opened their faces to external factors (like industry-related skill requests), this campus has failed to understand such things.

For example, I have a specific lecture that haven't changed a lot since first developed in 60s. That's nearly half a century outdated knowledge! When everyone believes in C++ (or their derivatives), the curricullum still believes in Pascal or Fortran, outdated languages. True, there are some lectures that reflects real world sciences (ex: Knowledge Management), but most are not.

When someone or something failed to comprehend what's going on around, naturally it will have two option. Going out and understand what's new, or curling up and believes that nothing in the world have changed. This campus chose the latter.

Luckily, remote desktop port is not blocked by the firewall, so you will still have access to full 56Mbps Internet connection from anywhere if they decided to not let me enter. :D

Share this post: | | | |

Are You Using Indonglish?

adrian — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 07:22:00 GMT

Wikipedia Indonesia has a good summary of what is and what isn't in Indonesian language. Very useful.

http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Pedoman_Ejaan

Share this post: | | | |

One More Reason to Buy A MacBook Pro

adrian — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 01:59:00 GMT

Several weeks ago, I posted a question about what notebook suits me best. I got the answer today.

I'm going for the MacBookPro, definitely. Not only it runs MacOS X natively, it also runs Windows XP natively. Surely, this is something that IBM PCs don't have.

Using this configuration, I wish that I can do my programming on Windows XP (or preferably, Windows Vista), and run it on the MacOS X using Rotor SSCLI. Wow!

Share this post: | | | |

Google AdSense, What's That?

adrian — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 03:27:00 GMT

If you've been reading my blog for a while (not via RSS), you should already seen some ads on the left side of the blog. These ads come from Google and targeted based on the content of the page. A lot of people asked me what those are, so here we go.

It's a service by Google that displays ad on your site, and pays for doing so.
It's a pay-per-click ad, that means I'm getting several cents every time you clicked on one of the ads.
So far, I have managed to get 4.75USD. Not a big number, yet.
4.75USD comes from ~30 clicks, that means a click worth 15-20 cents.

It's interesting how much a click worth, I've even tried clicking ads on my own page...

Liked the business model? How about placing it on your own blog?

Go to www.google.com/adsense, register for an account (this is different than your Google account!)
Pick some colors and model that fits your layout.
Take the generated code, and add them to the template of your blog (be it under the news, under the category label, etc.)
Start clicking and get the money flowing.

OK, now here comes the catch, I am asking you to click on one of my ads every time you read a blog post here. Also put your AdSensed' blog on the comment, and I'll do the same to your ads. Let's rip Google off! :-)

Share this post: | | | |

Apple vs. Microsoft

adrian — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 19:15:00 GMT

Or, specifically Apple iTunes 6.0.4 versus Microsoft Windows Media Player 11.

P.S.: iTunes installs perfectly on Windows Vista Build 5308

Share this post: | | | |