Logic2Go

I learned how to make my own Solar Panels in the last 1 hour.

So, what have you DIY today?

With my current focus on providing real world (read: ready to use) RFID applications to clients, it often becomes more necessary to take an existing solution and replicate it rather than start from scratch or provide lots of innovative thinking.

As far as I am concerned, this isn’t always cool, but usually necessary.

Market and competitive forces demand that our solution works well in the least amount of time. The overriding factor here is the inter-operability with existing solutions installed at manufacturing, distributor, retail and marketing partners in the supply chain.

This directly translates into fewer opportunities to innovate and/or think outside the box.

(This post, btw, was handwritten and recognized by Windows 7’s awesome ink recognition system. The awesome-ness becomes more apparent in light of the fact that I was travelling by bus (BLR airport to home) while writing).

So Delhi has a new Domestic terminal (1D) and it looks pretty awesome so far. Even better is the fact that you walk past security and are greeted with this wonderful sign …

Airtel has done a decent job on the connectivity and signal clarity (it’s available most places, including restrooms, etc)

However, one peeve of mine … it’s impossible to use my mobile browser with this connection.

Problem is that I cannot get to this landing page on Opera Mini (or Nokia’s default browser on the E63) – needed Firefox or IE to get there. But once I’m there, the username/password is sent as an SMS on my mobile.

So basically, mobile browsing is not possible. Only laptop/full browser works for me.

Still, cannot argue with the fact that it’s a decent connection for free.

So I am at the Dubai airport and surfing around (on their free wifi, Thanks guys!)

However, I just decided to check up on something I’ve only read online … what kind of websites are good (or bad) enough to be blocked.

And surprise, Facebook seems to work ok (even defaults to Arabic script)
But searching on Google for “blocked websites in UAE” leads to a few websites with listings of what is really blocked.

Funny thing is, sites listing these blocked websites are blocked too.

See …

I wish there was more flux to life. A better, simpler and easier way to make sure things kept moving along.

*warning*
I like you; dear reader. So it’s only fair to warn you that this is probably one of my rare rants about nothing in particular and everything in general.

Lately, things have been moving along very slowly. First it was the start of the recession, then the new year. Then the end of financial year, then the start of the hot summer. Now it’s the middle of summer, with summer holidays, trade shows and trips. Soon it will be the start of the major holiday season, then the end of the year.

These are excuses everyone makes.
You don’t want to get up early enough, use one of the above.
You don’t want to party late, use one of the above.
You don’t want to buy something, use one of the above.

Get the drift?!

The problem is that I must be the worst offender when it comes to using these excuses for my general laziness.

For the last two days, I’ve gone to sleep at 9 or 9:30pm and woken up not before 9 or 9:30am. And then been lazy throughout the day. WTF, I know.

Each day, I wake up with the stress of sales to make, leads to follow-up and better management of the company in general. Each day, I’ve slacked off and not gotten even half of it done. This cannot go on.

… I … need … help …

I realized that one of the biggest handicaps to my blogging was the availability of a decent blog composing/posting software.

I love Microsoft Live Writer. But for some reason it would never run on my old WinXP (after a few dozen reinstalls, etc, long story).

Now I have it back and I’m guessing I’m blogging again?!!!

So I’m finally doing what I haven’t been able to do for a while … format my primary computer and get a beta OS on it.

My X41 Tablet PC is now running Windows 7 beta (in all it’s glory!) and how!!! I knew skipping Vista was a good thing, and this proves it.

Also, with the Windows 7 install, something Microsoft has been trying for years was accomplished. I mean, the Windows setup/install had no complicated steps, no confusing choices. It was simpler to install Windows 7 (including the setup taking care of formatting the old WinXP partition) that it is to install Skype!

It’s a bloody freaking entire OS, and I’m comparing it to installing a chat program?

Though, the techie in me missed out on the fun of installing and playing around with the install options. This install somehow felt too, umm “little”.

Still, bottom-line, Windows 7 looks like it will rock on my X41 tablet!

Windows 7

I believe that Indians need to do atleast one of two things to help make our democratic process stronger.

For the lazy ones:
Register to vote - helpful tips at www.jaagore.com
Also, specific to Bangalore, get more information at www.bangalorevoterid.org

For the active ones:
Trust yourself enough to stand for public office - like what Capt. Gopinath is willing to do.
Check out his website at www.votecaptgopi.com

So this is my call to you 18 to 39 year-old-Indians.
60% of you are not registered to vote.

Go and do the least you can, register to vote. Or shut up the next time you are stuck in traffic or the electricity goes off or there is a religious zelot on the loose in your area.

I’ve owned desktops. and laptops. and pocket pc’s. and tablet pc’s. and a UMPC. and tower servers.

With CopperSpiral doing as well as it is, the time has come to upgrade.
I’m finally going to control a real server server.

As it should be, it’s IBM.
It’s 1U thick.
Multiple Xeon processors.
Multiple SCSI hard drives.
Starts with 4 gigs of RAM. (Expandable to 16).
Multiple Gigabit Ethernet ports.
I will probably go with Win2003 server or Win2008 SBS (still deciding, with 4 gb, 2008 is a bit dicey).
I need Windows Server as our development is on VB.Net or ASP.Net with MS-SQL backend.
Don’t worry, it will run Debian in a VMWare virtual machine for my ERP Adempiere.

I will be picking it up on Monday. So I still have time to ask questions … I have a choice of dual Xeon 2.4 GHz (single core) or dual AMD Opteron 2.4 GHz. What should it be?
Suramya, Jace, Jim, Arwind, Null.in, others? Tips …

Oh, and here is how it will look …

Jeez, I haven’t been so excited to get a new computer in such a long time. Remember TCF, Suramya?!

No, seriously.

Though not directly related to going back in time and changing history, it does involve taking my (now) dozens of cousins back to the future, the way I remember it.

For example, I was just reading this article on engadget and they have a reference to a the Flux Capacitor. Now, how on earth do I share it with a cousin of mine who is about 15 years old, interested in science, Harry Potter and creativity.

It is just shocking how much mass media was a part of my upbringing before the internet and all it’s personalized sources came about.

10 years ago, if there was a movie or tv series or news article, everyone sorta, kinda knew about it, because you read the same books, saw the same movies and tv.

Today, each room has a different tv hookup, each person’s newsreader has personalized news, basically making everyone a specialist in one single field very early on.

Still, i’m not trying to sound like one of those oldies complaining about the better old days. All I want to do is create some sort of definitive list of historical movies, popular culture articles, cartoons, etc to sit down and watch with my younger cousin brothers and sisters.

So the next time I make a Flux Capacitor reference at a family get-together, they get it.

I have a few … to begin with …

Movies & TV Series

1. Star Wars (all 6)
2. Star Trek (atleast Next Generation … Data and Picard are that important)
3. Back to the Future (all 3)
4. James Bond (atleast Pierce Brosnans’ to begin with)
5. Batman (movies, to begin with)
6. Amitabh Bachchan movies (Indian movies)
7. Godfather (all 3)

Comics & Books

1. Phantom
2. Mandrake
3. Tom & Jerry
4. Chacha Chaudhary (Indian comic)
5. Duck Tales
6. Hardy Boys
7. Secret Seven
8. Famous Five
9. Sherlock Holmes

Music

This alone seems to translate best across generations.
I still love the old english songs introduced to me by my various uncles (when they were still in college) and my younger cousins likewise have a decent record of liking old music too.

Any care to help me add to the list?