Technology

Launch: Google Code Search

2006-10-07T23:32:00.000+05:30

Google now lets you do searches -- including regular expression searches -- across public source code.

AI's future: The human-computer fox trot

2006-10-07T23:27:00.000+05:30

With artificial intelligence marking its 50th anniversary, it's tempting to recall how the technology has proven to be overhyped.
But at the American Association for Artificial Intelligence annual meeting this week, AI evangelists were touting ways that a confluence of factors could put computer learning at the heart of a smoother-running world.
One reason for uneven AI progress over the years was the vast amount of resources devoted to building "expert" systems to handle specific tasks, such as routing flights. Not only were such systems "brittle" outside of their field of expertise, but traditionally they had to be manually taught reams of information.

link:http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techinnovations/2006-07-20-ai-anniversary_x.htm?csp=34&ord=1

Mirror site to digg.com

2006-10-07T23:16:00.001+05:30

This site mirrors digg.com and all recently dugg articles on digg.com.Since many sites featured on digg.com homepage goes down due to bandwidth exceeding or by server crash (popularly called as "The Digg Effect"), duggmirror.com provides a free mirroring service to digg.url:www.duggmirror.com(problem was that digg.com was not loading for the time sake, thanks to the stupid connecton from my ISP , BSNL!, i used duggmirror.com to access digg.com)(these days visiting digg.com is like eating food, thrice a day or more!)

Contentlink

2006-08-03T22:10:00.000+05:30

What is a ContentLink™ ?

A contextually relevant keyword that is discovered in real-time on a web page from within Kontera´s vast network of publishers, and is automatically turned into a link to the most relevant ad from among Kontera´s thousands of advertisers. With ContentLink™ publishers generate incremental revenue while advertisers reach their most targeted audience on a Cost-Per-Click basis.

http://www.kontera.com/?id=20

Gchart

2006-07-21T20:58:00.000+05:30

Here is site to view the current time, time zones, area and country codes through a world map. Check out Gchart (http://www.gchart.com/) and click on the desired location to find its local time and other parameters (like international dialing code and country code).

Sharing Folder with a difference

2006-07-21T20:20:00.000+05:30

Sharing documents, data, songs and other digital content with friends/clients is one of our prime requirements.
Many still use the e-mail attachment feature for sending files, though it has file-size limitations.
To get over this shortcoming in the e-mail technology there are a variety of solutions:
(Dropload- http://www. dropload.com/,
Yousendit -http://www.yousendit.com/,
Pando-http://www.pando.com/,
G-mail drive-http://www.viksoe.dk/code/gmail.htm,
XmailHardDrive-https://www. xmailharddrive.com/,
e-snips -http://esnips.com/,
Mozy -https://mozy.com/,
Streamload-http://www.streamload. com/,
NetDrive-http://www.acs. uwosh.edu/novell/netdrive. htm)

Most of the solutions mentioned above require uploading of files to be shared to the service provider's server. Whenever one needs to share a file, one has to e-mail or upload it to a service and later remove the same once it becomes obsolete. But, if one can directly share the files/folders stored in the local storage, one does not need to bother about uploading/deleting it from the server.One solution to this problem is Foldershare-http://foldershare.com (which i have discussed earlier in this blog dated:Sunday, July 09, 2006)
Another innovative file sharing tool which solves our purpose is BoxCloud-http://www.boxcloud. com/.

To share files or folders with BoxCloud, one has to just install the client software. Once installed, the software allows us to share files and folders of our choice with other BoxCloud members — the interface is almost similar to that of an IM client. When we create an account, the service provides our web interface with a URL of the form: http://your-name.boxcloud.com.
Once the files/folders in our local storage are shared with a client, the service sends an e-mail mentioning our account URL to him/her. Now, using this web address, our client can view/access/download the files shared directly from our machine from anywhere on the Net — provided our machine is on-line. The service's advantage lies in the facility to access the shared files over a browser — the recipient need not install the client software. Also, there is no limit to the size of the file or folder to be shared (the whole hard disk can be shared).

Rechargeable Battery for the future

2006-07-15T20:39:00.000+05:30

A rechargeable battery that can be fully charged in just 6 minutes, lasts 10 times as long as today's rechargeables and can provide bursts of electricity up to three times more powerful is showing promise in a Nevada lab.

Read the full article here:

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7081

PC crash : Reasons and Remedies

2006-07-15T19:17:00.000+05:30

Hardware Conflict :
The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device.For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.

If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.

Often if a device has a problem a yellow '!' appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.
Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as 'IRQ holder for PCI steering'. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.
Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is www.driverguide.com. If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).
When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.
To be fair to Microsoft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.

Bad Ram :
Bad (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.

But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.

One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.

Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble. EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programmes.

BIOS :
Settings Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.

Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.

A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer's display.

Mcft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to 'yes' to allow Windows to do this.).

Hard disk :
Drives After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to

* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Disk Defragmenter.

This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.

The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows opening page (the desktop). Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted by going to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System Icon-Performance-File System-Hard Disk.

Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.

Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to

* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-ScanDisk

Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.

Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors :
Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.

These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Display-Settings

Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.

If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager

Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.

If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.

The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message. Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Performance-Graphics

Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).

Look up your video card's manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.

Viruses :
Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab.

Virus protection requires constant vigilance. A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your antivirus software manufacturer.

An excellent antivirus programme is McAfee VirusScan by Network Associates ( www.nai.com). Another is Norton AntiVirus 2006, made by Symantec ( www.symantec.com).

Printers :
The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file. Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer's performance.

If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer's default settings and you may be able to carry on.

Software:
A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the programme in the System Registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.

The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000.

Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don't do permanent damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system. Reg Cleaner can be obtained from www.jv16.org.

Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message "Starting Windows" press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode.

Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.

Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn't work.

Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.

Overheating :
Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been overclocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to. One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU. Specialist cooling fans/heatsinks are available from www.computernerd.com or www.coolit.com

CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.

Power supply problems :
With all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted.

A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut. If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut.

It is a good investment if your data are critical, because a power cut will cause any unsaved data to be lost.

Clear Unwanted Entries from Start Menu RUN

2006-07-15T19:13:00.000+05:30

Whenever you use the Start Menu's Run command to launch a program, that program is added to a history. Since this is a possible cause to an irritating problem, a solution is provided here for clearing this history:

Run the Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE).

Open HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\Explorer\ RunMRU\.

Delete all of the values in this key (everything in the right pane, except for (Default)).

Close the Registry Editor when finished. You'll probably have to refresh the Desktop or restart Windows for this change to take effect.

Note: To clear the OtherFolder history, repeat the same process in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Explorer\ OtherFolder.

Digg it.

2006-07-15T19:05:00.000+05:30

Understanding CD Burner Speeds

Have you ever wondered what all those numbers mean when you go to buy a CD burner? When you see a configuration that looks like 12x 2x 24x (three numbers separated by the letter "x"), these numbers indicate the drive speeds of the CD drive. The "x" stands for the transfer of 150 Kilo Bytes of data per second, and each number represents a different action that the CD drive can take.
A CD-R drive has two actions -- recording onto and reading from compact discs. A CD-RW drive has three actions -- recording, rewriting (erasing and recording over) and reading. When looking at the drive speeds, the first number ("12" in the above example) indicates the speed at which the CD drive will record data onto a CD-R compact disc. So, in the above example, the CD drive will record data at 12 times 150 KB/second. The second number ("2" in the above example) indicates the speed at which the CD drive will rewrite data onto a CD-RW compact disc. So in the above example, the CD drive will rewrite data onto the compact disc at 2 times 150 KB/second. Typically, the second number, the rewrite speed, is lower than the first number, the write speed, because rewriting is a slower process than writing. The last number ("24" in the above example) indicates the speed at which the drive will read data from a compact disc. So in the above example, the CD drive will read data from a compact disc at 24 times 150 KB/second.

CD-R compact discs are discs that can be recorded on only once. Once the data has been burned, it is permanent and cannot be erased. CD-RW compact discs are discs that can be recorded, erased and re-recorded over. Most audio CD players, especially older models, can only read CD-R discs, so it is best to record music onto CD-Rs. CD-RWs are typically used to store data or used as back up files.

2006-07-15T18:54:00.000+05:30

Port Numbers

In TCP/IP and UDP networks, a port is an endpoint to a logical connection and the way a client program specifies a specific server program on a computer in a network. Some ports have numbers that are preassigned to them by the IANA, and these are known as well-known ports (specified in RFC 1700). Port numbers range from 0 to 65536, but only ports numbers 0 to 1024 are reserved for privileged services and designated as well-known ports. This list of well-known port numbers specifies the port used by the server process as its contact port.

Port Number	Description
1	TCP Port Service Multiplexer (TCPMUX)
5	Remote Job Entry (RJE)
7	ECHO
18	Message Send Protocol (MSP)
20	FTP -- Data
21	FTP -- Control
22	SSH Remote Login Protocol
23	Telnet
25	Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
53	Domain Name System (DNS)
69	Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)
80	HTTP
109	POP2
110	POP3
115	Simple File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)
143	Interim Mail Access Protocol (IMAP)
161	SNMP
179	Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)
389	Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
546	DHCP Client
547	DHCP Server

2006-07-15T18:23:00.000+05:30

Error Messages in MODEM

Error 602 : The port is already open.
Cause :
Your modem is being used by another Dial-up Networking connection. The error message may be displayed even if no other communications program is currently using the modem you are attempting to use.
Solution :
First thing is to cold boot your computer. If the problem persists, press Ctrl-Alt-Del on your keyboard and End Task on Rnaap and retry.

Error 629 : You have been disconnected from the computer you are dialing.
Cause and Solution:
Make sure your settings are properly configured.Change the authentication to Clear Text under Security.Lower the connection speed under Modem Configuration.Disable hardware flow control under Modem Configuration.Disable modem error control under Modem Configuration.Disable modem compression under Modem Configuration.Disable PPP LCP extensions.Disable IP header compression.Check DNS configuration.Check the user name and password syntax.Connect using a Terminal window.Contact the modem's manufacturer for updated drivers.Have the phone company check the phone lines.

Error 630 : The port was disconnected due to hardware failure.
Cause:
There is a problem with configuration and/or installation of the modem. There is a conflict between your modem and another device on your computer.

Error 640 : A NetBIOS error has occurred.
Cause :
Your Modem Speed Software CompressionModem CompressionNoisy Phone LinesServer Problems
Solution :
Reduce your modems speed.Uncheck "allowed software compression."Have your phone lines checked.

Error 645 : Dial-Up Networking could not complete the connection to the server. (Internal Authentication Error)
Cause :
This could be caused by the following:Winsock.dll, wsock32.dll not installed or corrupted.Require encrypted password option is enabled.Dial-up adapter components are damaged or missing.Corrupted installation of Dial-Up Networking.
Solution :
Your best solution is to re-install Dial-Up Networking.

Error 650 : The computer you have dialed does not respond to a network request.
Cause :
This could be a problem with the ISP’s server.
Solution :
You may need to reinstall Dial-Up Networking

Error 659 : The media.INI file refers to an unknown device name.
Cause :
These errors can occur if one or more of the Dial-Up Networking configuration files is missing or damaged.
Solution :
Remove and reinstall Dial-Up Networking.

Error 676 : The line is busy. Try Again Later.
Cause :
This could be cause by the following:This problem can occur if you attempt to connect to your ISP using Microsoft Outlook Express.Your ISP cannot allow anymore connections. Try again later.
Solution :
Connect using Internet Explorer.Try to connect again.

Error 678 : The computer you are dialing is not answering please try again later.
Cause :
The most common cause for this is you are not dialing the right number.Corrupted modem driver.
Solution:
Reinstall your modem drivers.

Error 680 : No dial tone.
Cause :
This could be caused by the following:Unclaimed messages in your voice mail.Modem phone cord plugged into the wrong jack on the back of your computer.No dial tone on your phone line
Solution :
Put 2 comas in front of phone number.Do you have voice mail? Get your messages.Disable wait for dial-tone.Switch the phone cord connected to the Modem.Switch the port the phone cord is connected to.

Error 691 : The computer you are dialing in to cannot establish a Dial-Up Networking connection. Check your password, and then try again.
Cause :
This could be caused by the following.This is usually a password error.If you are dialing from a shortcut to your ISP and the Dial-Up Networking connection does not exist.
Solution :
Retype your username and your password and try again.Delete the shortcut to your ISP and make a new connection.

Error 720 : Dial-Up Networking could not negotiate a compatible set of network protocols.
Cause and Solution :
Check to make sure that you have TCP/IP, Dial-up Adapter and Client for Microsoft Networks Installed.

2006-07-15T18:15:00.000+05:30

JPG VS. GIF VS. PNG

Following are the most commonly used graphics file formats for putting graphics on the World Wide Web and how each differs from the others.

JPEG/JPG
Short for Joint Photographic Experts Group, the original name of the committee that wrote the standard. JPG is one of the image file formats supported on the Web. JPG is a lossy compression technique that is designed to compress color and grayscale continuous-tone images. The information that is discarded in the compression is information that the human eye cannot detect. JPG images support 16 million colors and are best suited for photographs and complex graphics. The user typically has to compromise on either the quality of the image or the size of the file. JPG does not work well on line drawings, lettering or simple graphics because there is not a lot of the image that can be thrown out in the lossy process, so the image loses clarity and sharpness.

GIF
Short for Graphics Interchange Format, another of the graphics formats supported by the Web. Unlike JPG, the GIF format is a loss less compression technique and it supports only 256 colors. GIF is better than JPG for images with only a few distinct colors, such as line drawings, black and white images and small text that is only a few pixels high. With an animation editor, GIF images can be put together for animated images. GIF also supports transparency, where the background color can be set to transparent in order to let the color on the underlying Web page to show through. The compression algorithm used in the GIF format is owned by Unisys, and companies that use the algorithm are supposed to license the use from Unisys.*

PNG
Short for Portable Network Graphics, the third graphics standard supported by the Web (though not supported by all browsers). PNG was developed as a patent-free answer to the GIF format but is also an improvement on the GIF technique. An image in a lossless PNG file can be 5%-25% more compressed than a GIF file of the same image. PNG builds on the idea of transparency in GIF images and allows the control of the degree of transparency, known as opacity. Saving, restoring and re-saving a PNG image will not degrade its quality. PNG does not support animation like GIF does. *Unisys announced in 1995 that it would require people to pay licensing fees in order to use GIF. This does not mean that anyone who creates or uses a GIF image has to pay for it. Authors writing programs that output GIF images are subject to licensing fees.

2006-07-15T17:56:00.000+05:30

INTERNET ERROR MESSAGES

400 Bad File Request :
Usually means the syntax used in the URL is incorrect (e.g. uppercase letter should be lowercase letter; wrong punctuation marks).

401 Unauthorized :
Server is looking for some encryption key from the client and is not getting it. Also, wrong password may have been entered. Try it again, paying close attention to case sensitivity

403 Forbidden/Access Denied :
Similar to 401, special permission needed to access the site -- a password and/or username if it is a registration issue. Other times you may not have the proper permissions set up on the server.

404 File Not Found :
Server cannot find the file you requested. File has either been moved or deleted, or you entered the wrong URL or document name. Look at the URL. If a word looks misspelled, then correct it and try it again. If that doesn't work backtrack by deleting information between each backslash, until you come to a page on that site that isn't a 404. From there you may be able to find the page you're looking for.

408 Request Timeout :
Client stopped the request before the server finished retrieving it. A user will either hit the stop button, close the browser, or click on a link before the page loads. Usually occurs when servers are slow or file sizes are large.

500 Internal Error :
Couldn't retrieve the HTML document because of server-configuration problems. Contact site administrator

501 Not Implemented :
Web server doesn't support a requested feature

502 Service Temporarily Overloaded :
Server congestion; too many connections; high traffic. Keep trying until the page loads.

503 Service Unavailable :
Server busy, site may have moved ,or you lost your dial-up Internet connection.

Connection Refused by Host :
Either you do not have permission to access the site or your password is incorrect.

File Contains No Data :
Page is there but is not showing anything. Error occurs in the document. Attributed to bad table formatting, or stripped header information.

Bad File Request :
Browser may not support the form or other coding you're trying to access.

Failed DNS Lookup :
The Domain Name Server can't translate your domain request into a valid Internet address. Server may be busy or down, or incorrect URL was entered.

Host Unavailable :
Host server down. Hit reload or go to the site later

Unable to Locate Host :
Host server is down, Internet connection is lost, or url typed incorrectly

Network Connection Refused by the Server:
The Web server is busy.

2006-07-15T14:10:00.000+05:30

How to hide a folder without using software:

First create a new folder somewhere on your hard drive
When you name it hold down "Alt" and press "0160", this will create an invisible space so it will appear as if it has no name.
Then right click the folder and select "Properties" then select the tab "customize" and select "change icon".
Scroll along and you should a few blank spaces click on any one and click ok when you have saved the settings the folder will be invisible to hide all your personal files.

Remember the same happens if we press 255 instead of 0160.

2006-07-09T23:21:00.000+05:30

McAfee expects 400,000 viruses by 2008

Read article at:
http://www.avertlabs.com/research/blog/?p=49

2006-07-09T23:07:00.000+05:30

Microsoft: Vista Most Secure OS ever:

Microsoft senior vice president Bob Muglia talking about Windows Vista....

Read full article at:

http://www.betanews.com/article/Microsoft_Vista_Most_Secure_OS_Ever/1150366131

2006-07-09T22:49:00.000+05:30

Interesting facts about mobile:

1) Emergency number
The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112.If you find yourself outof coverage area of your mobile network and there is an emergency, dial112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish theemergency number for you, and interestingly ...this number 112 can be dialed even while the keypad is locked. Try it out.

2) Locked the keys in the car?
Your car has remotekeys? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: Ifyou lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are home, call someone on your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a footfrom your car door and have the other person at your home press theunlock button, holding it near the phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance isbe hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has theother “remote" for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk). Editor's Note: *It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car overa cell phone!"

3) Hidden Battery powerImagine your cell battery is very low, u r expecting an important call and u don't have a charger. Nokia instrument comes with a reservebattery.
To activate, press the keys *3370# your cell will restart withthis reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increasein battery.
This reserve will gets charged when u charge your cell next time.

4) Very Useful information
To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone:
a) * # 0 6 #
b)A 15 digit code will appear on the screen.
c) This number is unique to your handset.
d) Write it down and keep it somewhere safe.
e) Should your phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider andgive them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so evenif the thief changes the SIM card your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoeverstole it can't use/sell it either. If everybody did this, there would be nopoint in stealing mobilephones.

2006-07-09T21:27:00.000+05:30

Checkpoints before buying a CD /DVD drive/writer for PC:

Obviously u have to look higher speed. say 52x for CD drives. Other than speed, check for following information....

Check for CLV(Constant Linear Velocity) tech for reading and writing (for writers). Plextor is the first company to use CLV tech .
Don't go for drives which supports CAV (Constant Angular Velocity).
[optional] Check for front audio controls. It will allow you to play Audio CD's without need of any software.
Check for better error correction supported CD Drives. It is needed for reading scratched CD's effectively. [Important].
In Windows, Enable DMA option for ur CD/DVD drive/writer. Then only it will copy at a max speed. Windows -> Control Panel -> Device Manager -> your CD-Drive . Right click ur CD-Drive, click properties. U can see "Enable DMA support" , select this option.[This to be done for Windows 9x. Newer versions of windows will automatically enable this option].
Caution: It will not work with ur old CD-Drive or Old motherboard. i.e. Drives came with PC's which less or equal to PII. Some drives which came with PIII .
If u writing Audio/video/MP3 CD's for using it in VCD players or MP3 players or Audio systems... write it at less than or equal to 24x. For very old drives write the CD's at 8x. Its because , VCD players can't read the CD's written at higher speeds.
Check for cache memory. More cache, better reading/writing. For writing , cache memory in the drive is very important. Latest drives are coming with 8MB cache memory.
Computer CD drives are not optimized for reading audio or video discs. its because in case of video Cd's, the data was written sequentially. But computer CD drives will works better with random reading . So, If u use Video Cd's to watch any movie from the CD-Drive, it will create a lotof over head to the drive, and it will reduce the life of the C Drive /Writer. Better copy the contents to the Hard-dsik and play it from there. Copying will take only 10 min, it will not affect the driver much. But watching movie from the drive will take >2 hrs, it will reduce the life of the CD-Drive.
While writing if u get "power failure" error , it means that the CD quality was low ,so that the writer can't able to get the details about the lead-in ( first few sectors) correctly. One way to get rid-off this error on the same CD is to write at 8x speed.
For DVD drives, check whether the drive supports all or most of the formats. DVD+R, DVD -R, DVD-ROM, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, Dual layer DVD's etc.

2006-07-09T21:05:00.000+05:30

Internet File Sharing - Private peer to peer network

FolderShare allows you to create a private peer-to-peer network that will help you to synchronize files across multiple devices and access or share files with colleagues and friends. You no longer need to send large files via email, burn them to CDs/DVDs and mail them, or upload them to a website.

Synchronize all your devices - Retrieve work files at home or access photos at work. With your devices in sync, you no longer have to be frustrated that your information is on another computer. Share files, photos, and home videos with your peers - Select the content you want to share, invite members, and they will be able to access the shared files directly from their device. Access your computer or device remotely - FolderShare mobile access allows you to access your computer from any web browser.

Share files up to 2 GB in size. Unlimited file transfers - no limits on quantity or size of files transferred. Any file type - files are synced and transferred in their original format.

System OS Requirements:
Windows 2000 / XP / 2003, Mac OS X 10.3.8. PC: Intel Pentium II processor (or equivalent) 350 MHz or higher; Mac: G3/G4/G5, 128 MB RAM required, 256 MB RAM recommended, 10 MB available hard disk space. Display Resolution: 800x600, 16 bit - 65,536 colors. Web Browser: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0, Firefox 1.0, Opera 7.x, Safari.

Internet Connection:
56 kbps dialup connection minimum; LAN (Local Area Network) with Internet access, DSL, or cable modem recommended.

FolderShare is ofcourse free of charge.

https://www.foldershare.com/

2006-07-06T21:55:00.000+05:30

Checkpoints before buying a Hard Disk.

1. Check for RPM - higher the rpm , higher the data transfer rate.
ATA / SATA HDD - Go for 7,200 rpm . Don't go for 5,400 rpm.
SCSI = >10,000 rpm

2. Don't do low level partition frequently. U can do normal windows format. but a HDD can withstand max of 20 low level partitioning.

3. check for warranty.

4. Check for protective sheild at the bottom of the HDD.

5. Never use the HDD verticaly, unless it is specifically manufactured for using vertically. Hitachi HDD can be used
vertically.

6. GB mentioned in HDD = 1000 MB, not 1024 MB.

7. If u r buying new HDD for old motherboard, check whether the max HDD capacity supported by ur motherboard BIOS. Even if doesn't higher capacity HDD, still u can use it with ur old motherboard. U need to use the jumber for the pins - that specifies "limit my HDD capacity".
Eg: ur motherboard supports only max HDD size of 80 GB, still u can use 120GB HDD with ur old motherboard - as per the above mentioned method. The will detect the 120GB as 80GB, but windows will show u all the 120GB.

8. Do u know , the life of HDD is 5 yrs for a frequent usage [ I had forgot the hour usage per day ].

9. If u partition the HDD, say it is 20GB, if u calculate the total size from all the partitions ,it will come around only 18.5GB. where is the remaining 2 GB gone???
As windows uses 1 GB = 1024 MB, and HDD manufactures ues 1 GB = 1000 MB, u will lose 480 MB in a 20 GB harddisk.
And, When u partition the harddisk, the ramining space of around 1 GB is taken for partition and File Allocation table.
That's y u will see only 18.5 GB out of 20GB Hard disk.

2006-07-06T19:14:00.000+05:30

Computer Languages:

Language	Origin of name	Year	Uses/Comments
ADA	Augusta ADA Byron (Lady Lovelace)	1979	Derived from Pascal, used primarily by the military.
ALGOL	ALGOrithmic Language	1960	First structured procedural programming language, used mainly for solving math problems.
APL	A Programming Language	1961	Interpreted language using a large set of special symbols and terse syntax. Used primarily by mathematicians.
BASIC	Beginners All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code	1965	Very popular high-level programming language, frequently used by beginning programmers.
C	Predecessor was Bell Laboratory's 1972 B Programming Language	1972	Compiled, structured, programming language commonly used in many workplaces because its programs are easy to transfer between different types of computers.
C++	Advanced version of C. Developed at ATT Bell Labs.	1985	C++ is used in numerous fields, such as accounting and finance systems, and computer-aided design. Supports object-oriented programming.
COBOL	COmmon Business-Oriented Language	1959	English-like programming language, emphasizes data structures. Widely used, especially in businesses.
FORTH	FOuRTH-Generation language (4 GL)	1970	Interpreted, structured language, easily extended. Provides high functionality in limited space.
Fortran	FORmula TRANslation	1954	Initially designed for scientific and engineering uses, a high-level, compiled language now used in many fields. Introduced several concepts such as variables, conditional statements, and separately compiled subroutines.
HTML	HyperText Markup Language	1989	Designed for publishing hypertext on the Internet.
JAVA	Sun Microsystems developers drank a lot of coffee when coding for this.	1990	Originally developed for use in set-top boxes, transitioned to the World Wide Web in 1994.
LISP	LISt Processing	1960	A list-oriented programming language, mainly used to manipulate lists of data. Interpreted language, often used in research, generally considered the "standard" language for Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects.
LOGO	Derived from Greek logos, meaning word	1968	Programming language often used with children. Features a simple drawing environment and several higher-level features from LISP. Primarily educational.
Modula-2	MODULAr Language, designed as secondary phase of Pascal (Niklaus Wirth devised both)	1980	Language that emphasizes modular programming. High-level language based on Pascal, characterized by lack of standard functions and procedures.
Pascal	Blaise PASCAL, mathematician and inventor of first computing device	1971	Compiled, structured language, based on ALGOL. Adds data types and structures while simplifying syntax. Like C language, it is a standard development language for microcomputers.
PERL	Practical Extraction and Report Language	1988	It is a text-processing language that looks like a combination of C and several Unix text processing utilities.
PILOT	Programmed Inquiry, Language Or Teaching	1969	Programming language used primarily to create applications for computer-aided instruction. Contains very little syntax.
PL/1	Programming Language One	1964	Designed to combine the key features of Fortran, COBOL, and ALGOL, a complex programming language. Compiled, structured language capable of error handling and multitasking, used in some academic and research environments.
SGML	Standard Generalized Markup Language	1986	Designed as a metalanguage, it is used as an international standard for the description of marked-up electronic text.
SQL	Structured Query Language	1986	Designed to be used for creating complex databases and accessing data in a relational database.
VB	Visual Basic	1990	Sometimes called the Rapid Applications Development system, is used to build applications quickly.
XML	Extensible Markup Language	1977	Used for creating arbitrarily-structured documents and Web pages; it is commonly associated with the Internet.

2006-07-06T19:02:00.000+05:30

Tips to make Operating Systems Reliable and Secure?

http://choices.cs.uiuc.edu/cache/computer-cover.html

Nice article by Tanenbaum that captures trends/research towards more secure operating systems. Requires basic understanding of Operating Systems!!!

2006-07-06T18:59:00.000+05:30

Useful RUN commands:

Accessibility Controls - access.cpl
Add Hardware Wizard - hdwwiz.cpl
Add/Remove Programs - appwiz.cpl
Administrative Tools - control admintools
Automatic Updates - wuaucpl.cpl
Bluetooth Transfer Wizard - fsquirt
Calculator - calc
Certificate Manager - certmgr.msc
Character Map - charmap
Check Disk Utility - chkdsk
Clipboard Viewer - clipbrd
Command Prompt - cmd
Component Services - dcomcnfg
Computer Management - compmgmt.msc
Date and Time Properties - timedate.cpl
DDE Shares - ddeshare
Device Manager - devmgmt.msc
Direct X Control Panel (If Installed)* - directx.cpl
Direct X Troubleshooter - dxdiag
Disk Cleanup Utility - cleanmgr
Disk Defragment - dfrg.msc
Disk Management - diskmgmt.msc
Disk Partition Manager - diskpart
Display Properties - control desktop
Display Properties - desk.cpl
Display Properties (w/Appearance Tab Preselected) -control color
Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility -drwtsn32
Driver Verifier Utility - verifier
Event Viewer - eventvwr.msc
File Signature Verification Tool - sigverif
Findfast - findfast.cpl
Folders Properties - control folders
Fonts - control fonts
Fonts Folder - fonts
Free Cell Card Game - freecell
Game Controllers - joy.cpl Group Policy Editor (XP Prof) - gpedit.msc
Hearts Card Game - msheartsIexpress
Wizard - iexpressIndexing Service - ciadv.mscInternet
Properties - inetcpl.cpl
IP Configuration (Display Connection Configuration) - ipconfig /all
IP Configuration (Display DNS Cache Contents) - ipconfig /displaydns
IP Configuration (Delete DNS Cache Contents) - ipconfig /flushdns
IP Configuration (Release All Connections) - ipconfig /release
IP Configuration (Renew All Connections) - ipconfig /renew
IP Configuration (Refreshes DHCP & Re-Registers DNS) - ipconfig /registerdns
IP Configuration (Display DHCP Class ID) - ipconfig /showclassid
IP Configuration (Modifies DHCP Class ID) - ipconfig /setclassid
Java Control Panel (If Installed) - jpicpl32.cpl
Java Control Panel (If Installed) - javaws
Keyboard Properties - control keyboard
Local Security Settings - secpol.msc
Local Users and Groups - lusrmgr.msc
Logs You Out Of Windows - logoff
Microsoft Chat - winchat
Minesweeper Game - winmine
Mouse Properties - control mouse
Mouse Properties - main.cpl
Network Connections - control netconnections
Network Connections - ncpa.cpl
Network Setup Wizard - netsetup.cpl
Notepad - notepad
Nview Desktop Manager (If Installed) - nvtuicpl.cpl
Object Packager - packager
ODBC Data Source Administrator - odbccp32.cpl
On Screen Keyboard - osk
Opens AC3 Filter (If Installed) - ac3filter.cpl
Password Properties - password.cpl
Performance Monitor - perfmon.msc
Performance Monitor - perfmonPhone and Modem Options - telephon.cpl
Power Configuration - powercfg.cpl
Printers and Faxes - control printers
Printers Folder - printers
Private Character Editor - eudcedit
Quicktime (If Installed) - QuickTime.cpl
Regional Settings - intl.cpl
Registry Editor - regedit
Registry Editor - regedit32
Remote Desktop - mstsc
Removable Storage - ntmsmgr.msc
Removable Storage Operator Requests - ntmsoprq.msc
Resultant Set of Policy (XP Prof) - rsop.msc
Scanners and Cameras - sticpl.cpl
Scheduled Tasks - control schedtasks
Security Center - wscui.cpl
Services - services.msc
Shared Folders - fsmgmt.msc
Shuts Down Windows - shutdown
Sounds and Audio - mmsys.cpl
Spider Solitare Card Game - spiderSQL
Client Configuration - cliconfg
System Configuration Editor - sysedit
System Configuration Utility - msconfig
System File Checker Utility (Scan Immediately) - sfc /scannow
System File Checker Utility (Scan Once At Next Boot) - sfc /scanonce
System File Checker Utility (Scan On Every Boot) - sfc /scanboot
System File Checker Utility (Return to Default Setting) - sfc /revert
System File Checker Utility (Purge File Cache) - sfc /purgecache
System File Checker Utility (Set Cache Size to size x) - sfc /cachesize=x
System Properties - sysdm.cpl
Task Manager - taskmgr
Telnet Client - telnet
User Account Management - nusrmgr.cpl
Utility Manager - utilman
Windows Firewall - firewall.cpl
Windows Magnifier -magnify
Windows Management Infrastructure - wmimgmt.msc
Windows System Security Tool - syskey
Windows Update Launches - wupdmgr
Windows XP Tour Wizard - tourstart
Wordpad - write

Better Protection against viruses

2006-07-05T23:37:00.000+05:30

Many of the virus warnings mails from friends are generally hoaxes,which we often unknowingly forward trying to alert our other friends.
Do not forward virus warnings, if they tell you to forward to everyone you know!
See; Symantec's Virus Hoax Page;
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/refa.html#hoax
and; Hoaxbusters
http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/HBHoaxInfo.html#identify
- especially.
Delete those emails and do not forward them!.
Only warn friends if you KNOW you have a virus that you have inadvertently
passed on to them.
Rely only on your virus software and your software provider's Web site for
the real scoop.
With the advancement of technology, it is now possible to get a virus without even opening an email.
That ended with W32.Nimda.A@mm in September/2001 that merely required you click on the subject of the
email in your email program or for those that use Outlook Express have
your program set to preview.
HINT: Turn PreviewingOff!
Nimda also propagated itself by taking advantage of bugs in Microsoft
servers to plant itself on the server and then transfer itself to those who
visited the Web sites on that server through Internet Explorer
(IE is buggy too).

Some free AV programs:

Anti-Vir - http://www.free-av.com/

AVG - http://www.grisoft.com

TrojanCheck - http://www.wilders.org/downloads.htm

On line scans:

Bitdefender - http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/licence.php

Finjian -http://www.finjan.com/mcrc/sec_test.cfm

Mcafee- http://www.mcafee.com/myapps/vso/default.asp?

Panda - http://www.pandasoftware.com/

PitStop - http://pcpitstop.com/antivirus/AV.asp

Symantec - http://www.symantec.com/securitycheck/

Trend - http://housecall.antivirus.com

Usefull refference sites:

Symantec (Norton Anti-Virus) - http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html

McAfee - http://vil.mcafee.com/hoax.asp have information on their sites dealing with bogus virus alerts.

Virus Library - http://www.viruslibrary.com/ Newest viruses, most active, alerts.

Hoaxes:

Snopes.com - http://www.snopes2.com

UrbanLegends.com - http://urbanlegends.com

ScamBusters.com - http://www.scambusters.com

UrbanLegends.about.com - http://urbanlegends.about.com

Stiller.com - http://www.stiller.com/hoaxes.htm

Datafellows.com - http://www.datafellows.com/news/hoax

Kumite.com - http://www.vmyths.com/

2006-07-04T22:39:00.000+05:30

The ALL New Yahoo! Mail

Check out the all new Yahoo! Mail.

http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/scp/viewer/index.php?client_id=1173&event_id=16828

Now get an extra email address like stunt.racer@yahoo.com or poetry.stud@yahoo.com or whatever.youwant@yahoo.com. It´s ofcourse free. Use it just as you would for your primary address (which of course you can still use). To make things handy, you can send and receive email from either address from the same inbox. But hurry, the good names are going fast!

2006-07-04T22:29:00.000+05:30

Microsoft ending support Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition

The Microsoft Corp. says it will end support for some of its older Windows versions, leaving 70 million users without security updates.
The Washington Post says the affected versions are Windows 98, Windows 98 Special Edition (SE) and Windows Millennium Edition (ME).
The policy takes effect July 11. Microsoft first planned the action for January 2004, but delayed to give users time to upgrade.
Users of the older versions will no longer get software fixes, leaving them vulnerable to hackers, the Post said.
Al Gillen, an analyst with IDC, a Framingham, Mass., market-research firm, told the Post an estimated 48 million computers were still running licensed versions of Windows 98 at the end of 2005, with 25 million still using Windows ME.
Gillen said he expects Windows 98 and ME to account for just 6 percent of all Windows installations by the end of this year.

2006-07-02T13:18:00.000+05:30

Surf the net faster, safer with Firefox

If for some reason you are still on Internet Explorer, I suggest you quickly download the Firefox as your new browser. Why you may ask? Well, here's a few good reasons. Firefox 1.5 has an intuitive interface and blocks viruses, spyware, and popup ads. It delivers Web pages faster than ever. And it’s easy to install and import your favorites. Packed with useful features like tabbed browsing, Live Bookmarks, and an integrated Search bar, Firefox will change the way you experience the Web, for the better. Firefox in short, is faster and less vulnerable to virus, trojans and spyware attacks. I use Firefox daily ever since I realise that it's soooo much faster loading web pages off the web compared to IE. Period.

http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/all

2006-07-02T12:56:00.000+05:30

Now create buttons instantly

Buttonator is not about mid 90's online button creation; it has taken a
simple idea and made it useable for real web users and designers in the year 2006. Buttonator is becoming a tool that designers want to use!

http://www.buttonator.com/

2006-06-29T22:24:00.000+05:30

Visual Task Tips

Visual Task Tips is a lightweight shell enhancement utility. It provides thumbnail preview image for each task in the Windows Taskbar, as seen in the upcoming Microsoft Windows Vista.
Visual Task Tips is a simple utility. Just download and install it.
Its available for free.To download it click the link-

http://www.visualtasktips.com/download.php

2006-06-29T21:44:00.001+05:30

Be Careful with CTRL + C

We do copy various data by ctrl+c for pasting elsewhere. This copied data is stored in clipboard and is accessible from the net by a combination of Javascripts and ASP.
Just try this:
1) Copy any text by ctrl+c
2) Click the Link:
http://www.friendlycanadian.com/applications/clipboard.htm
3) You will see the text you copied on the Screen which was accessed by this web page.
Do not keep sensitive data (like passwords, creditcard numbers, PIN etc.) in the clipboard while surfing the web. It is extremely easy to extract the text stored in the clipboard to steal your sensitive information.

2006-06-29T21:44:00.000+05:30

Origination of Names of Great Companies

Mercedes :

This was actually financier's daughter's name.

Adobe :

This came from the name of the river Adobe Creek that ran behind the house of founder John Warnock.

Apple Computers :

It was the favourite fruit of founder Steve Jobbs.He was three months late for filing a name for the business, and he threatened to call his company Apple Computers if the other colleagues didn't suggest a better name by 5 0'clock.

CISCO:

It is not an acronym as popuraily believed.Its short for San Francisco.

Compaq:

This name was formed by using COMp, for computer and PAQ to denote a small integral object.

Corel:

The name was derived from the founder's name Dr. Michael Cowpland. It stands for COwpland Research Laboratory.

Google:

The name started as a joke boasting about the amount of information the search-engine would be able to search. It was originally named 'Googol', a word for the number represented by 1 followed by 100 zeros. Afterfounders - Stanford graduate students Sergey Brin and Larry Page presented their project to an angel investor; they received a cheque made out to 'Google'.

Hotmail:

Founder Jack Smith got the idea of accessing e-mail via the web from a computer anywhere in the world. When Sabeer Bhatia came up with the business plan for the mail service, he tried all kinds of names ending in 'mail' and finally settled for hotmail as it included the letters

"html" :

the programming language used to write web pages. It was initially referred to as HoTMaiL with selective uppercasing.

Hewlett Packard :

Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard tossed a coin to decide whether the>company they founded would be called Hewlett-Packard or Packard-Hewlett.

Intel:

Bob Noyce and Gordon Moore wanted to name their new company 'Moore>Noyce' but that was already trademarked by a hotel chain so they had to settle for an acronym of INTegrated ELectronics.

Lotus (Notes) :

Mitch Kapor got the name for his company from 'The Lotus Position' or 'Padmasana'. Kapor used to be a teacher of ranscendental Meditation of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Microsoft:

Coined by Bill Gates to represent the company that was devoted to MICROcomputer SOFTware. Originally christened Micro-Soft, the '-' was removed later on.

Motorola:

Founder Paul Galvin came up with this name when his company started >manufacturing radios for cars. The popular radio company at the time was>called Victrola.

ORACLE:

Larry Ellison and Bob Oats were working on a consulting project for the

CIA (Central Intelligence Agency):

The code name for the project was called Oracle (the CIA saw this as the system to give answers to all questions or something such). The project was designed to help use the newly written SQL code by IBM. The project eventually was terminated but Larry and Bob decided to finish what they started and bring it to theworld. They kept the name Oracle and created the RDBMS engine. Later they kept the same name for the company.

Sony:

It originated from the Latin word 'sonus' meaning sound, and 'sonny' a slang used by Americans to refer to a bright youngster.

SUN:

Founded by 4 Stanford University buddies, SUN is the acronym for Stanford University Network. Andreas Bechtolsheim built a microcomputer;Vinod Khosla recruited him and Scott McNealy to manufacture computers based on it, and Bill Joy to develop a UNIX-based OS for the computer.

Apache:

It got its name because its founders got started by applying patches to code written for NCSA's httpd daemon. The result was 'A PAtCHy'server --thus, the name Apache Jakarta (project from Apache): A project constituted by SUN and Apache to create a web server handling servlets and JSPs. Jakarta was name of the conference room at SUN where most of>the meetings between SUN and Apache took place.

Tomcat:

The servlet part of the Jakarta project. Tomcat was the code name for the JSDK 2.1 project inside SUN.

Dennis Ritchie improved on the B programming language and called it 'New B'.He later called it C. Earlier B was created by Ken Thompson as a revision of the Bon programming language (named after his wife Bonnie).

C++:

Bjarne Stroustrup called his new language 'C with Classes' and then 'new C'. Because of which the original C began to be called 'old C' which was considered insulting to the C community. At this time Rick Mascitti suggested the name C++ as a successor to C.

GNU :

A species of African antelope. Founder of the GNU project Richard Stallman liked the name because of the humor associated with its pronunciation and was also influenced by the children's song 'The Gnu Song' which is a song sung by a gnu. Also it fitted into the recursive acronym culture with 'GNU's Not Unix'.

Java:

Originally called Oak by creator James Gosling, from the tree that stood outside his window, the programming team had to look for a substitute as there was no other language with the same name. Java was selected from a list of suggestions. It came from the name of the coffee that the programmers drank.

LG:

Combination of two popular Korean brands Lucky and Goldstar.

Linux:

Linus Torvalds originally used the Minix OS on his system which he>replaced by his OS. Hence the working name was Linux (Linus' Minix). He >thought the name to be too egotistical and planned to name it Freax(free+ freak + x).His friend Ari Lemmke encouraged Linus to upload it to anetwork so it could be easily downloaded. Ari gave Linus a directory called linux on his FTP server, as he did not like the nameFreax.(Linus' parents named himafter two-time Nobel Prize winner Linus>Pauling) .

Mozilla:

When Marc Andreesen, founder of Netscape, created a browser to replace >Mosaic (also developed by him), it was named Mozilla (Mosaic-Killer,Godzilla).The marketing guys didn't like the name however and it wasre-christened Netscape Navigator.

Red Hat:

Company founder Marc Ewing was given the Cornell lacrosse team cap (with red and white stripes) while at college by his grandfather. He lost it and had to search for it desperately. The manual of the beta version of Red Hat Linux had an appeal to readers to return his Red Hat if found by anyone!

SAP:

"Systems, Applications, Products in Data Processing", formed by 4 ex-IBM employees who used to work in the 'Systems/Applications/Projects'>group of IBM. SCO (UNIX): From Santa Cruz Operation. The company's office was in Santa Cruz.

UNIX:

When Bell Labs pulled out of MULTICS (MULTiplexed Information and Computing System), which was originally a joint Bell/GE/MIT project, Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie of Bell Labs wrote a simpler version of the OS.They needed the OS to run the game Space War which was compiled under MULTICS.It was called UNICS - UNIplexed operating and Computing System by Brian Kernighan. It was later shortened to UNIX.

Xerox:

The inventor, Chestor Carlson, named his product trying to say `dry'(as it was dry copying, markedly different from the then prevailing wet copying).The Greek root `xer' means dry.

Yahoo!:

The word was invented by Jonathan Swift and used in his book 'Gulliver's Travels'. It represents a person who is repulsive in appearance and action and is barely human. Yahoo! founders Jerry Yang and David Filo selected the name because they considered themselves yahoos.

3M:

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company started off by mining the>material corundum used to make sandpaper.

2006-06-29T21:02:00.000+05:30

Amazing Site

I just came across a site where clicking is prohibited . You just have to wipe the mouse over the text to activate it.

A must watch site for Web designers .

Digg it.

http://www.dontclick.it/

2006-06-29T19:53:00.000+05:30

Windows Vista disected : The days of XP are over.

Ease of use
When you start using Windows Vista, you will recognize familiar elements such as the Start menu, which is now faster, more streamlined, and more helpful than in previous versions of Windows. The Start menu features integrated desktop search through a new feature called Quick Search which can help you find and launch almost anything on your PC. Just type in a word, a name, or a phrase, and Quick Search can find the right file for you. But more than that, the new start menu makes it very easy for you to navigate across all of the installed applications on your PC. Eliminating the slow performing, cascading "All Programs" view, the new start menu can help you get something! started more quickly than ever.

Use Quick Search to quickly find the information you need.

Explorers

The new Explorers are powerful yet easy-to-use tools for working with files consistently across Windows Vista. Explorers give you more information and control while simplifying how you work with your files. The experience is easy and consistent, whether you're browsing photos or documents or even using the new Control Panel.

The new Document Explorer makes working with your files a snap. Find your files more quickly with the new Live Icon feature, and see what they contain without having to open them.Key elements of the Explorers in Windows Vista are designed to help you get to the informa! tion you need, when you need it. Quick Search is always available to help you find files instantly. The navigation pane contains the new Search Folders found in Windows Vista, as well as traditional folders that you have created on your computer. Command Bars display only the tasks that are most appropriate for the files being displayed. With new Live Icons (scalable thumbnails) used throughout Windows Vista, you can see the first page of documents, the actual image of a photo, or the album art for individual songs in your music collection, making it easier to find exactly what you are looking for.

Type keywords into the Quick Search box in the new Control Panel to find the right system setting quickly.

Windows Aero

Windows Vista is the first Windows operating system that has a user experience that can gracefully scale to the hard! ware capabilities of the computer it is installed on. All computers that meet minimal hardware requirements will see the Windows Vista Basic user experience, which provides the benefits of the refined interface features already mentioned.

Windows Vista Aero provides spectacular visual effects such as glass-like interface elements that you can see through.Windows Aero is an environment with an additional level of visual sophistication, one that is even more responsive and manageable, providing a further level of clarity and confidence to Windows users.

Live taskbar thumbnails

Resting the mouse pointer over a taskbar item displays a live thumbnail of the window, showing the content of that window. The live thumbnail is displayed whether the window is minimized or not, and whether the content of the window is a document, ! photo, or even a running video or process.

See thumbnail views of the items in your taskbar by resting your mouse pointer on them.

Windows Flip and Windows Flip 3D

Windows Vista provides two entirely new features to manage windows: Windows Flip and Windows Flip 3D. Flip allows you to flip through open windows (by using Alt+Tab), providing a live thumbnail of each window, rather than just a generic icon and file name. Live thumbnails make it easier to quickly identify the window you want, particularly when multiple windows of the same kind are open. With Flip 3D, you can use the scroll wheel on your mouse to flip through open windows in a stack, and quickly locate and select the one you want to work with.

Use Flip to view and navigate more easily through open windows.

Use Flip 3D to navigate through open windows using the scroll wheel on your mouse.

Windows Sidebar and Gadgets

As you use your computer to access more information, perform more tasks, and interact with more software applications, you increasingly face information overload. You open a web browser just to check the weather, open an application to view your calendar, and open a calculator program to simply add numbers. You need simple, specialized, and lightweight mini-applications that put information and tasks at your fingertips—no matter what you're doing.Windows Sidebar boosts your personal productivity by providing i! nstant access to gadgets—a wide variety of engaging, easy-to-use, and customizable mini-applications that offer information at a glance and provide easy access to frequently used tools.

Windows Sidebar gives you quick access to gadgets like picture slide shows, Windows Media Player controls, or news headlines. You pick the gadgets you want to see in Windows Sidebar.

Windows Internet Explorer 7

New Internet Explorer 7 features, like tabbed browsing and live previews, make it easier for you to get to the websites you want to visit.Internet Explorer 7 also provides new tools to give you direct access to information you want, with built-in support for web feeds known as Re! ally Simple Syndication (RSS). RSS is a technology you can use to have information sent to you, so you don't have to look for it. Through RSS subscriptions, you can automatically receive feeds (lists) of headlines from Internet sites. Internet Explorer 7 discovers these feeds on sites and allows you to preview and subscribe to them. Once you subscribe, Internet Explorer 7 systematically consolidates headlines from each feed into one list. This lets you quickly browse new information from various sites without having to visit each site separately.Windows Vista also builds upon the User Account Protection initiative—by default, limiting Internet Explorer 7 to just enough permissions to browse the web, but not enough to modify your files or settings—keeping your PC safer from web-based attacks. This Windows Vista-only feature, known as protected mode, means that even if a malicious site attacks a potential vulnerability in Internet Explorer 7, the site's code will not have enou! gh privileges to install software, copy files to the Startup folder, or hijack the settings for your browser's home page or search provider

Windows Vista enhances the Internet Explorer experience. The upcoming release of Internet Explorer 7 not only adds important new security and privacy features, but makes everyday tasks easier through features such as tabbed browsing, inline search, and shrink-to-fit printing.

Network Center

Windows Vista puts you in control of your network experience with the Network Center—the central place for all your networking needs. Network Center informs you about the network your computer is connected to and verifies whether it can successfully reach the Internet. It even presents this information in a summary in the Network Map so you can immediately see your connectivity to the network and Internet. If a PC on the network loses Internet connectivity, you can graphically see that the link is down, and t! hen use Network Diagnostics to help determine the cause of the problem and get a suggestion for a solution.

Check your connection status, see your network visually, or troubleshoot a connection problem in the Network Center.Network Center also allows you to quickly connect to other available networks, or create entirely new connections. You can view and configure your most important network settings in one place. And for less frequently accessed settings, Network Center provides direct links so you can easily find what you're looking for. Network Center also makes it easy to connect your workplace network from home. Easily connect to your workplace from home using the Network Center.

Network Setup

With Windows Vista, setting up a network between multiple PCs and devices (including printers, music players, and game systems) is simple and intuitive. The Network Setup Wizard allows you to set up wired or wireless networks by identifying unconfigured network devices and adding them to the network. The Network Setup Wizard also automates the process of adding new devices to your network. It automatically generates secure network settings to keep your network safe from intruders.Network settings can also be saved to a portable USB flash drive to make adding PCs and devices to the network a quick and easy process. Simply insert the USB flash drive into a PC or device and it will automatically read the data and ready itself to join the network. File and printer sharing is also easily enabled on each PC on the network from the Network Setup Wizard, so you can share documents, photos, music, and other files across your network

Network Explorer

Once a network is set up, you need to be able to easily browse content on networked PCs, devices, and printers. The new Network Explorer in Windows Vista makes it easy to share files and take advantage of the connectivity that a network provides. It presents a view of all PCs, devices, and printers on the network, and is significantly faster and more reliable than My Network Places in Windows XP. The Network Explorer is even able to use custom, representative icons for different devices (when enabled by manufacturers). You can also directly interact with select devices—adjust settings or control music playback, for example.

Create networks to share files, printers, and other devices.

Network Map

When people have multiple computers and devices on a network, with a combination of wireless a! nd wired connections, it can be difficult to understand how everything is connected. Windows Vista provides a new feature called Network Map which shows you an easy-to-understand, graphical view of everything on the network, and how everything is connected. This helps you optimize your network for the best performance and easily locate any problems.

Network Map in a home environment showing a broken connection to a wireless router.

Wireless Networking

Windows Vista improves the wireless network experience in a number of ways. The new Network Awareness feature in Windows Vista keeps your applications aware of and optimized for the network's changing capabilities. Your data is also more secure with enhanced support for the latest wireless security protocols, including WPA2. Windows Vista helps you avoid connecting to fra! udulent wireless networks which seem like legitimate hotspots but, in fact, are not. Windows Vista also provides an easy way to create ad-hoc wireless networks to use peer-to-peer applications such as file sharing and application collaboration.

Network Awareness

Network Awareness provides the ability to report changes in network connectivity to applications in order to provide a more seamless connected experience. As you connect to different networks, the change is communicated to Network Awareness-supported applications, which can then take appropriate actions for your connection to that network. For example, when you switch from your home office to your corporate network, firewall settings can be configured to open the ports needed to allow the use of IT management tools. Group Policy will detect the reconnection to the corporate network and automatically begin processing policy changes instead of waiting for the next detection cycle.

HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS:

Minimum Requirements (Vista-Capable PCs):

--800 MHz Intel-compatible processor

--512MB of RAM

--DirectX 9.0

-Capable Graphics Processor

--20GB HD

Recommended Requirements (Premium-Ready PCs):

--1 GHz Intel-compatible processor

--1GB RAM

--DirectX 9.0-Capable Graphics Processor, with 128MB graphics memory. (64MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor less than 1,310,720 pixels [no more than 1440x900];

128MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor at resolutions from 1,310,720 to 2,304,000 pixels [no more than 1920x1200];

256MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor at resolutions higher than 2,304,000 pixels [more than 1920x1200]).

--40GB HD with at least 15GB "free space"

2006-06-29T18:59:00.000+05:30

Welcome,
This is my technical email blog.I have decided to make an archive of my emails in this blog , so that they can be accessed anytime.I hope that this blog will be useful to all the engineers and also who aspire to be one besides providing good information to all the technically inclined people.I hope you enjoy your time visiting this blog.
Visitors, please leave your comments.

Sriganesh.