Twitter & Facebook - Good or Evil

Well i am still trying to see how they are useful ! They do increase internet traffic :) Will be writing more on my useless reasons ..

PayPal dispute resolution

Contacted pay pal to inform about the fraudulent website salonhive.com and Karmin Electronics.

They will need to respond within 10 days about the tracking information of the purchase, till then the payment will not be released.

Looks like atleast paypal is going to followup with them. I dont know these crooks have their other websites

Update: Resolved in 4 days - Dealer mailed and apologized, sent money back !!! yippie .. thanks paypal.

SalonHive fraud

salonhive.com karmin electronics, etc are all FRAUD. I placed an order and i used pay pal, and pay pal confirmed it and also it shows in Salon Hive as processing. It has been 4 days, and there is no way to contact them. Their 1 800 phone doesnt work, they live chat is always offline. They are total cheats, and the store front is there for just taking money .. be careful. This is a fraud.

Safari 4 - fastest ? ! IE8 RC nowhere close its slowest

So now that Safari 4 beta has come , i know its supposed to be the fastest, so i am seeing if google chrome 2 which is in pre-beta breaks safari 4 beta. I used Safari4 beta today and i can see it is really fast.

Sad that though i am using IE8 RC, its so slow that its sad to see the gap, its nowhere close to Safari4. Chrome, Firefox (though firefox new version which is in beta will be also very fast), and also Opera.

I have done some benchmarking, see the comparision its surprising how far away is IE8

This is on Windows 7

TEST                   COMPARISON            IE8 RC               Chrome 2.0.164 (nightly)   DETAILS

=============================================================================

** TOTAL **:           5.83x as fast     12379.2ms +/- 0.8%   2122.6ms +/- 4.0%     significant

=============================================================================

3d:                  4.49x as fast      1370.4ms +/- 1.8%    305.0ms +/- 14.1%     significant
cube:              6.37x as fast       473.6ms +/- 4.9%     74.4ms +/- 16.7%     significant
morph:             3.29x as fast       411.4ms +/- 2.8%    125.0ms +/- 28.8%     significant
raytrace:          4.60x as fast       485.4ms +/- 3.8%    105.6ms +/- 15.9%     significant

access:              9.59x as fast      2042.2ms +/- 1.3%    213.0ms +/- 8.6%     significant
binary-trees:      18.3x as fast       329.4ms +/- 4.1%     18.0ms +/- 19.5%     significant
fannkuch:          13.1x as fast       867.6ms +/- 0.8%     66.4ms +/- 14.8%     significant
nbody:             6.19x as fast       494.8ms +/- 2.3%     80.0ms +/- 10.1%     significant
nsieve:            7.21x as fast       350.4ms +/- 1.2%     48.6ms +/- 26.5%     significant

bitops:              9.17x as fast      1731.2ms +/- 3.8%    188.8ms +/- 14.3%     significant
3bit-bits-in-byte: 17.7x as fast       283.8ms +/- 17.4%     16.0ms +/- 18.2%     significant
bits-in-byte:      10.1x as fast       309.8ms +/- 4.4%     30.6ms +/- 2.2%     significant
bitwise-and:       10.1x as fast       637.8ms +/- 9.4%     63.0ms +/- 10.7%     significant
nsieve-bits:       6.31x as fast       499.8ms +/- 3.8%     79.2ms +/- 28.0%     significant

controlflow:         27.3x as fast       256.8ms +/- 1.1%      9.4ms +/- 15.1%     significant
recursive:         27.3x as fast       256.8ms +/- 1.1%      9.4ms +/- 15.1%     significant

crypto:              6.11x as fast       813.6ms +/- 4.5%    133.2ms +/- 16.6%     significant
aes:               9.26x as fast       372.2ms +/- 9.6%     40.2ms +/- 40.3%     significant
md5:               4.16x as fast       222.8ms +/- 1.1%     53.6ms +/- 14.5%     significant
sha1:              5.55x as fast       218.6ms +/- 1.3%     39.4ms +/- 41.9%     significant

date:                2.82x as fast       823.6ms +/- 3.2%    291.8ms +/- 7.3%     significant
format-tofte:      2.91x as fast       439.6ms +/- 5.8%    151.2ms +/- 8.2%     significant
format-xparb:      2.73x as fast       384.0ms +/- 2.2%    140.6ms +/- 11.1%     significant

math:                4.67x as fast      1169.2ms +/- 3.7%    250.2ms +/- 6.2%     significant
cordic:            4.24x as fast       504.0ms +/- 3.6%    119.0ms +/- 14.3%     significant
partial-sums:      4.06x as fast       342.8ms +/- 14.3%     84.4ms +/- 11.3%     significant
spectral-norm:     6.89x as fast       322.4ms +/- 1.4%     46.8ms +/- 7.1%     significant

regexp:              12.3x as fast       668.0ms +/- 6.7%     54.4ms +/- 46.0%     significant
dna:               12.3x as fast       668.0ms +/- 6.7%     54.4ms +/- 46.0%     significant

string:              5.18x as fast      3504.2ms +/- 1.5%    676.8ms +/- 2.8%     significant
base64:            17.9x as fast      1762.0ms +/- 1.8%     98.6ms +/- 22.4%     significant
fasta:             6.04x as fast       548.4ms +/- 5.1%     90.8ms +/- 21.4%     significant
tagcloud:          3.80x as fast       448.0ms +/- 4.4%    118.0ms +/- 5.4%     significant
unpack-code:       1.60x as fast       371.6ms +/- 4.0%    231.6ms +/- 7.9%     significant
validate-input:    2.72x as fast       374.2ms +/- 7.6%    137.8ms +/- 11.2%     significant

--- Now between Chrome 2.0.164 and Safari 4 beta

TEST                   COMPARISON            Chrome             Safari 4             DETAILS

=============================================================================

** TOTAL **:           *1.45x as slow*   2122.6ms +/- 4.0%   3076.8ms +/- 12.5%     significant

=============================================================================

3d:                  *2.28x as slow*    305.0ms +/- 14.1%    695.8ms +/- 19.8%     significant
 cube:              *4.53x as slow*     74.4ms +/- 16.7%    337.4ms +/- 18.8%     significant
 morph:             *1.53x as slow*    125.0ms +/- 28.8%    191.6ms +/- 19.7%     significant
 raytrace:          *1.58x as slow*    105.6ms +/- 15.9%    166.8ms +/- 25.4%     significant

access:              *1.75x as slow*    213.0ms +/- 8.6%    373.6ms +/- 19.8%     significant
 binary-trees:      *2.13x as slow*     18.0ms +/- 19.5%     38.4ms +/- 1.8%     significant
 fannkuch:          1.52x as fast       66.4ms +/- 14.8%     43.6ms +/- 31.4%     significant
 nbody:             *3.30x as slow*     80.0ms +/- 10.1%    263.8ms +/- 24.6%     significant
 nsieve:            1.75x as fast       48.6ms +/- 26.5%     27.8ms +/- 3.7%     significant

bitops:              1.28x as fast      188.8ms +/- 14.3%    147.8ms +/- 17.8%     significant
 3bit-bits-in-byte: 1.67x as fast       16.0ms +/- 18.2%      9.6ms +/- 26.9%     significant
 bits-in-byte:      1.59x as fast       30.6ms +/- 2.2%     19.2ms +/- 39.8%     significant
 bitwise-and:       2.22x as fast       63.0ms +/- 10.7%     28.4ms +/- 2.4%     significant
 nsieve-bits:       ??                  79.2ms +/- 28.0%     90.6ms +/- 28.0%     not conclusive: might be *1.14x as slow*

controlflow:         ??                   9.4ms +/- 15.1%     11.2ms +/- 42.6%     not conclusive: might be *1.19x as slow*
 recursive:         ??                   9.4ms +/- 15.1%     11.2ms +/- 42.6%     not conclusive: might be *1.19x as slow*

crypto:              *1.71x as slow*    133.2ms +/- 16.6%    228.4ms +/- 10.6%     significant
 aes:               ??                  40.2ms +/- 40.3%     45.8ms +/- 17.3%     not conclusive: might be *1.14x as slow*
 md5:               *1.76x as slow*     53.6ms +/- 14.5%     94.4ms +/- 22.5%     significant
 sha1:              *2.24x as slow*     39.4ms +/- 41.9%     88.2ms +/- 20.3%     significant

date:                1.14x as fast      291.8ms +/- 7.3%    256.8ms +/- 12.6%     significant
 format-tofte:      1.72x as fast      151.2ms +/- 8.2%     88.0ms +/- 9.0%     significant
 format-xparb:      *1.20x as slow*    140.6ms +/- 11.1%    168.8ms +/- 19.3%     significant

math:                *2.20x as slow*    250.2ms +/- 6.2%    549.4ms +/- 13.9%     significant
 cordic:            *1.91x as slow*    119.0ms +/- 14.3%    226.8ms +/- 20.0%     significant
 partial-sums:      *2.59x as slow*     84.4ms +/- 11.3%    218.8ms +/- 7.3%     significant
 spectral-norm:     *2.22x as slow*     46.8ms +/- 7.1%    103.8ms +/- 18.6%     significant

regexp:              ??                  54.4ms +/- 46.0%     77.2ms +/- 25.0%     not conclusive: might be *1.42x as slow*
 dna:               ??                  54.4ms +/- 46.0%     77.2ms +/- 25.0%     not conclusive: might be *1.42x as slow*

string:              *1.09x as slow*    676.8ms +/- 2.8%    736.6ms +/- 8.5%     significant
 base64:            -                   98.6ms +/- 22.4%     86.8ms +/- 21.2%
 fasta:             *1.36x as slow*     90.8ms +/- 21.4%    123.4ms +/- 4.2%     significant
 tagcloud:          *1.90x as slow*    118.0ms +/- 5.4%    224.0ms +/- 3.2%     significant
 unpack-code:       1.52x as fast      231.6ms +/- 7.9%    152.8ms +/- 11.2%     significant
 validate-input:    ??                 137.8ms +/- 11.2%    149.6ms +/- 26.3%     not conclusive: might be *1.09x as slow*

Microsoft training ? Am I am PC ?

how sweet you think isnt it ... By chance are the going to teach linux internals and java ? And if they teach .NET and Visual Studio, i will consider it wrong, since thats forcing technological choice on people. its like the kids saying i am a PC in the Ads !

People should be taught computer science independent of vendors like Microsoft or Apple or Linux. I would be critical if it is a way of promoting microsoft products in the guise of training.

I am 1 year old and i am a PC ! how much impact does that make ?

Life with windows 7

Well its been long since i have been using windows 7, though i still wonder why there are times when if something is not responding, it leads to a total chaos, and the whole system fails to respond, and the only way to fix it is hard booting.

I guess the killing process is screwed up somewhere. It seems like they are trying to restart properly, sort of seamlessly but that isnt working that well. Also this dwm.exe and explorer.exe, sometimes they grow and shrink on their own, i dont know whats with those two guys, trying to control the look and feel they are having a tough time.

Now getting back to features, well to be true, its a natural progression from windows vista, which was really badly recieved. Also with the fact that OSX doesnt allow legal installations on PC's , and no real big corporations planning and marketing linux, we are having nothing else. I mean there is nothing that can kill windows, even if they release crap, there are people who will feed off off it.

The true competition would be when
1. OSX is also allowed on PC's and Netbooks.
2. Ubuntu is aggresively marketed.
3. Japanese companies concentrate on building not just hardware but also software (OS i mean).
4. IBM aggresively markets and creates AIX for desktops and servers.
5. Sun solaris.
6. Google android for PC.

I guess an OS that universally works on all platforms, would be a true OS. Google has a better strategy since they built a modified version of linux for mobiles, that made them think of conserving space, and if they are able to use that OS with little modification onto PC's we have a great OS with a lower memory footprint.

Slumdog wins !

Well interestingly Slumdog won so many oscars ! my god !

Ram Sena Terrorists, A new breed of shameless terrorists ....

The recent attack on a pub in mangalore, is a certain reminder that if we let relegious groups operating on the pretext of cleansing, it will go out of control. I am a hindu and i am certainly distressed with what happened. I consider this, shiv sena, MNS (of useless guy Raj Thakrey) and all other such organizations as terrorist organizations. 

1. Who gave them the right to go out and hit people ? 

2. As a hindu if you are cleansing others, are you sure they are also hindus you are trying to clean or is it cleaning everyone ? Why hit the girls, and not the men there ? 

3. Do Ram Sena goodas know what they want , or they just wanted to have fun at the pretext of hinduism ? 

4. Our constitution gives us freedom, and who are these goons to over power that. 

5. Who are they to clean society, they are themselves corrupt, otherwise they would learn to respect people. 

6. What about hindus around the world, are you not sending your sena out there, since i am sure there are more opportunities to sin in europe and america isnt it.. Or is it funding problem.

If police doesnt take serious action, i would except common people to take action against them, by firing at them or killing them. This is required to keep them in control, and when common people take arms, we know what happens. 

Islamic terrorist groups gained traction since there was a general sympathy that they got from muslims, but such sick attacks by sena's on the pretext of hinduism and localism, is strongly condemned. 

Ban Shiv Sena, Ram sena, Bajrang Dal, MNS and every other offshoot of these useless groups. Jail their members.

Windows 7 is also Windows Vista, just like Mojave :)

Well with the mojave experiment fooling a set of dumb ignorant , illiterate users, Windows 7 is an attempt to fool a larger set of audience. Soon you will start using it and it will not take long to realize that its nothing more than Windows Vista , with a reworked taskbar, and "some other" so called as funky things which are not visible to the user. As such it is still vista, nothing better.

I still wonder how a new OS can be released, even before the current OS is stable. And if the current OS is stable, why arent so many people using it yet ! Why release something for the sake of releasing. How can a good OS be written in a year when it took 5 years to spoil XP.

I would say, i would like to see Vista SP3 and Sp4 and Sp5 and maybe many more SP's till it starts working properly. A lot of people like me were forced to buy it with laptop, i did start using ubuntu, but yes i have an OS for which i paid, and which is soon being replaced, even before i start reaping the benefits of my bought OS. Its like putting money into a river, thats flooding.

We deserve quality for the OS we bought, or else take back the OS and repay everyone.

at the end of the day, it seems not just Mojave, even 7 is also windows vista, everything is windows vista ... everything.

faster firefox - and stable too... in ubuntu

Make sure you visit this site http://getswiftfox.com/
Swiftfox, is running on firefox codebase, though its optimized for the processor we have. make sure you make the right choice there. If you have centrino etc .. core duo/solo choice should be fine.

Thats its pick the shell script that is closeset to your processor, then execute the shell script as root (sudo) and then it will do everything, downloading, and installation, just a single script that does everything.

enjoy !

restart alsa in ubuntu

sudo /etc/init.d/alsa-utils restart


if that doesnt help use this
sudo /etc/init.d/alsa-utils reset
sudo /etc/init.d/alsa-utils restart

Lack of remoting into Vista home premium

Well being a home user doesnt mean you wouldnt like to remote into your machine isnt it. Just to remote in why should i buy a business edition, thats crappy.

Anyways i googled and i was able to get a way to enable rdp on vista home prem, but i dont think that works.

ok finally released !

finally chrome is out now ...

www.google.com/chrome 

Its way way faster than IE anyways IE is nowhere close, the competition is firefox. 

Anyways chrome uses a lot of  open source components and thats why its open source itself. 

Here is what i see it uses officially at http://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?answer=100336

----------------------

Official Build 1583

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US) AppleWebKit/525.13 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/0.2.149.27 Safari/525.13

--------------------

Enjoy !

Coming of google chrome !

Here comes "another" open source browser , to be released on wednesday, possibly at http://www.google.com/chrome

It has components from different places , notably a new java script engine V8 from denmark and of course it has firefox components etc and hence it will also be open source ! lets see how this goes on ...

I guess the only thing remaining is google OS, based on linux that would be the complete cycle. Anyways now i am using ubuntu with a huge success for a long time, though i guess with all those patches etc, i am keeping my vista too upto date.

And this mojahve experiment was just crap.

Do I like IE 8 Beta 2 ?

Well my answer is "NO". I will get down to the points
1. Private mode is nothing great as a technology, firefox also provides a way in which you can delete on close. But yes this will not affect history but only the browsing session, so as such i dont consider it as a great "innovation".
2. Bloated, its memory footprint is high.
3. The so called "tab isolation" is crappy, i mean its nothing great, each tab is now an iexplore.exe process, so if you have 5 tabs you will have 6 iexplore.exe processes.
4. "tab isolation" has promised to make sure that even if a tab "hangs" others will work fine and the tab will be restored or killed without affecting other tabs, but i found myself in a situation where there were lot of hangs and everytime, the whole IE processes die together.
5. There were some sites where i found the website getting into an infinite loop, where it loads the same image(s) again and again and again ... which works perfectly fine with firefox.

I never liked safari too either, i would still rate firefox as the best and no doubt IE8 offers very little advantage over firefox. I know its beta 2 lets see how the final version looks like.

Netbeans 6.5 impressive ~!

I checked the beta version for C++ development, and it is really really impressive, since it has excellent code completion, and instant error is visible for any syntax error, just like java development.

It seems impressive, frankly much better than VC 2008 that i use for c++, lets see how it performs better in the longer run !

So go ahead and start using it to see the difference. Though of course VC's have a great advantage of using lesser RAM (if you use the express editions though).

Change is good but !

Well somehow again, i feel there needs to be a lot of improvement to Blogger, since i still feel writing on a wiki is more of a fun experience.

I am starting to like visitor pattern :-)

pidgin is a better IM

well recently on linux i was using pidgin so i thought i start using it on windows too .. and boy i am more than happy, atleast its good for what it does .. just text .. no video/calls but thats fine, since most of the time in office we use it to communicate via text. 

try it .. its free at http://www.pidgin.im/

Hadoop ! Breaks records

http://developer.yahoo.com/blogs/hadoop/2008/07/apache_hadoop_wins_terabyte_sort_benchmark.html

Interesting - http://hadoop.apache.org

Its an excellent software for distributed computing on the lines of map/reduce from goog. Anyways normally we wouldn't need it unless, we need to do analytics or things like indexing TB's of data.

This person works for google !

Really inspirational ... Parents illiterate and doesnt have legs , read this story , an IIT madras grad and now works for Google !

http://specials.rediff.com/news/2008/jul/28sl1.htm