VT’s Tech Blog

Automatix for Ubuntu

Here’s another link from Abhishek, Automatix (Automated GUI installation script) for Ubuntu Breezy x86.

What is Automatix ?

This is a graphical interface for installation of a lot of apps on Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Xubuntu BREEZY (DOES NOT WORK ON Warty, Hoary or Dapper) and for tweaking a few things to get your Ubuntu box up and working in full throttle in the quickest possible timespan.

What does Automatix install?

• Browsers: Opera, all Firefox plugins (java, flash, etc) (except Adobe reader and mplayer)
• Multimedia: Multimedia codecs, multimedia editors (Audacity (audio), Kino (video), EasyTag (ID3)), Mplayer and mplayerplug-in version 3.05 for Firefox , DVD (dvdrip) ripper, NON-FREE audio and dvd codecs, Avidemux (Video editing tool), MS true type fonts, Streamripper and Streamtuner
• P2P: Frostwire (GPL clone of Limewire), Bittornado and Azureus (Bittorrent clients), DC++ and amule (file sharing progs)
• Other Utilities: RAR, ACE and UNRAR archive support, skype, gftp (FTP client for GNOME with ssh capability), ndisgtk (WiFi configurator Graphical user interface), wine, SUN’S JAVA JRE version 1.5, SUN’S JAVA JDK version 1.5

All this and much more… Check out http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=66563 for more information on Automatix.

Posted in Linux | 1 Comment »

Apple’s new patent on a unique gaming tablet application

Abhishek pointed out this cool link today. Here’s a patent from Apple which shows a cool gaming application on a tablet PC. Based on how you move and tilt the tablet, the game would provide visual feedback on the movement - cool for driving & flight simulations and FPS games. The patent document also point towards how a VR environment can be realized using this technique on a tablet PC.

“Check out the excerpts from Patent Point # 85: According to another embodiment, the techniques described above may be used in a virtual reality environment. For example, a user holding the tablet can turn around and see the view looking backwards from a position in a two or three dimensional image or object database as if the user walks into a virtual reality game space. According to another embodiment, a user may perform an inspection of an image panorama where the view in different directions is provided by multiple cameras pointing outward in different directions from a single location.”

Link: Macsimum News - Buzz: Apple’s new patent reveals a unique gaming tablet application

Posted in Tech Stuff | 2 Comments »

Adding Zoho Writer to Google Personalized Page

Here’s a great way to add your Zoho Writer Document list over at your Google Personalized Page. Since I’m a heavy google user and have some of my frequently edited documents over at Zoho, this is a great way to access and keep track of them.

“Add Zoho Writer to your Google personalized page now. Click on the ‘Add Content’ link at the top-left, give http://zohowriter.com/google.xml as the input to the ‘Search by topic or feed URL’ field & click ‘Go’. “

Link: Zoho » Post Beta Update - IV

Posted in Ajax, Software, Tech Stuff | 2 Comments »

FireBug - FireFox Plugin

Here’s a cool plugin for Firefox which allows you to debug Ajax code.

FireBug is a new tool that aids with debugging Javascript, DHTML, and Ajax. It is like a combination of the Javascript Console, DOM Inspector, and a command line Javascript interpreter.

Other fun features:

1. * XMLHttpRequest Spy - Ever wonder what all them newfangled Ajax websites are up to? Watch the requests fly by in the console!
2. * One web page, one console - Tired of slogging through a zillion errors in the JavaScript Console trying to find the one you want? The FireBug console is built into the bottom of the browser, and only shows you errors and log messages that came from the page you’re looking at.
3. * JavaScript Error Status Bar Indicator - It’s a sin that Firefox doesn’t include this by default, like IE does. When there is an error in the page, the status bar will let you know with a big red blob.
4. Logging for web pages - Sick and tired of “alert debugging”? Jealous of all your C programmer buddies with their fancy printf? Now you can log text and objects to the FireBug console from any web page.

Link to Plugin Page:Mozilla Update :: Extensions — More Info:FireBug - All Releases

Posted in Ajax, Javascript | 2 Comments »

ReactOS

Came across this interesting project while surfing today - ReactOS
I wonder why a lot of OSS projects are still blindly copying Microsoft Windows GUI, when they can come up with much better GUI and features than what Windows provides!

“The ReactOS project is dedicated to making Free Software available to everyone by providing a ground-up implementation of a Microsoft Windows XP compatible operating system. ReactOS aims to achieve complete binary compatibility with both applications and device drivers meant for NT and XP operating systems, by using a similar architecture and providing a complete and equivalent public interface.”
ReactOS Homepage - Frontpage

Posted in Tech Stuff | No Comments »

Microsoft working with OSS??

Here’s an interesting read. Looks like Microsoft’s Sleeping with the Enemy !

“An investigative report into the Linux lab at Microsoft has revealed some interesting twists to Microsoft’s often stormy relation ship with the world of Open Source Software (OSS).

The lab, which opened last September, is run by Bill Hilf, a former programmer for IBM. Originally, it was set up to “help Microsoft understand the phenomenon of open source software and improve our products because of that.” But over time, the role of the lab has changed, from merely wanting to understand the “enemy” towards a tentative effort to working with them.”
Link: Microsoft’s Linux lab works on Open-Source interoperability

Posted in Linux, Tech Stuff | 1 Comment »

PHP 5.1.2 Released

The PHP Team has announced that PHP 5.1.2 has been released with a few feature enhancements and bug fixes.

Three security issues fixed in this version are:

1. HTTP Response Splitting has been addressed in ext/session and in the header() function. Header() can no longer be used to send multiple response headers in a single call.
2. Format string vulnerability in ext/mysqli.
3. Possible cross-site scripting problems in certain error conditions.

Click on the link below to check out all the feature enhancements in PHP 5.1.2

Link: PHP: PHP 5.1.2 Release Announcement

Posted in PHP | No Comments »

AJAX Magazine: AJAX Tutorials Archives

Here’s a good source for Ajax Tutorials, here are some of the topics covered here:

• AJAX Experience
• AJAX Mobile
• AJAX Tutorials
• AJAX and J2EE
• Ajax and .NET
• PHP and AJAX

Link: AJAX Magazine: AJAX Tutorials Archives

Posted in Ajax, Web Development | 2 Comments »

Ajax File Upload

Here’s a cool Ajax based file upload implemented in PHP. Source code is also available at the site
Link: Asynchronous image file upload without AJAX(posted this link by mistake)

Correct Link: AJAX File upload Progress

Posted in Ajax, PHP | 4 Comments »

Maintaining History in Ajax Application

Here’s a good article on how to maintain back and forward browser history in Ajax applications.

“While Ajax and Web 2.0 are all the rage at the moment one of the most frequent criticisms of Ajax is the lack of the browsers back and forward history functions when using Ajax powered applications. There have been a few attempts at fixing this problem with variable degrees of success. It has to be stated though that no technique I investigated fitted the needs of this site. Part of the difficulty here is that this site is essentially a multi-application site, where multiple blog applications are appearing to the client as one application.”
Link: Ajax History: It’s in a Name - DHTML Nirvana

Posted in Ajax, Web Development | No Comments »