Vivek live and kickin'

I wanted to watch a divx movie on my aspire one laptop which runs a Linux based OS. I tried to play the file but I did not see the video in the preinstalled video player. My next logical step was to download VLC for Linux. But as it turns out there is no VLC for Linux, there is a VLC for Ubuntu, Fedora and Source Code for any other flavor of Linux. It took me a good 30 minutes of searching on half a dozen forums to figure out a way to install VLC. It takes less than a minute on any windows based machine even if you download the zip version. And I thought this was a problem just with windows. As it turns out if you are using Mac OSX there is a separate version of Safari for Leopard and Tiger while a single binary edition for Windows XP and Vista. Guess Microsoft is doing something right somewhere. I was working on one of my friends computers which had OSX and Safari 2.x and figured it would be better if I installed Safari 3.x on it. I downloaded Safari and the moment I tried to install...

Its really rare to see anyone who can actually think out of the box without their fixed set of ideas. If a person knows a "x" language or technology making that person think beyond it seems like an effort. Specially when you look at technology of any kind we have the language nazi's who will make every effort to protect their language as if they would die without it. So lets take an example of a Java programmer programming in JavaScript he/she will try and make sure that JavaScript works and feels like Java. There is no harm in it as long as that is not being preached as the only way of working. I tend to do that a lot (program like "x" language in "y") but I will never say that this is the only way of doing it. It just WFM , and I tend to learn from looking at other peoples code and changing my practice whenever I see something that I feel is better. Then we have the Mac, Linux and till a certain point Microsoft fanatics. They seem to have their fixed...

And after getting the USB cable for the iPod I had figured out that things would turn out well. But unfortunately that is not how this story has to end. The sub standard product (iPod cable) made by HCL failed to install. This is what I get when I try and connect my iPod using it. I really don't want to start another thread of how HCL sucks . But all I can say is that the stupid cable did not work, and to top it all I threw away all the packing thinking that it will work. Now as I can do little or nothing this just goes to prove that try not to buy things online. But, but incase you do make sure you try it before you throw away the packing. Just make sure you never buy any of the cheap accessories by HCL. They are cheap in every possible sense.

Last night I was thinking about the apple fiasco. And wow they have really done what I was thinking. I was somehow sure that apple would give out a discount coupon or something similar and all the fanbois would be happy. Not that its apple's problem but I somehow felt that giving a $100 rebate just makes sense. The apple sheeps have to buy more apple products in sense Apple keeps their flock happy. In a way I've started thinking like Steve Jobs :) but I guess this was the best way to deal with this situation. I really love the way this whole fiasco has been managed. In the end everyone is happy. The fanbois get a $100 rebate, apple still gets to keep its flock intact. Just to clarify had this been done by Microsoft the same boi's would be running out with their torches and trashing it right left and center. And the $100 would be way too little. I love the way things are for Microsoft and Apple.

This is the first time I am using OSX. The last mac I used was based on Mac OS 7.xx. Having used a windows machine all this time it seems so different using this. The first thing that one sees is the the build quality of the machine and on that front there is nothing I can complain about. Everything just feels right in terms of the hardware. I am in love with the keyboard and I just wish my laptop had this keyboard. As far as the mouse/trackpad is concerned I simply hate it. Where is the second button???? , its a mess holding down the ctrl to simulate a right click. Safari as a browser seems so different and just not something I could ever get used to. The fonts look a little to dark and a little out of place. The other thing I still could not figure out is how I can maximize a window. Maybe these are silly things but I don't feel I can change my habits all of a sudden. Just downloaded Opera and Yahoo! Messenger and the size of the installers is 2-3 times compared to the windows i...

I was checking out this iPhone clone, though there is still time for the real iPhone to launch I just had a sneek peak at this clone, actually two clones. Though they really look cheap but might have some flaunt value till the real one launches. No multi touch as of now, but I am amazed at the speed with which this clone was made and released even before the launch of the real device. Technorati Tags: iphone , clone , apple