Archive

Archive for January, 2007

Linux device driver development on-demand!

January 30, 2007 2 comments

Zooooh my god! Zee FRREE device-driverr forr Linux developerrz arrre herre!!

Remember Linux Kernel on a Nutshell download for free in a previous post? Was it kewl or what, hun?! Now the same guy [Greg Kroah-Hartman] tells us that there’s a program where companies could get their own devices supported by Linux for free! Check his post for more details as this is fantastic news for every Linux user and hardware manufacturer.

Way to go Linux!

Categories: Linux, OSS, Tek

A look into 4G networks

January 26, 2007 6 comments

Hi fellow geeks,

As stated in a previous post I’m looking forward to provide a simple way of connecting N770/N800 devices among themselves, much like “in mesh networks”.

Well this idea is not totally right, I mean, the concept of connecting devices without relying on an infrastructure is not actually mesh-networking, but simply an wireless ad-hoc network capability which per se is only part of what wireless mesh networking represents.

Network, Wireless, Mesh, Ad-Hoc, connecting, concept… all these words remind me of 4G! What is 4G? Citing Wikipedia:

The 4G will be a fully IP-based integrated system of systems and network of networks achieved after the convergence of wired and wireless networks as well as computer, consumer electronics, communication technology, and several other convergences that will be capable of providing 100 Mbps and 1Gbps, respectively, in outdoor and indoor environments with end-to-end QoS and high security, offering any kind of services anytime, anywhere, at affordable cost and one billing.

4G is the future! Imagine yourself hanging around university with your Nokia N800 or a small laptop engaged in a VoIP call with a classmate, through Google Talk, let’s say. Now imagine that you are on the move. You must go to the library and get a book on the subject you’re both studying. Usually you would get disconnected cause you’d get out of range to your wireless router, but with 4G you would transparently be handed-over, router-by-router, withouth ever losing your connection. Neat, hun?!

But that’s just a small part of the possibilities that 4G networks bring. Imagine now that you didn’t find the book you were looking for in the university library, then you must go the city public library. But the campus wireless network doesn’t have routers all the way! Fear no more, 4G will enable you to migrate from a wireless lan connection (802.11) to a WiMax connection (802.16) and then to a LAN connection (Ethernet) or whatever kind of network you have available and still have your link up! Could you be more happier?

Well, now you’re introduced to the concept of 4G networking and I bet you loved it! Unfortunately it will still take some time until this type of technology is available to the public, but if you are curious to know more here follow some useful resources:

IPv6 – the newest version of IP Protocol, the protocol Internet relays on (IPv4). It’s intended to provide more security, reachability and more addressing space;

WiMAX – a stamp for hardware compliant with 802.16 standards, much like WiFi for 802.11 family; WiMAX applications might be WMAN (Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks) by connecting Wifi hotspots or to replace broadband access in dense-populated areas;

Mobile-Fi aka 802.20 – IP roaming and handoff mechanisms for trully mobile IP networking;

Mesh Networking – Self-healing Mobile Ad-Hoc networks which rely on their nodes to establish a virtual support infrastructure;

Some projects of interest are IST-Daidalos, IST-Mobydick.

Categories: Networking, Tek

Wouldn’t it be much easier if people loved their jobs?

January 25, 2007 6 comments

Hi fellow geeks,

Sorry for the delay in posting again but I’ve been pretty busy with work. And speaking of which, I’d like to point out some things I’ve learned in the last couple of days while attending to a project workshop.

  • It’s wiser to take a lot of small steps while carrying with a project development plan, than taking a few bigger ones;

It’s amazingly irritating how some people loose their, and therefore my time dwelling into ridiculous scenarios and their details. It’s even more ridiculous how the same guys always try to find perfect solutions like an illusionist getting a rabbit out of his hat. Come on, let’s face reality! Let’s take small and only needed steps in order to get things functioning and then take a closer/individual look at problems when they arise!

  • It’s more productive to have a project leader who knows how to manage/motivate people rather than one that only has a strong know-how on the project target technology;

This is a conclusion I’ve made some years ago while working at IT Aveiro under the supervision of a man I admire for his pragmatism when moderating discussions and/or managing people and tasks. Now, this idea just got strong with my team leader attitude towards those same guys who make us loose our time! It’s great to work with someone smart that loves their job.

  • If you don’t love your job, please consider finding another one that suits your taste!

Please don’t force yourself to work on something that you dislike or even despise, because eventually your bad mood or less professional attitude towards a specific issue might affect an entire team, and worst, an entire project. This may lead to bad relationships and in a long and hedious term, firings.

This is a very important lesson I got, and here I am sharing it with you.That’s something I love to do, share! Perhaps one day I’ll blog about it too..

Categories: Life, Work

Nokia 770/800 hacking cookbook..ermm..post

January 19, 2007 9 comments

Hey fellow geeks,

It’s been a (!) long time since my last post about Nokia 770/800 development tips, so here’s a post I’ll hope will redeem myself and save our souls from the iHell..ermm..Phone! I’m not going to extend this subject through long and boring pages, trying to get you on the development process but instead will point you to rich and useful resources on that matter. By the end of this post, I assure, you’ll become 1000x plus intelligent, strong and sexier than you could ever imagine. At least I did!

Introduction

If you’re still with me then you already know about Nokia Internet Tablets version 770 and N800. If you don’t, for sake of your happinness, do! If you don’t own a device than probably you should read this review from MobileCrunch and if it is of your interest then buy it.

Briefly both N770 and N800 are Internet Tablets, and that’s all you get: an Internet Tablet, theferore no phone! Why would you want a device like this when you have a laptop or a computer at home? Well, I’m going to pose a point-of-view I haven’t seen on any review.. Personally I find amusing going for a shit-break, which usually takes longer than having meals, and to be able to surf the web, reply to e-mails or simply keep the “chit-chat” with my IM contacts. You can argue about the existance of PDA’s or smartphones, but before you do so please check the prices and tech-specs of any product of your choice and compare it to those I am presenting to you.

Knowing “teh” concept!

Both N770 and N800 are 802.11b/g enabled therefore offering you a day-by-day growing space of Internet reachability. Bluetooth is bundled too so you can pair your device with a BT keyboard or headset. Now imagine yourself in the middle of your city making a VoIP with video-support call through available GoogleTalk or Gizmo or driving your car with a BT GPS paired to your device and using it as a navigation tool.. simply imagine!

Also, and very important, N770 and N800 are powered by OpenSource Software (OSS). Not just only its operating system Internet Tablet OS (Linux, Debain-flavoured) but also all applications and even a Software Development Kit are openly available by Nokia.

Stopping the bullshit talking

Yeah! Now that you know these beauties, it’s time to get inside of it [all you perverts should rot in hell!]. Even that you may not have a N770/N800 don’t quit reading right now. Why? Cause you can develop and test software with an emulator.

Now check the following links:

  1. Tutorial for Nokia770 [official];
  2. Tutorial for Nokia800 [official];
  3. Setting up development environment for Nokia770 [unofficial];
  4. Setting up development environment for Nokia800 [official];
  5. Laika plugin for Eclipse [kewl!];

To be continued..

This is all I have for you at the moment, but I assure you it’s more than enough. I hope to write more on this when I have more time and (finally!) my N800. I am still thinking about an application that is both needed and simple to write about its development in this blog, so if you have any suggestions please feel free to comment.

I have a mesh-network support among N800 ability in mind but that’s way too much for blogging about.

Cheers,

PP

Categories: Linux, OSS, Tek

Ubuntu Linux installer.. for Windows! | New Python for N770/N800

January 17, 2007 2 comments

Ubuntu team has made available an Ubuntu installer for Windows! Still in a prototype version, this installer, yes a *.exe file, is the dream of every Linux evangelizer by enabling anyone to install this distro without the need for some technical knowledge, like, let’s say disk partitioning. Why? Because in this particular case Ubuntu is installed into a Windows partition [FAT/NTFS]! Neat, hun?!

I defy you to check the screenshots and resist to drool over your keyboard as I am.. It even has resume support for the necessary files download! Z’oh my god!

What an amazing start for Ubuntu this year!

In other news, the new Python 2.5 has arrived to Maemo framework. Check here an example on how to access the built-in camera! F*cking awesome! Can’t wait to get my hands on one of those devices..

Maemo is an OpenSource framework for Nokia N770 and N800 application development.

Cheers

Categories: Linux, OSS, Tek

Looking for a really portable computer? Check this out!

January 17, 2007 1 comment

Actually it’s a thin client and when I say thin, I really mean it! Want to know why?

JackPC official website

This is why! Funny, hun?

An independent review can be found here!

Props go to Pedro Castela for pointing it to me ;-)

Categories: Fun, Tek

WoW – The Burning Crusade is here!

January 16, 2007 Leave a comment

World Of Warcraft – The Burning Crusade is out! May the Lord allmighty save our children from the huge menace that this game has become to the real life. As a previous full 2nd tier Tauren Shaman who played for almost two years, I know what I’m saying!

Run children, run!..

Categories: Fun, Life, Tek

I had a dream last night..

January 16, 2007 Leave a comment

me_working_pequenino.jpg

And yes, in my dreams I see myself in the construction business! I like the way they handle girls :-D

Categories: Fun, Life

And the reading.. [AJAX, ZFS, iPhone, N800]

January 14, 2007 Leave a comment

.. for this weekend is:

1) João has been posting an AJAX tutorial. Based mostly on real examples [with server-side code too!] it’s a very interesting reading for the ones of you who don’t know, but want to find out more about this hot-hot-hot topic. Part 1 and Part 2 are already available, must follow!

2) 10 Ways The Nokia N800 is better than Apple’s iPhone, may the flamewar begin!

3) As many of you already know ZFS is a new and amazing kind of 128bit file-system by Sun Microsystems. Due to licensing issues it’s not yet possible to provide kernel-builtin ZFS support on Linux, but a countryman named Ricardo Correia has been developing an userland ZFS implementation by means of FUSE. This project started with Google’s support during the much famous SoC [Summer of Code] and is now on a preview of 0.4 alpha release. Official blog cand be found here. Props go to Ricardo :-)

Notes:

I’m still looking for that mini computer. Please help me to make a better choice!

Categories: Life, Linux, OSS, Tek

Beyond Microsoft. Evangelizing Freedom.

January 12, 2007 Leave a comment

(…) The real question is this: as an enlightened user of an alternative operating system, how can you go beyond evangelizing its technical merits, and instead make people see life beyond Microsoft? The answer is a simple one that, as individuals obsessed with our computers, we often forget: there is a humanistic side to computing, one that has unfortunately been corrupted by a Microsoft hegemony. What I propose in this article are three points of attack when attempting to sway an individual away from digital slavery.

This is part of a great post [that should be an article] available in Ubuntu Forums that poses a very interesting point of view on how to show to the world that we need alternatives to Microsoft products, namely Windows.

I couldn’t resist to blog about it and I hope everyone get to read it. I personally find the “humanistic” pov simply awesome.

“Bedouin”, whoever you are, thanks man!

Categories: Linux, OSS, Tek
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