Student Union Elections 2008: My views

by
Inf

Uncle Sam

Hello readers. If you are a student of the University of Mauritius, then you probably know that the Student Union elections are currently taking place. This year, there are a number of parties and individuals, as you’d expect. Each of them is offering us students some hope to improve the campus life. In this post, I’m analyzing the promises of parties, whom many people are considering to be the biggest ones (or at least the two who are advertising the most I guess). These two are: Students Welfare, Students Rights and Students Power. Why they all include “students”? Lol?

Personally, I don’t know any of the ladies and gentlemen in those parties, except one guy in Student Welfare. So you can say I’m not biased towards anybody in these elections. Another issue about me: I generally don’t like politics and politicians. Too many lies. Too many false promises.

For the analysis of main points, I’m confining myself only to the Faculty of Engineering and general student areas. Other faculties are out of my league since I don’t know much about how they work, or the needs of the students in those. At the end, you get some ideas from me, which I think is important.

Let’s start. Student Welfare first, shall we?

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Google turns 10, Wants to help people with $10m

by
Inf

Cupcake

September marks the 10th anniversary of the godlike search engine Google, repository-of-the-Internets-and-universal-knowledge *bows*. However, the exact date seems to be a variable! More info on that at Techcrunch.

*Google opened its doors in September 1998. The exact date when we celebrate our birthday has moved around over the years, depending on when people feel like having cake. For more on Google’s history:
http://www.google.com/corporate/history.html

Source: Google Support

The folks with the “Don’t be evil” motto want to celebrate their creation’s birthday by helping the world. So? They have launched a project called “Project 10 to the 100th”, or Project 10100. Quite a Googlish-name if you ask me!

Basically, you suggest some ideas that will help the greatest number of people possible, in any way possible (or so I guess). Then, you go on that website above, and post it there. You may even post a 30-seconds video to back your concepts.

Then? Google has put aside $10 million to kickstart the Top 5 ideas it receives. The public will be able to short select 20 semi-finalist ideas, and a board will select the Top 5 out of those.

There are a number of categories in which you can participate, which are (as listed on the Project 10100 page):

  • Community: How can we help connect people, build communities and protect unique cultures?
  • Opportunity: How can we help people better provide for themselves and their families?
  • Energy: How can we help move the world toward safe, clean, inexpensive energy?
  • Environment: How can we help promote a cleaner and more sustainable global ecosystem?
  • Health: How can we help individuals lead longer, healthier lives?
  • Education: How can we help more people get more access to better education?
  • Shelter: How can we help ensure that everyone has a safe place to live?
  • Everything else: Sometimes the best ideas don’t fit into any category at all.

That’s basically it. Now you can go suggest some ideas if you have some, or pass the message around. The closing date for ideas submission is 20th October!

Time for some fun. If you want to know how Google was born, bred and evolved, you can check out this interesting timeline of what Google’s been up to in the last 10 years. Here’s Google’s Tenth Birthday page too.

Seriously, I can’t imagine life online without Google. It’s been saving my rear for the last 10 years now! A big thanks and:

HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY GOOGLE!

Installing GLUT on Dev C++

by
Inf

We are currently using the GLUT library at University in our Interface Design and Computer Graphics module. We were told to use Linux (Kubuntu) to write and compile our OpenGL/GLUT programs. But for ease of use, I wanted to install the GLUT library on Windows. I am a user of Dev C++ 4.9.9.2. I know it is no longer under active development, but it still remains my IDE of choice for C++ and C on Windows. And yes, I do know about Code::Blocks, so don’t flame me if I use Dev C++.

So here’s a guide if ever you want to install GLUT on Dev C++. Don’t worry, it’s easy.

Note, this guide is just about installing GLUT, not how to use it. I’ll probably have a small guide on that later on, but for now, this (and the Red Book) should get you started.

  • First, get Dev C++ if you don’t already have it. It’s available on bloodshed.net. Get version 4.9.9.2 (Beta).
  • Of course, install it. It’s pretty straightforward till now.
  • After installing it, go to Tools – Check for Updates/Packages.
  • In “Select Devpak server” dropdown menu, choose “devpaks.org Community Devpaks“
  • Click on “Check for Updates“. Wait a bit while the list downloads.
  • In the list, find “glut“, or a compatible GLUT package like freeglut or OpenGLUT (if you know how to use these, else stick to “glut”).
    • You might want to filter the results using “OpenGL” from the “Groups” dropdown menu. Else, you might click on the “Update” title bar in the list to sort entries alphabetically.
  • Then, check the small box on the left of “glut” or other compatible glut libraries. Finalize by clicking the “Download Selected” button. Wait for the package to download and install.
  • You will be prompted for an installer window. Just read instructions and click Next a couple of times.
  • Now, check if glut was correctly installed by going to Tools – Package Manager. See if you can see “glut” or other compatible libraries (whatever you downloaded) there.

After you install glut, you can do “File – New Project – Multimedia tab” and see that glut has created templates for you. Quite complex things if you ask me. I tend to stay away from those if I can.

Now, before you use any library, you need to link it, else you will get loads of “Linker errors” and “Undefined reference” errors. Here’s how to link the libraries: (read the Dev C++ FAQ!)

9. How can i use the OpenGL library and others ?

All the libraries that comes with Mingw reside in the Lib directory. They are all named in the following way: lib*.a
To link a library with your project, just add in Project Options – Parameters tab – Linker box:
-lopengl32 (including the – symbol)
This is for including the libopengl32.a library. To add any other library, just follow the same syntax:
Type -l (L in lowercase) plus the base name of the library (filename without “lib” and the “.a” extension). Or you can use the “Add Library or Object” button in the parameters tab for simplicity.

I have these libraries linked: “-lglut32 -lglu32 -lopengl32 -lwinmm -lgdi32” and it works fine for me. You can try removing some of the parameters and see if it still works for you. NOTE: The order in which these parameters are supplied is actually important! If you are using a library, and having “undefined reference” errors, try shifting that library’s link parameter to the front of them all.

That’s if you want to use projects. If you are using plain source files, you can put those link parameters in Tools – Compiler Options. Then put them in the “Add these commands to the linker command line“. Make sure the box is checked too. I’d advise you to create a compiler profile just for OpenGL and glut with those parameters. Don’t mess with the “default compiler” profile. You can create one using the small green “+” button there.

There is usually linking information in the header files (.h files) or the Readme files of libraries you download on the Internet.

Basically, to install a library, you will have to copy some files (ending with .lib or .a) to the “lib” folder and some .h files to the “include” folder in Dev C++’s install folder.

Now, to actually use glut, you have to include the header file with:

#include <GL/glut.h>

To know the exact path where glut.h is found, look inside the “include” folder, again in Dev C++’s install folder.

That’s it. You should now be able to compile and run glut code on Windows using Dev C++. The guide should be clear enough. If there is demand for it, I’ll include pictures too, but I don’t think they are really needed.

By the way, I’m not a glut or OpenGL expert or anything. I’m just studying it, and thought I’d share how I managed to get glut running on Dev C++. I might not be able to answer all your questions, and for that, Google’s here!

Where do you get photos for your blogs?

by
Inf

This is a question that has been puzzling me for quite a while. Especially now, after seeing Shah says “Do not use my pics” or something along those lines. Till now, I had been using Google Images, searching for pictures, and using them. Yep, this implies without permission.

Then when I was blogging on the Olympics, I had to search like mad to get Olympic pics, and I had to settle for pictures that The Guardian and Reuters photographers who are experts in photo editing.

But then, I asked myself this question: “Ddid I just ripped off somebody’s work?”

Yes, I guess I did. Some guy or lady had to go to the Olympics, sit there for hours, waiting for the perfect shot, using thousands of dollars worth of equipment that they had carried with them. And what did I just do? STEAL THEIR WORK! Oh shi..!

Even then, I tried to redeem myself by posting link back to the work of those people, and giving them credits for the work. But after some research, I found that credits mean nothing. I had just violated the copyright of these people!

There are some sources where you can get pictures which you can use freely. Some examples would be Wikimedia Commons, and Creative Commons Search. For stock photos, there is Sxc.hu and Everystockphoto. Sxc.hu is a great source by the way. Do you know any more sources?

This is why I am posting this. To ask you readers and bloggers a question. Where do you get your pictures for use on your blog? How do you proceed to use these pictures? Do you give credits? Do you link back? Something else? Please comment, and take some time to answer the following poll. Thanks! 😀

{democracy:6}

Geeks and Manga: Scope vs Me

by
Inf

Long time since I’m writing something new. Seriously, Uni is eating my time faster than piranhas can eat my Maths teacher! Anyways, I wanted to comment on an article that Week-End Scope (WES) Magazine published in the 10-16 September issue, on page 98-99.

The article was titled “Quand la technologie et les mangas rendent geek”. Translation “When technology and mangas make you a geek”.

Nice, catchy title I should say. It talked about two of my top favorite interests. However, what I didn’t like was the interviewees. Quoting a paragraph, “En effet, dès le départ, les geeks ont été considérés comme ‘ringards’, ‘insociables’ et ’boutonneux'”. Quite derogatory I should say.

Then, there is the interview of a person named Soura, who apparently doesn’t know what it means to be geek, when he says “Ces personnes sont trop moches. Ils n’ont aucun but et ne se diversifient pas. Bref, moi je vis ma vie à fond tandis que les geeks sont scotchés à leurs machines et s’endorment même devant”.

Seriously? These people have been watching too many Steeve Urkel episodes, and have seriously mixed up the definitions of “geek” and “nerd”. What’s with the bad image geeks seem to have in Mauritius?

Steve Urkel

Quoting some definitions off Wikipedia for “Geek“:

  • A derogatory reference to a person obsessed with intellectual pursuits for their own sake, who is also deficient in most other human attributes so as to impair the person’s operation within society.
  • A person who is interested in technology, especially computing and new media. Geeks are adept with computers, and use the term hacker in a positive way, though not all are hackers themselves. Those who are fond of casino games will find levelupcasino.com great.
  • A person who relates academic subjects to the real world outside of academic studies; for example, using multivariate calculus to determine how they should correctly optimize the dimensions of a pan to bake a cake.
  • A person who has chosen concentration rather than conformity; one who passionately pursues skill (especially technical skill) and imagination, not mainstream social acceptance.
  • A person with a devotion to something in a way that places him or her outside the mainstream. This could be due to the intensity, depth, or subject of their interest. This definition is very broad but because many of these interests have mainstream endorsement and acceptance, the inclusion of some genres as “geeky” is heavily debated. Persons have been labeled as or chosen to identify as physics geeks, mathematics geeks, engineering geeks, sci-fi geeks, computer geeks, various science geeks, movie and film geeks (cinephile), comic book geeks, theatre geeks, history geeks, music geeks, art geeks, philosophy geeks, literature geeks, historical reenactment geeks and roleplay geeks.

and for “Nerd“:

  • Nerd is a term often bearing a derogatory connotation or stereotype, that refers to a person who passionately pursues intellectual activities, esoteric knowledge, or other obscure interests that are age inappropriate rather than engaging in more social or popular activities. Therefore, a nerd is often excluded from physical activity and considered a loner by peers, or will tend to associate with like-minded people.
  • […] The stereotypical nerd is intelligent but socially and physically awkward. In film and television depictions, nerds are disproportionately white males with glasses, braces, acne and pants highly lifted up.

For me, a geek is somebody who is highly interested in something, and tends to pursue his or her interests, not some kind of freak that nobody wants to associate with! They just tend to do what they like, more than everybody else. We all have a geek in ourselves, unless you have no passion at all!

I know that, because I’m a geek too. My passions being computers, technology, gaming and manga.

A geek will not stand out in a crowd. They are just normal people, who look like normal people. Ok, they might have a kind of weird jargon sometimes (using ‘lol’ in real-life?), and crack jokes that most people will surely not understand (unless the other person is a geek too, or shares the same passion). But that doesn’t mean that they are anti-social. Do you think the guy below looks abnormal? No? (YES! THE GLASSES!) He’s a famous geek though! He’s cool and richer than Midas. Now, at least! 😀

Bill Gates

(OMG! Steve Urkel glasses! And what’s with that serious expression? Scary… :s)

So please, stop thinking that geeks are people with a serious looks problem and lone wolves that stick in their dark corners, peering out at you behind big round glasses behind a high pile of books!

Side-note: The people interviewed seem to have got the definition of “manga” wrong! Manga are books you read, while Anime (short for Animation) are the movies or episodes that you watch. One of the interviewees says “… c’est grâce a l’émission… […] … Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, Nicki [sic] Larson ou encore Cats Eyes”. These are all ANIMES (although manga versions exist)!

Go get your definitions straight, journalists and interviewees! The purpose of this post? Because I think that some of the people who got interviewed offended geeks like, and I was being vengeful. There, I said it!

Got comments? You know what to do! 😀

Orange’s Capping Policy hit L’Express Newspaper

by
Inf

… and people are not happy! If you want a snapshot of the page, here goes: (Sorry for the quality. I’ve got no scanner)

Orange Article in L\'Express Newspaper

(L’Express of Wednesday 10th September 2008, Page 7)

This article talks about a number of interesting points worth mentioning. It seems that a number of users are not aware that capping policies were put in place, and continued downloading as they used to without caring for a limit. And now, Orange is surprising them by saying “Hey! You downloaded too much dude! You will be capped!”.

Personally, I don’t know anybody who got a warning for over-downloading (yet). We know there are capping policies, but I didn’t hear of anybody getting a letter or call, or anything like that to inform them of going over the cap limits.

Next, it seems ACIM (Association des Consommateurs de Maurice – I think) is not very pleased with Orange’s practices, reporting that even if Orange applied their capping in other countries, it should not do so here since there is hardly any competition in the ISP (Internet Service Provider) sector. Abroad, if you are not satisfied with your ISP, you can choose from a dozen others, while here, you are stuck with two or three, like Nomad, DCL and Emtel if you can afford the modem. Azu of MTML is not on par yet, with lowly cap limits of 1GB I think.

ACIM giving the matter focus is a good thing for us all, even if you are not a heavy user. What is heavy usage anyways? Orange says [2000 MP3s or 14 Movies] for ADSL 128K Home and [3000 MP3s or 28 movies] for ADSL 512K Home per month.

Seriously, is this how you measure bandwidth usage? In terms of MP3s or movies? It’s like measuring the speed of an airplane by how many clouds go by in 1 hour! Please, just tell us what is the real cap! Just tell us plainly “You are allowed x GB of bandwidth per month”!

Things like MP3s and Movies have varying sizes. I can say an MP3 has an average size of 5MB and I’m being conservative. A movie, assuming a DVDRIP is 700MB. Notice that no format is given. What is the movie encoded in? AVI? MKV? The size would greatly vary, almost in a 1:2 ratio! Ok, so I assume 700MB, then I estimate the cap to be around 9800MB or 10GB for 128K and 20GB for 512K? We are not told!

And what’s with the idea of telling people they can “download movies” and “download MP3s”? Is that  some kind of condoning of piracy? What I read here is this: “Pirate a bit, but not too much, else your speed goes down”!

Another issue: we are not told by how much our speed decreases. What if my speed goes down from say, 512K to 128K if I go over the cap? That’s 4x less than what I’d be paying for! Plain unfair!

And finally, in countries where caps are implemented, there is the concept of peak time and off-peak time. Caps are only implemented during peak time, and you can leech to your heart’s content off-peak. That is, if ever you find your speed reduced because you went over-cap, then the reduction only applies during peak hour, and the limits are lifted off-peak. This is a good idea, if ever caps are to be implemented. And duh, anyways, the caps abroad are > 200GB! Consider Comcast’s 250GB limit, compared to our paltry 20GB. And we don’t even come close to Comcast’s speed packages, so it’s definitely not worth comparing us with them.

On this, I leave you to your conclusions and comments… 🙂

Behold Chrome: New contender in Browser Wars Arena!

by
Inf

ChromeLogo

Google just released the Beta version of its browser, called Google Chrome (why chrome anyways?). Since a few days, I’ve been seeing that pokeball-like logo all over the Internets and I thought I must add my piece of text to the already long list of blog posts about the newest browser out there. Seriously, nearly 12 million results on Google when I search for “Google Chrome”.

What’s the hype about it? Everybody is “Chrome released”, “Chrome does that”, “Chrome does this”, “Chrome makes tea”, bla bla… Let’s see… Before I move on, I need to say that Chrome is released under BSD license, and it’s Open-Source!

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