Linux

Apache.org is down

2009-08-28T16:04:00.002+05:30

A very rare event. The reason is unknown. Just for the record I took the screenshot of the page.

The reason for the issue is unknown at the moment.

Technorati Tags: apache

Dromaeo - Mozilla JavaScript Performance Test Suite

2008-09-10T10:20:00.003+05:30

The other day I was expecting a JavaScript benchmark suite from Mozilla & Microsoft. Recently, Mozilla has released a performance test suite which they made available at dromaeo.com. Click on the links below to see the exact performance results of each browser.

Mozilla FireFox 3.0.1 - 10229.40 ms
Google Chrome 0.2.149.29 - 8277.0 ms
Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0 - What did you say? IE? Sorry it was a non-starter. I think it got scared away by seeing this benchmark suite. It just completed only one of the tests and never completed the other ones. It just hangs. Better luck next time Microsoft. :(

Here also Chrome blasted almost all the benchmark tests, though it took more time in "DOM Modification" test than FireFox.

Well, Mozilla & Google has come up with their own test suites. It is now the turn of Microsoft to give their own. I don't think they will do. Any benchmark suite should be open for public scrutiny. I bet they will hire some third party to test and come up with a white paper saying that IE 8 is faster under some fancy test conditions.

I believe, in future Google will come up with more innovative web applications which requires faster JavaScript performance. This will improve the adoption rate of Chrome & Firefox.

Links:- John Resig - Dromaeo: JavaScript Performance Testing

Technorati Tags: google, chrome, firefox, mozilla, microsoft, internet explorer, javascript, performance, benchmark, test, suite, dromaeo, browser

V8 & Sunspider - Java Script Benchmark tests

2008-09-07T01:31:00.001+05:30

Today I ran the Java Script benchmark tests available from V8 Benchmark Suite - version 1 and SunSpider JavaScript Benchmark

I ran the tests in DELL my laptop which has Intel Core 2 Duo 7200 processor, 1 GB RAM, Windows Vista Business SP1. When I ran the V8 benchmark suite I got the following score. Higher scores means better performance.

Google Chrome v0.2.149.27 = 1648
FireFox v3.0.1 = 120
Internet Explorer v7.0 = 30

On running SunSpider Javascript Benchmark, I got the following score(in milliseconds). The results shows how quickly the tests were completed by each browser.

Click on the above browser links to see the actual test results. The results page also provides a way to compare the test results from other browser.

From the test comparison, it is sure GC's performance has blown away the browsers. GC is 7.4 times faster than FF and 17.3 times faster than IE.

Let us see what is in store for FF 3.1 and IE 8. I would also like to see benchmark test suites from Mozilla and Microsoft. The above two test suites are all relate to Google Chrome. One is hosted through Google chrome V8 project and other through Webkit site.

Technorati Tags: javascript,java,script,benchmark,test,result,v8,sunspider,google,browser,chrome,firefox,internet explorer,suite

Google Chrome - Installer error solved

2008-09-04T11:33:00.001+05:30

Recently I posted an error which I got while installing Google Chrome in my office workstation. In that I assumed that the setup is trying to download an executable which is the actual Chrome installer. My assumption is right. Here is how I concluded my assumption. I opened the Fiddler2, which is an excellent HTTP tracking tool. Then I ran the initial small Chrome Setup. I saw the installer is trying to download a file from http://cache.pack.google.com/chrome/install/149.27/chrome_installer.exe

I am using Windows XP Professional with SP2. I am assuming the above URL has nothing specific to the OS edition. I think the string "149.27" in the URL could be the browser's minor version number. The Chrome version which I installed is "0.2.149.27".

Disclaimer: I don't know what harm will happen if you use the file from the above URL.

Technorati tags: google, chrome, browser, open source

Google Chrome - Installer error

2008-09-04T10:24:00.003+05:30

I somehow downloaded the Google Chrome installer into my office workstation. When I tried installing, I got the following error message.

"Installer download failed. Error code = 0x8000421f4"

I believe, this is due to the Firewall at our office. I think the Chrome is trying to download some executables and the Firewall is blocking that. I don't know why Google is not providing the complete setup. Someone can try creating a complete setup through the source code available at Chromium. It will be of immense help if someone does that.

UPDATE: This issue is resolved.

Technorati tags: open source, chrome, google, browser

Google Chrome is out

2008-09-03T00:55:00.001+05:30

Google Chrome is out. The first screen shots will arrive shortly in this blog.

Technorati Tags: google,chrome,open source,browser

Firefox 3.0.1 Welcome Page

2008-07-18T13:26:00.000+05:30

Today I updated my Firefox 3.0 to 3.0.1. When I restarted the browser I got this page. Look at the error in the page. It says I am using Firefox 2.0.0.11. Funny isn't it?

For verification I went to the Firefox 3.0 welcome page. It shows correctly.

Technorati tags: firefox, mozilla

Google Developer day - Google Gears

2007-06-02T21:01:00.003+05:30

Here is a presentation given by a Google engineer Aaron Boodman on Google Gears at the recent Google Developer Day conference. The Google Gears already started making waves across Internet.

What is Google Gears?

Google Gears (BETA) is an open source browser extension that enables web applications to provide offline functionality using following JavaScript APIs:

Store and serve application resources locally
Store data locally in a fully-searchable relational database
Run asynchronous JavaScript to improve application responsiveness

To know more,

First goto Gears site. The site will identify whether your browser has the extension already installed and suggest you to install. Since the tool is early stages of development, I warn non-developers not to try immediately now. Though the tool looks very promising wait for sometime till the final version arrives.
For (web) developers, this one is a very promising tool for the future. Go and try. Already you have sample implementation available with Google Reader. If you already using Google Reader, try the offline/online feature available there after installing Gears.
It seems IE 6.0/Firefox 1.5+ for windows and Linux is supported out of the box. After installing flush the browser cache and restart both browsers if it is running.
Get the documentation from here.
If you want give feedback and suggest some more features go and post it in the Google Gears Forum.

Technorati tags: google, gears, opensource, web2.0, development, youtube, firefox, ie

One year of OSS implementation in ELCOT - the score card

2007-05-30T20:13:00.001+05:30

The following letter was written by Mr. C. Umashankar, IAS to the yahoo group eGovIndia. He is the Managing Director of ELCOT (A Government of TamilNadu Undertaking)

On the 26th May 2007, ELCOT completed one year of OSS implementation in its day to day activities.
Currently the migration to OSS is close to 126 out of 130 desktop machines (97%) and 25 out of 26 rack servers (96%).
Barring four desktops which use a popular windows based accounting software, the entire ELCOT's head office moved into Suse Linux. A lone user has been using Fedora core.
We have asked for the Linux version of the accounting software from the vendor. He had agreed. ELCOT is also in the process of migrating to an open source based ERP shortly and so the four desktops also would be migrated to Suse Linux shortly.
ELCOT had also rolled out a powerful application software for administering family cards. Currently the contractors who do the data entry for the family cards have been using it. Government have given approval for decentralising the family card printing operations at the district level, thanks to the web based software developed by ELCOT using OSS.
The family card software has a powerful local language interface which is built on Java script technology. It is absolutely platform independent and the user need not install any fonts.
So far so good.
ELCOT has been show casing its success in the migration to OSS to all Government departments. A few of them were thoroughly impressed and have decided to fully migrate to OSS. It is still too early.
Yet, the way in which the people accept OSS after a hands on experience in ELCOT gives room for optimism. ELCOT's staff generously share their experience when Government users visit ELCOT's office. They also get to see the Linux ATM and also ELCOT's 28 seater software development centre which uses only OSS.
ELCOT has an 80 licence anti virus software which had become redundant. The officer in charge of the licence had asked my permission to sell it outside! Concurrence given.
Anti virus software has no role in ELCOT.
The latest success is the use of crossover and wine software to run application software that had already been developed in Microsoft client - server environment. ELCOT's team is shortly descending on Salem to provide on site support to a large co-operative bank (150 desktops) to migrate to Suse Linux without any migration of the existing Ms application software (using Wine/Cross over)

Regards.
Umashankar

It may be noted that few months back Mr. Umashankar initiated the process of OSS support and implementation for various government organizations in Tamil Nadu.

Technorati tags: egovernance, india, tamilnadu, oss, floss, government, linux

Training from ELCOT

2007-01-04T21:52:00.000+05:30

Here is an update of the training program given by ELCOT to Village Panchayat officers. The training of officers need volunteers. Currently the local Linux User Group CHENNAILUG providing full support to this new initiative.

Recently the Tamil Nadu Government with guidance from ELCOT decided to go opensource way for supporting their total IT infrastructure. Mr.Umashankar of ELCOT is leading this effort.

Hope more positive FLOSS initiatives will come out this year.

Tamil Nadu (India) may shut door on Microsoft

2007-01-03T01:18:00.000+05:30

Source: www.deccan.com .

Note: 1 Crore = 10 million, 10 lakh = 1 million, 1$ = Rs.45(approx)

Chennai, Dec. 31: The Tamil Nadu government, which is on a fast-track pushing the state to the top in the Indian IT sector, has almost shut its door on the software giant, Microsoft, preferring the Open Source Systems (OSS) for reasons of costs and easy migrating capabilities.

“Initially, 99 per cent of government systems have been running on Microsoft systems but then 2007 will be a watershed year for the state IT sector. We are fast migrating to Linux operating systems which are so much cheaper and can be operated at low cost, besides offering continuous updates and freedom from viruses,” says Mr C. Umashankar, managing director of state-owned ELCOT, vested with the responsibility of overseeing such ambitious government projects as e-governance, enumerating the beneficiaries of the free TV scheme, family ration cards and the free sari-dhoti distribution.

“We have already dispatched 6,500 Linux systems to village panchayats and another 6,100 Acer desktop systems with Suse Linux operating systems are on their way. We are procuring 20,000 desktop systems for schools, which will run only on Suse Linux. Remaining 30 desktop systems will also migrate as and when the new machines arrive,” Mr Umashankar told this newspaper.
He said all the ELCOT servers were on Redhat Linus and the government IT company’s 28-seater software development wing was fully on Suse Linux.

“We will train over 30,000 government officials in Linux Operating Systems and Open Office. A contract has been already finalised with the government departments and we have set up a Linux support centre with two Linux-certified professionals to assist the state officers. This number will go up to ten or more in 2007, which will be a path-breaking year for government on migration to Linux Operating System,” Mr Umashankar said. “India can live without Microsoft packages and even progress but Microsoft will find it tough without a huge country like India buying their software packages,” he said.

He said a top official from Microsoft India had met him twice to convince him to continue with MS products. The official offered the XP operating system for about Rs.7000 while he quoted Rs.500. “I explained to her that for a mere Rs.300, I could get the entire operating system, office productivity software and a wide range of utility tools, such as DVD/CD writing software, database software, multimedia editing software, vector map-drawing software plus a whole range of software development tools. Also, I have the option of downloading this entire package in DVD media and not even pay that Rs.300, which is the media cost and not the software charges,” said the ELCOT chief, an IT expert himself besides being a senior IAS bureaucrat.

He said he had also pointed out to the Microsoft official that MS Office did not allow saving of documents in open document format. While it was possible to open all MS Office files using Openoffice.org, the vice versa cannot be done. “I asked her why ELCOT should buy such an inferior product when
Openoffice.org is available free of cost for Windows as well as Linux.

She said Microsoft are working on open XML format,” he added. Mr Umashankar said he had written to state finance secretary enumerating the “huge financial and working advantages” of shifting to Open Source Environment in all government departments. “I have been receiving great support from all the senior IAS officers here, from the chief secretary downwards. It is very encouraging.

ELCOT is not the loser when Microsoft did not accept our price of Rs.500; on the other hand, Microsoft loses out due to our big volumes involved,” he said.
“There is a gross misconception among the governments and officials that if they migrate to Open Source platform, Microsoft would get angry and the entire software industry could come to a grinding halt. This is totally misplaced fear,” Mr Umashankar said.

“Within the next five years, it is going to be the IT services which would dominate the revenue share of the IT companies, because more and more users, governments and the corporate sector have started migrating to OS software, thus removing the scope for more revenues from products. It is time that the users understood this scenario and start saving their precious revenues,” Mr Umashankar said.

Talking of the changes happening in this direction, he said he had ordered 43 rack servers for ELCOT to host various government applications. “All the applications are to run under OS software. I would have paid Rs.20 lakh per server if I had adopted proprietary software but now I have saved over Rs.8 crore from this one transaction.

We intend to procure 1000 servers in the next two years. Imagine the amount of savings we are getting out of this,” the ELCOT chief said. “In my view, a state government of TN magnitude would be able to save Rs 200-500 crores every year, when the National e-governance action plan gets implemented,” he said, adding that school children too could get the benefit of “more robust, secure and economical Open Source software for their work,” he added. “Today, there is more demand for OSS trained engineers. I require at least 500 trainers to train 30,000 state officials across Tamil Nadu in the next six months.

Roundcube Webmail

2005-11-29T01:53:00.000+05:30

RoundCube Webmail is a browser-based multilingual IMAP client with an application-like user interface. It provides full functionality you expect from an e-mail client, including MIME support, address book, folder manipulation and message filters. RoundCube Webmail is written in PHP and requires the MySQL database. The user interface is fully skinnable using XHTML and CSS 2.

Bill Gates' Adventures in Heaven

2005-07-31T19:51:00.000+05:30

Ever wondered what heaven looks like?

The Simple Economics of Open Source

2005-07-06T13:01:00.000+05:30

What motivates thousands of computer programmers-and even the companies that employ them-to share their code with the world? The growing use of so-called "open source" software may not seem, at first glance, to make much economic sense. But according to research by HBS Professor Josh Lerner and his colleague Jean Tirole, economics may actually help explain why open source works as well as it does.

The Secret of How Microsoft Stays on Top

2005-07-06T12:59:00.000+05:30

Critics say Microsoft's incredible two-decade run at the top of the computer industry has less to do with innovation than it does with bully tactics. But new research from Harvard Business School professors Marco Iansiti and Alan MacCormack suggest a different reason: the company's ability to spot technological trends and exploit key software technologies.

The Organizational Model for Open Source

2005-07-06T12:57:00.000+05:30

A surprising entity has emerged to protect the interests of open source software developers: the non-profit foundation. HBS professor Siobhán O'Mahony discusses this emerging organizational model.

Want to use two internet connections at the same time?

2005-07-05T17:31:00.000+05:30

Redundant Internet Connections Using Linux

With the advent of high-speed Internet links from Internet Service Providers (ISPs), it’s easier for users to host services on their home computers. But what happens when your ISP connection goes down? An obvious solution is to have a redundant Internet connection from another ISP. To help set up a Linux host with redundant Internet connections, this article covers the following essentials:

Configuring the host to properly handle inbound network connections from multiple ISPs

Load-balancing outbound network connections

Configuring various services to enable redundancy

Configuring firewall protection using ipchains or iptable

LTSP Success Stories

2005-07-04T15:20:00.000+05:30

LTSP is in use all over the world, and this site has some success stories from people who have deployed solutions based on it.

Theory and Practice

2005-06-14T12:12:00.000+05:30

Yet another joke which poke fun at Microsoft.

Theory is when everything is known and nothing works. Practice is when everything works and nobody knows why. At Microsoft, theory and practice are united: nothing works and nobody knows why.

Check your browser

2005-05-13T01:03:00.000+05:30

To check if your browser has the basic support for HTML4, CSS1, PNG, and Data URLs, goto webstandards.org/act/acid2/test.html

For more information on ACID2 test for web browsers goto webstandards.org/act/acid2/guide.html

Windows Red screen of death

2005-05-13T00:47:00.000+05:30

Are you bored an irritated by BSOD in windows? Wait until longhorn arrives. Microsoft will be introducing a very brand new feature called RSOD. Want to see the RSOD (Red screen of death).

The assault on software giant Microsoft

2005-05-10T01:07:00.000+05:30

"Microsoft is in its most vulnerable moment in history, just like IBM in the 1990s,"

"China, South Korea and Japan, meanwhile, have joined forces to develop an Asian flavour of Linux, to ensure they are not in thrall to Microsoft."

"I played around with it a bit, but it's just another browser, and IE [Microsoft's Internet Explorer] is better," Mr Gates told me"

"Microsoft is not an innovator or transformer right now,"..

more...

Firefox coins celebrate success

2005-05-10T01:03:00.000+05:30

"Although Firefox has been downloaded 50 million times, this does not necessarily mean it has the same number of individual users."
"But Firefox has clearly gained ground on IE. It has so far not had as many security problems as IE, and when there has been a problem, it has taken less time to fix because it is an open source piece of software."

more...

My guess worked

2005-04-30T00:43:00.000+05:30

My guess was correct. Firefox has more than 10 percent market share. Experts says, it could reach 25% market share by next quarter. Read this news item.

Firefox cruises in Europe

2005-04-30T00:20:00.000+05:30

Firefox is fast growing in Europe. Looking at this blog i can believe, it has a good presence in europe.

Firefox crosses 50 million

2005-04-30T00:06:00.000+05:30

Today firefox crossed 50 million downloads, that i believe has captured around 10 percent of browser market. If it grows at this rate, i think in another year or so it will have a humble 20 percent market share.

Small-business forms using Scribus and PDF

2005-04-11T19:20:00.000+05:30

A small business owner explains why he is using linux for document processing.

Linux+Solaris HOWTO

2005-04-11T19:17:00.000+05:30

This document describes how to use Linux (x86) and Solaris (x86) together on one machine.

Why i hate Microsoft?

2005-04-11T18:01:00.000+05:30

Personal burst by a guy "Why he hates Microsoft?"

Anna University & Open Source

2005-04-09T15:26:00.000+05:30

In The Hindu it is quoted "The first national resource centre for free and open source software will be located at Anna University, Chennai".

The idea behind this move is to make software affordable to common masses, to produce localized applications and to train students of BE and MCA with good exposure in FOSS technologies. I would request Anna University to design syllabus for science students. They are currently lacking in FOSS technologies. This is because each university decides its own syllabus. If Anna university provides a common platform to design computer science syllabus, their real wish will reach to a large extent.

Windows X Server

2005-04-08T14:59:00.000+05:30

Do you want access Unix/Linux Desktops from Windows platform, use XManager from NetSarang Computer, Inc .

Mandriva

2005-04-08T02:21:00.000+05:30

After spending weeks balancing pros and cons, Mandrakesoft has decided to change its name! Mandriva (Formerly Mandrakesoft). Why Mandriva? This new name, simple and efficient, is the synthesis of Mandrakesoft and Conectiva.