In my earlier post on Windows 7, I didn’t try to compare Windows with Linux. It must have been noticed that I have also referred to Mac / Mac OS. Did anybody found anything saying that Linux is superior to Windows in my post? But Yes, comparing Windows with Linux or any other OS will always be there. Market share or number people using any piece of software mainly depends on the marketing strategy of its company. The computer-world knows what Microsoft did and what not.

If we have used any one OS since the time we started ABCs of computers, it is very obvious the we tend to use it, as long as we can. As a part of our curriculum during our studies, we mainly learnt / used Microsoft based software and other *nix to very little (or no) extent, much lesser than what it was supposed to. And the major reason for this is ‘promotion’ (may not be by the company in this case) and cabability of the staff. If we setup a Linux or Mac OS or any OS, the simple activities like movies, chat, games etc., as easier as they are on Windows. It’s a different issue every software we need is not be available for every OS.

I have a question, on which version of Windows XP (I don’t know much about Vista & 7), can we play DVD movies out-of-the-box? I could never do that. Which was a breeze on Linux. Since we are able to get every Windows and Windows based unlicensed-software easily this kind of issues are never a problem to us. On any version of Windows what can we do out-of-the-box (without installing any other software)? Play DVDs & BDs? Create professional Docs? How many Editors does it provide apart from that Notepad? (I pity this notepad, though the Microsoft’s own programming tools have developed to the extent that Notepad kind of apps can be build with very little code) Write & run code on any of the programming languages? Can we imagine to have an IDE? Can we setup a Webserver? Email server? Firewall? At the least, can we search for a file accurately on Windows? And it requires around 10 Gigabyte of diskpace to do nothing! Just nothing!! In the same space Linux can give us the world!! Yea… Windows has huge driver database and gives an impression it is native support to devices.

Though I don’t know how, I’m sure at least some flavors of Linux platforms provide drivers / software tools for the kind of hardware including Bluetooth, Wi-fi, wireless KB / mice, etc (I didn’t try because I did not use them). You know *nix drivers are very generic compared to Windows’ counterparts. They need to be properly configured. On some flavors like Ubuntu, it is easier. I would like to know, from anybody, does all your devices work with Windows having no software installed which might have come bundled with those respective devices?

Here is something interesting. Have anyone heard of a tool called Windows PowerPro? It can do too many things with very less footprint, for which one might need more than 50 different tools otherwise. No one I know of uses it. But it never means it is not superior to any ‘combination’ of any such power-user software. I know of no other software which alone can do all its functions. Assign keyboard shortcuts including Windows key combinations, mouse shortcuts including the wheel, minimize windows to tray, schedule various activities, create menu / toolbars for Windows, virtual desktops, clip-capture including images which can be retained across shutdowns, sticky-notes, timers, and add more functionalities to windows’ behavior and much much more! If not PowerPro we would have needed too many different tools for all this I mentioned (There exist many more features which I do not use). It’s just some 4MB download!! The only complication in using this is configuration. But yes, such powerful software will definitely have extensive configuration options.

How many Windows-users use it? How many of your friends use it? And exactly same applies to Linux! Every user cannot simply use it. At the same time, its market share is increasing, many people are willing to try it as the GUIs are improved and its setup is becoming more simple. We need to note that Unix / Linux are spreading down from the top end of the OS spectrum – the Server OS, and Windows is growing up from DOS! I know there is a version of Linux for every type of computing device from mobiles / handhelds to supercomputers. What about Windows? Why the companies like Palm are moving from Windows Mobile to Androids and Linux? The installation latest Ubuntu is the simplest I have seen!

Have a look at what a ex-Microsoft Researcher is saying at http://www.tomshardware.com/news/microsoft-windows-7-linux-ubuntu,9008.html (and http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/46840 as well.)

Coming to compatibility… it is nothing new to Microsoft, whether the OS or .NET (I don’t know about others). I’m not sure if Vista was a complete new re-write. But I’m sure Windows 7 is not. In my words, it is fixed Vista… improved Vista. As I said, for performance issues, huge developments in hardware have offset the Windows’ performance to a considerable degree. Yes, I also heard that there are some people around the world who still use Windows 3.x and Windows 95!!

I would say, some people are lucky that all their applications are running without any glitch. But it is difficult for me to believe. May be most of their software is of Microsoft, because of their needs. If it is the case, it is obvious that Windows has to be compatible with other Microsoft software made for Windows. On Windows 7, most of the times I tried to run an application it irritates me with a sequence of dialogs regarding compatibility setup. To my knowledge, Microsoft couldn’t make a proper software for other platforms such as Mac OS or Linux. I don’t know whether the IE / Office for these platforms exists today.

Windows always worked best on Intel based desktops, with Intel CPU on Intel’s chipset. Why? 1. They had strong relation. 2. As, I said, these are most generic or I can say common PC platforms. And if Windows is not going to be compatible to these, it just dies. My PC is not even 5 year old. It just runs windows 7, sound didn’t work. Videos (VCD) flickered and was pixelated like hell, as if it is on a Windows 95 running on an 386 / 4MB RAM. Because it is relatively-lower-end PC of its time and it’s and AMD machine . Windows 7… Oh God. I would say it is better I move to Linux instead. In case, if someone asks to upgrade my hardware, why should I upgrade when I really don’t need? It came with XP drivers and it runs much better than my office PC! I can’t use XP drivers on Win 7, because compatibility issues again. I know, Microsoft changed the driver model with Win Vista.

To compare with cars, if Xp is like an Ambassador, Win 7 is like Hundai, in my opinion Linux is Mercedes. I think I can compare better with bikes as I know very little about cars. Windows XP, Vista and 7 are like Pulsar 150, 200 and 220; Linux is like Bullet. Noticed? Vista & Pulsar 200 are no more

Very few know that Indians celebrated and self-declared Independence day on January 26, 1930. When British decided to declare independence to India, all leaders asked them to announce it on 26th January of 1948, but they were in haste to leave. But our leaders decided to have January 26th as our republic day. This day is very significant, but seldom people understand its relevance.

We devised the governing mechanism by designing constitution and declaring Indian Republic on Jan 26, 1950. India was born after amalgamation of 550+ princely states, embarking a journey of a complex democracy which still puzzles the world. For about 50 years we were nothing but a aid begging nation.

In last decade, we raised to the level of lending money to US. We were the first ones to respond when Katrina struck US. World’s second fastest growing nation and what not. There is both good news and bad news here. Good news is that we have grown despite of  corrupt politicians, conservative communities, gender bias, poor governance and a long list of detractors. Bad news is that we cannot grow after a point if these detractors exist. We have to address these issues and soon. I am not telling anything new here but want to reiterate it one again on this day. We declared Indian Republic 60 years back and it took a long time to gain respect on the world stage, lets not take so much time to reach the India Inc. status!

Earthquakes are not damaging, its the buildings that we erect that become live traps when an earthquake happens. But when it comes to Haiti is a different story all together!

This nation is formed in early 1800′s by black slaves who fled European countries. With apartheid running in veins of all whites, this nation was taxed to death ever since. They were punished for rebuking slavery, and they are still paying the price. It is naturally rich but never given access to technology or allowed to come to mainstream. All major powers abetted brutal dictators so that they can keep their influence intact. There are more than 10,000 private organisations working on humanitarian missions in Haiti but there is no light on the other side of the tunnel!

With such a bad history and dismal governance and infrastructure, there are no protocols or structure in place to deal with this kind of calamities. All that they have to look-up to are Christian Charity as Christianity is more so interested in conversion of the whole population to their religion, this adds another new angle to the whole issue.

From politicians, so called humanitarian groups, racist-idealists to religious institutions are the vultures who were circling on dieing Haiti and earthquake has nailed it!

Last week a Jordanian double agent killed 7 CIA operatives. He was trusted to the extent that he did not face a security check while entering the premises! All said and done this cat and mouse game is always on. But, whats interesting is that the kind of attention that media has over ‘lost american lives’.

Any one trying to fight fanatics is no doubt a hero. But there are number of heroes of different nationalities, who loose their lives and don’t get the attention OR should I say importance in the media or in the world stage. I am sure there are hundreds of Afghans killed who are resisting Taliban. They are fighting for themselves and because of the mess that US and more so Pakistan has created in the region, and no one even cares about them, body count is over the roof.

A life is a life, be it American or Somalian, both should be treated with respect and dignity.  Only when developed nations realize this then we can be sure that we are heading in the right direction. The first step was to close the Guantanamo Bay Prison, it is a welcome be all who care about human rights, but yes how to deal with the detainees is another issue. There is no time for one-baby-step-at-a-time here, everyone have to act fast, else we are on the verge of loosing the the value-of-life.

From one of the trusted sources, it is learnt that the office of the Prime Minister of India has asked Reliance Mobile (Reliance Communications) to send a proposal / quatation for 50 connections, including local, STD, roaming, and SMS charges.

The Prime Minister’s Office is currently using Airtel as its Mobile Service provider.  Does it indicate that Reliance Mobile is equally good in coverage, call-quality, and call charges?  Or better? We already know that Reliance Mobile is now trying to revolutionise the tightly-competitive Mobile Service industry in India.  I remember, it was a time when Airtel was the first to introduce many new and innovative plans, offers and schemes.

Now, it seems, it is Reliance’s turn   It has recently introduced very-attractive tariffs such as 50p/min, 1p/s, 1Re/3min and lately 1p/SMS with no rentals.

Airtel, is it your turn to do something new?

Well, this is music to my ears. World’s first hybrid two wheeler in India is a very practical solution. With a mileage of 135 Kms per liter of petrol and five year warranty, it is a formidable contender in the two wheeler market.

Eko Vehicles, a Bangalore based company is launching this vehicle in collaboration with a US based Emerging Technologies. Named ET-120, it houses a puny 70cc engine promising to deliver power equivalent to a 120cc gas-powered engine! And guess what? its priced around 40,000 INR.

I encourage everyone to go the eco route and reduce pollution. This is a very good news after Copenhagen’s climate change summit’s disappointing note. News article can be read by clicking here.

Where are we heading to? A top police officer who is supposed to stop crime is involved in hard-to-digest kind of molesting a minor girl is punished with a very simple 6 month jail and charged a mere Rs. 1000.

Read the details here:

http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/cbi_satisfied_with_verdict_that_has_shocked_india.php

http://news.rediff.com/report/2009/dec/21/ex-dgp-gets-6-month-jail-term-for-molesting-14-yr-old.htm

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/latest-news/haryana-ex-dgp-gets-jail-molesting-teenager-350

What do you say? Is it really any kind of punishment? Is a true judgement? As someone said, delayed justice is justice denied.  Is 19 long years not any delay?  Has he not enjoyed all the life during these long years? And, jokingly CBI is satisfied with this!!

Windows 7. The most talked about and probably most hyped OS yet. Perhaps the OS which has broken all the ‘sales’ (not usage) records in terms of number of copies compared. It’s been about a month since its release. But the world knows that it constantly had quite a number of incompatibility issues, every time a major version of Windows is released. And many issues were discovered as the times went on.

I have a question. How frequently have we heard of software incompatibility issues on Linux, Mac or any other OS (non-Windows)? I don’t know exactly how Microsoft handles such issues at Enterprise level setups! Are they re-writing every major version from the scratch, which is causing the incompatibilities? Possibly not.

Most of you may already be knowing the actual version of Windows 7 is 6.1, which indicates a minor change from Windows Vista. As the world knows, Vista had lots of compatibility as well as performance issues. I think performance issues, to a considerably degree, have been reworked by Microsoft and partly offset by newer and better performing hardware available today. Essentially, Windows 7 is just a polished Vista with XP Mode added to it.

To counter the compatibility issues, Microsoft has come up with a built-in Virtual machine named “XP Mode”. XP mode is basically a Virtual PC with Windows XP SP3. Yes, it is not included with every version of Windows 7. In addition, it is not supported by every machine. It is supported on the systems which have CPUs with virtualization support. It means only those processors from Intel which have VT-x and the ones from AMD with AMD-V. Remember, in some branded prebuilt systems this virtualization feature has been disabled at BIOS level and these do not support XP Mode.

…Read the full story

I jumped a traffic signal by mistake today and caught by the police. They demanded me to pay a fine of 300 rupees, and I saw people paying 50 to 100 bucks as bribe and getting away with it. But something entirely different struck my mind, the 300 Rs fine! What a puny amount! I am sure it is affordable to almost everyone, even if police demand fee not bribe.

No one will make a mistake if the mistakes are unaffordable. I would really like to see these fines revised after consulting an economist! After digging in to the matter a bit more and the sentences pronounced by our courts sounding ‘two years of imprisonment or 20000 Rs fine’ are abundant. We respect the Indian Law; however I feel the fines levied are just too outdated.

This is surly encouraging people to break the law. They can afford any mistake, pay for it and get away with them. And one point of view we can take is the politician’s view. I strongly believe that they are the biggest law breakers and they don’t want to revise law as it will affect them adversely.

We need to get this one straight, breaking the law should not be affordable.

US is contemplating to leave Afghanistan to its fate and pull off. I think US is very good at ‘not taking responsibility’ and ‘leave business unfinished’. Lets rewind a bit into the history.

Russia tries to expand and invades Afghanistan. They are almost on the verge of winning the war. Mujahedeen is the potent resistance force fighting Russia, but it lacks weapons and technology. Pakistan is supporting the resistance, fearing they will lose their influence in the region and weakening its stand against India, and Russia being India’s old friend, it worsens their fear. But even with Pakistan’s help its hard to keep Russian’s at bay. US licking its wounds in Vietnam, sieges the opportunity in Afghanistan to teach Russian’s a lesson. US supplies the requisite weapons to Mujahedeen esp. Stinger Missiles which brings Russian heavy machinery to its knees and the biggest set back being Mi-24 Helicopters shot down like pigeons. Russia retreats.

As this is happening a Republican called Charlie Wilson is battling in US to gain funding to stabilize Afghanistan and do the nation building. No one is interested as they call it ‘job well done!’. They leave Afghanistan as a half baked cake. Pakistan starts poisoning it and makes a deadly concoction of the scenario.

Islamic Fundamentalism + supply of drug money + Arab funding = unlimited supply of brain washed militants to fight India. Pakistan’s motto of ‘bleeding India through thousand cuts’ will be a reality. So Pakistan starts to influence/support the faction called Taliban against the Ahmad Shah Massoud who had played the lead role in driving Russians out. This way they can have a ‘so called’ government that is controlled by Pakistan. But Massoud was a tough nut to crack and most importantly he was close to India. Al Queda which took birth in Afghanistan, fathered by Osama is gaining acceptance around the world and raising good amount of funds. Pakistan is not able to manage Afghanistan all alone, as its own economy is in shambles and its nuclear ambition is costing it dearly. So, it arranges marriage of Taliban and Al Queda. There is enough proof that then prime minister Nawaz Sahrif met Osama in person to seek his help in assassinating Benazir Bhutto (Ref: ‘Deception’ by Adrian Levy). And Al Queda helps Taliban to kill Massoud, by sending a suicide bomber carrying the bomb in a camera, disguising as a reporter. Now, Taliban and its prime guest Al Queda rules Afghanistan.

In the background, there is another grand plan is under way, the 9/11, the rest is well known to everyone.

Now US is struggling to gain public support in the region. They are contemplating on pushing the eject button again. This time, its not twin towers that are going to comedown but a big city struck by a nuke! Yes! a NUKE! let me explain.

Pakistan has no land reform, so the feudalism is the mantra. All labors are bonded. Hence Taliban is a saving grace, who tell farmers that they won the land, kill the land lords and demand 1/3rd of the crop as tax; this is better than a landlord demanding everything in return! So Taliban enjoys public support. Today, if US pulls out, with in no time Taliban will be ruling both Pakistan and Afghanistan. And with access to Nukes… well, do you want me to tell the rest of the story?

Uncle Sam, as you have always over estimated yourself, and you think that this is an ‘imagination’ at best, beware. Neither did you think that 9/11 will happen, nor did you think your war in Afghan and Iraq will last this long. All I would advise is never leave anything unfinished, it will be back in no time and you will be powerless to react.