.Net Geek

Apple Introduces new iPhone 3G

2008-06-12T08:33:08.296-07:00

Alright, time to update ma wishlist ;). It's going to be launched on coming 11 July. Great? Nahh don't know when it will be available in India. :(

Foil the spam robots with SpamPoison

2008-05-30T02:57:51.948-07:00

SpamPoison is a small but useful utility to fight against spammers. It won’t directly help you in bringing down spam in your blog/Inbox but will stop spammers harvesting information which they can use for sending spam emails. Spammers usually get email addresses with the help of Bots. Bots (also known as wanderers, spiders or crawlers) crawls a web page and continually retrieving linked pages for extracting any email like string and store it in a database. Certainly this database is further used for sending spam emails using mass mailer software. Spam poison identifies these spammer’s crawlers and feed them through an infinite loop of dynamically generated fake email addresses. All you have to do is link back this page so that whenever a spammer's robot scans your page, it will be sucked into this one. To link to this page, just use this simple code:

          http://english-130430879095.spampoison.com">Fight
Spam! Click Here!

Microsoft Research launched WorldWide Telescope

2008-05-28T08:03:09.233-07:00

Microsoft launched its WorldWide Telescope, bringing the free Web-based program for zooming around the universe to a broad audience. The image above shows how the Earth looks like at night, taken from this utility. visit here

Trip to Central London

2008-04-05T08:29:13.581-07:00

Today is the day when I first visited Central London and also the day when I landed at London Heathrow Airport one month back. It was a strange feeling touching down UK as this is my first time in Great Britain. Here for a business assignment, I received a wonderful experience so far and I am happy having accepted this assignment from my company. Here at workplace in London, there are peoples from about 140 different nations. That’s really excites and never to forget experience to work with so many different people from different culture. Today, In Central London I was able to see Westminster, London Bridge, Parliament and London Eye. I’ve see few monuments here but Big Ben is the one that I really wanted to view in life. One just can't forget the experience of viewing London from London Eye. It is simply spectacular.

Gmail CAPTCHA cracked

2008-02-27T00:28:14.268-07:00

Gmail CAPTCHA is cracked by a group of spammers, first reported by a security firm “Websense”. The firm believes that this attack is carried out by the same group behind the cracking of Windows Live mail CAPTCHA’s earlier this month. Here is full story on blog of this security firm.

Logo: XIX Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010

2008-02-20T09:07:42.02-07:00

I just checked out new logo of Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 that looks much better (see on the left). I didn’t like the logo that was suggested earlier and I have pointed it out in my previous post that India need a better logo. This logo seems decent to me and I personally feel that it is worth being official logo for this Commonwealth games. Here is a nice writing (about logo and what it depicts) on this game’s official website.

"The Logo for the XIX Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 is inspired by the Chakra, The National Symbol of Freedom, of Unity and Power. Spiraling Upwards, it depicts the Growth of India into a Proud, vibrant nation, her billion people coming together to fulfill their true destinies. India's journey from tradition to modernity, her economic transformation into a super power ... Reaching out to the world and leading the way, even as she enthusiastically embraces all the 71 CCGA nations and territories of the commonwealth to become one and host the best ever commonwealth Games in India. In Delhi. In 2010"

Few More dasblog Macro

2008-02-09T08:39:07.717-07:00

Completed my next dasBlog macro (LastFm Recent Tracks) and just uploaded a new page dedicated to dasBlog macro. Here are the list of dasblog macros that I have developed so far -

List of Last.Fm Recent Tracks

This macro will show a list of recent tracks that was listened by you and scrobbled by Last.fm. This macro is for only who have signed up at last.fm.

List of Last.Fm Top Artist

This macro will show the list of Top Artist that you listened to this week. Again, this macro is for only who have signed up at last.fm.

Show a Shoutbox

This macro will add a shoutbox to dasBlog. Features included-
XML Database - (All entries are stored in XML File. It can be kept under the content directory of blog)
Ajax Enabled – No Iframe or refreshing of whole page. Update shoutbox silently and regularly after specified interval.
Customizable CSS – I tried to make it very customizable. It can gel with any theme perfectly.

Visit http://www.aakashjain.com/stuff/dasblog+macros.aspx for full description with installation instructions.

MTNL Broadband Speed Problem

2008-02-04T10:20:52.561-07:00

Lately I have upgraded my broadband connection from 590 NU (256 kbps) to 749 NU (2 mbps). I presumed that I’ll be able to access podcasts and watch videos available without having waited for buffering. But I am feeling like being cheated after this decision. I have always praise MTNL for their Broadband Services, low downtime and good connection. But this time they have proven me wrong. Though speed is formally upgraded (in my account) but I don’t see my internet speed going up. Here is the result of speed test on internetfrog.com

Download: 214,600 bps
Upload: 90,936 bps
QOS: 96% Quality
Round Trip Time: 2 ms
MaxPause (longest pause recorded during the data download): 141 ms

I have contacted with MTNL Customer support on 1500 regarding this issue. They show confident that it will be corrected within 24 hrs. Heck! It’s been two days now and I don’t know what to do. To make the matter worst they have closed the registration and migration to my previous plan (590 NU - 256k kbps). Great! Now I cannot move back to my previous plan. I can’t believe that I am the only one in this world who is facing this issue. I’m sure there are many other peoples who have migrated to higher plans to get better speed. Do anyone have same experience with MTNL Broadband, I am having?

Busting Spam in My dasBlog

2008-01-30T04:33:37.306-07:00

SPAM. Every one hate it and Why not? No one wish to waste his/her time in searching through all messages for a few legitimate messages. I have been receiving lot of SPAM comments before I find an effective way to stop it. (God knows why they were trying to sell Viagra and what not on my blog) To fight it, I have had enabled CAPTCHA for comments on my blog. Enabling the CAPTCHA discouraged SPAM and amount of SPAM goes down significantly, but the genuine posts were also reduced. I believe that visitors don’t want to bear the pain of entering the security words while posting comments. I can understand this because even I feel discouraged leaving comment where someone has enabled CAPTCHA on their blogs. I really wanted to stop SPAM but not at the cost of comments of my dear readers. Other possible way to spam is to blacklist IPs responsible for SPAM messages. However, you just can’t create a list of black listed IPs and keep adding as you encounter the new one. They are very clever and keep changing their IPs frequently.

Finally, I found Akismet is one other good (may be best) service which is helping the bloggers to fight SPAM. "Akismet is an automated spam blocking service which blocks Spam as it learns from its users/community marking SPAM Comments as "SPAM". Luckily, dasBlog (my blog runs on dasBlog engine.) have implemented the Akismet service and can be enabled by entering the API Key under “Configuration” of dasBlog. Anyone, using dasBlog can enable this service as shown in picture below.

(You need to enter the API Key box – How to get Akismet API Key)

It's been two months I am using their service and I am very happy with it. I like them so much (possibly I'm so confident now) that, now I am deleting any SPAM straightaway without moderation. I found Akismet most effective than CAPTCHA and Blacklist IPs. What are you people using?

Free up RAM by Disabling Useless Windows Services

2008-01-28T01:31:48.853-07:00

All windows services under Windows Os run for a specific purpose and are essential. But these services don’t run free of cost. Any service that runs on your computer requires space in memory and some processor time. By default there are some services that run and not required by all users. This is not a good idea having these turned on if you are not using them and especially if you are low at RAM (say 256 or even less). So it’s better to turn off them. Disabling the useless services will free up some amount of RAM for other applications and for security purpose also. Here I have compiled a list of services that can be disabled without affecting your normal working. Please note that these simple tweaks are most suitable for home users. (If you are using your system at office and have all those server and intranet setup, please stop here.)

Let’s go to services panel, go to Start -> Run -> and type "services.msc" and hit Enter.

Computer Browser
What it does: Maintains an updated list of computers on the network and supplies this list to computers designated as browsers.

This service can be disabled without any issue. Disabling this service still allows you surf internet and connect to a network.

Distributed Link Tracking Client
What is does: Maintains links between NTFS files within a computer or across computers in a network domain.

This service allows you to create a shortcut to a file residing on a different computer under a network. Most users (home or office) don’t use this often. Moreover this requires NTFS file system which is not used by all users.

Error Reporting Service
What it does: Allows error reporting for services and applications running in non-standard environments.

When computer encounter some error it sends an error report with system information to the Microsoft. Simply disable it.

Help and Support
What it does: Enables Help and Support Center to run on the computer.

Windows provide a help feature by hitting F1 key. If you are not one of those who are not using feature frequently, disabling this service would be good idea.

Indexing Service
What it does: Indexes contents and properties of files on local and remote computers; provides rapid access to files through flexible querying language

This service is responsible for indexing the files on you hard drive for frequent searching. If you are using other searching softwares like Google Desktop search, having this turned on is not a good option. Disable it.

Net Logon
What it does: Supports pass-through authentication of account logon events for computers in a domain.

Home users can disable it as they are generally not in a network and even office users don’t require it frequently.

NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing
What it does: Enables an authorized user to access this computer remotely by using NetMeeting over a corporate intranet.

As said above description. It is used for internet meeting when you want to expose your desktop to the remote user. Ask yourself, do you really need this. No? Why don’t disable it.

Network Location Awareness (NLA)
What it does: Collects and stores network configuration and location information, and notifies applications when this information changes.

I don’t think you need this. Go disable it.

TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
What it does: Enables support for NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT) service and NetBIOS name resolution.

You won’t find it useful. Disable this.

Themes
What it does: Provides user experience theme management.

Many users like the classic interface (old style) of windows. Disable this only if you don’t want to use the cool themes of Windows XP (Default Blue/Silver/Green).

Uninterruptible Power Supply
What it does: Manages an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) connected to the computer.

There is no reason to enable this service if you don’t have a UPS that have automatic turn off feature (independent of computer). You can disable it.

WebClient
What it does: Enables Windows-based programs to create, access, and modify Internet-based files.

It’s a perfect crapshoot. Disable it.

Server
What is does: Supports file, print, and named-pipe sharing over the network for this computer.

Require only if you want to share the file and printer over a network. Disabling this wouldn’t disable the simple file sharing. It’s a good idea if a home user disables this.

Smart Card
What it does: Manages access to smart cards read by this computer.

Are you using Smart Cards with your computer? If no, disable this.

SSDP Discovery Service
What it does: Enables discovery of UPnP devices on your home network.

UPnP are external devices that are a part of intranet. Here you don’t need to confuse it with PnP devices. Disabling this would affect your PnP devices.

Remote Desktop Help Session Manager
What it does: Manages and controls Remote Assistance.

Nah! I personally wouldn’t recommend enabling Remote Assistance for security reason. You should disable this service.

Remote Registry
What it does: Enables remote users to modify registry settings on this computer.

Are you Crazy? Disable this without further questions. :)

Please mind you that the above list is set of settings that I have been using on my home computer for past few months. Luckily or whatsoever, I have not faced any problem till now. In fact, I am happy with the kind of performance I am having on my system. I am usually one of those who always wanted to have information what is running on my system at a given point of time and Why? Disabling the useless services not only save you extra chunk of memory but also good for security purpose. The above compiled list is totally based on my personal experience and I recommend it for other users like me. At last, if you are not ready to troubleshoot problem you are probably not the one who should try it.

Happy tweaking!