Anas Ismail Khan

OtherOS was a feature in the Playstation 3, which was later discontinued and made unavailable throught a firmware update, that allowed one to install a custom operating system i.e. Unix or Linux like OSs. The reason for its discontinuation was perhaps the flexibility of  running OtherOSs and perhaps it challenged the reputation of their own OS.

Anyways, the Flavours that are known to have run on the PS3 are YellowDog Linux, Fedora, OpenSUSE and a versions of Ubuntu were actually ported to it too!

If you’ve ever tried building on the Cleverscript, or if you’ve ever played around with Spreadsheets, you might have come across the terms “Tab-delimited-file” or “comma separated values,” and few often wonder what the terms really mean.

In simple terms, these are simply formats that save spreadsheets in plain text, i.e. in a manner that can be viewed and easily understood through a simple text editor like Notepad, Gedit, leafpad e.t.c

In a tab delimited file, every line is a row, and the columns are separated by tabs. This sheet for example:

Would look like this:

when viewed through leafpad.

Similarly, when you go for ‘comma seperated values’ it uses commas instead of tabs, for example, the same file would look like this:

Tom Clancy, American, and well known to gamers as the guy behind the storylines of Splinter Cell and Rainbow Six, died on the 1st of October 2013, i.e. a few days back _yes. _If one would step out of the gaming world, they’d realise that there was more to him than just producing games. He wrote a number of books, but almost all of his works, at least the ones i know of, were all really about warfare, military e.t.c.

At the age of 66, he died of some sort of illness, the nature of which wasn’t really made public.

Windows XP, successor to 98, was a huge leap for MS, and well perhaps the most stable version of Windows ever in its time, the first release of which was launched in 2000, is still widely used. Whether it _should _still be used or not, is highly debatable. Some loyal supporters would argue with the fact that it’s about 3 versions old and yet extremely stable and supports everything, while others who have (or at least claim to) have looked into the issue state that, it’s no longer secure, and that it has compatibility issues and all.

Canonical seized the chance and began working on it immediately. The Ubuntu Start Project, the first releases of which are already up and available, aims to provide Windows XP users, (or users with PCs that support nothing much higher than XP,) with a “modern, unique, stable, fast, powerful, highly customizable, active and amazing community based system, open-source, free Linux-based system which should replace their very old no longer supported system.” 

From what I can make out after reading this, in itself, the project is more of a campaign to gain more users than a new redefined OS. Means that despite its purpose,  and how big _the whole thing sounds, 50% of the project is just about persuading people to switch to Ubuntu, while the rest i.e. the software bit of the project is a script that has to be run _after installing ubuntu, _that would kinda enhance it for windows users so that they don’t have trouble getting used to the new environment, e.g. _moving window buttons from left to right 😀 . Auto-mounting NTFS drives, (cause we are too lazy to make a single click), and it also installs GIMP, WINE, DropBox, some torrent client, and other such tools that one _might _need.

Can’t really say much about this myself as i haven’t tried the script myself yet.. however this was a smart move by Canonical, but on the other hand, XP users, if you are by any chance planning to make the switch, be prepared, for Linux is Linux. (no offence meant)

Two days back, Sony unveiled its Xperia Z1 smartphone, that packs a 2.2Ghz Quad-core processor and a 20.7MP camera, and the same magnificent display, perhaps _that’s _a little larger too, and that’s the point. Every now and then, a new phone comes out, and it’s pretty hard to choose the best among them, as the competition is tough, but what exactly is it that a day-newer smartphone carries? A slightly better processor? perhaps an _extremely high-res _camera? or a water proof display? Or…Just a larger screen.

If this is what makes one phone superior over the other, then it’s no competition, considering that one carries better hardware, and thus is bound to perform better. Comparing a dual-core HTC with a Quad-core Samsung, or comparing the Water-proof Xperia with a normal _Huawei, or a 41MP Lumia with any camera-ed device is similar to comparing a tank with a Vespa (no offence meant)_.

When Steve Jobs first introduced the iPhone, in 2007, it didn’t pack a Quad-core either, but it really hit the market, and people fell in love with the idea, _cause it was one. _The idea behind the iPhone wasn’t to sell Dual-cores or water-proof phones, or integrated cameras,  or even _fancy touch screens, _but it was the Revolutionary UI that set it apart from others. If you dont get it, simply watch the video,( it’s available on Youtube, so i wont bother sharing a link.)

And soon, support for something similar was ported into Android, which arrived a bit earlier than the iOS, and yet, the latter is considered to be superior, (though personally, i love both.) That Android is what powers up most of todays’ smartphones, and the best of which is itself based on Steve Jobs Revolutionary UI.

True that Samsung introduced the ‘smart pause’ and the ‘eye focus’ is another rumored release, but even these two, though a huge leap, aren’t exactly needed, nor are they going to make life better for us.. They are simply building up on the same thing and adding to it, whatever they see, but this won’t do. They are supposed to be building mobile devices _but going on the wrong track by enlarging the screen with every release. Similarly, it’s good for the phones to carry a camera, but the phone is not _supposed to be _a camera. The eye tracking thing of Samsung’s, is in itself, good, but do we really need it? though it sounds pretty simpler, it might put strain to the eyes, and it might be a bit error-prone, and _what’s the point of it being in a phone? 

The floating touch / motion control, rumored to be in some model of Xperia, and the latter in SmartTVs, is pretty advanced too, but we dont need all this in our phones.. People prefer simplicity. Microsoft could have introduced it in their windows phones ages ago if they wanted too, seeing as we’ve seen something similar yet better in the XBox, but they dont have to or need to. The Simple UI of the Windows Phone 7+ is an example, of how they are keeping it simple, and how people are loving it.

The MotoX introduced the _talk to your phone _thing, and that was kinda something new, and so was the _shake to open _camera, though they are minor improvements, but do fall in the category next to the the Huawei’s Screen Temperature, HTC Zoe, and the Samsung’s counterpart to Zoe.

Nowadays, all improvements _that are made to the _smartphones _are enlarging the screen or making it _persistent, _better RAMs or CPUs e.t.c., or perhaps in terms of better software, but it’s still the same _smartphone. Where’s all the creativity, the innovation? Are they really running out of ideas?

Nokia, the Finnish manufacturer of Mobile devices, which has been a bit _‘out of the game’ _in the recent years, especially since they gave up on the Symbian Mobile platform, and started with the Asha series, and could have had to face worse if it hadnt been for Microsoft, and they hadn’t produced the Lumia series of Windows Smartphones.

Yesterday, it was announced that the two have come to an agreement, where Microsoft is to purchase Nokia, and ensure the delivery of better and yet exciting devices. The transaction, according to the Technet blog, is to be made during the first quarter of 2014.

This might really put Nokia back in the game as a rival to HTC, Samsung and Apple, (which it already was, but not totally,) except that it will not be the same _nokia _anymore, but merely Microsoft, cloaked under the name, a change of which hasn’t yet been announced, and is likely to stay that way.

So,
Samsung, Apple, Huawei and of course HTC…
GAME ON!

The one that started it all, where Torwalds asked the people for suggestions and stuff that they’d like to see in the minix OS.

From: mailto: <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=torvalds@klaava.Helsinki.Fi" target="_blank">torvalds@klaava.Helsinki.Fi</a> (Linus Benedict Torvalds)

<p style="text-align: justify; padding-left: 30px;">
  To: Newsgroups: comp.os.inix<br /> Subject: What would you like to see most in minix?<br /> Summary: small poll for my new operating system<br /> Message-ID: <mailto: <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=1991Aug25.205708.9541@klaava.Helsinki.Fi" target="_blank">1991Aug25.205708.9541@klaava.Helsinki.Fi</a>
</p>

<p style="text-align: justify; padding-left: 30px;">
  Hello everybody out there using minix — I’m doing a (free) operating<br /> system (just a hobby, won’t be big and professional like gnu) for 386<br /> (486) AT clones. This has been brewing since april, and is starting to<br /> get ready. I’d like any feedback on things people like/dislike in<br /> minix, as my OS resembles it somewhat (same physical layout of the<br /> file-system (due to practical reasons) among other things).
</p>

<p style="text-align: justify; padding-left: 30px;">
  I’ve currently ported bash (1.08) and gcc (1.40), and things seem to<br /> work. This implies that I’ll get something practical within a few<br /> months, and I’d like to know what features most people would want. Any<br /> suggestions are welcome, but I won’t promise I’ll implement them :-).
</p>

<p style="text-align: justify; padding-left: 30px;">
  Linus (mailto: <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=torvalds@klaava.helsinki.fi" target="_blank">torvalds@klaava.helsinki.fi</a>)
</p>

<p style="text-align: justify; padding-left: 30px;">
  PS. Yes — it’s free of any minix code, and it has a multi-threaded fs.<br /> It is NOT protable (uses 386 task switching etc), and it probably<br /> never will support anything other than AT-harddisks, as that’s all I<br /> have :-(.
</p>

**Credits: www.linux.com/news/software/linux-kernel/734956-linuss-famous-email
**

The XBMC is an application designed to serve as a free alternative to Windows media center, and is available for several platforms, and even has its own standalone version known as the XMBCbuntu which, yes, is based on ubuntu.

It was originally created for the original Xbox console, but as it got popular, they made it available for several platforms.

The mod is one of the best I’ve ever played and it’s as convincing as it could be and the best thing about it is that it’s based on VC, and yet it makes the impossibles of modding-on-vc, _possible. _The Mod, in case you havent figured it out yet is based on the 1985 Super-hit comedy science-fiction Back To the Future Films, that are all about travelling through time and changing the past so as to ensure a better future, or should is say, the _present? _Well, watch the movies (if you havent already); definitely worth watching.

Anyways, to the Mod now, (assuming that you know all about the movie.) The game includes several Deloreans; the original DMC12, the modified DMC12(the first time machine) and as you travel into the Future, you unlock the BTTF2 and BTTF3 Time Machines, and a bonus model, _that’s based on the DMC13 and has the ability to teleport as well…( _No, _the last one _didnt exist in the movies).

Now to the gameplay; The last stable release 0.2e R2, and there used to be a number of differences between every 2 releases. So, in 0.2e, as you start the game, the player gets spawned at the Vercetti State(mansion) and the player’s textures have been slightly altered to resemble Marty McFly from BTTF. The first mission is some sort of tutorial that can be _skipped. _The first step is to get a Delorean and make it into a time machine, and to do so, you have to take it to Sunshine Autos, which would be marked in the radar with a D. Well, then you have to Drive the car straight into the _Import Garage _and once done, you’d be kinda prompted with a choice of unlocked Deloreans. In this case, just the BTTF1 Delorean.

Now once done tuning up the Vehicle, you’d have to acquire plutonium, that has to be stolen from The Libyan hideout, and the moment you do so, the Libyans would be on your tail, and you’d have no choice but to take a leap into the future, _while _on the run.
Once in the Future, you’d have to try out the BTTF2 Time Machine that has the ability to Fly too, and then you’d send it sometime else using the remote control, and fly back to the showroom in a flying Delorean, which would later be modded into a slightly advanced  time machine that can teleport you wherever you wish, and once done with that, you’d have passed the mission.. that’s it, however, I forgot to add that the once unlocked the BTTF2+ time machines, you wont need Plutonium, seeing as they run on Garbage, which is _everywhere. _A

As you go into the Future, you’d come across more Futuristic flying cars, including the convertible police car from the movie, and as you go back into the past, they’d be reduced to the classics, and eventually, nothing. As for the area, well, there wont be much change apart from a few buildings perhaps.

Apart from the tutorial, there’s another mission where Biff steals the unfinished prototype of the DMC13 time machine, and you have to chase him in a BTTF2 time machine and send him back to his time.

Well, that’s it, apart from that there’s this Time Train, that doesnt exactly need much fuel, and works well in almost all times, and this is it. Doesnt sound much, and yes it might get boring after sometime, but the mod is definitely worth trying out, and you can play around and do all sorts of tricks with it.

I dint bother to mention it in the other post cause it was way to heavy already but those like me who wont rest until they see a table of specs, well here it is:

Width 65.3 Height 129.3mm
Curve 5.6 -10.4mm
Display 4.7″ AMOLED (RGB) / HD 720p
Weight 130G
Battery 2200 mAh. Mixed usage up to 24 hours

Rear Camera 10MP CLEAR PIXEL (RGBC) / LED Flash / 1080p video (30fps)
Front Camera 2MP 1080p HD video

Operating system Android 4.2.2
Architecture Motorola X8 Mobile Computing System
RAM 2 GB

Storage 16 GB standard, 32 GB version available online. 2 years 50GB storage free on Google Drive
Bluetooth 4.0 LE + EDR
WiFi 802.11a/g/b/n/ac (dual band capable), mobile hotspot
Bands GSM/GPRS/EDGE UMTS/HSPA + up to 42 Mbps CDMA/EVDO Rev. A (CDMA model only) 4G – LTE