Web Design Update

After 3 years of reading up on web designing, particularly PHP and PEAR, I have finally stumbled on somthing known as Model-View-Controller (MVC) paradigm. I always felt web designing seemed a whole lot chaotic and unstructured.

Now, thanks to the MVC methodology and a good PHP framework like Yii, I have managed to develop the basic structure of my web application/site with the basic login processing.

Although, there are many PHP frameworks out there such as Akelos and CakePhp, but I found the Yii well documented for beginners. So, after I got the blog tutorial to work, I sat down to design the whole database schema of my application before I go on further. I'm only got it done half which is enough for now.

Right now, the website only exist on my local development machine. I've been configuring and reconfiguring my production machine since the web hoster did their upgrade, which messed up everything for me. I just can't get to change my [include_path]. I contacted tech support and the genius on the other end had no clue what the hell she was doing. But, I've managed to find a way around the problem. Although, it would make my life easier if I can edit the [include_path].

Lenovo Ideapad S10e

I bought a Lenovo Ideapad S10e (Notebook) a couple of days ago and it just arrived today. From the looks of it...its alright. I spent half the time today installing and updating windows and its applications.

Configuration:

• CPU: Intel Atom N27 1.6GHz
• RAM: 1GB
• Hard Drive: 160GB
• Monitor: 10.1 inches
• Networking: LAN, WLAN, Bluetooth
• Battery: Lithium ION, 4-6 hours
• Extra Features: 2 USB2.0 ports, 2 internal speakers, 1 internal microphone, jack for each external mic and speakers, 2 PCI expansion slots, 1 internal webcam.
• OS: Linux Quick Launch and WinXP Home.
• Color: Black
• Total Weight: 1.2kg

I specifically bought it for mobile and simple use. For example, Internet surfing, email, online chatting, simple word proccessing and nothing too heavey like running high powered applications like webserver or video editing. Plus, it will come in handy on a road trip, like if I have to look up a map to somewhere, I can look it up on google maps in the car.

Personally, I prefer a PC over anything, but I bought this for someone else's use. I did a lot of reasearch before buy it. Checked out the user reviews and everything. The whole thing came around to AU $482.00.

University of Melbourne: Graduate Expo

I went to an engineering graduate expo at the Melbourne University yesterday. I've never been on the Melbourne University campus before and it kind of felt nostalgic to be on an actual university campus again; not like those sorry excuses for a campus like CQU or RMIT. I could see the university has been around for a long time because of the old building structures. According to the presentation at the expo, the university engineering college was established back in 1861. From the looks of the campus, it looked like a significant amount of money has been invested. Good thing they had refreshments there which, made the whole trip worthwhile. I was actually accompanying someone who is interested in the "Master of Engineering" program. Its 2-3 years long Full-Time, 3-4 years Part-Time.

If I could ever go back and do it again, I would rather study Literature, Law, Business, or Medicine. Such power I could have wielded. I can't even remember what made me choose to go into IT in the first place and the fact, that I can't recall the reason why, scares me. I'm afraid the reason might be so regrettable that my mind may have repressed the memory.

Being in IT is like being a clerk in British India. Born into bondage to take orders from your Dark Overlords. Just a facilitator to the evil empire's grand exploitation scheme. They educate you just enough to make you useful for their own gain, but not enough to grow or be independent. They just use you up and spit you out.

Life Update

Not much has happened since the last time I posted anything. I'm still working the same old problems. Can't think of anything of significance to write about. Well, at least the weather got better today.

I can't seem to figure out whether the state of the job market is really bad or I just don't have the qualifications to get a decent job.

Uni Flashback

Back when I was in my last semester at uni and about to graduate. Most of the questions I started to get from my classmates were regarding my immediate plans for a job. I would tell them a very detailed plan and then they would say "wow that's pretty planned out. you sure its gonna turn out that way?".

At one time, someone asked me that question, and I replied by something along these lines. I said "Well, if one day you turn on the TV, there is a flashing 'breaking news' banner on CNN with a live broadcast from who knows where, and you see me standing in front of a cave threatening a superpower, then you'll know that things have not gone according to my plan". The guy gave me an utter confused stare and then a moment later said "What?", and I said "never mind". The whole thing went over his head. He couldn't connect the dots to the Bin-Ladin reference.

This is what I have to endure, I come up with comedy gold, and no one is remotely smart enough to get it.

Web Development Update

Alrighty then! I figured out what I was doing wrong with the sessions in php. It turns out I have to use the 'session_start()' function on every php page, even if when the page is redirected to another php page.

Another Web Development Setback

I tried to create a Session variable in PHP and it didn't work. The variable was created but I wasn't able to retrieve it after a page redirection. For the life of me I can't understand why it didn't work. I've crossed checked the documentation for it and everything seems to be fine but it still doesn't work.....? Anyway, back to the drawing board.

WAMP Installation Currupted

The WAMP installation on my Dev Machine crashed for some reason I don't know what? It took me an hour to restore it. It's setbacks like these that frustrate the hell out of me. I haven't quiet begun to design my website and my development environment keeps messing up.

I've been reading a lot of PEAR documentation lately. It's been over a week and I haven't exactly started the coding process. This web designing thing is so time consuming. And It doesn't help when your the only one on the project. If only I could find some qualified Web Designer to help me.

Is there a helping soul out there?!

Purchased "The Dig' Game

I just purchased "The Dig" game. Lucas Arts re-released the game on Steam for only $4.99 USD. It is an old game from executive producer Steven Spielberg. Since, I had nothing better to do and spare change so I bought the 2 games. I never could get the game to work properly the first time I tried to play it and back then there was no Internet to look up the walk-through when I got stuck.

I also bought and completed "The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition" game for USD $9.99. It was exactly like the original except they added voice work and enhanced graphics to the new release. The game was kind of funny just like the other sequels in the series. It took me only a day to finish it.

It's weird that Lucas Arts is re-releasing its old games on Steam now. They even released "Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis". Last time I checked, Monkey Island was among the top sellers this week.

Steam is starting to resemble iTunes for games. It's good that one can buy the old games that I used to like and play them for only a few dollars instead of buy those expensive $40 - $80 ones. Last time I checked, Sierra's 'King Quest' Series had a "Coming Soon" banner on it.

My Book

I was going through my old computer folder today, where I keep all my old college papers, assignments, and documents. I came across a document that I had forgotten all about it. Back when I was in my 3rd year of college, I had an idea for a novel. I had written a list of characters and some of their basic characteristics. I had also written a brief plot outline. Back then, my writings skills were poorly developed as opposed to now and my knowledge of the great English literary works was very limited.

After going through the plot outline, I felt that I can fulfil that idea I had all those years ago. So, I think I feel like adding a little more to that outline that I wrote years ago. The whole idea for writing a novel was to have a First-Person-Shooter (FPS) game based on it. Back then I was really into FPS gaming.

I also wrote the first chapter to my autobiography. I think I'll publish that on this blog when I'm done writing it. :-)

Development Machine Setup

Finally, got my development machine installed and configured. Took me a whole afternoon. It takes so long because of the Internet searches for all the 'How Tos'. The Dev Machine's configuration is 'Windows XP Pro', Apache, Mysql, PHP, PEAR, and Smarty (WAMP).

Now, all I gotta figure out is how to set up a local PEAR installation on a shared UNIX (FreeBSD) web host. I took a whack at it and turned out to be a fruitless effort as of yet. I'll take another swipe at it sometime later.

For those of you who want to subscribe to a great web hosting service then you should check out http://www.aplus.net/. Subscribing to any other web hosting service is just a waste of money and most people I've talked to who have a website are paying ridiculous amounts for a crappy web hosting service.

How To Install Smarty On WAMP

Source: http://news.php.net/php.smarty.dev/2703

Assuptions:

• WAMP install directory is 'd:\wamp'.
• PHP install directory is 'd:\wamp\bin\php\php.x.x.x'

Instructions:

1. Download Smarty - http://www.smarty.net/
2. Extract files, rename Smarty.x.x.x to smarty (suggest OUTSIDE of your www root!) Example: d:\wamp\bin\php\php.x.x.x\smarty
3. Edit php.ini's include_path and add the location of the libs folder.
4. example: include_path = ".;d:\wamp\bin\php\php.x.x.x\smarty\libs"
5. Restart Apache Service
6. Setup these two folders INSIDE your (www), 'd:\wamp\www\smarty\templates' (this is where your templates will go), 'd:\wamp\www\smarty\configs'.
7. Setup these two folders OUTSIDE of your webroot: 'd:\wamp\bin\php\php.x.x.x\smarty\templates_c', 'd:\wamp\bin\php\php.x.x.x\smarty\cache'.
8. Setup security settings for the web server to write to these four folders.

Note: Thanks to John Martinez for the tutorial.

How To Burn X-Box 360 Games

What you need:

1. YOU NEED A MODDED XBOX 360 (FIRMWARE FLASH DRIVE).
2. USE Imgburn to burn the game iso.
3. You need DVD+DL Double Layer disc 8.5GB (recommend Verbatim disc Made in Singapore not India- cheap media i.e. HP and Memorex will cause problems).
4. You need A good DVD dual layer burner (recommend Pioneer DVR-115D)
   Always book type to DVD-ROM when burning some drive's do this auto some need to be set in the burning program.
5. You might want to defrag your hard drive first and close any other programs running when burning.
6. You should also uninstall any other burning software you have on your computer.
7. BURN AS SLOW AS YOUR DRIVE AND MEDIA WILL ALLOW 2.4x recommended.
   If you're already have a DVD burner, I recommend you update the firmware on it for better media compatibility better burns.
8. ImgBurn 2.4.1.0 gets the latest version http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

Instructions:

1. Open Imgburn. Make sure "Mode" is set to "Write"Book typing (tools>drive>change book type) set it to DVD-ROMs a Pioneer burner's do it auto.
2. Ensure that if you have more than one drive, the correct one is selected in "Destination".
3. Insert a DL DVD+R in drive let the drive spin while ImgBurn reads your blank disc.
4. Browse for, and load, the .DVD file for your game. If there is no .DVD then load the disc image [game image].iso instead.
5. The information on the left will now be filled and the layer breaks of 1913760 Will be displayed there. If it doesn't then stop and recheck everything!
6. Select burn speed burn at 2.4x, some people burn successfully at 4x.
7. You can check the "Verify" box if you want, I never do, it takes ages and you find out far quicker if there is a problem with the completed disc when you put it in the 360!
8. Click the burn icon in the bottom left corner. At 2.4x it takes about 42 minutes.
9. When the disc reaches 100%, you still have to wait for the disc to finalise. At the end of the burn you will get a small pop up box telling you the burn process has completed, simply click " OK" on the pop up box.

Source: Some obscure public forum as a result of a google search.

Photo ID

I finally went down to the AustPost office at the Northland Shopping Center and applied for a "Proof of Age" Card today. Cost me $10 and the lady at the counter said that it takes about a month for it to come through the mail. Great!

Since, I've had a lot of free time for a while, I've been involved in a lot of personal projects.

• I have completed a Linux certification. Took me more than a month to prepare for it. I should get the Certificate in the mail in 3 weeks time. Hopefully, this should secure me a real IT job. But somehow I doubt this will be enough.
• Started the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification (self-prep). From the feel of thing so far, it feels this will require just the same amount of energy and commitment as the Linux one did.
• I've done a lot of reading lately. I've read or perused a long list of books in the past week. Such books like "1984", "Moby Dick", "The Phantom Tollbooth", Dante's "Inferno", and "Midnight's Children". And I gotta tell ya, Moby Dick and Dante's Inferno are one long stories!

Website Update

Submitted a request to my web hoster for SSH access. They wanted a photo ID so I gave them my old expired Alabama Learner's permit. Hope that works. Its been more than 2 days since I gave them my photo ID. Wonder whats taking them so long. Come to think of it, I could've just scanned my passport and that would've worked as well. Why the hell didn't I do that in the first place?!!

Speaking of photo IDs, I just realized that I don't have a proper Australian Photo ID other than my Indian Passport. And I don't wanna risk carrying my passport around with me all the time. I was going to apply for a Victorian Learners Permit as a means of Identification, but then I found out theres a whole lot of procedures involved for a person with a disability to acquire one. Such as a rehab assessment by a rehab specialist. So, that plan got shot to hell. The next best thing left is to apply for a 'proof of age' card which can be used as an official form of ID. At least that's what I've been told. So, that's what I'm gonna do then.

I unregistered the http://www.obdeus.com/ domain name because it sounds dumb and it didn't exactly mean "in front of god" in Latin. So, now its just http://www.mujahidjaleel.com/.

Book

In the past week I have read a number of books that include "1984" by George Orwell aka Eric Blair.

1984 is a real masterpiece. Only some one who has lived under a totalitarian regime can really appreciate the message Orwell tries to convey. I really sympathized with Winston Smith's frustration when it came to bringing about change and how the majority (The Proles) were too dumb and primitive to even realize they were oppressed and poor because of the Party. That's how I see the majority of the people in real life --too dumb and animalistic.

The character of Julia really depressed me. She hated the Party as well but her motives were too selfish and that's the kind of people who depress me. Sure they are on the right track but their reasons to do so are so materialistic and self centered. May God curse these kind of people.

Website

The whole idea of designing a website is still pending even after 3 years since the last time I mentioned it. I even upgraded my web hosting plan to a 200GB web space and what not and still no real progress.

I need professional help and time to design something. If I can only design something so that I can list this in my resume under the Project Portfolio section then I might be able to score a real IT job and none of that level 1 tech support shit!

Dear reader, consider this blog entry an official cry for professional help!

Blogging

Well, I'm gonna take another swipe at blogging again.