My SpaceLeSs

Paint.NET on Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon)

2008-07-02T15:11:00.005+08:00

I was able to install Paint.NET on a Linux, an Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon). My first attempt was on an Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn) which failed. It seems that the mono package was outdated.

It can be done with a few simple steps:

$ sudo apt-get install mono-common libmono* mono-gmcs
$ svn co http://paint-mono.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/src paint-mono
$ cd paint-mono
$ ./configure
$ make
$ make install
$ paintdotnet

The first line installs the needed Debian packages, the second downloads the Paint.NET source code, and lines 3 to 6 compile and install Paint.NET from the source code. To execute the program, simply follow line 7 in executing it from the command-line.

Based on the command-line execution, I made a shortcut on my desktop so it will be easy to start Paint.NET.

Too Many Tweets

2008-07-01T12:49:00.002+08:00

Three times today Twitter responded with an overload. Perhaps the developers did not anticipate the number of people that sign up to the service to be so many. Social media marketing is a growing trend right now, and some people may use it not for personal connections but for business relationships. Whichever the case, these guys who maintain the network better get ready for the volume of sign-ups.

Bill Walks Out the Gates

2008-06-30T17:17:00.005+08:00

Bill Gates, Microsoft's Chairman, bids farewell. I quote,

The geeks at Microsoft mourn his departure. The Ballmer-Gates dynamic duo will now be a solo flight.

Personally, I'm not a Microsoft fan, though I'm grateful for everything I've learned from MS-DOS to Windows. Will Bill Gate's move gain more ground for open source?

Friendster FENGSHEN

2008-06-30T17:10:00.003+08:00

As I was browsing through my Friendster account, I came across a call for support for those of us in the Philippines that have been affected by typhoon Frank (FENGSHEN). I'd like to thank in advance everyone on Friendster who will support and send help to the victims here in Iloilo City, Philippines.

Iloilo IT Week 2008: Postponed

2008-06-30T17:01:00.004+08:00

Iloilo City, Philippines. I have been informed by the Iloilo Federation for Information Technology (IFIT) that due to the calamity which hit the whole of Iloilo province and city the IFIT board has decided to postpone the I.T. Week scheduled on June 24 - 27, 2008 at Gaisano City Mall, Lapaz, Iloilo City.

They will inform us regarding the next schedule as soon as it is available.

In case you haven't heard about the typhoon "Frank" (International code name "FENGSHEN") hitting my city, take a look at this video:

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For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

GCF Free Learning

2008-06-20T17:03:00.005+08:00

Here's a web site that offers free short courses on blogging, everyday life, Math and money, and computer training. I took lessons on money management, even taking the test to see where I'm at with my budgeting. According to the money quiz results,

"You tend to be fairly responsible with your money, but you need to work on some of your habits. Read the lessons on the course to help you strengthen your money management."

Guess what? There's even a Spanish version if you click on the "Spanish" link at the footer.

ClustrMaps was Down

2008-06-20T12:48:00.001+08:00

Yesterday, my ClustrMaps became black and white. They were down for a while, probably due to maintenance.

So for this service has been useful in tracking the amount of traffic that goes into my site.

ScribeFire for Firefox

2008-06-20T12:43:00.007+08:00

Blog on-the-fly as Firefox allows this plug-in for your browser! Simply open a window for making new posts as you surf. This makes it easier to copy and paste content without having to switch browser windows or tabs.

I'm trying this out even as I'm writing this post. I encircled in red where the plug-in appears in my browser:

Firefox 3 Download Day

2008-06-19T16:59:00.006+08:00

June 17, 2008. Firefox attempted to set the Guiness' World Record for the most number of downloads in 24 hours. I pledged first, then they emailed me a link so I can download Firefox 3.

Last I checked, they're just waiting for the Guiness review. I quote:

"Awesome work - we’re almost there!

Thanks to the support of the always amazing Mozilla community, we got more than 8 million Firefox 3 downloads in 24 hours. That’s more Firefox downloads than we’ve ever had in a single day -- an impressive feat indeed!

Please be patient while the good people of Guinness review our World Record attempt. This might take a few days so please check back here. And, a huge thanks for all of your support!"

In the Philippines, there have been 38,397 downloads. I just checked.

Zend PHP 5 Exam: Failed

2008-06-11T22:24:00.005+08:00

June 6, 2008. I took the real test for the Zend PHP 5 Certification. My test center was MISNet in Makati, Philippines.

I got to the test center with time to spare which I spent reviewing with my friend who accompanied me to the venue. I took the test which lasted an hour and a half (90 minutes). I was able to review most of my answers, and was confident of all the answers I gave. None was left incomplete.

Still, my best wasn't enough. Some of the questions were very tricky. For example, you are given four possible answers and you have to choose the best one. None of them would be considered "wrong" in terms of code usage, but only one is the best and correct answer. Another example is that there are four correct answers and you have to choose two of the best answers. There's also subtle differences I saw with regard to the choices, and even when looking at code, it seems that they deliberately placed a syntax error in one of them that I overlooked somehow. I will not be disclosing any of the questions here since there's a non-disclosure agreement that I promised to follow.

They don't give you the raw score or even let you know the passing score. But they do print out the areas where you can see your level of strength. I got a high score for Streams and Network Programming, as well as Strings and Patterns. I scored medium in Functions, Arrays, and Web Features. I got a low score in Security, PHP 4/5 Differences, Object-Oriented Programming, PHP Basics, and Databases and SQL.

I read somewhere that the practice tests were harder than the real test. But in this case, I don't find that to be true. I passed two practice tests (via the Vulcan engine) and failed the real test. You can read my previous posts regarding my practice tests.

Zend offered me a discount for a retake. Instead of paying $125, this time I can take the test for $100 only. But I doubt I will be doing that anytime soon. This test has shown me that to pass the exam I need to know PHP inside out, and not just in its practical usage in web development but its architecture and configuration as well. I may need more time to study. And I don't really need that kind of knowledge if I'm just gonna work as a PHP programmer starting out in the industry, at least not in the junior and mid-level. Besides those, PHP 6 is scheduled to come out in August this year, and they might change the exam altogether. So I'll wait and see.

Are you ready to take the test?

Goosh - Google Shell?

2008-06-03T17:35:00.008+08:00

Goosh - the unofficial Google shell. I came across this software when someone in a community that I'm part of, PHPUGPH (PHP User Group Philippines Inc.), gave a link to Goosh.

For a Linux user, I like the interface that the shell has:

It might remind you of the old MS-DOS or BASH shell. You can type the keywords you are searching for on-the-fly. No GUI, no text boxes. Just plain text, old-school style.

I tried searching my name, and it produced a short list:

guest@goosh.org:/web> RJ Alobba
1) Writer's Tongue: October 2007
Christian writings written by RJ Alobba for wholesome reading. ... RJ Alobba. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of ...
http://radicalpoet.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html

2) Jesus Freaks: 3rd World Radicals: Baggages
Blog by RJ Alobba on radical Christians, also called Jesus Freaks, ... RJ Alobba. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of ...
http://www.jesusfreaks.co.cc/2007/10/baggages.html

3) ==Everything is BEAUTIFUL==
Nothing. Let's keep our eyes on Him, and just when you think you're falling, He catches you. - RJ Alobba. http://www.kristiyanongpinoy.com ...
http://yzzzzzzzzzzzz.multiply.com/feed.rss

4) Jesus Freaks: 3rd World Radicals: More Graduation Pictures
Ang kagalang-galang na si RJ Alobba. Congratulations po... 10:14 PM · Post a Comment · Newer Post Older Post Home. Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) ...
http://radical3rdworld.blogspot.com/2006/09/more-graduation-pictures.html

Comparing it to Google's search results, they're not the same. Here are the first few results from Google (You can download the screenshot for clarity):

I'm not sure how Goosh works, but it seems to rank pages differently than Google. Still, it seems to be a useful tool.

To try it out, visit http://goosh.org/.

Joomla! Day Philippines

2008-06-03T17:23:00.006+08:00

Joomla! Day Philippines is on its way!

Mark June 14, 2008 on your calendar. It's the 1st ever Joomla! Day in the Philippines.

The Philippines is set to witness the next biggest event for the month of June besides Independence Day. On June 14, 2008, Filipino webmasters and amateurs alike will converge at the Engineering Library and Computer Science Building, Velaquez Street, UP Campus, Diliman, Quezon City to liberate not just Filipinos but every single individual in cyberspace. The event is dubbed as Joomla! Day Philippines.

Since knowledge in computer technology assures individual a competitive edge in the 21st century, Joomla! Day Philippines is indeed as remarkable event for Filipinos as Independence Day (June 12). Joomla! is an award-winning free open source content management system (CMS) enabling professionals and amateurs to build and administer feature-rich, powerful web sites without having to have an extensive knowledge of web programming languages. It is designed to power simple personal homepages as well as complex corporate web applications.

Come June 14, 2008, Filipinos online will once again express its commitment to the free software movement with the holding of the first-ever Joomla! Day Philippines – a great opportunity to learn and network with other Joomla! users and developers in the country. The conference will be attended by representatives from the Joomla! Core Team and Working Group, representatives from non-governmental organizations, local government units, and the business sector. Joomla! Day Philippines is another good reason to celebrate freedom after Philippine Independence Day. Don't remove the Philippine flags just yet until June 14.

Personally, I will not be able to go. There's just no budget and time for this right now. But if I was to go, I think this will really be a great opportunity.

For more information, visit http://www.joomla.org.ph/

Zend PHP 5 Exam Preparation - Part 2

2008-06-03T17:03:00.005+08:00

At this time, it's three days before my actual exam.

A friend bought me a voucher for the Zend PHP 5 Certification exam, and I received it through email from zend.com. I also was able to book my exam online at Vue, and confirmed it by phone that the test center has received my booking. My test center is MISNet Inc. in Makati, Philippines. They require you to have two valid IDs with signatures when you walk in, along with the voucher. But I had to verify if I can use my passport since the new passports only have an electronic ID system and no longer store the handwritten signatures of the passport owners. MISNet said it was okay. So I'll be bringing my company ID and my passport to the test center.

I also bought Cebu Pacific round-trip plane tickets online, so my flight is booked and confirmed for June 5. Another friend is gonna help me get to the test center -- I've never been to it, and I don't live in Makati.

I took another practice test online using the Vulcan simulator. This time, there were differences to my last practice test results:

I have less excellent scores now. In Arrays as well as PHP 4/5 Differences, I failed this time where I was once excellent. But I also have less failing marks this time. I passed Database Access and XML & Web Services this time around, where I failed the last time.

I studied in the areas I was weak in, and by God's grace I know I'm ready to take the test.

Bloggerwave Makes Money

2008-06-02T12:33:00.005+08:00

If you want to make money from blogging on your blog, Bloggerwave helps you to do just that. Do you have a blog and want to make some extra money? Then Bloggerwave gives you the opportunity. Bloggerwave is aiming to be Europe's biggest advertising media on blogs and you can help us grow so more and more jobs will come.

Advertisers and publishers alike will benefit from this service, so sign up now and make money!

Philippine Open Source Summit

2008-05-27T12:45:00.004+08:00

The Philippine Open Source Summit will be held from June 23-24, 2008 in Cebu, Philippines, with the theme “Understanding the Business Value of Open Source”. Continuity with the past -- Cebu ICT 2005 to 2007; and, moving strategically towards the future, this annual gathering of ICT local and global stakeholders shall henceforth be guided by the Cebu Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Industry Development Blueprint laid down at the 2nd Cebu ICT Strategy Summit of 2006.

The 2nd Cebu ICT Strategy Summit held in May 2006 was an “internal strategic planning retreat” among the key stakeholders of Cebu’s ICT industry, with the primary objective of mapping out the roadmap of Cebu’s ICT Industry from 2006 to 2011. It took on the theme “Defining the Tasks Ahead for a UnITed Cebu” as a testament to the sincere hope in the unifying power of a shared vision for ICT. The strategy summit aimed to “take stock of things” in order for Cebu stakeholders --- from the industry, academe, government, and non-government sectors --- to even more cohesively “pull the cart” in the same direction.

The Philippine Open Source Summit also seeks to further enhance the rapidly growing support for Open Source systems and software in Asia, which links the event to the thrusts of Cebu ICT 2005 and 2007. The Lead Organizers, the Local Implementing Partners, and, the Corporate Partners of the Philippine Open Source Summit shall strategically collaborate with their counterparts among the proponents of the Asia Open Source Conference & Showcase which is also scheduled to take place in Cebu in October 2008.

Among many other concerns, through both the plenary and breakout sessions, the participants will find answers to the following vital questions --

How can mainstream organizations best manage the selection, adoption, and management of Open Source software within their ICT strategies?
How can Open Source software be integrated into existing ICT strategies for maximum return on investment?
What are the business factors that are driving Open Source adoption across many markets and industries?
What inhibitors exist to potentially limit the value of Open Source in conventional ICT strategies? How can IT organizations navigate around these challenges?
What are the key selection criteria in evaluating Open Source software projects and vendors to maximize ROI and minimize risk? What markets will be most heavily impacted by Open Source software and when?
How will Open Source software change the way commercial software vendors develop and support products in the future?
Which Open Source products have the most significant impact today across markets and what trends can we expect within the next several years?

Top Executives - CEOs, COOs, CIOs, CFOs of ICT companies involved with Open Source decisions from all industries;
IT leaders and stakeholders from Government, Industry, Academe, and NGOs
Senior Executives - VPs, Marketing Directors, Customer Service Managers, R&D Heads, Product Sales Directors and Managers, HR Directors of ICT corporations;
Heads of applications and software infrastructure, integration and development managers, software project managers, technical architects, web technologists, application developers, database and data managers;
Trainers, instructors and IT practitioners; systems integrators and resellers; and team leaders of ICT and IT-Enabled services firms; and,
Independent software vendors and IT consultants

For more information, visit http://oss.ph/index.html

PHPUGPH Event: tri{php}letreat@USAutoPartsPhilippines

2008-05-22T12:24:00.000+08:00

A triple treat! The PHP User Group Philippines, Inc. (PHPUGPH) in cooperation with US Auto Parts Network (Philippines) Corp. has organized an event that focuses on web development, security, and marketing. It will be held on May 24, 2008, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, at the US Auto Parts Network (Philippines) Corp. (formerly MBSTek) Training Room, 6/F RCC Center, 104 Shaw Blvd., Pasig City (Near Jade Palace), Philippines.

Topics:

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Riz Sanchez, SEO Manager, US Auto Parts Network (Philippines) Corp.

Model-View-Controller (MVC) 101: A Web Development Architecture
Reynold Lariza, Web Development Supervisor, Glocorp IT Solutions, Inc.

Web Application Security by Example
Richard Peter Ong, Lead Developer, Internal Projects, SysIQ Inc.

Event Fee:

PHP 350.00 for early birds paid and with resume.
PHP 450.00 for early birds paid without resume.

* all inclusive of snacks and lunch *

Note:
Limited seats, good only for 35 slots. First come, first serve basis. Registration is open until May 22, 2008. Your registration expires if no payment is made within 2 days.

Payment Details:

All payments must be made within 2 days after online registration through bank deposit.
Bank account details are listed below:

Bank: BPI Family Savings Bank
Account No: 6006-6267-67
Account Name: Cherrie Ann B. Domingo

Scanned deposit slips should be sent to chean_AT_phpugph.com for payment confirmation.

Contact Us:

For more details or any other inquiries, kindly contact Cherrie Ann B. Domingo at: +639178652412(Mobile), (632) 7253053(Office), chean_AT_phpugph.com(E-mail).

Registration:

While waiting for official PHPUGPH.COM registration page please register on this temporary link

My Twitter

2008-05-09T15:04:00.001+08:00

Today I signed up on Twitter. You can actually see my Twitter data on the right sidebar of this page.

Zend PHP 5 Exam Preparation

2008-05-05T21:01:00.000+08:00

For a few months now, I've been preparing and studying to take the Zend PHP 5 Certification exam. That's the official PHP test. I even bought my personal copy the Zend PHP 5 Certification Study Guide. My copy is at home, while I also have the PDF on my laptop and another hard copy at the office that were bought by my boss as the company's copies. These you can get online from Zend as well as from Amazon and php|architect.

I've read through the study guide twice, discovered a lot of errors, even with the errata, and tried to remember all that I have read. I even tried out most of the codes in the book. Last I checked, they recently released a second edition.

Finally, I bought practice tests from php|architect. Some I sold to my friends, but some I reserved for me. The practice tests are simulated by Vulcan, and below you will see what Vulcan looks like. This is the page that displays before you start the practice test:

I was able to answer the practice test before the time ran out. I made a lot of errors but managed to pass. This is a joy for me since the practice test is actually more difficult than the actual test. Still, I've discovered the areas I need to review on and perhaps do some practice coding on. Below are the results of my practice test:

90 minutes, 70 questions. Just like the real test. ARE YOU REAADDY?

PayPal Philippines Can Receive Now - Part 5

2008-04-21T18:40:00.000+08:00

Adding a bank account to your Philippine PayPal account will save a lot of money on withdrawals. It will cost 50 pesos for withdrawals less than 7,000 pesos, and nothing for withdrawals over 7,000 pesos. If you withdraw using your credit /debit card, it will cost 5 U.S. dollars (that's about 42 x 5 = 210 pesos).

I wanted to know if my Unionbank EON could be used as a bank account to withdraw funds. So I called the toll-free number, and I found out that it is also a savings account. The account number provided which is different from the debit card number is the number you need to use to register EON as a bank account. You'll see it placed below your name on the card. And make sure you have the Unionbank bank code as well. It's 010419995.

PayPal Philippines Can Receive Now - Part 4

2008-04-14T17:58:00.000+08:00

I finally verified my PayPal account. After I opened an account with Unionbank, I waited some time before I can withdraw money from it. I was able to immediately deposit an amount of PHP 500.00, and some time later change my pin, but I had to wait longer for the withdrawal restriction to be lifted.

When my withdrawal restriction was lifted, I was able to link my PayPal account to my Unionbank debit card. PayPal charged me with 1.95 USD for this. But they promised to return the money once I entered the 4-digit PayPal code.

Before 4-digit code was entered

After 4-digit code was entered

I was also able to create an EON Cyber Account where I can check my account portfolio online. I was disappointed that after I was able to login, the PayPal code wasn't there. I later realized that it would never appear there anyway, since it's a debit card account. Upon a friend's advice, I called Unionbank's toll-free number. I waited for probably about 20 minutes until a customer service representative answered my call. I was able to obtain my 4-digit PayPal code, and today I completely verified my account. PayPal says they will refund my 1.95 USD, but it can take up to 24 hours.

Practical Programming

2008-03-25T11:52:00.000+08:00

Recently, I gave lectures in three schools, as a guest speaker. I lectured on the same topic entitled "Practical Programming", and I represented the company I work for, Eversun Software Philippines Corporation. I made a screencast version of my lecture and posted it to youtube. Here it is:

PayPal Philippines Can Receive Now - Part 3

2008-03-10T20:31:00.000+08:00

I found out that you can verify your account in Paypal using not a credit card, but a Union Bank debit card. This is possible through the use of EON, an electronic bank account that you can use anywhere online. You can apply for EON online or through your local Union Bank.

I applied for EON and it's still being processed. It takes about five working days to process.

Amazon Kindle

2008-02-15T12:52:00.000+08:00

One of the gadgets that may be useful to geeks is the Kindle. It allows you to view ebooks, blogs, and news while you're on the go. It can even connect to the Internet. More than that, it's just the size of a pocketbook. This is something I want to have someday, so I can read more and more.

PayPal Philippines Can Receive Now - Part 2

2008-02-15T12:45:00.000+08:00

In my last post, I noted that PayPal in the Philippines can now receive money. Now they added a new feature that allows withdrawal from Filipino bank accounts. I received this email and to me it seems that PayPal in the Philippines has been fully launched. This is another sign of progress in the IT industry of the country.

Goodbye, Netscape

2008-01-17T22:03:00.000+08:00

As I was working, I came across a headliner for every geek who has been geeky since the late 90s:

Netscape Is Dead

AOL has now officially announced that they will end the development and support of all Netscape browsers.

After February 1 2008, there will be no more development, support, or security patches for Navigator 9, or any previous Netscape Navigator browsers.

Users are advised to stop using the browser.

I remember back in my college days when I saw a computer technician with a shirt whose design was a tombstone with the engraving "C:\" and at least a portion of the shirt reads "DOS is dead". Change can be nostalgic or even painful. Some people might have been very angry with Bill Gates for releasing Windows 95.

Around that same time, a web browser called Netscape Navigator became popular. I remember that it was my favorite web browser when I was just learning to surf the web back in the late 90's. Netscape had a competitor called Microsoft Internet Explorer, and these two were at rivalry with each other. Netscape lost most of its share of usage to Internet Explorer during the first browser war. In 1999, Netscape Communications Corporation (the company) was acquired by AOL. During this time, Netscape started to distribute their product as open-source software under a new name: Mozilla. AOL played a significant role in the launch of the Netscape 6 browser, the first Mozilla-based, Netscape-branded browser that was released in 2000 and continued to solely fund the development and marketing efforts of Netscape-branded browsers.

With the dawn of Mozilla's Firefox browser, Netscape will be fading away to hand over the reins to Firefox. The Netscape Team fully stands behind the fine work being done by the Mozilla Foundation. It was recently announced by Tom Drapeau, director of AOL's Netscape Brand, that the company would stop supporting Netscape software products as of February 1st, 2008. They will continue to release security patches for the current version of the browser, Netscape Navigator until February 1, 2008. After February 1, there will be no more active product support for Navigator 9, or any previous Netscape Navigator browser. This includes Netscape v1-v4.x, Netscape v6, Netscape v7 Suite, Netscape Browser v8, and Netscape Navigator/Messenger 9.

For sentimental 90s geeks, you can make your Firefox look like Netscape by the add-on found in:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/user/56836

SeaMonkey, a Mozilla-related project, also looks a bit like Netscape.

Netscape has finished well. What a clean exit.

References: