Prakash Advani's Blog

What’s a plug computer?

• Small ARM Based Computer
• Runs Linux and other OS: Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Gentoo and FreeBSD
• Consumes just 2  watts of power
• Can be kept always on to run those long nightly downloads such as Torrents
• Can you used for any application that requires an always on computer
• Access through browser or shell
• Has USB, Ethernet and SD Card.
• And yes costs $99

More photos

For more information check plugcomputer.org

Canon has launched a new 18 Megapixel Digital Camera. I don’t know if Megapixel matter anymore unless you are going to print large banners. Anyways here is the specs.

• 18 Megapixel
• 1080p HD Video recording at 30fps
• 8 Frames aper second continuous shooting
• Environmental sealing for those harsh environments: Beaches, Deserts and dusty places.
• Metallic Body
• CF Card (wonder why they didn’t standardise on SD)
• 19 Focal points
• Live View
• Built in Flash and optional external flashes
• HDMI Connectivity
• Weight 820g
• Option for Battery Grip (for extra batteries) or Wireless Grip which can directly upload to an FTP server or even have GPS capabilities.

Advantage over Nikon D300s

• 18 Megapixel vs. 12 Migapixel of Nikon D300s
• Full HD Video 1080p, Nikon D300s only support 720p

Nikon 300s Advantage

• 51 Focal Points vs 19 of Canon 7D
• Dual Card slot: CF and SD, Canon only support CF

Many of us (this includes me , often complain that we don’t have enough money, we don’t earn well, we are poor and so on. This is called poverty thinking cause we may not actually be poor, we just think we are.

Now this statistics may come as a surprise to you.

If your annual income is US$10,000 and you thought you were poor? Think again. You are actually richer than 87 percent of the world population. Now this gets even more interesting.

If your annual income is US$50,000 then you are in the top 1% richest person in the world, better off than 99 percent of the world!

So stop complaining, and start living .

See this site to see how rich you are. This has been blogged earlier.

Vyatta is providing a Linux based Networking routers and equipments to compete with Cisco. All their software is open source and they have very competitive pricing. Seem to also have an impressive customer list so far including Toyota, Rackspace and Boeing.

Forget what Microsoft wants you to believe, Linux is a success on Netbooks. The cat is out of the bag.

ABI Research is projecting that in 2009 Linux will represent 32 percent of netbook sales, far higher than the seven percent figure claimed by Microsoft, says a report. ABI also estimates that Linux will overtake Windows on netbooks by 2013, largely due to sales in less-developed countries.

Read More

Ubuntu that it launched last week, to penetrate markets such as India where an impending launch of third generation (3G) services is expected to make cloud computing accessible to individual users.

I have been quoted in this article in The Mint:

Prakash Advani, partner and manager, central Asia, at Canonical, said once broadband connectivity improves through 3G networks, Ubuntu’s built-in cloud capabilities will popularize it among computer users as well as businesses.

Read the complete article.

IT budget cuts, an improved ecosystem and more maturity have boosted the demand for open source applications in Indian enterprises.

Read this article.

I have been quoted in this article.

It’s benefits like these that have changed the attitude of enterprises towards open source solutions. Opines Prakash Advani, Partner Manager for Central Asia, Canonical, “Initially there was a certain amount of resistance (towards open source) due to user resistance to change, but this has changed in the recent past.”

Dr. Nagarjuna, Founder of Gnowledge and Director FSF India, shared this very interesting app.

It creates a dependency map for any Debian package.

It can also create similar maps for any concept not just packages..

Now this opens up a whole new opportunities to graphically represent many ideas and concepts. Ff someone wants to track the email workflows within the organisation, this can be used. For example if A sent an email to B and B forwarded to C &D, this application can show A how the email is flowing within the organisation and show roadblocks.

And yes this app is Open Source/Free Software, released under GPL.

Ubuntu is an increasingly popular version of Linux today, and it seems easier for new users to sink their teeth into this free operating system with each new release.

I have been quoted in this article in the Hindu:

It is this focus on the ease-of-use factor that has contributed to Ubuntu’s popularity. Prakash Advani, partner manager, Central Asia at Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, said a survey conducted last year revealed that India accounted for the largest number of Ubuntu server users among the various countries surveyed.

Read the complete article.

Prof. Rahul De of Indian Institute of Management Bangalore has carried out this study.

Economic Impact of Free and Open Source Software – A Study in India.

The study has reached out different organisations and has documented to total amount that they saved after moving to Free and Open Source software.

I have been using the Flipbac with the Olympus E-P1. This is a great product to use, if you have a camera with a Fixed LCD and want some flexibility.

If you already have an LCD Protector film installed, you need to first remove it.

Advantages:

• Acts as an LCD Protection
• Provides flexibility to take pictures at different angles
• Can move Horizontal and Vertical as well

Limitations:

Is not a replacement for a Varied Angle LCD which you can flip around.

• Image is inverted in the reflection of Flipbac, so takes a while getting used to it.
• good for partial views, not complete views.

I ordered off their website. The good thing was they charge the same amount to delivery anywhere in the world. I put my India address and voila, after 2 weeks it showed up.