Zero Pixels

With the knowledge that Google Nexus One has touch interface issues, I bought one. The reason ? 

1) Since google is pulling the plug on the store, these N1’s are Limited Edition Phones Now

2) Android platform is gaining momentum and cannot be ignored

3) I am too much into Apple Fanboy Sandbox

4) Nexus one will get the latest Android OS updates. I do not have to wait for Phone Manufacturers to push me the updates. 

5) No other phone is available unlocked !

6) iPad is SOLD OUT… None to buy 

Now it is time to check out Android …  

Today, I ran into strange issues with my iPhoto and iTunes in my Macbook Pro. iTunes refused to start and iPhoto will crash if I try to import pictures. Bizarre .. I searched right and left to fix the error .  I even created a new user to see if it was corrupt user account. It would not start ! 

The only option for me was reinstallation and I started backing up the application and files.

Meanwhile I stumbled upon a forum talking about Flip4Mac and some compatibility issues. I was not sure if it had anything to do with my case. Anyway I uninstalled Flip4Ma. Ta da … Fixed !  … 

Guess who supports Flip4Mac to run WMV files in Quicktime  … YES MICRO$OFT !!

And as I recollect .. Earlier today I ran a .wmv file in Quick time… Never again M$ …

Drupal is powerless without it’s contributed modules. There are thousands of modules to pick from. It becomes hard to choose the best ones. Of course there are some must use modules to any drupal install like CCK,Views, Pathauto etc. Deborah Fuzetto did a session during Drupalcon on her Top 100 Drupal Modules.

Please note that around 70 Modules are added to Drupal 7 core. So many modules will come to you by default with Drupal 7 .Still this is a good list.

100 Modules
Some of these modules fall into multiple categories but are only listed in one.

Views

Views - The Views module provides a flexible method for displaying content. http://drupal.org/project/views

Calendar - display any Views date field in calendar formats http://drupal.org/project/calendar
Views Bonus – a group of modules that expands views functionality http://drupal.org/project/views_bonus
Views Excel Export - export Views data to Excel http://drupal.org/project/views_export_xls
Views Bulk Operations - bulk operations to be executed on the nodes displayed by a view (delete all) http://drupal.org/project/views_bulk_operations
Views Gallery – Photo gallery feature http://drupal.org/project/views_gallery
Views Attach - provides two additional Views display plugins, “Profile” and “Node content”. These displays do not display on a page but get “attached” to either a user page or nodes of specified types. http://drupal.org/project/views_attach
Views Rotator – rotate through view items (good for ads) http://drupal.org/project/views_rotator
Views Slideshow - slideshow of any content (look related modules) http://drupal.org/project/views_slideshow
Views Carousel – slideshow based on the jCarousel jQuery plugin http://drupal.org/project/viewscarousel

Read More

I run into too many blogs like ” 10 things to do after Ubuntu Install” , “5 Must have applications to Install”, ” Make your Ubuntu play MP3 and other restricted file types et etc. 

The ONLY application I install to get all of these installed is “Ubuntu-Tweak”. Seriously, you just need that. 

Feature list includes .. 

1. Install ALL necessary softwares. You can pick and choose what you want.
2. The latest updates of all the installed applications
3. Clean the junk files
4. Make all Multimedia Restricted files run 
5. View Basic System Information(Distribution, Kernel, CPU, Memory, etc.)
6. GNOME Session Control
7. Auto Start Program Control
8. Show/Hide desktop icons or Mounted Volumes
9. Show/Hide/Rename Computer, Home, Trash icon or Network icon
10. Tweak Metacity Window Manager’s Style and Behavior
11. Compiz Fusion settings, Screen Edge Settings, Window & Menu Effects
12. GNOME Panel Settings
13. Nautilus Settings (The file manager like Explorer in Windows, Finder in Mac)
14. Advanced Power Management Settings
15. System Security Settings
16. Compiz (Google it or find it in Youtube, Yummy)

I can go on singing praises of Ubuntu-Tweak. Go ahead and try it.

How to Win Friends and Influence People is one of the first bestselling self-help books ever published. Written by Dale Carnegie and first published in 1936, it has sold 15 million copies globally. It has been said that after Bible, this book has sold the maximum number of copies.

Leon Shimkin of the publishing firm Simon & Schuster took one of the 14-week courses given by Carnegie in 1934. Shimkin persuaded Carnegie to let a stenographer take notes from the course to be revised for publication. In 1981 a new revised edition updated the language and updated anecdotes.The revised edition reduced the number of sections from 6 to 4, eliminating sections on effective business letters and improving marital satisfaction.

Major sections and points

The book has six major sections. The core principles of each section are quoted below.

Fundamental Techniques in Handling People

1. Don’t criticize, condemn or complain.
2. Give honest and sincere appreciation.
3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.

Six Ways to Make People Like You

1. Become genuinely interested in other people.
2. Smile.
3. Remember that a man’s Name is to him the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
5. Talk in the terms of the other man’s interest.
6. Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely.

Twelve Ways to Win People to Your Way of Thinking

1. Avoid arguments.
2. Show respect for the other person’s opinions. Never tell someone they are wrong.
3. If you’re wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
4. Begin in a friendly way.
5. Start with questions the other person will answer yes to.
6. Let the other person do the talking.
7. Let the other person feel the idea is his/hers.
8. Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view.
9. Sympathize with the other person.
10. Appeal to noble motives.
11. Dramatize your ideas.
12. Throw down a challenge.

Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment

1. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
2. Call attention to other people’s mistakes indirectly.
3. Talk about your own mistakes first.
4. Ask questions instead of directly giving orders.
5. Let the other person save face.
6. Praise every improvement.
7. Give them a fine reputation to live up to.
8. Encourage them by making their faults seem easy to correct.
9. Make the other person happy about doing what you suggest.

Courtesy: Ramakrishnan