How I blog

For me, blogging began as a leisure and casual pursuit and now it has become part of my job, creative activity and part of my socialisation. We are still a less connected country of 165,803,560 people (according to the June 2006 estimates) with only a few bloggers, even though the users’ base is exponentially growing. Read how I blog here. The article originally appeared in Dawn Sci Tech World.

Baloch websites banned

LAHORE: The PTA stopped access to four Baloch websites carrying material about Baloch nationalists, BBC reported on Thursday. The PTA cited “misinformation” as the reason for banning the websites, reported BBC. The banned sites are: www.balochvoice.com, www.baloch2000.org, www.sanabaloch.com and www. balochfront.com.

Yahoo accused of helping jail China Internet writer

"BEIJING, April 19 (Reuters) Yahoo Inc may have helped Chinese police to identify an Internet writer who was subsequently jailed for four years for subversion in the third such case, an advocacy group for journalists said on Wednesday.
News implicating Yahoo in the imprisonment of Jiang Lijun in 2003 surfaced on the eve of a summit between Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington. It was the third such case involving the U.S. Internet giant. Yahoo was accused of providing electronic records to Chinese authorities that led to an eight-year prison term for Li Zhi for subversion in 2003 and of helping to identify Shi Tao, who was accused of leaking state secrets abroad and jailed last year for 10 years. The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders said it had obtained a copy of the verdict showing that Yahoo! Holdings (Hong Kong) helped Chinese police to identify Jiang by confirming that the e-mail account ZYMZd2002 had been used jointly by Jiang and another pro-democracy activist Li Yibing. Yahoo could not immediately be reached for comment. The company has defended itself in the past, saying it had to abide
by local laws." How bad is that....

Herald Magazine's Overview on the Blog Ban issue

Supreme Court ban silences Pakistani bloggers
by Salman Siddiqui (Appeared in Herald magazine April issue)

Here's the unedited version:
"On 27th February, Pakistan’s Telecommunication Authority (PTA) issued instructions to all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country to block 12 websites that contained material that was termed blasphemous. Ten of the sites showed the Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), while one had lampooned Jesus and the other satirized both religious figures. However, following this action millions of websites other than the original 12 were blocked in the process.
This was caused mainly due to the blocking of one particular site address in the PTA list that was hosted on a popular server owned by Google called BlogSpot on which millions of people from around the world including Pakistan maintain weblogs or blogs. Instead of banning just that one particular address hosted on BlogSpot, Pakistan’s Internet Exchange (PIE), a subsidiary of Pakistan Telecommunications Limited, which filters 90 percent of the country’s Internet traffic, blocked all sites that ended with ‘blogspot.com’ in the site address.
With ISPs not divulging any information to confused bloggers in the days following the ban, speculations on the timing of this action, which was taken just a week before President Bush’s visit to Pakistan, was rife especially as many blogs contained anti-Musharraf views with some covering sensitive issues such as the Balochistan insurgency. An example of one such site is http://freeBaloch.blogspot.com, which is openly critical of government policies.
On March 2, it became clear that the issue behind the ban was the row over the Danish cartoons. The Supreme Court, in response to two petitions filed against the accessibility of the blasphemous cartoons on the Internet by Dr Imran Uppal and seeking registration of cases under blasphemy law by Maulvi Iqbal Haider, directed the government to block websites that contained sacrilegious cartoons. The federal government, Ministry of Telecommunication, PTA, PEMRA, Yahoo Inc. USA, and the websites themselves were cited as respondents in the petition.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudry is reported to have observed in the preliminary hearing, “We will not accept any excuse or any technical objection on this issue as it concerns sentiments of the entire Muslim Ummah”. In the next hearing on 13th March, PTA informed the court that the list of 12 sites provided by the petitioners had been blocked throughout Pakistan. On 20th March, Maulvi Haider’s counsel also asked the court to prosecute PTA for criminal negligence since the websites remained available in Pakistan for seven months and called for registration of cases under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code according to which the death sentence can be awarded to those using derogatory remarks against the holy Prophet (PBUH) by words, writing or any imputation.
Despite the ban, the 12 websites and any others ending in blogspot.com can still be viewed in Pakistan even now, since the technical nature of the Internet is such that one can use a number of tools such as proxy servers to circumvent the ban. Also, apart from those 12, there are millions of other websites that contain similar if not more offensive material that remain openly accessible; this makes the ban look ironic since sites such as the Church of Satan website which enlists devil worshippers online continues to be accessible to Pakistani netizens.
The truth is that one can’t ban all such sites because once one starts doing that, firstly the Internet speed of the entire country slows down since each website browsed by everyone at any part of the country at any time would first have to pass through a filtering process. Secondly one might ban a million website on one given day but the very next day the same or millions more new websites carrying similar offensive material might crop up and huge resources, not to forget huge funds, would have to be allocated to constantly monitor and update the blocked sites databases. Thirdly, millions of other harmless sites, such as in the current case of BlogSpot, get unnecessarily banned as a result in the process.
The fact is that moral policing, at least in the online world, doesn’t work. Ever since the Internet was launched in the country, the government tried its best to block pornographic material available online and still maintains a database running into thousands to block such sites at PIE’s end, but even now pictures from Amazing Hotties Club and the likes remain just a click away for anyone’s viewing. Unfortunately, as absurd as it may sound, the only way to ensure complete blockage of any such objectionable material online is to ban the Internet from the country altogether. But is that the right solution in the interest of the people of Pakistan? The court case continues and shall rule over that. "

How to access Blogger (.blogspot) sites

You can access your blogger blog (or any other blogger site) via www.pkblogs.com or simply www.pkblogs.com/blogname

For example spider blog (www.spiderisat.blogspot.com) can be accessed at www.pkblogs.com/spiderisat

Happy Browsing :)

The News: "Ban on 'blasphemous' websites"

The country's telecom authorities that imposed a ban last week on websites inviting people to draw blasphemous caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) have also blocked several blogs that have no connection with the cartoon controversy. "In their efficiency, PTA axed the host instead of the URLs that could easily have been blocked without causing this problem," said an IT professional working for a Karachi-based ISP, who requested anonymity, writes Ammara Durrani in The News today.

"We will not accept any excuse or technical objection on this issue because it relates to the sentiments of the entire Muslim world," Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was reported to have said while hearing two constitutional petitions seeking the blocking of websites showing "blasphemous" material on the Internet."

Discussion continues under KO's posting below.

Cartoon contest and counter-contest Online now

Holocaust cartoon gets entries

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - An Iranian newspaper's contest for cartoons about the Holocaust, launched Monday in response to a series of caricatures about the Prophet Mohammed, has already drawn at least two entries - one from Brazil and one from Australia, the paper said. Hamshahri, one of Iran's top five newspapers, said its contest was a test of the Western world's readiness to print cartoons about the Nazi slaughter of 6 million Jews in World War II. It called for cartoons under the title: ``What is the Limit of Western Freedom of Expression?''

 

Israel Launches SEO Contest Against Iran Holocaust Cartoons
In response to Iran's best-selling newspaper announcing a competition to find the best cartoons about the Holocaust, the Israel News Agency launched an SEO - Internet search engine optimization marketing contest to prevent Iran news Websites from reaching top positions in Google. "When I heard that a newspaper in Iran was now holding a cartoon contest on the Holocaust, I knew that SEO would be the most potent tool in combating it," said Joel Leyden, publisher of the Israel News Agency. "That 12 winners in Iran would have their Holocaust cartoons published and would receive two gold coins (worth about $140 each) as a prize, I donned my SEO Israel Defense Forces uniform, cocked and loaded my keyboard. There is no way that Iran will spit on the graves of over 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust."

 

An award for telecom

Dawn's Editorial in today's edition: "WITH all the conspiracy theorists predicting gloom and doom for the country, the news that Pakistan has received an international award for progress and development made in its telecommunication sector proves that all is not that bad after all. It has been awarded the Government Leadership Award 2006 beating heavyweight India, a serious contender for the award. This is no small achievement in a highly competitive field. Recognized for its “remarkable work in the field” by the competitive board of Global System of Mobile Association, Pakistan was lauded for creating a booming mobile communication sector by reducing tariffs and expanding the mobile subscribers’ base to 20 million in just three years. Pakistan hopes to increase this base to 50 million in the next three to four years. This can be achieved provided that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s planned investment of Rs 20 billion in the telecom sector during 2004-5 materializes and it receives two billion dollars over the next few years. There are many indicators to prove that the time is ripe for investment in this sector. In the last year or so, two major international mobile phone operators opened shop here and have performed well. Then there are wireless loop operators entering the market with various high-tech options once unimaginable.The mobile phone is no longer a rich man’s luxury as it was at one time but a necessity for everyone. Those in the service sector — like plumbers and electricians — are now always available on the phone and it has opened new vistas for lower-income entrepreneurs, who, through various micro-finance schemes, can use their mobile phones to attract business. This conducive environment will allow more players into the market and give consumers a wider choice of networks to choose from. Once the option of mobile number portability comes into play — allowing consumers to switch networks without changing their existing mobile numbers — service providers will have no option but to ensure their network’s reliability and coverage as on that front many companies have been deficient. For this the PTA will have to play a more effective role as a regulatory body, checking telecom companies’ poor services and ensuring that consumers’ complaints are taken seriously."

PK CDMA Forum

From Irfan Khan's SAIT-list:

 

"The main objective of the Pakistan CDMA Forum is to create awareness, encourage dialogue and promote CDMA technology and its use in Pakistan for telecom operators, broadcasters, manufacturers, software companies, government, academia and the general public. We aspire to provide, through Pakistan CDMA Forum, a platform to people to openly address their queries and provide a resource and database that will provide them accurate and reliable information about the latest news and developments in CDMA."

It takes a lot of smart people to keep launching products constantly that make consumers sit up and take notice. Apple is one such great example. They havent looked back after the iPod, and have made sure its now part of the fashion / lifestyle trends of this century, like Hafsa posted below. Apple have just released the new MacBook Pro. I was excited to read that its four times faster than G4s, but this analysis is the only thing that's stopping me from placing an order for the MacBook Pro right now. Anyone here who disagrees with the analysis?

Google Packs it

Thumbs up to Aleem's post and the ensuing dialogue since we identify with most of it. Will keep this Google post for a few days only. Would you download a Google Pack too?

In a blog entry, Google advertised why they are packing software as one--to make computing simpler. What does it contain? Google goodies [Earth, Picasa, Screensaver to display ur pics, Desktop, Toolbar, Norton for 6 months, Adware, Acrobat 7, and Mozilla. No office, yet.] Nice for school kids.

Bill Gates launches hunt for top Indian student geeks
BANGALORE, India, Dec 9 (AFP) Microsoft chairman Bill Gates launched Friday a talent hunt for India's top student technologists and urged developers to cash in on the digital age. Addressing more than 5,000 developers at the grounds of a historic palace here in India's high-tech capital, Gates said the search dubbed "Code 4 Bill" recognised India's role in nurturing technical talent.
"This is something we have never done before anywhere," Gates said. "It is aimed at pre-final and final year students. The best amongst the participants will get an opportunity to work with my Technical Assistants Team for a year. "I will get to know them. I am very excited about this," he said.
Registrations for the contest will start in January 2006 and students will be tested for their technical and analytical skills. They will also be interviewed by Microsoft technical teams. "Twenty selected students will also intern with Microsoft India before the final selection," Gates said.
India's software industry clocked revenues of more than 17 billion dollars in the last fiscal year to March 2005 and is driven by a large pool of skilled professionals working for almost one-seventh the salaries of their counterparts in the United States.

New cable link b/w UAE-PK

[WAM News agency reports] Emirates Telecommunications & Marine Services FZE- e-marine- a subsidiary of Etisalat, has announced the completion of a new submarine cable connecting UAE and Pakistan, branching to Oman. The project to lay over 1200 kms of submarine cable, awarded to e-marine by Tyco and owned by Trans World Associates (TWA), Pakistan, was completed ahead of planned schedule. Read the news item here.

PK and Iran linking via fiber optic

Pakistan and Iran have decided to establish a working group to address any operational problems ahead of building an optic fiber link between the two countries within the next one year. The decision was taken during a meeting between Minister for Information Technology Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari and Iran's deputy communication minister Kamal Mohamedpour here on Thursday.

The two countries have also decided exchange expertise and technical know-how in the area of telecom training for which officials from the both countries would visit each other to view the status of training facilities and find ways to further coordination and cooperation. Read more here: http://www.iranian.ws/iran_news/publish/article_11238.shtml

'Vignettes from Tunis': Bytesforall is at WSIS

BytesforAll team Frederick Noronha, Partha Sarker and Shahzad Ahmad are reporting on the World Summit on the Information Society.

The APC blog is your front row seat to the event where our friends are blogging as well. Partha is podcasting here.

World Bank consortium launches Web Portal to update quake damages and relief operation

The World Bank (WB) on Thursday launched an information-sharing web portal on Pakistan quake relief activities and related Information Systems for Earthquakes (RISE). The Web-Portal has been prepared in collaboration of academics, research and policy makers of US and Pakistan universities, multilateral organizations, non-governmental organizations and various government departments. It includes information about 727 villages of Muzaffarabad District and (387 of Tehsil) while 494 villages of Mansehra District(258 of Tehsil) in the largely rural North Frontier Province (NWFP) and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) in Pakistan. The portal will operate while using most recent portal technology to integrate demographic, geographical and satellite images searchable at village level and overlaid with distances from major roads and epicenter. It will continuously update information received via fax, phone, text-massaging and through www.risepak.com during 8 hours turn around.

Sue, Sue, Sue Google

More people want a piece of the $$$$ pie.

 

Authors Guild sues Google over print program

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/09/20/authors_guild_sues_g.html

The Authors Guild on Tuesday filed a class action lawsuit against search engine Google, alleging that its scanning and digitizing of library books constitutes a "massive" copyright infringement. 
 

State of e-governance in Pk

The Centre for Civic Education (CCE), with support from the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), released a report on the state of e-governance in Pakistan after conducting a thorough web watch exercise of six official and six political party websites, during the August 15 to September 15 peak local body elections period. Their verdict? E-governance still in fluid state.

More Google News

This past week, Google has been interconnecting a lot of its affiliates with Google - Orkut users now have to login via their Gmail address, and Google's just launched the Google Blog Search, a search box to it has also been provided on the main page - Yahoo for Google! ;)

PTCL charging ISPs 15% CED, violating CBR rules

I nearly missed this new one from Imran Ayub at Daily Times: "In a recent move, the ISPs have approached the Central Board of Revenue, disclosing that the PTCL has been charging 15 percent CED on the broadband DSL service, violating the CBR rules and the government policy." Read the entire news item here: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_30-8-2005_pg5_1