Something to look forward to in a dull and extremely humid day. Finally I too can now get 10 MB email attachments.
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Monday, June 14, 2004
Interesting Infrastructure States, an add-on
Got email from a traveler Bear Falugo who intends traveling to Pakistan from China through Khunjerab. Part of it reads, “Shall I be able to use the Internet in Pakistan.”
Reports
Now this is amusing. Sometimes, the obtuseness of Americans as a whole stuns me.
This here isn't much better.
And when I read this, I wish that the parachute hadn't opened. If only because I'd like to see a war on "Iraqi parachutes of mass destruction manufactured by Al-Qaeda".
This here isn't much better.
And when I read this, I wish that the parachute hadn't opened. If only because I'd like to see a war on "Iraqi parachutes of mass destruction manufactured by Al-Qaeda".
'The Web'::Special report in TNS
Here's something refereshing [sarcasm intended].
The News on Sunday's special report looks at 'Computer Lifestyle'.
Lots of interesting angles and masala to explore.
Special report: The Web [imaginatively titled ;~)]
Comments?
The News on Sunday's special report looks at 'Computer Lifestyle'.
Lots of interesting angles and masala to explore.
Special report: The Web [imaginatively titled ;~)]
Comments?
Haj Data to be made available online
Haj data to be made available Online: According to our religious affairs minister Ijaz-ul-Haq (Can anyone explain how this a** became the 'religious affairs' minister? I wonder if he has ever even prayed in his lifetme.)that experts from Saudi Arabia will soon be visiting Pakistan soon to connect Madina Munawara with Peshawar, Quetta, Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad through networking and the data of all Hujaj will available on Internet. No date has been specified as to when all of this will be happeneing though.
Cyber Cafe news: Misuse of Power
Think twice before entering a cyber cafe now. Chances are you'll be picked by the government hounds on some stupid charges. Just read what happened to our friends at the Peshawer University.
Asia Pacific Media Network :: PAKISTAN: Students, newsman held at cyber cafe: "PAKISTAN: Students, newsman held at cyber cafe
Local police on Tuesday arrested some students, including girls, and a local journalist from a cyber cafe on the Peshawar University campus
Dawn
Thursday, June 10, 2004
PESHAWAR, June 9: Local police on Tuesday arrested some students, including girls, and a local journalist from a cyber cafe on the Peshawar University campus. The campus police arrested the students and the newsman, Mujeeb Khan, when they were busy in their routine work.
Later, they were released on the intervention of senior police officers. NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has suspended the officials involved in the arrests - an ASI Mehr Ali and Head Constable Alamzaib. He was informed about the incident during his visit to the Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday evening. "
Asia Pacific Media Network :: PAKISTAN: Students, newsman held at cyber cafe: "PAKISTAN: Students, newsman held at cyber cafe
Local police on Tuesday arrested some students, including girls, and a local journalist from a cyber cafe on the Peshawar University campus
Dawn
Thursday, June 10, 2004
PESHAWAR, June 9: Local police on Tuesday arrested some students, including girls, and a local journalist from a cyber cafe on the Peshawar University campus. The campus police arrested the students and the newsman, Mujeeb Khan, when they were busy in their routine work.
Later, they were released on the intervention of senior police officers. NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has suspended the officials involved in the arrests - an ASI Mehr Ali and Head Constable Alamzaib. He was informed about the incident during his visit to the Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday evening. "
PSEB's Internship Project
PSEB has taken the initiative to act as the middle tier between the software industry and academic institutions. In the first phase, PSEB plans to place 1000 students from 75 different universities and institutions in the local software industry. The website has a listing of students who have done internships through them.
The project appears to be quite old but I recently got to know about it. By the way... Hi all!
The project appears to be quite old but I recently got to know about it. By the way... Hi all!
Henry Olanga to release his music album online
Remeber Henry Olanga from the Zimbabwe cricket team, famous more for his wierd hairdos than his cricketing skill? Well what do you know...he's planning to start his music career sometime later this year now and will be releasing the tracks online.
:-)
Redemption song - [Sunday Herald]: "this engaging fellow, whose album of classical arias (and R�n�B) will be released via the internet this year, has a habit of hitting the right note, in contrast to those who have let Zimbabwe�s malady linger on. "
:-)
Redemption song - [Sunday Herald]: "this engaging fellow, whose album of classical arias (and R�n�B) will be released via the internet this year, has a habit of hitting the right note, in contrast to those who have let Zimbabwe�s malady linger on. "
Interesting Infrastructure Stats
Please check out the bit on the Internet infrastructure stats: 1800 plus cities are now connected to the net...:-O....like hello? do we really have that number of cities in Pakistan to start with? Also is there a technical possiblity to estimate in real time, how many nodes are active at any given time all over Pakistan? All techies on board keep your suggestions flowing on this one please.
Hi Pakistan: "Telephone connections rose to 4.2 million
Teledensity in Pakistan has registered a stable growth over the past few years as fixed telephone connections have doubled from 2.4 million in 1996 to 4.2 million till February 2004, the Economic Survey 2003-04 said. "
At present, four companies are providing cellular mobile services in Pakistan like Mobilink, Paktel, Instaphone and Ufone. In 1999, there were only 0.2 million subscribers across the country but with the introduction of CPP regime (calling party pay) and Ufone entry into the cellular market, a sharp increase in the number of subscribers was observed resulting in a rise to 1.2 million in 2002. Currently there are a total of 3.7 million subscribers in Pakistan.
By the end of February 2004, the PTCL had deployed 5.05 million lines out of which 4.2 million were in service (a capacity utilization ratio of 84 per cent). The PTCL network has a 99.5 per cent digital switching system exchange, an optical fibre cable backbone, subsidiary routes, long distance media, digital radio systems, satellite communications and alternative arrangements with international gateway at Karachi and Islamabad.
Besides, a total of 1,812 cities, towns and villages have so far been provided with internet access. There are more than 1.6 million internet users across the country.
Hi Pakistan: "Telephone connections rose to 4.2 million
Teledensity in Pakistan has registered a stable growth over the past few years as fixed telephone connections have doubled from 2.4 million in 1996 to 4.2 million till February 2004, the Economic Survey 2003-04 said. "
At present, four companies are providing cellular mobile services in Pakistan like Mobilink, Paktel, Instaphone and Ufone. In 1999, there were only 0.2 million subscribers across the country but with the introduction of CPP regime (calling party pay) and Ufone entry into the cellular market, a sharp increase in the number of subscribers was observed resulting in a rise to 1.2 million in 2002. Currently there are a total of 3.7 million subscribers in Pakistan.
By the end of February 2004, the PTCL had deployed 5.05 million lines out of which 4.2 million were in service (a capacity utilization ratio of 84 per cent). The PTCL network has a 99.5 per cent digital switching system exchange, an optical fibre cable backbone, subsidiary routes, long distance media, digital radio systems, satellite communications and alternative arrangements with international gateway at Karachi and Islamabad.
Besides, a total of 1,812 cities, towns and villages have so far been provided with internet access. There are more than 1.6 million internet users across the country.
Friday, June 11, 2004
Microsoft South Gulf - Events - Microsoft PDC Launch � Pakistan
For anyone interested to learn about the coming Microsoft's PDC event to be held on the 15th, visit the above link
PSEB's Gaming conference
Finally tracked a URL for the Gaming conference I've been hearing about for the past one week. PSEB is apparently hosting a workshop for animation artists in efforts to create an industry here. No doubt, some one has been whispering the prospects of 'a $$$ billion multimedia industry in Pakistan' and this is one of the first (of last?) excercises to make the revolution see the light of day.
Worthwhile to mention where I tracked PSEB's press release from. A Linux blogger Always great to chance across Linux finds such as this. I discovered a nicer one for Red Hat a list of Pakistani LUGs.
Worthwhile to mention where I tracked PSEB's press release from. A Linux blogger Always great to chance across Linux finds such as this. I discovered a nicer one for Red Hat a list of Pakistani LUGs.
The Undead Zone - Why realistic graphics make humans look creepy. By Clive�Thompson
A nice read for all gaming buffs and digital artisits.
The Undead Zone - Why realistic graphics make humans look creepy. By Clive�Thompson: "In 1978, the Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori noticed something interesting: The more humanlike his robots became, the more people were attracted to them, but only up to a point. If an android become too realistic and lifelike, suddenly people were repelled and disgusted.
The problem, Mori realized, is in the nature of how we identify with robots. When an android, such as R2-D2 or C-3PO, barely looks human, we cut it a lot of slack. It seems cute. We don't care that it's only 50 percent humanlike. But when a robot becomes 99 percent lifelike�so close that it's almost real�we focus on the missing 1 percent. We notice the slightly slack skin, the absence of a truly human glitter in the eyes. The once-cute robot now looks like an animated corpse. Our warm feelings, which had been rising the more vivid the robot became, abruptly plunge downward. Mori called this plunge 'the Uncanny Valley,' the paradoxical point at which a simulation of life becomes so good it's bad.
As video games have developed increasingly realistic graphics, they have begun to suffer more and more from this same conundrum. "
The Undead Zone - Why realistic graphics make humans look creepy. By Clive�Thompson: "In 1978, the Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori noticed something interesting: The more humanlike his robots became, the more people were attracted to them, but only up to a point. If an android become too realistic and lifelike, suddenly people were repelled and disgusted.
The problem, Mori realized, is in the nature of how we identify with robots. When an android, such as R2-D2 or C-3PO, barely looks human, we cut it a lot of slack. It seems cute. We don't care that it's only 50 percent humanlike. But when a robot becomes 99 percent lifelike�so close that it's almost real�we focus on the missing 1 percent. We notice the slightly slack skin, the absence of a truly human glitter in the eyes. The once-cute robot now looks like an animated corpse. Our warm feelings, which had been rising the more vivid the robot became, abruptly plunge downward. Mori called this plunge 'the Uncanny Valley,' the paradoxical point at which a simulation of life becomes so good it's bad.
As video games have developed increasingly realistic graphics, they have begun to suffer more and more from this same conundrum. "
Urdu e-books
Pir Sahab Online
Remember Professor Nagee B.A. and his wall chalking all around Karachi claiming to get rid of demons from your households? Well he just met his match with Amil Professsor Syed Ali Shah who has just gone online and is also spamming everyone about his magical ways.
Tuesday, June 08, 2004
PSO launches online ordering system
It's been reported that Pakistan State Oil (PSO), in collaboration with Citibank N.A. Pakistan, has launched a web-based Online Ordering System, the e-Marketplace, exclusively for PSO dealers who can now place orders on the Internet and make real-time payments for their product requirements.
This solution, the first of its kind in Pakistan, has been designed to communicate on real time to both PSO’s database and Citibank’s financial transaction settlement system. The solution facilitates complete order management and financial information.
It will help PSO dealers to view available oil products and their updated prices, prepare and submit orders for product requirement .
Select date and time of product delivery at the outlet, view real-time status and summary of orders and authorize payments to PSO through direct-debits, crossed cheques, credit facility extended by Citibank. PSO and Citibank have become pioneers of web-based Business-to-Business (B2B) online banking services in this part of the world.
This solution, the first of its kind in Pakistan, has been designed to communicate on real time to both PSO’s database and Citibank’s financial transaction settlement system. The solution facilitates complete order management and financial information.
It will help PSO dealers to view available oil products and their updated prices, prepare and submit orders for product requirement .
Select date and time of product delivery at the outlet, view real-time status and summary of orders and authorize payments to PSO through direct-debits, crossed cheques, credit facility extended by Citibank. PSO and Citibank have become pioneers of web-based Business-to-Business (B2B) online banking services in this part of the world.
PIA & e-ticketing
PIA would start e-ticketing across the world from September. According to the plan, tickets can be bought and the passenger name record (PNR) could be confirmed on the Internet.
Cybercafes and porn ruckus
As picked up by Salman.
"How a discussion gets derailed"
By Khalid Hussain
Hafiz Hussain Ahmad described the cafés as prostitution dens. Surely
this was not the intent of the host who prepared the discussion. He
just stood there and let the discussion be taken out of his hands and
buried in nonsense. Hafiz Sahib then fell upon coeducation in Pakistan
while the mixed audience sat there like fools clearly cowed down by a
semi-literate Deobandi leader more powerful than the President of
Pakistan
"How a discussion gets derailed"
By Khalid Hussain
Hafiz Hussain Ahmad described the cafés as prostitution dens. Surely
this was not the intent of the host who prepared the discussion. He
just stood there and let the discussion be taken out of his hands and
buried in nonsense. Hafiz Sahib then fell upon coeducation in Pakistan
while the mixed audience sat there like fools clearly cowed down by a
semi-literate Deobandi leader more powerful than the President of
Pakistan
Monday, June 07, 2004
Spiffy enough?
Thanks for the push Khalid ;~) Comments enabled for 'anyone'. *groans inwardly at spam bots
What do you think of this template? I ignored the maroon-version of the same look since it reminded me of a school uniform and hospitals. Had my finger on another chic template-Neon green top and white base. But I'll wait for your verdict.
What do you think of this template? I ignored the maroon-version of the same look since it reminded me of a school uniform and hospitals. Had my finger on another chic template-Neon green top and white base. But I'll wait for your verdict.
Saturday, May 29, 2004
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