pakistan

Posted on 04-09-2008 under pakistan, software

Earlier this week, I was having a conversation with a friend about how we’re so used to Windows, we don’t even notice it. Most of us believe that Windows is a ubiquitous part of computers. Computers can’t run without it. “What, you’re not on Windows? How are you chatting with me, then?”. I hear that a lot.

I believe the reason is that we’ve been virtually “brought up” with Windows. Our idea of computer literacy is “My Computer” and “Microsoft Office”. When we have a problem with our computers we turn to our friends. Our friends know Windows. The guy at the computer shop on the corner knows Windows; and does not shy from showing off his “IT” skills by frequently refreshing the desktop while an application loads. Of course most of the troubleshooting means either turning your computer off and on again, or reinstalling Windows. (Recently, I have had the pleasure of having to reinstall Windows on our family computer three times during the last year alone.)

Having extremely lax (read non-existent), copyright laws helps of course. If Windows were priced the same as in other countries we wouldn’t be able to afford it. Windows is more expensive than most Pakistanis’ salaries. (In such a scenario, I’m sure we would be more open to Free and Open Source Software.)

Therefore we know Windows. If we have any problems, we have loads of people to help us out. But nobody knows about any alternatives. We dont even realize that we’re missing anything.

If a child were to be raised in an environment where he/she were to be exposed to alternative computing systems, they’d know the difference. They’d appreciate the options and realize there’s more to computers than refreshing your desktop. And this is not just some geek fantasy, the world we’re living in is increasingly computerized. Our whole lives revolve around computers. Its only logical to assume the next generation of kids would be even more involved with technology.

So the question is, does a child grow up with a monopolistic, closed behemoth of an operating system; the future progress of which is ensured by the underhanded tactics employed by its parent company (ala OOXML); or an open, creatively charged atmosphere.

It is actually very difficult to ensure the latter, as Terry Hancock’s broken toys prove. Here’s some excerpts.

To make a long story short, the company, for some obscure and counter-intuitive reason, decided it would be more economically sensible to waste engineering time on designing their very own USB mass storage device interface, instead of using the free one that is made available to all hardware developers worldwide. Uh-huh. Real smart.

So, even if I were running Windows, this lovely toy would attempt to compromise its security for me. Furthermore, just to trigger my paranoia a little more, the AUTORUN.INI file isn’t even fully readable—aside from a one-line message at the top that warns me not to touch the contents of the file, the rest is binary gibberish (which is pretty weird in an INI file, at least the last time I used Windows. Admittedly, that was last century, but still).

If big producers are willing to waste engineering time and drive up costs in order to ensure that their customers are locked into a particular platform, then I suppose we just can’t expect to rely on them much longer.

What cost can you evaluate on the disappointment of a child? Or on the value of avoiding it? What does it teach our children when they can’t have the things other children take for granted, simply because it was designed not to be compatible?

Posted on 04-08-2008 under movies, pakistan

Earlier I wrote about this awesome looking gore-fest. The word is that its coming out on dvd soon. June 24th according to Amazon. Its already available on pre-order. Can’t wait to get my hands on this.

:)

Posted on 03-12-2008 under general, pakistan
“And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked; and I will make the land waste, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers.”

— Frank Herbert, Dune.

Perhaps we can relate?

Posted on 03-11-2008 under electronics, karachi, web crawling

Solar power is seeing increasing amounts of development these days. According to EETimes, the solar industry has seen revenues rise from $10 billion in 2006 to $13 billion in 2007. Cell efficiencies for the experimental varieties are getting to the point that they may be able to compete with fossil fuel generation. It may not be far off in the future when we are free of fossil fuel producers and their control over the international market.

The current market leaders in solar cell production are Japan and Germany. But China is rapidly increasing its output capacity, and it will very quickly overtake Japan, the current lead.

Increasingly, semi-conductor manufacturers are spending R&D budgets on this new, rapidly expanding market. According to John Boyd at EETimes:

We can be sure that almost every large semiconductor manufacturer has a PV program of some sort and is assessing strategies to leverage its manufacturing experience and depreciating assets.

While this is very good news for the environment, it is also good news for power generation. Sufficiently mass-produced and well-researched, this option may be cheap enough for low-income economies like our own.

So what does the future of solar power hold for Pakistan, with our gift of eternal sun. Recently some encouraging actions have been taken by our government.

According to the Business Recorder dated 10th February, 2008:

The government has decided to use solar energy-based lights on all important buildings … “With appropriate energy conservation policy, a minimum saving up to 25 percent in various segments of the energy sector can bring saving of $2 billion per annum.”

And on uniquepakistan.com, dated 24th February, 2008:

City District Government Karachi has decided to use solar energy system as alternate source for electricity at public places in Karach … City Government has invited Expression of Interest (EOI) from Foreign/Local Firms … for providing solar energy system for parks, street lights, on bridges, lamp poles, spotlights, wall mounted lights, landscape lights etc. in Karachi.

In light of the current power situation in Pakistan, and especially Karachi, this is welcome news. It remains to be seen how this plan is actually carried out, since the change in government might just put this on the backburner. I do believe however, that Pakistan is very ripe for solar power, perhaps even to a surplus production capacity. Lets all wait and see.

Posted on 09-08-2007 under pakistan, software

My God! I can’t believe the government is doing this.

… Oh wait. This is Pakistan. :)

Here are some excerpts. From the second floor

…

For two hours yesterday, Barrister Zahid Jamil scared the living daylights out of everyone who showed up at T2F for the session on the E-Crime Bill 2007. We had heard rumors about this draconian Bill but it wasn’t until all the arcane legalese was presented in “normal” language, that we actually “got it”.

The E-Crime Bill is BAD NEWS. Please do not be misled by the letter “E” and dismiss this Bill as some kind of “techie thing”. The E-Crime Bill 2007 affects film-makers, journalists, home-makers, accountants, bankers, graphic designers, teachers, lawyers, consultants, poets, et al: It affects every Pakistani who uses a computer or a mobile phone…

This one is from The Lootmar Blog

…

In addition to botching up basic definitions of spoofing, phishing, spamming and malicious code, the wording of the law, if introduced, can get you thrown in prison for up to seven years, if you do any one of the following:

1) Legal-speak: Send an email that contains indecent language

Translation: Utter a certain four letter word.

2) Legal-speak: Threaten any immoral act

Translation: What is morality, and what does it have to do with the law? What kind of cretins draft these bills?

3) Legal-speak: Make any proposal of an obscene nature

Translation: Make a movie plan for Khuda ke liyay with a fundo mistakenly on copy.

4) Legal-speak: Whoever transmits unsolicited electronic messages in bulk

Translation: Send 5 emails to introduce your product to customers.

5) Legal-speak: Whoever involves in falsified online user account registration

Translation: Create a hotmail account under an assumed name.

6) Legal-speak: A corporation shall be held liable for a criminal offence committed on its instructions or for its benefit

Translation: Do nothing. If your employees without your knowledge, permission or approval do something improper, which brings any benefit to your company, then FIA has the grounds to shut you down…

This seriously affects all of us. Every blogger who reads this, please blog it. Tell your blogger friends about it and get something done while you’re at it.

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