Pune Hackathon

message from Jimmy Wales and friends-

 

Pune Wikimedia hackathon.

Date: 10-12 February 2012
Venue: Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies & Research (SICSR) at
Symbiosis International University, Pune,India
Extremely rough event page, soon to get more details:
https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Pune_Hackathon_Feb_2012

As you know, a Wikimedia hackathon is a chance to learn how to develop
using MediaWiki, Phonegap, and our other technologies, and to work
alongside experts. Software engineers, designers, and translators are
welcome. We’re tentatively planning to focus on internationalisation and
localisation, mobile Wikipedia access, and the JavaScript-based gadgets
framework.

Registration link: http://is.gd/rjpNOA

If you’re interested, please register to request an invitation, and feel
free to publicize.  Thanks!

WordPress 3.3 Sonny

WordPress 3.3 Sonny is out.

http://wordpress.org/news/2011/12/sonny/

Eat your heart out, blogspotters!!

http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2011/07/try-bloggers-new-interface.html

 

On the internet- look and feel and design are the new old new buzzwords again!.

Google Apps Terms of Use- Termination

TERMINATION
You may discontinue your use of Google services at any time. You agree that Google may at any time and for any reason, including a period of account inactivity, terminate your access to Google services, terminate the Terms, or suspend or terminate your account. In the event of termination, your account will be disabled and you may not be granted access to Google services, your account or any files or other content contained in your account. Sections 10 (Termination), 13 (Indemnity), 14 (Disclaimer of Warranties), 15 (Limitations of Liability), 16 (Exclusions and Limitations) and 19 (including choice of law, severability and statute of limitations), of the Terms, shall survive expiration or termination.

Source-

http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/terms/user_terms.html

Related-

 

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/BcxRfg96dTQ?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0

 

Chrome Extension- MafiaaFire

The chrome extension MafiaaWire basically gives you an updated list of redirected websites. So the next time , your evil highness shuts down your favorite website- the list promises to give you an update.  While obviously entertainment intellectual property is a very obvious site category for such redirects, in some cases these extensions can be used for simple things like hosting dissents or protesters against govt corruption in non US countries .

Basically under the new SOPA act (an oline version of pepper spray http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act) even browsers like Firefox and Chrome would be liable for any such extension that can be used to download American Intellectual property illegally.

In the meantime – this is an interesting and creative use case of technology and sociology merging in the brave new world.

You can read about it here-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAFIAAFire_Redirector

MAFIAAFire works by downloading a list which contains the names of the “blocked” sites as well as the sites to redirect to. This list is downloaded every time Firefox starts up or every two days on the Chrome version (although the user has the choice to force an update on the Chrome version instead of waiting for two days).

When a user types in a domain name from the list of blocked domains, the add-on recognizes this and automatically redirects the user to the secondary site. Since this happens before the browser connects to the DNS server, this renders any DNS blocks useless.

Although the add-on checks for which sites are entered into the address bar every time (as it needs to check if that site is on its block list), it does not log these requests nor send these requests to any central server. In other words: it does not track the user.

or

Download it from

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hnifiobpjihmmjgiokkaalgomddebhng

Interesting times indeed!

Related-

Encryption

http://poemsforkush.wordpress.com/2011/12/17/encryption/

 

Occupy the Internet

BORN IN THE USA

Continue reading “Occupy the Internet”

Movie Review: MI 4 Ghost Protocol

Mr Cruise resumes his duties as Ethan Hunt, and man we missed his adventure. Jeremy Renner should play the next version of this series, all the scientology cream cannot hide the wrinkles from Mr Cruise’s face- though he retains his charisma

The plot is superb, Anil Kapoor of Slumdog Millionaire does a cute scene stealing turn, and the rest of the cast is ho hum- compared to earlier movies in same series- it is much better than MI1 but not as good as MI2 (John Woo) and MI3. Lets wait for MI5 or MI6 😉