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Saturday, December 15, 2007

'Digital locks' future questioned

'Digital locks' future questioned
By Darren Waters
Technology editor, BBC News website

Locks
Does DRM protect content or restrict consumers?
One of the world's largest hard disk manufacturers has blocked its customers from sharing online their media files that are stored on networked drives.

Western Digital says the decision to block sharing of music and audio files is an anti-piracy effort.

The ban operates regardless of whether the files are copy-protected, or a user's own home-produced content.

Digital activists say it is the latest step in a so-called war on copyright theft that is damaging consumer rights.

The shift to a digital world in which all forms of content, from books, music, and TV programmes to films, can be shared effortlessly around the world between people with an internet connection has produced an unprecedented upheaval in attitudes to media, copyright and consumer rights.

Professional content producers have struggled to adapt to this changing world and deal with rampant copyright infringement that threatens to undermine their businesses.

Digital restrictions management... is a restriction of our rights
Peter Brown, Free Software Foundation

The most popular method of copyright control in the digital age, Digital Rights Management (DRM), is a software - and sometimes hardware - solution designed to prevent copying and to control how different forms of media are used.

Peter Brown of the Free Software Foundation, a leading anti-DRM campaigner, said: "DRM and filtering attempts by firms like Western Digital are an attempt to take control of our computers.

"DRM is bad for society because it attempts to monitor what we do and how we live our digital lives. It is asking us to give up control of something which gives us some degree of democracy, freedom and the ability to communicate with a large group of people."

Western Digital has blocked users from sharing more than 30 different file types, if they are using the company's software, called Anywhere Access.

Mr Brown added: "DRM is never right because it takes away our rights as citizens."

He said all DRM solutions had been bypassed, rendering the technology useless.

Press conference
Apple and EMI announced DRM-free tracks earlier this year

"You can't stop the copying of ones and zeroes - its impossible," he said.

Paul Garland, head of intellectual property litigation at law firm Kemp Little, said it was not possible to say DRM was not working.

"Content creators are struggling to find a way to prevent mass distribution of their creations."

Alexander Ross, a partner at law firm Wiggin, said: "There is fundamentally two types of operation for DRM - to restrict usage, and track usage.

"That second element is essential and will remain essential - particularly for subscription services, which are beginning to take off.

"If we go down the subscription route, there must be control."

The common problem with DRM for many users is one of a lack of interoperability. Many of the world's leading content producers use DRM systems which are incompatible with one another.

The popular example is the majority of music bought and downloaded from iTunes, the world's most popular online music retailer, which can only be played in its original form on iPods, machines running iTunes and Apple's own wireless TV system.

However, iTunes does now sell a selection of music from EMI without DRM.

The biggest problem is that it is actually quite difficult as a consumer when downloading content to know what you are able to do with it
Paul Garland, Kemp Little

The BBC has been criticised for using a form of DRM for its TV downloads that means the programmes cannot be played on Apple Macs and PCs running Linux.

"The reason for a lack of standards across the industry is that there's no such thing as the industry," said Mr Ross.

"There is Steve Jobs and Microsoft and the two titans are at odds with one another. Between them they rule the market."

Mr Garland said: "The biggest problem is that it is actually quite difficult as a consumer when downloading content to know what you are able to do with it.

Bill Gates
There is Steve Jobs and Microsoft and the two titans are at odds with one another. Between them they rule the market.
Alexander Ross, Wiggin

"If DRM is going to survive, there needs to be much greater effort to tell purchasers what they can or can't do with it."

Mr Ross said people had to understand they did not have the rights to do whatever they wanted with digital content.

One solution could be to develop information standards to inform people about the rights and restrictions around DRM, said Mr Garland.

He said: "Content owners are entitled to give you what rights they decide to give you; when you are downloading a piece of music, for example. They are also entitled to restrict you from circumventing the DRM.

"Trying to circumvent the DRM is an offence in itself. DRM is part of the law and a legitimate method of trying to protect your copyright content."

For the music industry the future looks less and less likely to involve DRM, said Mr Garland.

He said: "There is a backlash, people are concerned. The music industry is now talking a lot more about DRM-free products. DRM hasn't been the way to overcome the copyright infringement problem."

Mr Ross said that DRM as a copy protection tool might not last much longer.

"However, DRM as a track and rights management system is here to stay - as long as the music industry exists on a royalty model," he said.

Mr Brown said the industry did not need to use DRM, nor employ laws which prohibit the bypassing of DRM, in order to protect their financial interests.

"Media companies are trying to force people to think about copyright infringement almost in line with murder on the high seas.

"Copyright law is about copying and reproduction of work; that is on the statue books for everyone and is sufficient to tackle the problem.

"Digital restrictions management...is a restriction of our rights and the use we make of media files, that historically and legitimately we have been used to.

"The idea this is somehow protecting someone is untrue - it is an attack on us as citizens."

Source

Kissing Facts & Kiss Benefits

Kissing Facts & Kiss Benefits
 
It is a matter of record that Canadian porcupines kiss one another on the lips.

The world's longest kiss took place on January 28, 2002. Louisa Almodovar and Rich Langly of New Jersey kissed for a record 30 hours, 59 minutes and 27 seconds on a segment of "Ricki Lake".

Matrimonial pollsters' studies prove that a man who kisses his wife good-bye when he leaves for work every morning averages a higher income than does the fellow who doesn't do that thing.

In medieval Italy kisses weren't taken, or given, lightly. If a man and a woman were seen embracing in public they could be forced to marry!
 
Our brains have special neurons that help us locate each others lips in the dark. (It's really true too! I've tried it!)
 
It is estimated that the average person will spend about 20,160 minutes kissing in their lifetime.

You burn 26 calories in a 1 minute kiss.
 
The first kiss ever shown in a movie was in 1896. The movie, was called The Kiss.
 
Hershey's Kisses got their name because the machine that makes them looks like it's kissing the conveyor belt.
 
50% of all people kiss before they turn 14.

Kissing helps reduce tooth decay. Kissing increases the mouth's production of saliva, and saliva helps clean the mouth thus aides prevention of tooth decay.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Free IT eBooks

Dear Friends,
Free I.T. eBooks available at
http://www.shakeelahmed.info/ebooks/
download and get knowledge.

Home Remedies for ARTHRITIS

Arthritis is defined as the inflammation of one or more joints. Serious deformities occur in the bones and joints. These may occur in the form of tumours, swellings, and new growths. It occurs usually during the later years of life but it can occur at any age. One or two joints may become completely deformed.


Exact cause of the arthritis is not known. Germs, which cause the tuberculosis, pneumonia can also affect the joints.
Syphilis and gonorrhea can be another cause for arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is the most serious condition that involves the joints but also the muscles, tendons and other tissues of the body. It begins slowly with mild swelling, pain and tenderness in the joints of the fingers, wrists, knees and feet. Joints of both side of the body are involved in this disease. The joints feel red and warm. During the early phase of the disease the patient complains of fatigue, weakness and pain.
During the time of pain the patient should take rest for one or two hours in a day. The patient must not lie in bed for too long. It will aggravate the symptoms.
Exercise is important in rheumatoid arthritis. It will help to prevent the stiffness of muscles.
Osteoarthritis is a chronic form of arthritis involving any joint but it mainly occurs in large joints such as fingers. It mainly occurs in women after the menopause, but it may occur in young age also.
In osteoarthritis the cartilage of the joints is destroyed and the bone surfaces become rough and enlarged. This disease begins slowly and with some pain in the joints. The main complaint is pain, which is severe after exercise.
There are several drugs that are used for the pain and inflammation of arthritis, but most of them are not very effective, because they cause lot of side effects. For example ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve), and even other more powerful prescription drugs, causes severe gastrointestinal problems, such as, bleeding ulcers, acidosis, stomach pain, and they interfere with the synthesis of collagen, which is fundamental for the formation of cartilage, if cartilage is not rebuilding itself, more damage is going to occur in the joints.

"There's no one magic food or diet that's going to do away with arthritic pain," says Art Mollen, D.O., director of the Southwest Health Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. "But if a person is overweight and helose weight, it will reduce the stress and pain in spinal column, knees, hips, ankles, and feet."

HOME REMEDIES FOR ARTHRITIS

  • Vitamin C is a good home remedy for rheumatoid arthritis.

  • Bog bean is another remedy. It works as an anti-inflammatory, eating this herb or taking the herb in a supplement form can help in combating arthritis.

  • Ginger is also known for its properties in fighting joint pain and stiffness.

  • Take two teaspoons of lemon juice and a teaspoon of honey in a cup of warm water twice daily. It is highly effective for the treatment of arthritis.

  • Half teaspoon of turmeric powder taken with warm water twice a day is also beneficial in curing arthritis.

  • Drinking alfalfa tea twice daily is also helpful for the treatment of arthritis.

  • Radish juice mixed with sugar is also helpful to fight with arthritis.

  • Drinking 15 grams of fresh bathu juice daily with an empty stomach without adding any salt or sugar to it helps in reducing the symptoms of arthritis.

  • A cup of papaya seed tea taken six or seven times daily for two or three weeks gives relief in the joint pains.

  • Eat porridge of 2 teaspoonfuls of winter cherry with ghee and molasses with an empty stomach for 15 days.

This is an effective home remedy for arthritis.

  • A tablespoon of fruit pectin in a small glass of cranberry juice taken every morning gives relief.

  • A person suffering from arthritis should eliminate sugar, white flour, macaroni, pie, cake, and sweet drinks from diet.

  • A drink consisting of four raw finely sliced beets soaked in a quart of berry wine for one day. Drink one small glass of this liquid before meals, three times a day.

  • Dissolve 4 teaspoons of blackstrap molasses in one quart of cranberry juice and drink one glass everyday.

This is also an effective Home remedy for arthritis.

  • Two parts pure olive oil and one part kerosene makes a wonderful solution to be applied on the affected joints.

  • Add one-tablespoon cod liver oil to the juice of one orange, and drink before going to bed for arthritis treatment.

  • Rubbing the aching joints with hot vinegar before going to bed also gives relief to the pain.

  • Mix 2 tablespoons mullein, 3 of granulated slippery elm bark, one of lobelia, 1-teaspoon cayenne. Use boiling water to make paste. Spread on cloth and place on swollen joints.

  • Bake one or two egg- plants. Mash and fry in about 2 tablespoons of castor oil. Spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, garlic and salt can be added while frying. Take once daily for two to three months for relief.

  • Another herb known as Guggulu is very helpful in curing arthritis. If available, eat half a teaspoon twice a day after meals with warm water. ·Paste of 1 teaspoon red chilies and fresh ginger mixed in half a cup of sesame oil and strain. Gently rub this oil on the affected joints. ·Camphor, wintergreen and cinnamon oils are also beneficial for external application.

  • A vegetable-juice fast significantly reduces pain for many patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Carrot juice, celery juice, cabbage juice, or tomato juice can be used

  • Application of hot packs and ice packs for 10 minutes also provides relief from joint pains.

  • For arthritis natural treatment, soak Spiegel seeds in water, make a paste and apply it on the joints for quick relief..

  • Omega 3 fatty acids reduce inflammation of joints. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in salmon, sardines, other oily fish, walnuts, flax, soy, olive oil, nuts, and avocados


Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

Match wine with food - From BBC GOOD FOOD

Match wine with food

Opinion wavers on clear rights and wrongs when it comes to food and wine matching, but certain flavours bring out the best in each other. Use our guide as a rule of thumb, but most of all, enjoy the wine you drink.

A to Z food list

Beef - roast or stew

Beef - roast or stew

Go for a medium or full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chicken - roast or casserole

Chicken - roast or casserole

Chardonnay is an ideal match for roast chicken (and turkey), or if you'd prefer a red, try a Merlot. If the casserole sauce is creamy, try Colombard.

Curry - light, fresh

Curry - light, fresh

Curries can be hard to match, depending on their spices and flavours. A chicken korma or Thai green curry goes well with a young 'New World' Riesling.

Curry - spicy

Curry - spicy

A dry Gewürztraminer is your best bet with spicier curries or baltis.

Fruit - tarts and puddings

Fruit - tarts and puddings

Fruit tarts - think appley tart tatin or a clafoutis - go best with sweet Muscat and Gewürztraminer wines.

Lasagne

Lasagne

Wines made from the Barbera grape go really well with tomato-based dishes, in fact, many dishes from the Northern Italian regions.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms

Mushroom dishes, especially vegetarian main courses, go well with Tempranillo. Or, if sautéed field mushrooms are on the menu, you could try a Zinfandel.

Shellfish

Shellfish

Albariño is the wine for the simplest freshest shellfish, especially prawns and langoustines; as well as raw oysters, mussels and clams (vongole).

The Secret

A couple was celebrating their golden wedding anniversary on the beach in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
  
 Their domestic tranquility had long been the talk of the town.
 "What a peaceful & loving couple". The local  newspaper reporter was inquiring as to the secret of their long and happy marriage.
  
 "Well, it dates back to our honeymoon in America," explained the man. "We visited the Grand Canyon in Arizona and took a trip down to the bottom of the canyon by horse. We hadn't gone too far when my wife's horse stumbled and she almost fell off.
  
 My wife looked down at the horse and quietly said," That's once."
  
 "We proceeded a little further and the horse stumbled again, this time causing her to drop her water. Once more my wife quietly said, "That's twice."
  
 We hadn't gone a half-mile when the horse stumbled for a third time. My wife quietly removed a revolver from her purse and shot the horse dead.
  
 I shouted at her, "What 's wrong with you, Woman! Why did you shoot the poor animal like that? Are you crazy??"
  
 She looked at me, and quietly said, "That's once."
  
 "And from that moment... we have lived happily ever after."

Who needs a House Then?


A true Friend

A True Friend

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem.

One day one fellow met the great philosopher and said,

"Do you know what I just heard about your friend?".

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test.".

"Triple filter?".

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure

that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and...".

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?".

"No, on the contrary..." .

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, Why tell it to me at all?"


Lesson:

Well we can always participate in loose talks to curb our boredom.

But when it comes to you friends its not worth it.

Always avoid talking behind the back about your near and dear friends.

Please Spare 5 Minutes to Read This

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY (TRY THE KEY WORD) AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHN HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .

  • Every person has cancer cells in the body.These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.
     

  • Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

    When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.
     

  • When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.
     

  • To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.
     

  • Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.
     

  • Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.
     

  • Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.
     

  • When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.
     

  • Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.
     

  • An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.
     

  • Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.
     

  • Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
     

  • Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed
    cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.
     

  • Cancer is a disease of the mind,body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.
     

  • Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

*CANCER CELLS FEED ON *

  • a. Sugar, is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like Nutrasweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.
     

  • Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and
    substituting with unsweetened soya milk cancer cells are being starved.
     

  • Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful,especially to people with cancer.
     

  • A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).
     

  • Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water- best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

PLEASE READ ON

1. No plastic containers in micro.
2. No water bottles in freezer.
3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer.

Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital was on a TV program to explain this health hazard.

He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat.

He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.

Instead, he recommends using glass, such as CorningWare, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food.

You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

 

Fwd: NEWTON'S MISTAKE



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: FaKeeRa <fakeera@gmail.com>
Date: Dec 11, 2007 4:02 PM
Subject: NEWTON'S MISTAKE
To: fakeera World <fakeera.fakwld@gmail.com>


Eleven Important Laws Which Great Newton Forgot to State......... THOUGHT

1 LAW OF QUEUE: If you change queues, the one you have left will start to move faster than the one you are in now.

2 LAW OF TELEPHONE : When you dial a wrong number, you never get an engaged tone.

3 LAW OF MECHANICAL REPAIR : After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch.

4 LAW OF THE WORKSHOP: Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

5 LAW OF THE ALIBI: If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tyre, the next morning you will have a flat tyre. (So do not lie to boss ).

6 BATH THEOREM: When the body is immersed in water, the telephone rings.
7 LAW OF ENCOUNTERS: The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

8 LAW OF THE RESULT: When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will !

9 LAW OF BIOMECHANICS: The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

10 THEATRE RULE: People with the seats at the furthest from the aisle arrive last.

11. LAW OF COFFEE: As soon as you sit down for a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.


Tech Picks

First multi-touch tablet from Toshiba available today

Toshiba made available today its 9th generation M700 tablet PC, the current highest-end tablet PC offered by the company, and the first to offer multi-touch capability.

Verizon president: Google's Android dovetails with Verizon's Open Access

Verizon gave some hints late last week that it may be willing to do more than just welcome Google's Android handset environment into its foray of "open access" devices, but conceivably embrace it outright.

Improved startup repair tool, media throttling among Vista SP1 changes

To reassure customers that it really has been addressing consumers' concerns about Vista, Microsoft has made its change log to Windows Vista SP1 publicly available early.

LinkedIn wants your apps for the business world

APIs and widgets that let developers build applications using LinkedIn data.

CompUSA store chain to soon become history

CompUSA, an early success story among computer retailers, will now cease to exist as a store chain by the end of this year. Meanwhile, rivals Best Buy and Circuit City only keep coming on stronger.

AOL debuts new desktop software for Windows

After its OpenRide software was not well received, the ISP went back to the drawing board. The result was AOL Desktop, which released Friday.

LG's dual-format disc player hits stores

The company said Monday that its second try at a dual-format next generation disc player is now available at retailers.

Toshiba enters the solid-state disk arena

Nearly a full year after leading flash memory producer Samsung presented its first solid-state drives, flash producer Toshiba plans to follow along behind with three models that take advantage of its exclusive design.

Palm to miss revenue targets by a substantial margin

The handheld manufacturer expects to post revenues some $30 million less than its original forecast due to shipping delays in a unnamed product.

Symantec update removes Web filtering program

An update for the company's Norton Antivirus software has yet again caused problems with its customers' computers.

Office Live Workspace beta goes public

Since October, Microsoft has been busy working to hang its Office shingle in "the cloud," where users can save documents somewhere to the Web. Now it's ready for the general public to try out the cloud.

Netflix envelopes anger Postmaster, Postal Service balks

The US Postmaster General issued a report to the Postal Service recommending it either change its First Class mailing standards to disallow Netflix mailers, or start charging the company a 17 cent handling fee per envelope.

Exclusive beta invitation from Game Tap and Beta News

Time Warner subsidiary GameTap is searching for people who love to play games to join its beta program. Sign up through this exclusive invitation before the spots fill up

TECH Recipe

Interesting News

Monday, December 10, 2007

Some Alpha/Beta Services

Future Scanner

Future Scanner

essentially scans the web for the best future-focused content (predictions by experts, discoveries that will impact future events, product prototypes, industry forecasts, useful resources, etc.) and then sorts it by future Year and Category.

LocateTV

LocateTV

LocateTV will connect you to your favorite shows on TV, on DVD and online.

CNR

CNR

CNR.com is a free one-click software delivery service designed to standardize the process and eliminate the complexity of finding, installing and managing Linux software for the most popular desktop Linux distributions, both Debian and RPM based. Please note that CNR.com is currently in beta stage.

Sleep.FM

Sleep.FM

The first sleep and wake up social networking site, where your friends’ alarm messages wake you up

Blog

What's Your 20?

What’s Your 20?

With whatsyour20.com you can create a trip plan, write a travel journal, get driving directions, upload photos, write reviews, and much more.

Source

Some Alpha/Beta Services

Future Scanner

Future Scanner

essentially scans the web for the best future-focused content (predictions by experts, discoveries that will impact future events, product prototypes, industry forecasts, useful resources, etc.) and then sorts it by future Year and Category.

LocateTV

LocateTV

LocateTV will connect you to your favorite shows on TV, on DVD and online.

CNR

CNR

CNR.com is a free one-click software delivery service designed to standardize the process and eliminate the complexity of finding, installing and managing Linux software for the most popular desktop Linux distributions, both Debian and RPM based. Please note that CNR.com is currently in beta stage.

Sleep.FM

Sleep.FM

The first sleep and wake up social networking site, where your friends’ alarm messages wake you up

Blog

What's Your 20?

What’s Your 20?

With whatsyour20.com you can create a trip plan, write a travel journal, get driving directions, upload photos, write reviews, and much more.

Source

Tech Picks Of The Day

Sunday, December 9, 2007

PTA TAKES COGNIZANCE OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST PTCL PACKAGE

Islamabad: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has directed PTCL to refrain in future from announcing any pre-activated package without customers’ consent and without prior approval of the Authority.

These directions came in the wake of PTCL announcement of “Pakistan Package” on December 1, 2007 wherein the package was activated on all PTCL numbers and they were to be charged at Rs. 199 per month.

Taking cognizance of the consumer complaints, PTA has directed PTCL not to charge Rs. 199 from those subscribers who are unable to opt out of the package and have NWD bill of less than Rs. 200 per month in the corresponding months.

It has also directed PTCL to reduce the time period of subject package to 60 days with no extension. As announced by PTCL it was a limited time offer which was extendable and now it would be available for only 2 months. This decision is taken to ensure healthy competition and to safeguard consumers’ interest.

The Authority has further said that PTCL is directed to refrain from launching/announcing any promotion or tariff package without prior approval of the Authority by submitting complete details of such package(s) to the Authority at least ten (10) days in advance and also to refrain from pre-activating such packages without customers’ prior consent.

It may be mentioned that the Authority has always appreciated innovative packages from the operators; however, it also has to ensure that the same should not disturb consumers’ interest and fair competition.


(Khurram Ali Mehran)
Deputy Director (PR)

http://www.pta.gov.pk/index.php?option= … p;catid=94


What If Gmail Had Been Designed by Microsoft?

Today I want to ponder the question: what if Microsoft, not Google, had created Gmail? What would be the differences in that web mail client for users today? What if we apply some of the same design rules that brought us Hotmail, for instance?

To start, here’s the current Gmail homepage after you log-in:


First of all, we need to rebrand the application name to something longer. Let’s call this Windows Live Gmail, and add some of the visual elements connected with Windows. Also, as in Hotmail, there needs to be less space for the email subjects to make place for a reading pane, which is full of verbose explanatory help text*:


*Not shown in the screenshot, we’ll also throw in a security measurement that will prevent you from clicking on links in emails, unless you discovered the switch to mark a mail as safe. Another security measurement we’ll add is that you won’t be able to log-in with just username anymore but are required to enter the full username@gmail.com. Furthermore, we will change the browser URL from http://GMail.Microsoft.com to the more professional looking http://by114w.bay114.gmail.live.com/....aspx?rru=home.


For another design iteration in our inbox, we will need to camouflage the checkboxes next to the messages by putting a mail icon on top of them. Also, we need to break up messages from conversation threads into their individual parts. Furthermore, this version of Gmail needs to change from context-aware text ads to context-unaware graphic banners, which we’ll require to carry at least one clip art. Gmail currently has a chat box which I don’t use and thus find annoying, so I think we can build on that and expand it to a more full-featured chat widget, replacing the labels box. We’ll also adjust the spam filter slightly to show a couple of more bulk mails in the inbox:


There’s still not enough banner space available though, so let’s add a top row for ads and move the rest a bit more down. Also, to go back to the real Microsoft spirit, the inbox will now carry a maximum of 2 MB of messages – that was the amount Hotmail offered when Gmail was released with 1 GB in April 2004. Also, Microsoft-style, the actual start page of this service will not be the inbox, but a “welcome” splash screen. Please imagine the ads blinking at this point:


Somehow, this still misses part of the Microsoft feeling – the current design is just too bright & light, and it doesn’t have enough glamor. I’ll darken the colors a bit and add some smooth shades. Also, admittedly, Hotmail is a bit slower than Google’s competing service, so we’ll add some “loading” messages. Usually there’s less focus on unclutteredness with the Redmond guys, so we’ll add some MSN news bits and “special offers” where space is left. Plus, to increase user lock-in, let’s get rid of the “sign out” link. I’m also putting less emphasis on search, moving the box to the bottom right and replacing it with a dog:


Voila, we’re done... that was easy! Your potential, their passion. Coming up tomorrow: “What if Microsoft had designed Windows Vista.” Stay tuned!

Source: Clicky

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