The Google Chrome

With Google introducing the "Chrome" an open source web browser boasting of high performance, claims to take on major share of the browser market. Having read about chrome consecutively for 3 days I decided to try it. I could find many web pages with analysis of the chrome. The Youtube has some videos too. The cartoon by Google had been a hit.But that constitutes just marketing strategy.Being open source and all can be counted as a marketing technique.

The good features I heard are:

• Tabbed browsing

• Incognito mode(privacy)

• Speed

• Simplicity

• Auto completion at address bar

• The address bar acts as a google search box

• Javascript application handling like mutli-tasking

• No more browser hanging

The not-so cool features/views

• The history of our surfing goes to Google server hindering privacy

• They copied the framework of browser from “Safari”(a not –so –popular browser)

• The program consumes almost 48MB compared to Firefox3-26MB ;on WindowsXP

• The download makes you download an installer and you need a net connection to get it installed. Developers who work just offline; hard luck for them.

Now open source team got to split up in this browser,those who support Chrome and those who hang on with Mozilla and mainly Firefox..

What I experienced:-

• For a normal user the Chrome is good,It is simple.

• There is an option to save password automatically.Turn it off and never mind privacy.I suppose they don’t save to track what we visit.They’ll need to know. which site gets higher number of hits.

• The program is bulky about 48MB

• The speed of Chrome and Firefox are similar.

• With a good collection of addons to go with Firefox Chrome at present cannot compete with high-end users and developers and majority of open source software fans.

Pidgin

Another FOSS product I came across in my short span of surfing.Pidgin allows multiple IM through simple interface.it supports many of the messengers.Pidgin happens to be the new name for the Gaim instant messenger.From wikipedia.org you can learn about the AOL registering the name "AIM for their IM and subsequent change of Gaim to Pidgin.

It was interesting to learn that sourceforge.net is hosting the program file.
Go to the Pidgin home page here.www.pidgin.im

There have been only small ventures over the net in Kerala,I don't know why!
One of the recent one being the career helper www.eduguruonline.com

Firefox 3

I am really proud of using Firefox and upgrading to Firefox.

The most successful FOSS also happens to be the best.The rivals have got no chance.The speed with which it installs over the existing Firefox 2 is also wonderful.Took just less than 2 minutes on an old PC.It is said that it has about 14,000-15,000 improvements.I can see and feel it now.It is faster,but what about the security.Well,I have just started using Firefox 3 and have full hope that it won't let me down.

Linux and FOSS concept:A state of anarchy?

Does Linux and free and open source software spread a state of anarchy,where anywhere can do anything,resulting in a complete mess?

That was a question raised by my friend who is somewhat neck-deep in politics.Both of us agreed on the concept of equal rights and ,distribution,freedom.But this particular question has got serious implications.

"Isn't it right that FOSS propagates the concept of anarchy!"I think yes,for there are good people and bad people in this world,when there is an unstable proportion of good and bad,there is a war.Anywhere in the world,any fields,any relationships,the conflict is mainly between ideas.

For the bad,the good is untouchable;for the good the bad is unseeable.Linux and FOSS are good for the good and bad .It satiates the need for both sides.While most Linux users turn out to be hackers(ethical or not) an average computer doesn't come to know about the basics of programming and hacking.So chances are good for the bad who use Linux to start hacking in the bad sense.But from Vedas and the Gita we know that when the truth disappears and the world turns bad ,the Lord will take avatar and wipe the earth neat and clean.So no worries.The good always wins.

ILUG

It was the first time I attended an ILUG (Indian Linux user group) function.

I had been given a very warm welcome to the ilug-cochin meeting.

It all began during by wilfing (what-was-I-Looking-For) hours.I used to foray into the Linux groups and forums,making comments and doubts attending polls and discussions,subscribing to mailing list et al. As a consequence I used to get e-mails about the meeting to be held.It so happened that the scheduled day was a Sunday and a free-day for me .So,I decided to attend my first ever Ilug meeting,the ilug-Cochin meeting.

For details go here: http://ilug-cochin.org

At the meeting:

The meeting was conducted inside an Internet cafe.It was a hot room with just one fan and 20-30 people in it.There were people from diverse fields a;a Father ,an MBA student,some future Computer engineers, a bank employee,and so on.The spirit of GNU/Linux acted as a coolant.There was a discussion on Digital rights management /digital restrictions management(DRM) and a technical presentation on GNOME.There was tea and snacks in between for a break.That too came for free as in free beer.

A phone running on non-DRM platform the Open Moko1973 was just mentioned;a near substitute to the hi-end Nokia phones

www.openmoko.org

Join the campaign fore DRM products:
www.defectivebydesign.org
also
www.badvista.org

<“Free software” is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of “free” as in “free speech”, not as in “free beer”.>

The meeting concluded with writing feedback and thanksgiving.
In the way I did make acquainted with some Linux geeks and students.

Reaching home with the same spirit I decided to get counted at Linux counter

http://counter.li.org/






The journey has begun.
An awakening to the enlightenment..

Must read

http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm

Relief

iHope to get a router soon to connect to the net.Hopes are high.