Heimdal Security Agent

One simple way to make sure our computer is safe is by applying all security updates provided by software vendors, including the operating system. In Windows, Microsoft MBSA can help us to do that, but that only works for Windows operating system itself and not the other applications that were installed on the system. That's why you need third party such as Secunia PSI.

It's a simple and small application that help users to make sure their computer has the latest security patches and up to date applications by comparing the installed version with the signature retrieved from the Internet. Secunia has a good reputation as a security-related organization, so many people have used the tool.

Another alternative is by using Heimdal Security Agent, developed by CSIS Security Group. It's also another FREE application (for home user) and it constantly keeps a selection of actively exploited programmes up-to-date, while at the same time keeping a close eye on malicious software that exploits vulnerabilities in the monitored programmes.

Working With Headless Virtual Machine

Yesterday, i was trying to learn new thing: configuring a headless virtual machine. I need this one as i will teach Internet Application Engineering this semester and i'm hoping to provide a hosting site for the students to upload their work, but i don't want to risk the available systems, so i decided to try on building a virtual machine on top of the current system.

I'm used to VMWare, but i don't know if VMWare does offer headless virtualization, so i tried to use Virtual Box from Oracle. It took me a while to learn about all the command line options, but finally i managed to build the machine using Slackware 13.1 and configure it's services. I basically only need small number of services, which are HTTP, Database (MySQL), and SCP/SSH. I don't use FTP, since it's not secure and i want to make sure that all data transfer happened in secure channel.

For now, it has been working well, and i'm still configuring several things, including the possibility of having SVN or any other SCM tools (they are already installed actually, but i will try to provide web-svn access for the students). Not bad for something new and being worked under 24 hours

Android 3 "Honeycomb" Preview

Google has just officially released a preview version of their next Android 3 "Honeycomb" mobile operating system at CES 2011 in Las Vegas. This version is focused on devices with larger screen sizes, such as tablet and it's user interface has been revamped to help people use it better.

Changes under the hood include enhancements to the built-in web browser, such as tabbed browsing, as well as support for syncing with Google Chrome and incognito mode for private browsing. Android 3.0 will include the latest Google Mobile innovations, such as Google Maps 5 with 3D buildings, access to Google eBooks and Google Talk, which will allow for voice and video chat to any other Google Talk enabled device.

See Andy Rubin for more information about Android 3 on his Blog

If you want to see the video, see below

Another Substantial Improvement

Linus has just written a quick note about his pull on Nick Piggin's work on RCU lookup that he considered scary, but interesting and impressive one. Scary since it's some very core code, but he also likes it because it significantly improve the performance on his machine (he only conduct a small test with find).

I'm looking forward to see major performance improvements on Linux Kernel 2.6.38 which should be out around April

No More Hidden Plurk Emoticons?

Yes, i know there has been a new hidden Plurk emoticons out there, but i don't feel like adding it on my script, because i think it's so ugly . If you don't believe me, i'll show it to you below:








If you want to add it manually, it's up to you to do it, but i will not add it on my script. Perhaps when new hidden emoticons appears and it's good enough, i will update my Yahoo/Plurk Emoticons again

Bad Day for Liverpool

I think these last few weeks are the worst situation that could ever happened in Liverpool. They lost their coach following bad performance on Liverpool after having too much losses in the last five matches or so. They replaced it with Kenny Dalgish, but i don't think it will too much improvement. Everything takes time and sometimes it requires a long and consistent changes internally before they give a better output.

Somehow, he started his debut with Liverpool on FA Cup against Manchester United and right now, they are one goal behind and losing Steven Gerrard after being penalized for red card in 32nd minute after charging with two feet. I just hope there won't be another changes before this season ends and Kenny can bring Liverpool's performance back to it's original.

PHP Bug

A new test case for testing PHP installations whether it's affected by PHP hangs on numeric value 2.2250738585072011e-308 bug is now available. Save the content of this script and run this testcase in CLI (console) by issuing php filename.php.

Here's the result in my desktop (which is affected):

willysr@desktop:~$ php test.php
Testing float behaviour. If this script hangs or terminates with an error message due to
maximum execution time limit being reached, you should update your PHP installation asap!
For more information refer to .
PHP Fatal error:  Maximum execution time of 1 second exceeded in /home/willysr/test.php
on line 35

Fatal error: Maximum execution time of 1 second exceeded in /home/willysr/test.php on line 35

If you need the solution right away, you can use this patches for PHP 5.2.x and 5.3.x. It's a simple fix (only by adding volatile keyword in one line) and it should fix the problem. Rebuilt PHP and voila... you are safe from those bug. Again, thanks to PHP team who provides the quick and easy fix to solve this problem

Here's the result when my PHP installation has been patched:

willysr@desktop:~$ php test.php
Testing float behaviour. If this script hangs or terminates with an error message due to
maximum execution time limit being reached, you should update your PHP installation asap!
For more information refer to .
Your system seems to be safe.

Update : PHP 5.3.5 and PHP 5.2.17 has been issued to fix this problem. Go get them at PHP Web Site

Secret Garden Drama

Currently, i'm watching Secret Garden, a Korean drama which is still airing. I have been absent watching Korean Drama for some time and focusing on Chinese/Taiwanese dramas, but since i think this drama is good, i'll make an exception for it.

Taken from D-Addicts:

The drama tells the story of Kim Joo Won (Hyun Bin), an arrogant and eccentric CEO who maintains the image of seeming perfection, and Gil Ra Im (Ha Ji Won), a poor and humble stuntwoman whose beauty and body are the object of envy amongst top actresses. Their accidental meeting, when Joo Won mistakes Ra Im for actress Park Chae Rin, marks the beginning of a tense, bickering relationship, through which Joo Won tries to hide a growing attraction to Ra Im that both confuses and disturbs him. To complicate matters further, a strange sequence of events results in them swapping bodies.

So, if you read the synopsis, you will find out that it's very interesting and the plot is rarely to be found in most Korean drama. It's airing on Saturday and Sunday (Korean time), so the English subs are usually released few days after it has been airing (most likely in Tuesday-Thursday).

If you look at the episode ratings, you will see why i am so eager to watch this drama

Yahoo/Plurk Emoticons Updated

I have just uploaded a new version of Yahoo/Plurk Emoticons for Blogger script to my Box.Net account. It contains one more hidden emoticon which i think very funny. It's a dancing android logo . I wish there will be more dancing emoticons in the future

Remember to install Greasemonkey extension first if you want to use this script on Blogger. Also note that this script is not yet working on new editor. You will have to use the old editor or else you won't see the emoticons on the Blogger Editor.

KDE 4.6 RC 2 Released

KDE 4.6 RC 2 has been released by KDE team as of today. This update will bring fixes for bugs that still lurk in KDE repository since RC 1 has been released few weeks ago. As usual, RC release is intended for developers and testers and users who have the guts of having a small instability on their machines. Don't use it for production use. Instead, use the currently KDE 4.5.4, which i think is very mature and stable for daily usage. I have used this version on my desktop.

KDE 4.6 packages for Slackware-Current should be arriving soon on AlienBOB's KTown repository as soon as he finished building it and testing it. Probably in one or two days, so be patient.

The final date of KDE 4.6 is set to January 26, if there's no major showstopper that would make some delays of the final release.

Linux Kernel 2.6.37 Released

Another year has passed and thus another new kernel release by Linus. As expected, Linus finally released the final Linux Kernel 2.6.37 as of today after having several RC release before Christmas and eventually it didn't make it as Christmas gift for everyone, so let's just consider this as a new year gift. Fair enough.

At this moment, the link on Kernel.org hasn't showed up, but you can still download it by clicking on this link. More information about what has been included in this release in human-friendly language can be seen in KernelNewbies (give some tim to update the page as the kernel has just been released).

Now, time to look for patches for NVidia and VMWare if i wanted to compile this kernel

Release of Smashing Book 2

Finally Smashing Book 2 has arrive in Pre-Order mode starting this January. I have bought the first edition and i must say, i'm impressed with it. The packaging, contents, cover, everything is what i expected from Smashing.

The shipment will be done starting in February, but if you pre-order it now, you will have 20% discount. Go get them now

First Work Day

Today is my first day working again in 2011. Not much interesting things happened today as most of the students are still on their hometown so campus is really quiet these days (and it will likely be like that until next week i think)

I have submitted the grades for all of subject i taught last semester. Hopefully it should represent student's efforts on the subject they took last semester. Some are good , while the rest are pretty bad

I think it will be a boring week, but let's hope not

Quiet Development

Since the long holidays in Christmas, it's been so quiet on Ubuntu Linux development in terms of packages that are coming to Ubuntu repository. Usually, every three hours or so, there are a bunch (sometimes huge) of packages that comes into the repository, but lately there can be more than one day without any updates to the repository at all.

It does happened with all projects, since most of the developers are on vacation or long holidays enjoying their last day in 2010 and also new year 2011. Well, tomorrow is already Monday again, so i think it's time to start doing our normal activities again and let's bring the fun back

First Post in 2011

This will be my first blog post in 2011 as it has reached new year in Indonesia and some other places in Asia. Firstly, i would like to thank all of the readers of this blog. It's been a wonderful year in 2010 and i made 411 blog posts during that time. My goal for this blog is to keep one post daily at minimum and i want to keep it that way.

As of 2011, i'm looking for more opportunities and goals that can be worked out. I'm so eager to face 2011 and today is the start of the new day.

Let's hope you share the joy moment as well as i do here in Indonesia