Extract Day, Hour, Time from Date Datatype in Oracle

There was a need to write a query which would give output for data which took place between two specific hours in a day, in a particular a month, for a set of departments.

Set of departments - group by function
for a month - simple between and to_date conversion

for specific hours, day, time - Extract function

Extract(year from to_timestamp(to_char(column_name,'dd-Mon-yyyy HH:MI:SS AM')))
Extract(month from to_timestamp(to_char(column_name,'dd-Mon-yyyy HH:MI:SS AM')))
Extract(day from to_timestamp(to_char(column_name,'dd-Mon-yyyy HH:MI:SS AM')))

Extract(hour from to_timestamp(to_char(column_name,'dd-Mon-yyyy HH:MI:SS AM')))
Extract(minute from to_timestamp(to_char(column_name,'dd-Mon-yyyy HH:MI:SS AM')))
Extract(sec from to_timestamp(to_char(column_name,'dd-Mon-yyyy HH:MI:SS AM'))) 

There was some bit of struggle in finding the correct format. If column is of the datatype DATE then, one has to to_char it. Without to_charing it, it invariably returns only 0 (zero)

Download Flash in Firefox, without any software

One can download Flash or for that matter any media element in a webpage when viewed in Firefox, without any additional tool, or software or add-on to Firefox. How?

Well, say there is a flash file (Shockwave File with extension .swf) on a webpage and you want to download it. Then,

• Open that particular webpage
• Click on Tools in the top Menu bar
• Then, from the list of options, click on Page Info. This option is one of the least explored option in Firefox. It gives all the information about the current web page that is open in Firefox.
  
• Go to the second tab - Media
• Under Address heading, it will show the location of the flash media object
• Below, on the same screen, there would be an option as Save As..., using which one can save the flash as it is from the webpage!

Ofcourse, this is useful when one wants to download only one Flash file from a webpage. Plus, one has to open the webpage where this Flash would be 'active'. If there are only links to Flash objects on a webpage, one cannot download them. Media info does not show them as part of flash objects, but as image objects.

If one needs to download multiple flash objects from a webpage, then one can download softwares which do this work for us.

P.S: Interestingly, found a site which details multiple ways of tweaking FF and IE to download flash objects.

Firefox Add-ons

Finally, this post has become a reality. I had mentioned in an earlier post that soon there would be a post on my favourite add-ons from firefox. There would surely be more than these, but currently these Add-ons are actively decorating my Firefox. In Firefox's own words:

"You spend more time online than on the road, but you probably think more about avoiding traffic than enjoying the best of the Web.

So, why not customize your Firefox for the things you really love to do? Take your browser from simple to spectacular.

Firefox add-ons are little extras that allow you to add a personal touch to your browser. Select your favorites from the categories to accessorize your Web!"

So, here is the list of 9 add-ons for firefox:

• Lock the Fox - password protect Firefox window
• Server Spy - know which brand of HTTP server runs a particular site
• Tamper Data - view and modify http/https headers and post parameters
• TestGen4Web - Record/Store/Play Firefox sessions
• FormFox - Displays the Form action
• Event Spy - can watch Javascript events as they occur
• Add n Edit Cookies - name conveys all
• Cache Status - Easy cache management
• Cookie Swap - Swap Cookies to log into multiple Gmail accounts
  

Hope you would find them useful, as much as I enjoyed in finding them and trying them out.

Update: Forgot to add one more add-on - PDF Convertor - convert any webpage into a pdf then and there.

Card holder travels with me

Card holder
All cards get held there, at one shot. Other green notes find a corner enough within this holder to exist or go straight to my open pocket. Apart from these, my specs cleaning cloth, bike-pass, a memstick and maybe a to-do list...

Gmail Access & Plinky

If one forgets Gmail password, one can get it reset either by answering the security question or by requesting a reset password link to the secondary mail id. But, if these do not work. Say, the account has been taken over and security question & secondary mail id are changed to something else, then how to recover? Well Gmail has an Account Recovery Form where they ask for some information so that the account is made available only to the correct person.

Blogger through SMS: Now, one can enable posting through mobile phone, currently available only to USian's

Plinky: Well, its another website where one can add up blogs, or Facebook, Twitter accounts and by answering the prompts, automatically all the linked services would get updated! Its surely good. This is created by one the original blogger team-members - Jason Shellen. Anyone wanna follow me there, here is the URL (First time I got a profile URL without a need for additional numerals or surname initials... that shows no other Rampy has yet signed up there :) )

Doodles for Google

Google has announced a Doodle competition for US Schools with the theme:

Interesting part of that is the Doodle History. A good simple read.

Animated Favicons

Now a days, many sites are displaying animated favicons (like this site on Email trace). How do they do that? Its simple. Create an animated gif file but with the size of Favicon (i.e. 16px by 16px). Then rename this favicon.gif to favicon.ico (.ico is the extension for favicons). Firefox renders these animated favicons, but not IE. IE displays only the first frame

Google Language

Anyone around feeling like they can help Google in translating web pages from regional languages to English, then one can sign in here. (Google Language style guide)

Found this interesting listing of popular blogs, category-wise.

A knol on importing contacts from excel to Gmail / Hotmail Contacts

A security flaw in Google Apps discovered last year, now fixed.

Google's Privacy Policy

Google has recently updated its privacy policy:

Before (see Google Cache):
When you access Google services, our servers automatically record information that your browser sends whenever you visit a website. These server logs may include information such as your web request, Internet Protocol address, browser type, browser language, the date and time of your request and one or more cookies that may uniquely identify your browser.

After (see current version)
When you access Google services, our servers automatically record information that your browser sends whenever you visit a website. These server logs may include information such as your web request, Internet Protocol address, browser type, browser language, the date and time of your request and one or more cookies that may uniquely identify your browser. Also, in order to protect you from fraud, phishing, and other misconduct, we may collect information about your interaction with our services. Any such information we collect will only be used to detect and prevent fraud or other misconduct.

*The content in italics was added today [SOURCE]

• An interesting read on why Google does not want to put up 'Privacy Policy' link on their Google Homepage.
  
• This read is on how to not allow search engines gather the user's information and their online activity.
• Data privacy day celebrated on 28th of Jan 2009.
  

Browsers powered by user choice?

As one may wonder how does this question exist, there is this interesting post on Google Public Policy Blog: Browsers powered by user choice where they have come out with some interesting statements... Dont miss reading the comments following it... Google got a run for its hypocrisy!

Google Web Servers

Google has got its own web servers which are currently running the web for Google ranked 3rd by Netcraft Web Server Survey. Heard its a modified version of Apache Web Server. The whole list of web servers running each of the Google product is given below:

(*) - denotes encrypted page

• (GWS: Google Web Server)
• Main Search: GWS/2.1
• Google Accounts: GFE/1.3*
• Google AdSense: GFE/1.3*
• Google AdWords: GFE/1.3*
• Google Hosted(mail for your domain) : GWS/2.1
• Google Analytics (Login Page): GWS/2.1
• Google Analytics (Auth Page): GFE/1.3*
• Google Analytics (Other Pages): ucfe*
• Google Analytics (Analysis Image and JS): ucfe
• Google Analytics (Images/JS/CSS/Flash): ga-reporting-fe
• Google Answers: GFE/1.3
• Google Base: asfe
• Blogger: Apache
• Google Book Search: OFE/0.1
• Google Calendar: GFE/1.3
• Google Catalogs: OFE/0.1
• Google Checkout: GFE/1.3*
• Google Code: codesite/2750796
• Google Co-Op: pfe
• Google Desktop: GFE/1.3
• Google Directory: DFE/1.0
• Google Downloads: GWS/2.1
• Google Finance: SFE/0.8
• Google Finance Stock Charts (Images): FTS (C)1997-2006 IS.Teledata AG
• Froogle: cffe
• Google Groups: GWS-GRFE/0.50
• Hello: Apache/2.0.53
• Google Help Pages: TrakhelpServer/1.0a
• Google Images: GWS/2.1
• Google Labs: Apache
• Google Local / Maps: mfe
• Google Local/Maps (Images): Keyhole Server 2.4
• Google Mail: GFE/1.3
• Google Mobile: GWS/2.1
• Google Moon: mfe
• Google Moon (Images): Keyhole Server 2.4
• Google Music Search: mws
• Google News: NFE/1.0
• Google Notebook GFE/1.3
• Orkut: GFE/1.3*
• Google Pack: COMINST/1.0
• Picasa (.com): Apache/2.0.53
• Picasa (.google.com): GWS/2.1
• Picasa Web Album: GFE/1.3
• Picasa Web Album (Static Images): staticfe
• Picasa Web Album (Uploaded Images): cachefe:image
• Google Page Creator (Sign-up page): GFE/1.3*
• Google Page Creator (User pages): GFE/1.3
• Google Personalized Homepage: igfe
• Google Scholar: GWS/2.1
• Google Search History: Search-History HTTP Server
• Google Sets: Apache
• Google Site-Flavored: GWS/2.1
• Google Sitemaps: GFE/1.3
• Google SMS: GWS/2.1
• Google SMS Search Requests: SMPP server 1.0
• Google SMS (GMail Registration): GFE/1.3*
• Google SMS (Page Viewer): GFE/1.3
• Google Spreadsheet: GFE/1.3
• Google Suggest: Auto-Completion Server
• Google Transit: mfe
• Google Translate: TWS/0.9
• Google Trends: Google Trends
• Google Video: GFE/1.3
• Google Video (Thumbnails): thumbnail_server.cc version 1.0
• Google Reader: GFE/1.3
• Google Ride Finder: Apache
• Google Talk: GWS/2.1
• Google Toolbar: GFE/1.3
• Google Toolbar (PR Lookup): GWS/2.1
• Google Web Accelerator: GFE/1.3
• Google Web Alerts: PSFE/4.0
• Writely: GFE/1.3

 How did I come to know of this? Well. There is a add-on in Firefox which displays the web server that rendered the current web page. Its name is Server Spy. Await for yet another list of useful add-ons to Firefox in the next post.

Source 1

Source 2

Customized Inbox in gmail

Multiple Inboxes and query strings, together can become a powerful tool for one to have a customized inbox in gmail. For example, one wants the secondary inbox to show all the unread mails from userid xyz@gmail.com, then go to Settings->Multiple Inboxes->Panel 1 (or whichever panel one wants to add it to) type in:

is:unread from:xyz@gmail.com

Whoa! Check your secondary inbox, you have your customized view! If one wants all unread mails from label For Fun, then type in:

is:unread is:For-Fun ('-' is the replacement for a space in label)

and you have all desired results. Go through all the remaining boolean operators and you will be on your way to a better managed gmail power-user.

Reinstall Internet Explorer 6 by using the Ie.inf file

If you already have Windows XP Service Pack 2 installed, and you do not want to install Internet Explorer 7, you may be able to resolve problems with Internet Explorer 6 by using the Ie.inf file to reinstall Internet Explorer 6. 

To do this, follow these steps:  

• Click Start, click Run, type %systemroot%\inf, and then press Enter. 
• Find the Ie.inf file that is located in Windows\Inf folder. 
• Right-click the Ie.inf file, and then click Install. 
• Restart the computer when the file copy process is complete.

Source

YM Emoticarolers & Power User

How much ever Google has captured the market in Search, Mail, OnlineDocs, they could never reach Yahoo Messenger in terms of the features, functionalities and grace of emoticons. GTalk could, to some extent, improve one's voice experience, but otherwise, enough are there who still prefer Yahoo Messenger when it comes to standalone client application. Integration of Chat into Gmail is a separate run-away success of Google.

Yahoo Messenger has got this concept of Power Users who, they say, will be identified depending on the end-users use of YM. More the use, sooner they will be crowned as 'Power User'. The link mentions other benefits like earlier use of new features, exclusive online indicators, enhanced customer care, custom avtaar accessories, etc. Once a Power User (or even otherwise), one can join the Messenger All-Stars group to be up-to-date with the latest in YM.

PingBox: We all know about adding GTalk badge to our websites, blogs. Now even YM gives that option. They call it Pingbox. Not bad.

Emoticarolers: Now this is interesting. With the classy yahoo emoticons (which go on improving with added age), one can send a jingle, carol to their friends!!! The look, feel is awesome. One can add their custom lyrics to the chosen tunes, currently only four. Worth a try and definitely a good way to wish :)

Disable Recent Documents in Windows

 Through Registry tweaking:
(Take a backup of your registry since incorrectly editing it, might damage windows)

• Click Start > Run > and type “regedit” 
• Find and go to HEKY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
• In right panel create a new Binary Value and name it “NoRecentDocsHistory”
• Give it value of 00 00 00 01
• Close registry editor and restart your computer

Through UI:

• Click on Start 
• Right click on the picture or your name.
• Click Customize.
• Select the Advanced Tab
• UnTick at bottom: List my most recently opened documents

Gears in full winamped gears

Continuing with its trends, Google has integrated Gears into Gmail. A much expected step with Gmail being their crown service, gears had to come in soon. This thought of existence to ease our work did pass the mind while trying out Gears on GDocs and GReader.

Winamp 5.541:
Tried this new version of Winamp, and its a lot impressive. Its no more a cylinder holding our playlists, its grown massively to hold a lot under the sun. It includes, SHOUTcast, Radio FM, AOL radio, AOL music, impressive Winamp Remote, etc. etc. (complete list of features). One can upload their favourite playlists, songs online and listen to them through Winamp from anywhere in the world. It has got its own toolbar which can be installed in the browser. The personalized data is stored against a free login ID and a password. Worth a try (download from here).

Google Friend Connect with Blogger

"Google Friend Connect means more people engaging more deeply with your website -- and with each other."
Its like one's own little forum, and in Google's words, these are socializing features which one can add to their websites. If one wants to add these gadgets to their sites, there are clear instructions at Google Friend Connect site. One has to first request for access and then one will be able to add these gadgets and use on their personal websites. When access is given, one is asked to download two files, which have to located at a particular location on your website. Then, copy the gadget code into your website code, and publish it. Your site is ready with Google Friend Connect!

Trouble is there are no clear cut instructions if one wants to add these to a Blogger account. The trick is, Blogger is readymade with these files. So, one need not download these files and try adding it to Blogger. Its already there. Just directly add the Google Friend Connect code to the 'HTML/Javascript' gadget. And your Blogger is ready for use.

Thanks to this site.

This seems to have emerged from Open Social project of Google which was a long-lost dream. They seem to be adding their work here now.

Inside Google's New-Product Process

"The philosophy is, try a bunch of ideas, refine them, and see what survives, says Marissa Mayer, the search giant's product-launch czar". An interesting article here.

Thanks to Naams, an article on Why Google Employees Quit. These are open thoughts of ex-Google employees on their stance of quitting followed by a plethora of comments.

GVid within GChat

Google has done it again. Following the trend that we see in the developments of Google services, we can guess the direction in which they are heading. Integration of all services into all of it, is the visible aim of Google. But, auto-generation of video preview within the chat window and an option to view it then and there when one sends a Youtube or Google Video links, is another out-of-the-box, least expected addition. Nevertheless, it is one of the useful addition. Gmail Blogpost.

Just yesterday, I was going through GDocs and was happy to see some of the developments there. Now one can publish a Doc (Excel, Word, Powerpoint) with Google Analytics working on it for tracking the developments. One can enable RSS feeds feature to these Docs which enables a person, who has subscribed to these feeds, know and track changes to the subscribed Doc.

Last night, tried Google Gears on Google Reader, it worked fine and well. When tried with GDocs, it gave an error on interruption. Have to check again.

Blogger seems to have made their pop-up boxes (Preview, Hyperlink) transparent. It creates a distraction since it merges of with the background.

Hacking site

It happens...Yes, it really happens for all of us. We want to Hack! Hack! Hack! and Hack! But there are no easy resources or its too complex for us to understand. But at the same time, we will never leave the fanciness to believe in ourselves in becoming a hacker one day!. So, here is one site, which under the pretext of 'Education and Knowledge sharing' concept to protect one's system, reveals some of the classic and, in some cases, advanced stuff. Sure, it would be interesting...once you start reading, you will be hooked. Enjoy.

http://www.hungry-hackers.com/

Spreeder

Wanna learn to read fast and quick? Here is the site which can help one in this endeavor:

http://www.spreeder.com/

One can decide what is the speed at which the reader can be made to read words, like 300wpm, etc. Plus, how many words should appear at a time, one or two. There are a few more basic settings which might be handy.

UnChrome

All of us have heard about this and this is one of the reasons why Chrome is not popularly used by many - it does not guarantee anonymity. It is known that Chrome collects lot of information from the user system and stores it. But now with the use of a software called UnChrome, this can be avoided. Apparently, Google Chrome identifies its users by their IDs. This is a unique ID generated with every installation of Google Chrome.  UnChrome 'Nulls' this value, effectively removing this link. It has to be used only once. Steps are as below:

 

1. First, click here to download UnChrome (make sure Google Chrome is closed first).

2. Next, click Run (Internet Explorer) or click Save File and run the application by double clicking on it (Firefox).

3. This screen will then pop up:

4. Click Remove Unique ID Now and then click OK to confirm you’ve already closed out the Chrome browser.

5. Success! The screen will then change to look like this:

Tab cloning in Firefox

Now with Firefox 3.x versions, one can clone the tab. No more copying the URL and pasting them in a new tab. One can just 'center' click on the Refresh button of the Web-browser and it will clone the tab, viz. create one more tab with the same website/webpage.
Ways of do it: 

• Center click on Refresh button (history is lost)
  
• Ctrl + Refresh (history is lost)
  
• Drag (favicon onto the tab bar) (history is lost)
• Ctrl + Drag (tab into the tab bar) (history is not lost :) )
  

Tab tearing in Firefox 3.1

Mimicking Google Chrome, one can now drag a tab out of Firefox into a new window. But vice-versa doesnt seem to be existing as of now. It needs its own time to stabilize, nevertheless, finally it has taken shape after multiple earlier attempts.

More here

Imp & Exp between Outlook and Gmail

Important information

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HA102220481033.aspx

G G G

Found few things:

Gmail help has improved with a different UI, and better feedback. Every help page trails with

Groups to GApps
Groups, though not full-fledged, but customized for use in organizations by access rights and permissions control, has been added to GApps, starting from free edition. More here

Mailing limits for Gmail and GApps

Known list of issues in Gmail

Centralized TNS names on network

With Oracle 8.0.6 and 8.1.7 versions running in support services, we had to change the TNS names in individual systems (about 30 of them), every time there was a change in host ip or any other parameter which are globally applicable

C:\Oracle\Ora806\Net80\Admin\TNS Names and
C:\Oracle\Ora817\Network\Admin\TNS Names

But one can have these TNS Names in a centralized location to avoid its change in every client system.

Create an environment variable with name: TNS_ADMIN, value for which would be the centralized location (eg. a mapped drive) containing TNS Names file. So, on the client system, it uses this variable to connect Oracle db. The local TNS Names become redundant!!!

Add Gmail to your RSS Feed Reader

To get notified of new Gmail messages in your RSS news feed reader:

• Launch your RSS feed reader like Google Reader.
• Create a new channel.
• Type "https://gmail.google.com/gmail/feed/atom" for the URL of the new feed.
• Enter your Gmail user name ("sammy.sample") when prompted for a user name.
• Use your Gmail password as the feed's password, too.
  • If that does not work, try using "https://[your Gmail user name]:­[your Gmail password]@gmail.google.com/­gmail/­feed/atom" (like "https://sammy.sample:passphrase@gmail.google.com/­gmail/­feed/­atom") for the URL.

To get notifications for new messages in a Gmail label in your RSS feed reader:

• Append the label to the "https://gmail.google.com/­gmail/­feed/­atom/" URL (note '/' at the end).
  • For example, a label called "todo" can be tracked using the URL "https://gmail.google.com/­gmail/­feed/­atom/­todo".
• Add the URL to your RSS feed reader as above. 

Source

Essentials for bloggers

Found this informative link on few essentials for bloggers

http://www.quickonlinetips.com/archives/2005/04/free-essential-tools-for-blogger/

l337

We all know the SMS language (you = u, Great = Gr8, are = r, etc.). There is a similar language for internet users which is considered geeky.

"l33t sp34k" is the international internet language coined by script kiddies and trolls who like to clutter up message boards and chat rooms with their claims of being "l33t H4xX0r5".

After going through a ten minutes read, I could interpret the statement: 1337 $|o3/-\|< |=/-\57 3|\|0U9|-| u <'/-\|\| 937 /-\ |0T 0F \/\//-\7 |7 5/-\5, 7|-|3|\| U c/-\|\| F|9uR3 0u7 \/\//-\7 u |\/||553o|.

"Leet speak fast enough u can get a lot of u wat p sas, then U can figure wat u missed" (in Italics - I do not know whether I could interpret it correctly)

How could I understand by just going through that language for 10 mins. Here is the help. Short course, in points, below

• Think of the symbols as shapes: a 5 looks a bit like an S, as does a $
• Combine two or more symbols and numbers to make single letters, such as |= for F or |3 for B
• Pay attention to context. If you can't figure out the meaning of a symbol, try to guess its meaning based on the letters (symbols) around it.
• substitute letters for other letters, sounds or words like f = ph, cks = xx, s = z or r = are. Interpretation of 1337$p34|<3r is leetspeaker
• Flagrant misspellings: Some, such as "kewl" (for "cool") are phonetic replacements, while others such as "teh" (for "the), or "ownt" and "pwned" (for "owned") are just an inside joke :)
  
• New grammatical structures: the suffix "0rz" can be added to a word to make it plural or to add emphasis, as in "r0xx0rz" for "rocks," where "r0xx" would substitute for "rocks". Another common suffix is "3d," used to indicate the past tense such that "rocked" becomes "r0xx0r3d," as is "7h47 r0xx0r3d" ("that rocked")
• l337 includes chat abbreviations too: BTW ("by the way"), TTYL ("talk to you later"), and the ubiquitous LOL (generally meaning "laugh out loud")
• Expand your vocabulary. Though most of the "new" words in 1337 are simply misspellings of English words ("taht", for example, or "pwn"), some are actually new coinages, such as "nooblet"--this could be written, for example, as "n008137"--which denotes a "noobie," or the 'newguy' |\|3\/\/|3 (newb) someone new to 1337 or something else. The best way to learn the vocabulary is to read a lot of 1337.
• Adapt to inconsistency. Sometimes, you'll see people with 1337 "skillz," sometimes you'll see "5k1||5," and sometimes "$c1llz0r3d."
• cApItalizE at random. Random capitalization is arguably an integral part of 1337. Some writers employ a consistent method, such as capitalizing all letters except vowels or only ending letters, but many simply capitalize letters (where they are not replaced by symbols), whenever they want.

l337 Chart:

• Note:
  
  • The commas are added to separate symbols
  • The symbol | (Example: B = |3 ) is a "down-slash", or "pipe", and not a lower-case "L" or capital "i"
  • The symbol ` (Example: T = 7` ) is not a standard apostrophe, but is a "Grave Accent" and is found on the tilde (~) key
  • Also keep in mind that the use of /-/ for H for example, aren't used nearly as often as the normal letter in a quick conversation. To write an entire sentence this way would take three times as long, thus the quicker single symbol or letter substitutions are more often used.

• A = 4, /-\, @, ^, /\ , //-\\
• B = 8, ]3, ]8, |3, |8, ]]3, 13
• C = (, { , [[, <, €
• D = ), [}, |), |}, |>, [>, ]]), Ð
• E = 3, ii, €
• F = |=,(=, ]]=, ph
• G = 6, 9, (_>, [[6, &
• H = #, |-|, (-), )-(, }{, }-{, {-}, /-/, \-\, |~|, []-[], ]]-[[
• I = 1, !, |, ][, []
• J = _|, u|, ;_[], ;_[[
• K = |<, |{, ][<, ]]<, []<
• L = |,1, |_, []_, ][_, £
• M = /\/\, |\/|, [\/], (\/), /V\, []V[], \\\, (T), ^^, .\\, //., ][\\//][,
• N = /\/, |\|, (\), /|/, [\], {\}, ][\][, []\[], ~
• O = 0, (), [], <>, *, [[]]
• P = |D, |*, |>, []D, ][D
• Q = commas are necessary: (,) or 0, or O, or O\ or []\
• R = |2, |?, |-, ]]2 []2 ][2
• S = 5, $
• T = 7, +, ']', 7`, ~|~, -|-, '][', "|", †
• U = (_), |_|, \_\, /_/, \_/, []_[], ]_[, µ
• V = \/ , \\//
• W = \/\/, |/\|, [/\], (/\), VV, ///, \^/, \\/\//, 1/\/, \/1/, 1/1/
• X = ><, }{, )(, }[
• Y = '/, %, `/, \j , ``//, ¥, j
• Z = 2, z, 7_,`/_

Try an online l337 translator here.

Leet examples [(l337 3><4|\/||*!3$) - This one created using the above suggestions. Looks damn cool!]

In English: Whats up man? I am fine here....are you?

][ /\/ !33+: Wh47$ µp m4n? 1 4m ƒ1n3 h3r3....4r3 ¥0µ?


More on leet
Source

p.s: Had trouble with escape charactering the HTML on this page. l33+ troubles html :P

GCal & GMaps

GCal has grown more intelligent. Today there was an invitation for a get-together. I went to add into Calendar from Gmail itself with the option provided - Add to Calendar which appears on the right side of mail. The subject contained the date 14th of Dec, 2008. When it reached GCal, it automatically chose the date as: 14th of Dec, 2008!!! If that was not enough, today for the first time found that in the Add a Reminder option, it had chosen my earlier preferences. This was one thing which I felt should be there, and now it is there. Now I dont know whether it is a consolidation of type of all the choices we had chosen so far, or just the last choice we had preferred. Nevertheless, its more intelligent now.

As expected, it has got GMap already part of GCal. Not to be surprised if GThemes push their way into it apart from the much anticipated and wanted GTasks.

Plus, in GMaps, today when I went about marking the place for this event, could see one new option on Add a place to the map. Earlier this option existed in personal maps alone. But, now this option to add is for the global map. All said and done, there is a lot that needs to be improved in GMaps

Create GTalk themes

Steps to create a Google Talk Theme

1. Navigate to this folder;

C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\
Application Data\Google\Google Talk\themes\system\chat

Here you can see all the pre-installed Chat themes.

2. Select a particular theme and click on the theme folder and navigate to this folder;

C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\
Application Data\Google\Google Talk\themes\system\chat\\Contents\Resources

Here you can see main.css file. This is the file which defines the looks of Google Talk skins. You can edit these CSS and create your own custom theme. You can add your own custom images and colors to Google Talk.

3. Now open your Google Talk and select Settings-> Appearance and you will be able to see your new theme.

You can save these theme under different name and can also make it available for public download.


Source

Google Maps integrated with Blogger

Continuing with their tradition, culture of integration, Google has integrated GMaps with Blogger after integrating with Picassa-web, Gmail (in contacts) and few other products. I observed it as I was publishing the earlier post. It appears right next to Labels with the legend Location: add location with its cheeky icon. Because of this, the space for labels has expanded length-wise since Location hijacked its earlier territory.

As I tried underlining 'add location' in the earlier statement, there is surprisingly no 'U' icon existing in Blogger's RTF toolbar!

Get rid of alert messages from Taskbar

1.) Go to your Start menu, Control Panel and look for the Security Center icon. Click on that

Also, keep in mind that you need to be in the category view of your Control Panel for this to work. To get there, open up your Control Panel and at the upper left hand corner, click on "Switch to Category View" (if you're not already there).

2.) After opening the security center, look under the title Resources on the left hand side of the page. Click on "Change the way Security Center alerts me."

3.) From this screen, you can choose which things you want to change under the Alert Settings. Uncheck any that you don't want activated anymore. You probably will only want to change the Automatic Updates setting though, because the others deal with your antivirus and firewall and you should always have those running. When you're done, click OK.

You may want to restart your computer when you're finished just to make sure the changes take effect. Then there won't be any more annoying and frustrating messages!

Threat Expert

Many a times, we have files on our system, which are genuine yet get black-listed by our favourite Anti-viruses. At the same time, there are files which though infected by viruses do not get detected by our anti-viruses. A simple solution is to update the Anti-virus, and most probably it will work properly.

Yet, there is a online utility called Threat Expert which will detect any virus in a particular file. Can submit a file and get the report! One can even submit the file using a standalone applet in the PC itself!

Google Task List

It has been known that Google Apps does not have a Task Manager, be it for Project tracking, or for completing tasks on schedule. Google Calendar's daily agenda, was so-so for this work. But Google has got a completely new service called Google Task List.

Living by their nature of integrating each service into every other service of theirs (like getting Google Themes from iGoogle to Orkut, then to Gmail and it might very easily extend to Reader too! Similarly, Google SMS which is part of Google SMS channel, may become part of Gmail filters, where we can set the criteria, for an sms notification), they have integrated Google Tasks List with Gmail. Implying, integrated with Google Apps.

This is what Google Watch had to say about it:

"Click it, then click in an empty part of the list window that pops up on the right and start typing your task list in what is really the familiar Google Chat window. This means they're visible while you're scanning your inbox, reading mail, or searching. You can also pop your list out into a new window to.
The list you create saves automatically and you can hit return to begin entering a new task. There are a number of editing options, including the ability to add, delete, indent, un-indent tasks, move tasks up or down, or switch between task lists.


Here's the best part: You can also convert e-mails into tasks. To do so, select one or more messages and go to "More Actions," then "Add to Tasks." It pops up in the task list. You can read it by selecting it and clicking the related e-mail link. Awesome! More modular e-mail. It's like putting a digital sticky label on your to-do list."

Remove arrow from shortcut icons

There are some softwares to do this, but manual tweak to Registry is enough to do it. Since following steps involve Registry Tweak, it is suggested that you backup your registry before doing these to undo any changes that you don’t like



Steps:

•    Type regedit in the Run box to open registry editor.
•    Navigate to the following keys
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\piffile
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\InternetShortcut
•    Delete the IsShortcut key (if you are facing problems in finding that entry then you can also search them) from each of them.

Reboot to see the deleted arrows from the shortcuts

Google SMS Channels

Hi all,
This sounds exciting... possibilities are growing manifold

Google has launched a service called Google SMS Channels which lets you receive various types of updates directly to your mobile phone by direct sms to your phone for free. What google has to say about it?

"Google SMS Channels is a service that enables channels/groups on SMS. It's a free service that enables you to get premium content published by Google publishing partners, Google popular products (Google News, Blogger and Google Groups) and websites with RSS/Atom support for free. SMS Channels allows you to create your own channel(s) to publish content that other users can subscribe to. You can also create groups over SMS to communicate with your friends, family, and co-workers."

"You don't pay anything to send or receive messages using Google SMS Channels. When you post a message to your channel, all the members of your channel get the message forwarded for free. SMS tariff charges may apply when you configure the service or publish to a channel using a mobile phone."

Best part is, this has been first implemented in India! They say,

" This service is currently available to users in India and requires an Indian mobile number. We are working towards making this service available to international numbers."

I have already subscribed and created channels. Have you?

Subsribe to my channel by clicking on this link :)

Google search on mobile by SMS

Get results on your mobile phone as an sms by sending sms in the pattern define below to the no: 9773300000

SMS Search features-
1. Cricket Scores: Simply SMS "cri" or "cricket" or "cricket India" to receive latest cricket scores.
2. Indian Railways: Send your PNR number to get latest status of your PNR (confirmed/RAC/current waitlist status). Or send "trains between mumbai to delhi" to know trains and get further details of train schedule.
3. Stock Quotes: SMS "Company name quote" to receive stock quotes from BSE. e.g. "reliance stock".
4. Horoscope: Simply send your sunsign (e.g. Virgo) to receive your day's horoscope
5. Local Business Search: Do local search on SMS (e.g. categories such as "restaurants indira nagar bangalore" or businesses such as "pizza hut koramangala"). This is available across 34 cities - Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kolkatta, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Noida,Gurgaon, Faridabad, Vadodara, Surat, Kanpur, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Nagpur, Rajkot, Ernakulam, Cochin, Gaziabad, Bhuwneshwar, Aurangabad, Lucknow, Nashik, Indore, Panaji, Bhopal, Agra, Guntur, Visakhapatnam, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Coimbatore.
6. News: Send "news" or "business news" to receive latest news.
7. Movie Showtimes: Send "movies delhi" or "golmaal returns delhi" and get movie rating and movie showtimes.
8. Flight status: Flight status for Jet, Kingfisher, Indigo & Spicejet. Simply send "9w502", "It 302".
9. Definitions: Send "define " e.g. "define zenith", "define inflation".
10. Weather: e.g. "weather Delhi".
11. Calculator: "1 kilo in pound".
12. Currency Conversion: "5000 inr in usd".
13. Facts: e.g. "GDP of india" or "population of bangalore".
Thanks to Channa for mentioning it earlier and then to Harsha for details :)

Watch Live demo

Ctrl & Shift

Many times, we see that the files get duplicated on selecting them, with Ctrl key pressed. Below shortcut explains it, two little known shortcuts that can be useful

Select the file. Then, drag it with

• Ctrl key pressed, it creates a copy
• Ctrl + Shift pressed, it creates a shortcut to that file

Secondly, there is one more very less known shortcut: Shift+ Restart. This will just restart Windows and not the whole computer, holding down the Shift key when clicking the OK button on the shutdown screen. This will save a lot of time.

Less-known excel shortcuts

A short list of less know Excel shortcuts

1. Apply the outline border to the selected cells. [ Ctrl-Shift-& ]
2. Apply the Date format with the day, month, and year.[ Ctrl-Shift-# ]
3. Apply the Time format with the hour and minute, and AM or PM. [ Ctrl-Shift-@ ]
4. Enter the current time. [ Ctrl-Shift-: ]
5. Enter the current date. [ Ctrl-; ]
6. Hide the selected rows. [ Ctrl-9 ]
7. Hide the selected columns. [ Ctrl-0 ]
8. Alternate between displaying cell values and displaying formulas in the worksheet. [ Ctrl-` ]
9. Display the Find and Replace dialog box, with the Replace tab selected. [ Ctrl-H ]
10. Display the Insert Hyperlink dialog box for new hyperlink. [ Ctrl-K ]
11. Display the Print Preview window. [ Ctrl-F2 ]
12. Switch to the next workbook window. [ Ctrl-F6 ]
13. Display the Macro dialog box to create, run, edit, or delete a macro. [ Alt-F8 ]
    

WinXP cmd commands

List of few commands for WinXP

ADDUSERS: Add or list users to/from a CSV file
ARP: Address Resolution Protocol
ASSOC: Change file extension associations
ASSOCIAT: One step file association
AT: Schedule a command to run at a later time
ATTRIB: Change file attributes

BOOTCFG: Edit Windows boot settings
BROWSTAT: Get domain, browser and PDC info
CACLS: Change file permissions
CALL: Call one batch program from another
CD: Change Directory - move to a specific Folder
CHANGE: Change Terminal Server Session properties
CHKDSK: Check Disk - check and repair disk problems
CHKNTFS: Check the NTFS file system
CHOICE: Accept keyboard input to a batch file
CIPHER: Encrypt or Decrypt files/folders
CleanMgr: Automated cleanup of Temp files, recycle bin
CLEARMEM: Clear memory leaks
CLIP: Copy STDIN to the Windows clipboard.
CLS: Clear the screen
CLUSTER: Windows Clustering
CMD: Start a new CMD shell
COLOR: Change colors of the CMD window
COMP: Compare the contents of two files or sets of files
COMPACT: Compress files or folders on an NTFS partition
COMPRESS: Compress individual files on an NTFS partition
CON2PRT: Connect or disconnect a Printer
CONVERT: Convert a FAT drive to NTFS.
COPY: Copy one or more files to another location
CSVDE: Import or Export Active Directory data

DATE: Display or set the date
Dcomcnfg: DCOM Configuration Utility
DEFRAG: Defragment hard drive
DEL: Delete one or more files
DELPROF: Delete NT user profiles
DELTREE: Delete a folder and all subfolders
DevCon: Device Manager Command Line Utility
DIR: Display a list of files and folders
DIRUSE: Display disk usage
DISKCOMP: Compare the contents of two floppy disks
DISKCOPY: Copy the contents of one floppy disk to another
DNSSTAT: DNS Statistics
DOSKEY: Edit command line, recall commands, and create macros
DSADD: Add user (computer, group..) to active directory
DSQUERY: List items in active directory
DSMOD: Modify user (computer, group..) in active directory

ECHO: Display message on screen
ENDLOCAL: End localisation of environment changes in a batch file
ERASE: Delete one or more files
EXIT: Quit the CMD shell
EXPAND: Uncompress files
EXTRACT: Uncompress CAB files

FC:: Compare two files
FDISK Disk Format and partition
FIND: Search for a text string in a file
FINDSTR: Search for strings in files
FOR /F Loop command: against a set of files
FOR /F Loop command: against the results of another command
FOR Loop command: all options Files, Directory, List
FORFILES: Batch process multiple files
FORMAT: Format a disk
FREEDISK: Check free disk space (in bytes)
FSUTIL: File and Volume utilities
FTP: File Transfer Protocol
FTYPE: Display or modify file types used in file extension associations

GLOBAL: Display membership of global groups
GOTO: Direct a batch program to jump to a labelled line

HELP: Online Help
HFNETCHK: Network Security Hotfix Checker

IF: Conditionally perform a command
IFMEMBER: Is the current user in an NT Workgroup
IPCONFIG: Configure IP

KILL: Remove a program from memory

LABEL: Edit a disk label
LOCAL: Display membership of local groups
LOGEVENT: Write text to the NT event viewer.
LOGOFF: Log a user off
LOGTIME: Log the date and time in a file

MAPISEND: Send email from the command line
MEM: Display memory usage
MD: Create new folders
MODE: Configure a system device
MORE: Display output, one screen at a time
MOUNTVOL: Manage a volume mount point
MOVE: Move files from one folder to another
MOVEUSER: Move a user from one domain to another
MSG: Send a message
MSIEXEC: Microsoft Windows Installer
MSINFO: Windows NT diagnostics
MSTSC: Terminal Server Connection (Remote Desktop Protocol)
MUNGE: Find and Replace text within file(s)
MV: Copy in-use files

NET: Manage network resources
NETDOM: Domain Manager
NETSH: Configure network protocols
NETSVC: Command-line Service Controller
NBTSTAT: Display networking statistics (NetBIOS over TCP/IP)
NETSTAT: Display networking statistics (TCP/IP)
NOW: Display the current Date and Time
NSLOOKUP: Name server lookup
NTBACKUP: Backup folders to tape
NTRIGHTS: Edit user account rights

PATH: Display or set a search path for executable files
PATHPING: Trace route plus network latency and packet loss
PAUSE: Suspend processing of a batch file and display a message
PERMS: Show permissions for a user
PERFMON: Performance Monitor
PING: Test a network connection
POPD: Restore the previous value of the current directory saved by PUSHD
PORTQRY: Display the status of ports and services
PRINT: Print a text file
PRNCNFG: Display, configure or rename a printer
PRNMNGR: Add, delete, list printers set the default printer
PROMPT Change the command prompt
PsExec: Execute process remotely
PsFile: Show files opened remotely
PsGetSid: Display the SID of a computer or a user
PsInfo: List information about a system
PsKill: Kill processes by name or process ID
PsList: List detailed information about processes
PsLoggedOn: Who's logged on (locally or via resource sharing)
PsLogList: Event log records
PsPasswd: Change account password
PsService: View and control services
PsShutdown: Shutdown or reboot a computer
PsSuspend: Suspend processes
PUSHD: Save and then change the current directory

QGREP: Search file(s) for lines that match a given pattern.

RASDIAL: Manage RAS connections
RASPHONE: Manage RAS connections
RECOVER: Recover a damaged file from a defective disk.
REG: Read, Set or Delete registry keys and values
REGEDIT: Import or export registry settings
REGSVR32: Register or unregister a DLL
REGINI: Change Registry Permissions
REM: Record comments (remarks) in a batch file
REN: Rename a file or files.
REPLACE: Replace or update one file with another
RD: Delete folder(s)
RDISK: Create a Recovery Disk
RMTSHARE: Share a folder or a printer
ROBOCOPY: Robust File and Folder Copy
ROUTE: Manipulate network routing tables
RUNAS: Execute a program under a different user account
RUNDLL32: Run a DLL command (add/remove print connections)

SC: Service Control
SCHTASKS: Create or Edit Scheduled Tasks
SCLIST: Display NT Services
ScriptIt:: Control GUI applications
SET Display, set, or remove environment variables
SETLOCAL: Control the visibility of environment variables
SETX:: Set environment variables permanently
SHARE: List or edit a file share or print share
SHIFT: Shift the position of replaceable parameters in a batch file
SHORTCUT: Create a windows shortcut (.LNK file)
SHOWGRPS: List the NT Workgroups a user has joined
SHOWMBRS: List the Users who are members of a Workgroup
SHUTDOWN: Shutdown the computer
SLEEP: Wait for x seconds
SOON: Schedule a command to run in the near future
SORT: Sort input
START: Start a separate window to run a specified program or command
SU: Switch User
SUBINACL: Edit file and folder Permissions, Ownership and Domain
SUBST: Associate a path with a drive letter
SYSTEMINFO: List system configuration

TASKLIST: List running applications and services
TIME: Display or set the system time
TIMEOUT: Delay processing of a batch file
TITLE: Set the window title for a CMD.EXE session
TOUCH:: Change file timestamps
TRACERT: Trace route to a remote host
TREE Graphical display of folder structure
TYPE: Display the contents of a text file

USRSTAT: List domain usernames and last login

VER: Display version information
VERIFY: Verify that files have been saved
VOL: Display a disk label

WHERE: Locate and display files in a directory tree
WHOAMI: Output the current UserName and domain
WINDIFF: Compare the contents of two files or sets of files
WINMSD: Windows system diagnostics
WINMSDP: Windows system diagnostics II
WMIC: WMI Commands

XCACLS: Change file permissions
XCOPY: Copy files and folders

Few surely might easily become part of our daily use

Facebook loses data!

Three days back I got a mail from Facebook which read as follows:

Unfortunately, the settings that control which email notifications get sent to you were lost. We're sorry for the inconvenience.

To reset your email notification settings, go to:

http://www.facebook.com/editaccount.php?notifications

Thanks,
The Facebook Team

Facebook loosing data?!?!? Surprising... 

Invisible character

Do you have something that requires a name but you don't want anything in it? You could just throw nonsense in there, but a blank space would be best. Well, guess what? There is an invisible character! This special character is the equivalent of a space:

Hold down Alt then type 0160 (Alt+0160) on the number keypad at the right side of your keyboard.

Application onto desktop shortcuts:

Type in our invisible character code (Alt+0160). There you go—an icon with no label.



Keep in mind that if you want to do this to other shortcuts you can't have the same name, so just type the code more than once. That means that for the first shortcut you type Alt+0160 release the Alt key then type Alt+0160 again. For the third icon do it three times, etc.

Lock Computer Shortcut

Create Shortcut with following value

rundll32 user32.dll,LockWorkStation for Windows OS.


Clicking on it would lock the computer straight

How can your Gmail get hacked!

Here is an interesting finding on how a person without knowing your password can hack into your Gmail account and create filters. Creating filters will imply least, deleting mails and forwarding mails to his/her personal accounts.

http://infotech.indiatimes.com/quickiearticleshow/3754807.cms

Google is investigating into the matter.

Name tagging in Picasa - exists, does not exist

 Whenever one goes from Gmail to Picasa web using the photos link present at the top of Gmail, it takes us to the following link:

http://picasaweb.google.co.in/home?tab=mq.

This link would not show option for Tagging faces. The correct link is:

http://picasaweb.google.com/home

This is the new correct link for picasaweb after addition of Name Tags, which is not updated in Gmail. Someone from Gmail listening?

Transition your PDF into a slideshow

Excerpted from “Adobe Acrobat 7 in the Office.”


Do you have an Adobe® PDF file that you’d like to use as a presentation piece, but you think it needs a little something extra to perk it up? It’s easy to transition your PDF file into a riveting slideshow. Just add page transitions in Adobe Acrobat® 7.0, and then set the PDF file to run as a slideshow.

Get started

You can add transitions in Acrobat and configure them according to how your document is designed. For example, you can specify that the pages turn auto-matically or in response to a mouse click. In our example, the pages will turn in response to a mouse click.

Add transitions

Adding transitions gives you the option of showing the presentation using the Full Screen view, as well as a more interesting way to change pages.
Follow these steps to add the transitions:

1. Choose Document > Set Page Transitions to open the Page Transition dialog.
   
2. Click the Effect pull-down arrow in the Page Transition area and choose an option from the list. For this project, we’ve chosen the Wipe Down effect (Figure 1). If you prefer, you can choose from numerous other effects, including box in/box out options, other wipes, fades, blinds, cover/uncover effects, and so on.
   
   
   
   Figure 1: Select the transition you’ll use in the presentation from the pull-down list.
3. Select the page range to apply the effects to. The default applies the transition to all pages (Figure 2).
   
4. Click OK to close the dialog and add the transitions to the page.
   You can’t see the transitions in the program window. Use the Full Screen view to test the project’s effects.
   
   
   
   Figure 2: Specify the speed of the transition and whether you want the pages to turn automatically in the dialog.

View the slideshow

Now that you’ve added transitions to your slideshow, you should test the results. Acrobat 7.0 includes an option that lets you show just the content of a document against a solid background. Removing the program’s interface allows you (and your viewers) to concentrate on the content rather than being distracted by the sur-rounding toolbars, menus, and other program items.
Follow these steps to view and run the slideshow:

1. Display the first page of the document in the Document pane.
   
2. Click the Full Screen view icon on the Status bar at the bottom left of the program window. The program interface is now removed from the screen, and the page is shown against a black background.
   
3. Click the left mouse button to advance through the slides/pages.
   
4. Press the Esc key to return to the regular program interface.
   

Excerpted from “Adobe Acrobat 7 in the Office.”
Here is the site

Themes in Gmail "No posts?"

After long time uh? yeah...there is a reason.

Before that, Gmail has introduced themes. We can see a trend in what Google is doing. It is getting all its ideas from each different product to every product...This way, there are working in getting each thing into everything, but working separately. It has its own advantages. If one is interested in any one Google service, he is given an option to choose others. Like if one likes GMail, he is given an option to get GDocs, GCalendar, etc. into Gmail without going out of it.

An Alternative

They can create an application, a service with all its features available. When one first logs in, that person is asked to choose what all features he wants, and also choose what is their primary focus. Mind you, its different from iGoogle. Products only from Google's services, not any gadget available. Though adding gadgets can be next stage (like G*Gadgets in Gmail Labs). This way, depending on the preferences given by the user, one will get a different product. Few of the features can be default depending on the focus chosen. If Mail is the primary focus, then Gmail comes up, alongwith the other default features associated with this service. This way, if Blogger is part of the services chosen along with Gmail, then same labels will work for the posts, as well as the mails. A Tab differentiating two can be enough to help us out :)

This way, their addition of any one new feature is automatically available for all the services, than G working separately for each of its service for integration.

Back to topic


Wondering why there have been no new posts here? Its because, most of the search is related to G. So, now I read them in GReader and share on my public page. This way, there is no need to re-enter the data, unless there is something which is not shared on GReader, or discovered newly.

So, any new stuf, find will keep coming here, but G-stuff on GReader please...Thus, I am eagerly awaiting a completely integrated app from G...so that there is no anamoly, discrepancy or duplication of data of one individual user. Integration of Orkut, Reader, Blog, Mail, Groups, V-Talk, Analytics, Gadgets, (better) Calendar, Docs, Picasa, YouTube, Notebook, Web history = GService. Challenge here would be the UI, but with high-end engineers sitting there, I am sure, this would be a challenge worth taking than working with the routine UIs

Conversations & Events

Following the lead from Facebook, Orkut added a feature called 'View Conversation' within scrapbook. This is equivalent of Wall-to-Wall option in Facebook. 'Conversation' being the patronized word of Google (starting with Gmail), it suited well.

Recently, they added to Orkut a feature called 'Events'. It appears below one's profile picture, in the list of 'opportunities' available. Out of curiosity, went through it. First thought, on seeing that word, was 'Google Calendar' has been integrated with Orkut (as Google Talk has been integrated with Orkut; GDocs, GCal, G*Gadgets have been optionally integrated with Gmail). But, it lead to a disappointment. It is not yet been integrated. Integration being the basis of all Google products, it is a easily guessed future.

Went through this post on a confidential meeting in Google headquarters, where they discussed, in the words of the post, if Facebook is 98% open, Google wants to be 100%. This post makes a very interesting statement, which now looks very very likely. Integration of not just Google services, but also of third party applications, like Beebo, Friendster, Digg, etc. with its social graph data layer from Orkut.

Blogging: a fashion

Thought Blogging was picking up as a philosophical, intellectual pathway towards sharing data, thoughts freely only among the self-professed gypsies? We now have Bollywood stardom finding no better thing than getting in touch with their 'fans' through this electronic medium, probably they realized acting required more effort than blogging!

Amitabh Bachan (BigAdda)
Aamir Khan (Blogger)
Salman Khan (Blogger)
Karan Johar: This is a website: My name is Karan

They have made it interactive. They promise responding personally, to a large extent. Infact Aamir, based on the response given at the blog, included one song in the movie Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, which was earlier omitted, inspite of AR suggesting its presence in the film. Thats a good response and gives a reason for one to interact with them, thus keeping it lively.

p.s: Trouble finding these blogs was, there were so many, so many people mentioned these at their blogs, in news reports, but failed giving these links. This lead to popularity of these subsidised blogs, websites, news reports than the actual blog. Infact, I am yet to get the official blog of Shah Rukh Khan, which exists!

ID3 Tags

As my new system is getting ready for heavy burdening of the space it professes to bear, be it visuals or audio files, there was a need for classification of songs into their respective genres for easier retrieval. This lead to study on ID3 tags, finally.

What are ID3 tags?
ID3 stands for 'IDentify an MP3'. It is associated with MP3 format files to add 'textual / graphical' information. It contains metadata like name of the artist, track title, album, lyrics, year, track number and genre in the file, allowing that information to travel with the file. Here is the official Home page of ID3.

When it first came out, ID3v1, it had multiple limitations, few being, appearance of this data (tags) only at the end of the song, having 128-byte fixed size. Owing to these, there was an immediate need to come out with ID3v2 which became popular, and also was more useful.

Windows gives an option to edit these tags, but it is restricted. It allows certain fields sometimes, and many times not. So, there was a need for exclusive software to help in this front.

If any of you are thinking of adding up 'metadata' to your song's list, which goes into GBs then there are softwares that are available for simultaneous editing of multiple mp3 files. A few listed below:

STamp ID3-Tag Editor
ID3-TagIT

p.s: For all those who are interested in knowing some jargons in the field of audio editing, here is a short glossary.

Google Photos Screensaver

This is part of Google Pack. Years back, when I first downloaded Google Pack, there was a option to choose products from the pack which one wants to download. But today when I revisit, astonishingly there is no way one can choose which to download and which ones not.



Google Photos Screensaver is one such service which I wanted to download standalone. Here is the link to do so without downloading Google Pack :)



Google Reader Update:





There are few things that are hidden in Google Reader. There is, currently, no interface to view them. Below the links to reveal the insights. Picked up from here.





* All the posts you've emailed to your contacts:

http://www.google.com/reader/view/user/-/state/com.google/tracking-emailed



* All the posts you have marked as unread at some point (to keep a post unread, you need to uncheck "Mark as read" from the options bar; note that "Mark all as unread" will not maintain this state):

http://www.google.com/reader/view/user/-/state/com.google/tracking-kept-unread



* All the posts you have marked as unread and are still unread (Google Reader calls them "saved items"):

http://www.google.com/reader/view/user/-/state/com.google/kept-unread



* Did you click on a post's main link to go to the original location? You'll find it here:

http://www.google.com/reader/view/user/-/state/com.google/tracking-item-link-used



* Did you click on a link from a post's content? The post should be included in this list:

http://www.google.com/reader/view/user/-/state/com.google/tracking-body-link-used



* If you use the list view, you can find the list of posts you've actually read (or at least you have clicked on the title):

http://www.google.com/reader/view/user/-/state/com.google/read



* Are Google's recommended feeds interesting? Check the list of recommended feeds you've subscribed to:

http://www.google.com/reader/view/user/-/state/com.google/recommendations-subscribed



* Did you accidentally dismiss a recommended feed? You'll find it here:

http://www.google.com/reader/view/user/-/state/com.google/recommendations-dismissed