Satellite, what is it

Most of us, at least heard it... ever used google maps to find a location, a weather forecast from yahoo.. (or in your dashboard if you use mac).... Those are examples of satellites services. In simple, satellites is something that orbiting the world. It can be used for many purposes such as telecommunication, networking, photogrammetry, radar, forecast, etc.....

This morning I just read an article, well, it's from other blog, that discussed about ten most important satellites orbiting earth now.

Where is Palapa?

Image taken from : http://io9.com/391538/the-ten-most-important-satellites-orbiting-earth-now

More discussion : http://io9.com/391538/the-ten-most-important-satellites-orbiting-earth-now

Reading Howto

I've been in OZ for almost one year. I found that my English is far better than what I had before (except for speaking, my Javanese accent can't be eliminated when I speak in English :)... that's good). 

Now, reading is a pleasure for me... That's a positive thing that I got since I were here. It was so surprised for me when I came here and saw people read a book in the bus, in the park, everywhere, while I loved to play my latest nokia phone. 

Yeah... before, I loved to upgrade my phone to the latest one, and I saw that Indonesians tend to do the same. Not in here, only few of them have an expensive mobile phone so that they can play in a bus or campus or other places... They love to read rather than having a good and expensive mobile phone. Hmm... it's just my view... I don't know the reality, but it's good that we don't need to gain all the technology and happy with that. Sometime an expensive mobile phone is just a status that we can buy. But in here, who cares...

If you have salary, says 2million rupiahs.. and you buy 3million rupiahs mobile phone... hmm, it's just crazy.... (but that's what I did... I realize and regret now)

Back to reading....

Here, bookshop just like a heaven.. specially "basement bookshop". I pass it every time back from work. You can find the cheapest books in Sydney there... Usually, I just grab the one that below 5$ :)

You don't need to be an expert to read, just open your eyes, mind and imagination. Everything is worth to read. But sometimes, we easily get bored... 

Steve Kaufmann has some great tips and how to read and how to choose on what should you read....

1. Read about things that interest you.

2. Read material that is at your level, or just a little difficult for you.

3. Learn to read in depth, stay on the same subject for a while.

4. If you have trouble reading, listen first.

5. Let your imagination get involved.

6. Don’t worry about what you don’t understand

7. Recognize that the key is to read a lot.

Well, for me, the greatest tip is number 6, Don't worry about what you don't understand :)

Happy reading.....

 

If you find that those tips are interesting for you, check out the full article here http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/7-pleasurable-ways-to-improve-your-reading-ability/

Open Source Investment

Technology grows very fast. Living in that situation will lead your company to bankrupt since you need to invest more money buying latest software, anti virus, security software, expensive hosting, etc. So how can we face it?

Use open source!

Open Source also grows very fast recent days. You can get 3D desktop easily using latest Linux OS and run it faster that Vista on your old machine. You can have more secure website, Application, virus-free, etc using this kind of technology. As the result, you can multifold your revenue as not investing much money on software, etc.....

Who's able to do that? Is it easy to learn?

The reason it's difficult to learn is because you haven't tried it. Or, you've tried it but few years ago. Nowadays, open source is far better and more reliable solutions not only for budget-limited companies, but also others that wants better service and reliability.

IT fresh graduates sometimes do not ready for this kind of technology since they more learn proprietary technology in their study rather than open source. Universities are getting good facilities from proprietary company so their students would be "proprietary minded". This situation is slightly different compared to what I feel in here. Some of Australian universities (particularly UNSW) are using open source platform in almost of academic aspects but still provides proprietary technology as comparison or a learning-media for other kind of technology.

What about Indonesia? Where can I get fresh graduate that well equipped  with open source knowledge?

Computer Science of Soegijapranata Catholic University (IKOM UNIKA) is one of faculty that using open source technology in all aspect of learning process. (I think this is the only one computer science faculty that using "fully open source technology" in Indonesia. Well, at least till last year :) ). As they learn computer science based on open source technology, they'll be easily adapt any other technology since they can have the benefit of open source which is deeper understanding of what happens in that technology.

More discussion about open source technology http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/7404387.stm

SMS santet... it's real, don't you believe it? :)

Voodoo via text message becomes a new phenomena in Indonesia. Some Victims die after read text message which coming from 0866... The text becoming red after a few while. Is it real? Well, I myself don't belief that :)....

But yeah, voodoo via email and sms is real... I've watched it with my own eyes...  fortunately, the voodoo is only a game which is now using a voodoo-like doll as a controller.

You can curse, poke, pinch, etc on the doll and an email or sms will be sent to the victims. But don't hurt your victim too much, otherwise, the doll will take your picture and send it to the victim. It has a built in camera on it.

Curious  about it? watch and read the full coverage here : http://gizmodo.com/390205/voodoobuddy-combines-ancient-curses-with-modern-technology

hehehe

Glad, it's just a game :)

Our First Anniversary

Yay... our first wedding anniversary..... Thanks God for giving us love and hope.... and also, brings Andra to our live. We are so grateful....

Even we are far away... but love and hope always bring us together.

It was May 5, 2007... when we were married

The very happy event in our life

Only one month before I came to Sydney.... 11 months never met... but our love and hope is the key to make everything happened

Now, we'll face the second year, third, fourth, fifth..... and so on... till death do us part.

"Yang dipersatukan Allah, tidak dapat diceraikan manusia"

Thanks for all of the support... relatives, friends, colleges, people arround us, etc...

Hopefully we can be the salt and light for the world

Aji, Andra, Linggar

Famous computer nerds series : Alan Turing

The father of computer science....

Short biography :

1912 (23 June): Birth, Paddington, London

1926-31:           Sherborne School

1931-34:           Undergraduate at King's College, Cambridge University

1932-35:           Quantum mechanics, probability, logic

1935:               Elected fellow of King's College, Cambridge

1936:               The Turing machine, computability, universal machine

1936-38:           Princeton University. Ph.D. Logic, algebra, number theory

1938-39:           Return to Cambridge. Introduced to German Enigma cipher machine

1939-40:           The Bombe, machine for Enigma decryption

1939-42:           Breaking of U-boat Enigma, saving battle of the Atlantic

1943-45:           Chief Anglo-American crypto consultant. Electronic work.

1945:               National Physical Laboratory, London

1946:               Computer and software design leading the world.

1947-48:          Programming, neural nets, and artificial intelligence

1948:               Manchester University

1949:               First serious mathematical use of a computer

1950:               The Turing Test for machine intelligence

1951:               Elected FRS. Non-linear theory of biological growth

1952:               Arrested as a homosexual, loss of security clearance

1953-54:          Unfinished work in biology and physics

1954 (7 June):  Death (suicide) by cyanide poisoning, Wilmslow, Cheshire

Even he's a homosexual (who cares?), but all his hard works has lead to modern technology which makes me possible to write this article :)

To commemorate all of his works, an Award called "Turing Award" has been annually given to whom who has big contribution to computing world. This award is more likely as a Nobel for computer people (well... we think it's equivalent).

Reading his biography, It seems that he had difficult personal life.... but it's highly recommended to read his biography... It is worth it, specially for people who likes to learn more about computer.

short biography : http://www.turing.org.uk/turing/

image taken from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing

I welcome you.... winter

Winter has started...

it was the coolest April since 30 years in Sydney... huhuhu.... I started to use my heater yesterday.

My second winter... but not the last... I still need to face it next year, hmmm... I really miss Klaten with country (village) surrounded by rice fields... Tawangmangu which will always be a lovely place for my family... They are not as cold as here... lovely.

I miss Semarang, which is very warm in midday (it was 40 degrees last year)....  I miss Jogja... with every aspect of life there... art, friendship, gudeg, motorcycles...

And for sure, I miss my wife and our beloved son, hehe.... Don't worry honey, I'll be at your side in two months.... (but only for two weeks? oh noooo... make it three).... Pray for me... I'm still struggling on crazy subjects and assignments... But I'm enjoying those...

Life is not easy.. but life is an art to solve the problem..... Enjoy your life guys....