CodeCamp Mumbai Nov 17/18

CodeCampMumbai was officially sponsored by CiviCRM.

And it all begins like normal barcamp. As we all know most of the developers are nocturnal, yet again this CodeCamp will start off schedule.

I am here with one of my colleague to work on Facebook plugin for CiviCRM. Other projects include lighting up bulb using web interface(PHP), mapping and adding events on Google Map and many more....

At around 12.00 pm we kicked off with the event. We will try to do some magic in next 20 hours or so.

I had several problems with net connectivity, which slowed down my progress. After lunch we had a good coding session and we were able get most of the data from Facebook in CiviCRM.

At around 6.00 we were able get most the CiviCRM related stuff working like Facebook tab in Contact Summary and were also able to generate permanent session key for facebook so that everytime user need not login to their Facebook account.

Since everyone was busy with their projects, we had late dinner along with a good all topic discussion as a dessert :)

At around 1.30 am we were able to get Contact Summary with Facebook profile and also Contact Dashboard with Friend list. We are hoping to do more work done in next few hours.

Complete how to on this feature will be posted on CiviCRM blog.

After trying for around 2 hours we gave up on CiviCRM plugin for Wordpress. It was fun working with Akshay on this.

At around 6.30 am we were almost done with Facebook stuff. We were able to get data from Facebook and display it in CiviCRM.

Finally at around 7.00 am we headed for our homes. It was fun working together with everyone @ CodeCamp.


For more photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/barkha/sets/72157603221321385/

OSSCampDelhi Sept 9, 2007

Day 2:

Click To Play

OSSCampDelhi Sept 8, 2007

Day 1:

I traveled all the way to Delhi to attend OSSCampDelhi, Non-Conference (Bar Camp), my first Open Source Camp in India. It started well with a good presentation on "HIGH Performance Websites".
Speaker shared few tricks how to make you front-end load faster.

• Use of expire headers for javascript, css
• Use of compressor to remove spaces in javascript using tools like (Dojo Shrink safe, YUI Compressor, JSMin, Dean Edwards Packer)
• use of mod_gzip/ mod deflate for apache
  
• not to use @import use "link" tags
  
• load script at last (although i am don't agree)
  

Another interesting presentation was on "MySQL Performance Tuning" from a OSS guys. We had a good discuss after the session which helped me to learn few new things. Few do's listed by the Presenter(for specific to InnoDB)

• use varchar instead of char
• avoid using count (*) with InnoDB, ( You can use it for MyISAM since it stores row count)
• avoid use of autocommit, use transaction mechanism for multiple statements
• configure to use larger data pools.
• disable non required engines
• use auto increment for unique identification rather than primary keys (lot of thing to argue on this)
  
• make NOT NULL columns if possible
• enable log-slow-query (this helps to track slow queries so that you can optimize it

Some other useful command for MySQL

• SHOW PROCESSLIST
• SHOW GLOBAL status like 'slow_queries'
• SHOW LOCAL status like 'slow_queries'

Mir Nazim, gave a good intro to Drupal. Some of new members in Open Source world were very much thrilled by its powerful nature as CMS.

To end the day Noel Hidalgo, expressed his view on use of Media in Social Sector. I was very much impressed with way and his thinking about the use of internet, technology, social networking etc, in Social Sector. We had good laugh at some of his jokes and enjoyed his story on "Scooter Group".

I conducted a session on CiviCRM, it was good to see few enthusiasts from the crowd.

To summarize the day, i would say besides few sessions other stuff was not for me :(. It was much of a training session or i should say engineering student presenting for some contest.

Xserver crashes on Dell - Ubuntu (Feisty )

My laptop is Dell Inspiron 1505, with ATI Mobility Card

When i installed Ubuntu Feisty X-Server was not starting. Instructions to fix:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-restricted-modules-$(uname -r)
sudo apt-get install xorg-driver-fglrx
sudo depmod -a

After that reconfigure X Server

sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

Select fglx driver, keep remaining all default settings(for keyboard etc). Do not auto detect monitor (this hangs on my system)

After you done with reconfiguring restart your xserver or just reboot your machine.

To fix resolution problem:

Fix Resolution

Fixing resolution on Dell WideScreens (Feisty - Ubuntu)

It took me a while to fix my resolution. I wanted 1280x800@ 60 resolution for my dell laptop. After lot of googling i got some help.

1. sudoedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf. Make following changes:

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 28-64
VertRefresh 43-60
Modeline "1280x800@60" 83.91 1280 1312 1624 1656 800 816 824 841
EndSection

Do determine for modline for your resolution: modline calci. Accordingly you add Modline.

Next in Screen Section keep only resolution that you want.
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Generic Video Card"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
.........
.........

SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x800"
EndSubSection
EndSection

After this changes restart X server. Then System >> Preferences >> Screen Resolution and select your resolution.

Hope this will help !!!!

Few useful links
ben robinson's blog

Meetings n Meetings ....

Undoubtedly i will remember 13 June 2007 as the day of Meetings. It all started with our weekly Meeting at 10.30 am. To follow that another new project Meeting at 11.30 am. I almost skipped lunch because of Meeting. It was around 7.30 pm when i finished my last Meeting. So today i attended only 9 Meetings :) This is first time in my professional career i achieved this.

Well to rephrase famous dialog from Spiderman i would say "With lot of responsibility comes lot of Meetings" :)

Running through the rain..

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Wal-Mart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said. "What?" Mom asked. "Let's run through the rain!" She repeated. "No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit, Mom replied. This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain,"

"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said. "No, we won't,
Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young
girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm. This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?

"Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything!"

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes

Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.

And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...

So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday. To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.

A friend sent this to me to remind me of life. Hope you enjoy it.

feels like home...

"Feels like Home" is the title track from movie "How to lose a guy in 10 days". I love this song. This is for my girl...

RANDY NEWMAN lyrics

That's My Seat (Ladies Seat)

Today i was bit late, so instead of waiting for next bus i jumped into crowded 523 (Bus to Vashi). Somehow i managed to make space for myself so that i can stand properly. I quickly analyzed the bus and found an old man seating on Ladies Seat. He looked very weak. Personally I avoid seating on Ladies Seats. After few Bus Stops, a lady (my be in her 30's) got in the bus. After paying for her ticket, she directly went and told old man to vacate the seat for her. Poor fellow got up quietly. I felt very bad for him. Quickly another guy got up and gave seat to him. I don't know whether this lady did right or wrong, but looking at the old man it was bit harsh.
.......

Open Source Cola...

Being a Open Source developer, i know a bit about Open Source code. This is the first time i heard Open Source concept used besides software. OpenCola is the first of its kind. Now you will be able to make your own Cola. Probably this is the first recipe that has been released under GNU license

In future i would like to see other people making their stuff Open Source. Because i believe that if a product is for the community then it should have equal rights to modify and contribute for that product. Open Source is the way to go for the future.

Some interesting links that i found on this topic.

http://www.colawp.com/colas/400/cola467_recipe.html
http://everythingelse.wordpress.com/2007/02/18/opencola-open-source-coca-cola/

Ubuntu Dapper to Edgy upgrade...

Using apt-get

Edit your /etc/apt/sources.list as root. Change every occurrence of dapper to edgy.
Use any prefered editor. If you have a CD-ROM line in your file, then remove it.

sudo vi /etc/apt/sources.list
or
use the following Simple command

sudo sed -e ’s/\sdapper/ edgy/g’ -i /etc/apt/sources.list

Now you need to update the source list using the following command

sudo apt-get update

Upgrade using the following command

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Double check your process was finished properly using the following commd

sudo apt-get -f install
sudo dpkg --configure -a

Now you need to Reboot your machine to take your new ubuntu 6.10 installation to effect all changes.
Have great fun with your new Ubuntu Edgy Eft

Other useful links:
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=227052
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=285304
http://www.debianadmin.com/ubuntu-edgy-upgrade-common-problems-with-solutions.html
http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS3291004537.html

Traffic Signal..

Today I saw movie "Traffic Signal" by Madhur Bhandarkar. Movie showed how people earn their living on traffic signals. Although this movie is a fiction but, it makes me think.. what if all this was real and at every traffic signal people earn their living, the way it is shown in this movie.

Are this beggars doing something wrong? They earn their living by pleading and gaining sympathy people on signals, stations, temple etc. What this people will do if they don't beg? Most of the beggars are illiterate, with no skills other then begging. Will they be able to survive without begging?

Another question that come to my mind is should we give money to beggars? We find small kids saying "Bhook lagi hai, khane ke liye paise dedo", but when you offer them food they hardly accept. Also now few beggars have raised their standard, they don't accept "chootta" :).

Is there is more then what we see at railways stations, traffic signals, temples??? So next time when you give any money to old sick man, a lady with kid, a handicap man etc. think twice.

Google All the way!!!

I am great fan of Google, came across this interesting article so i thought i will share it with you.

Winner-Take-All: Google and Third Age Computing

Enjoy!!!