Reuni elektro 2008

Angkatan 94 yang dateng di Reuni eletktro, ki-ka: Siswo, Amin, Didit, Cyndi, Priyono Adi.

Windows 98 sudah gratis???

Hari ini saya sempat ngobrol dengan seseorang yang juga berkecimpung di dunia pendidikan IT. Kebetulan beliau support IT ke beberapa sekolah dasar dan sekolah menengah. Saya sempat tanyakan untuk sekolah-sekolah itu pakai OS apa? Dijawab windows, beberapa windows 98. Tetapi yang membuat saya terkejut adalah pernyataannya "Windows 98 kan sudah gratis". Heu... sejauh yang saya tahu Microsoft tidak pernah (dan saya yakin tidak akan pernah) menggratiskan OS bikinannya yang manapun, bahkan MS-DOS jaman bahuela sekalipun. Pernyataan selanjutnya yang membingungkan adalah "Sekolah-sekolah tidak dirazia, karena non-profit" hmm... lagi2 pernyataan sendiri (dan saya sudah dengar lebih dari 1 orang yang memberi pernyataan ini~bukan pernyataan resmi dari Microsoft tentu). Setahu saya, ini hanya mungkin jika ada Campus atau Corporate agreement. "Kasihan kalau sampai dirazia, pendidikan komputer bisa berhenti" Hmm... kalau saya pribadi justru berpikir sejauh mana kita akan terus bergantung pada produk yang propiertary. Kemudian, apakah benar pendidikan komputer akan berhenti tanpa software dari microsoft?

Kadang saya kecewa dengan pemerintah Indonesia yang nota bene hanya separuh-separuh mendukung antara solusi open source dan propiertary. Baru beberapa waktu yang lalu saya dengar kesepakatan 3 menteri tentang IGOS, namun sampai sekarang yang saya tahu hanya jajaran departemen ristek saja yang kelihatan memakai dan (berusaha) memasarkannya. Kebanyakan departemen lain sepertinya mengharapkan "belas kasih" perusahaan bersangkutan untuk memberi gratisan atau pemutihan lisensi.

OK, masih dalam lingkungan sekolah, saya sebenarnya tidak anti untuk memakai windows ataupun produk proprietary lainnya. Yang jadi masalah adalah dengan pembiaran menggunakan program bajakan. Karena lebih 'mudah' untuk mendapatkan copy produk ilegal tersebut (di sini kita tinggal pergi ke mal terdekat). Namun hal ini berdampak ganda, kita memiliki ketergantungan besar terhadap produk tersebut, sekaligus iklan (yang salah) bahwa pembajakan itu sah-sah saja kalau di lingkungan sekolah.

Just my midnight uneg-uneg.

Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Warriors)

Just back from watching "laskar pelangi" (rainbow warriors). The story is about a bunch (+/- 10) kids in rural area of Belitung/Belitong, an island in Indonesia, famous for it's tin mine. The story sets back in 70s. This is a must see for every indonesian. It's a very good movie, it has almost everything needed, it got lessons without feel teached, fun without slapsticks, some moments of happiness, some moment of grief and loss, even puppy love :). I won't spoil the story here. What interest me is also the audience, who keeps coming back, it's been shown in theatres for almost a month now, and the ticket is still sold out. Today I have to sit on the second row of the seats (yeah, it's suck, but the movie is way too good to complain just for the seat). Also I listened to some comments made by some kids around, their curiousity about habit of that era. I heard someone ask "what is "teplok"? (local says refferring to oil lamp). Also I read somewhere else that someone asking about why the batteries are exposed to the sun (somehow this ellongated battery life, however don't do this because now we know that used battery are dangerously poisonous, and not to be re-used). Of course this movie is not without flaw, i could feel the cut here and there, perhaps it'll be explained better in the book. However for someone who never read the book (shame on me, normally I'll finish the book if possible) I think the flaw is still negligible. I hope in the future this will be a new production standard in Indonesian movies. One special fact I learn from this movie is all the children main characters (10+2) are native from belitong island, and have no prior experience in acting, which I think it's a huge plus. Go and see this movie, you won't regret it.

ZTE C321 Review

Recently I reviewed Nexian FP333. Since my dad decide that he need a new phone, he asked me to go and buy ZTE C321 for longer battery life. However it turns out that he liked my Nexian better and decide to swap mine. OK, now the review.
For some unknown reason, this mobile phone cost more than Nexian FP333 now, even IDR 5000 more expensive compared to FP303. I got it for IDR 225.000.  Oh, they also offered a new model, Haier C6000 for IDR 240.000. Because I cannot see (yet) the advantage of Haier, I still choose ZTE, as asked. This phone also use standard USB port to charge (albeit smaller), similar to the port from my Optio 555 cable. Unfortunatelly, unlike Nexian's this phone could not use it as a data cable. After some searching in the internet, it seemed that the pin is propiertary (they switched the RX/TX, need to learn about this issue further). So, the possibility to use this phone as a modem is a little bit further away (I managed to do so with Nexian).
OK, for the built in feature, this phone could be configured to be less flexi-oriented (the turn on tone, ring tone, turn off tone, all could be configured to different tune). It doesn't include speakerphone :(, but include a record function (who knows, might be come handy some other time). Also include 2 games, a breakout style and sokoban (well, both are definitely more fun than Nexian's Kong Ming).
The organizer function is adequate, with up to 500 names, 3 phone number each (that's it, no address, no e-mail, no website URL). Scheduler, alarm clock, calculator, stop watch. To my delight the calculator function is similar to nexian, designed to be simpler compared to Nokia or Soner phone.
Texting with this device is nice, better grip and the keypad is nice to press. Oh, another note, the font is thinner compared to Nexian, one of the reason why my dad dislike it.
In conclusion, this phone is on par with Nexian FP 333 / FP 303. However, featurewise I think Nexian offer a more useful address book, and a speakerphone, while ZTE C321 offer call recording, better texting and more fun games. Therefore, ZTE C321 is more hybrid entertainment and communication tool, while Nexian is a better organizational and communication tool.
Bellow are the specs of ZTE C321

• CDMA 2000 1x 800Mhz


• 65K Color Display


• RUIM Card


• Midi ringtones (polyphonic)


• Phonebook


• SMS


• Navigation Key


• Recordinng & Freehand for facility


• Schedule, Calculator, Alarm, Games


• Language: Indonesia-English


• 12 Months Warranty


• Color: Black with Silver finish

Blogs HW

Got a blog homework from Ririn Herawati. Somekind of network game. Here's the rules:

1. Each blogger must post these rules
2. Each blogger starts with ten random facts/habits about themselves
3. Bloggers that are tagged need to write on their own blog about their ten things and post these rules. At the end of your blog, you need to choose ten people to get tagged and list their names.
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’ve been tagged and to read your blog.

Now here's the task: 10 Habits and Facts about Me.

1. I always try to be on schedule, although I break it sometimes.


2. Truth is sometimes best left unspoken... until accidentally said (woah).


3. I love taking pictures wherever I go, candid is the best way to see real person.


4. Doesn't like to sleep over at cold places.


5. Be adventurous, try to explore new area, taste new things (do you know that bugs can taste very good) this is a good thing because I got a nasty temper when hungry.


6. I think I'm also stubborn and somewhat thick headed, I wish I'm listening more to other people.


7. I love movies, especially non mainstream one, I also like animation movies.


8. I love to know people


9. Love to browse the Internet, a habit I try to reduce but it's hard to do. Must... stop... click.... FireFox.


10. Easily distracted.... stop that!!!!!! Now... where's that post button?? oh no, since when they change it to Publish??

Hmmm for the next ppl to write:

Andre, Tiara, Chieko, Herman, Fan, Yanuar, Jimmy, Dedi, wah who else? I can't recall anyone else I know with blogs. To all viewer, you're welcome to do this homework.

Nexian FP333 review

[gallery]Yesterday I got an offer from Telkom, for a colour flexi phone for only IDR 165.000 which normally they offer for IDR 291.000. Initially I didn't take much notice, however at the end of the day I decide to give it a try, thinking that my current CDMA is already start to  showing it's age.

I went to Mal Ciputra, the queue is quite long, however I don't need to stand in there, they only require an ID card, or a copy.. Since I have a copy of my ID card (KTP), I decide to queue in, and take a walk around, therefore, just in case I'm not in the mood I could just walk away. I gave them my ID, around 16.00. After some walking, one tea cup and one  Rotiboy bun, I decide to go back and see, how much progress the queue. It turned out it almost my turn, so I decide to wait a little longer.

In the meantime I review the options. They're offering ZTE C321, Nexian FP333, Nexian FP303. After some blind guessing, I set my heart on Nexian, because from the flyer I've got the hint that it offer more feature such as speakerphone, scheduler, speed dialing and less gimmick. Next between FP333 and FP303, apparently FP303 is the later model, with some chrome finish to it. however my final call goes to FP333, because it's all black (yeah, silly but later I relieved with this decision).

Since the phone needs to be charged 6 hours before use, I just start to fiddle with it today. I re-examine the phone, and to my delight it use standard USB port (I think this should be standard feature for all devices) for power charger. After some research on the internet, it could also be used regular usb data cable to connect to computer. Yay. I also manage to peek on the other options (ZTE C321 and Nexian FP303) and find so little information, that's why I'm relieved that I decide to pick this model.

Further browsing to this site: http://www.mobile-files.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71104 reveal that it could be unlocked to be used with other Operator, however this is not what I want. Further research leads to http://ariefcz.blogspot.com/2008/08/adikku-dhiny-beli-handphone-flexi.html. This particular Blog has comments from Slam & Chandra that hinted that it could be used as a modem. Well, that's sounds good, since I didn't expect such feature on a phone in this price range.Unfortunatelly I haven't found the correct configuration to run under Ubuntu. I will try it some other times.

Next, the built in feature, I tried the speakerphone, it's not loud, but quite decent. It only include one game, Kong Ming which confusing, I think it's wei qi, but it's not. From the name, it must be a strategy games, however I still haven't figure it out how to play this game.

This phone also include some ring tones and wallpaper that's purely Telkom's advertisement. When you turn it on, Flexi's advertorial tone is heard. 5 of the 10 built-in wallpaper is Telkom Flexi themed, one Nexian, therfore only 4 universal wallpaper. This phone also support two language, English and Indonesian (i switched it to english now, since it's easier for me), to my surprise it also include an airplane mode (I haven't figure this out why they include this mode, tho but it still a nice addition).

The organiser function is quite nice, the contact could support vcard, up to 500 contact, with 3 phone numbers, address, email, website URL and notes. Scheduler, alarm clock, stop watch, world clock, tip calculator, calculator are pretty basic. I like the calculator function, because it's easy to use with guidance to utilise keypad to input arithmetical symbol.

Texting with this device is so so, the keypad is made of rubber and rather hard to press, the phone itself is rather slow to react. On the plus side, it seems they adopt nokia's configuration (0 as a space).

In conclusion, Nexian FP333 is somewhere below your average mobile phone, but above your regular landline phone. However, because it's price is hard to beat (IDR 165.000) therefore, it's also hard to complain. I think FP333 will never be an entertainment device or a fun organisational tool but it will be a decent communication device.

Bellow are the specs as I grab from a flyer:

• CDMA 2000 1X 800 MHz


• RUIM Card


• 65K Colour Screen


• 12 MIDI Ring tone


• Phone Book


• Speed Dialing, SMS


• Speaker Phone


• Navigation button


• Schedule, Calculator, Alarm


• Languages: Indonesian - English


• Colour : Hitam


• 12 Months Warranty

It's been a while

It's been a while since my last post on this web log. OK, I'm just lazy to do it. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago my mom went to Bandung & Jakarta. On the way back my cousin Tiara decide to pass me back my old camera (Olympus C-860L). I decide to try it today installed 4 AA batteries to it, to my surprise, it's still alive! Wow, this camera brought me lots of memories. Afterall, It already accompanied me on a tour back then in Europe. However, while operating it I felt clumsy, because not used to it. However, I felt this camera is sooo easy to learn, not much option to fiddling (only exposure, white balance, Flash and ISO options available to fiddle). Hopefully I'll start taking pictures with it for some times (at least until the batteries dry up).

Recently I read an article from lifehack.org about tracing family tree. I tried it and quite fun, my mom helped me with some information I didn't know before. Currently it's already spread out. Unfortunately I only managed to trace 4 generation above me (still incomplete). Hmmm wonder if I could complete it. the link is Geni. So far there is only 119 people in my tree :). Hope it will still grow

13 January 2008 Pan's Labyrinth

Last Night I went to a movie with my friends. Unintentionally, just
because there's an extra ticket. I knew that the movie will be good,
however it fall below my expectation. I knew that it's a fantasy
movie, just I don't expect that it's dark in theme. The story is
about a child, Ofelia, whose mother is married to a Spanish captain
during Gen. Franco's reign and eliminating the communists rebels. The
captain is cruel, and his only intention to bring Ofelia and her
mother come is because Ofelia's mom is bearing his son. Ofelia love
to read books and have a sheer imagination. One day she met a fairy,
who brings him to a Faun (Pan). The Faun told her that she's a
princess of a forgotten world, who suppose to be immortal. However,
she cannot go back to her kingdom until she prove that although her
body is changed, her soul / spirit is still the same. There's three
tasks to do before the full moon.

The first is to feed a frog who live under a dead Oak Tree with three
magic stones, to obtain a golden key. Ofelia managed to do this,
despite she has to face her mother's disappointment for not showing
in an important dinner supposed to introduce her and her mother as
the captain's new wife. She's punished to miss her dinner.

The next task is to retrieve a dagger from a baby eater. Although the
Faun already warn her not to eat the food on the table, Ofelia
tempted to eat two grapes (perhaps because she's hungry). She managed
to runaway, at the costs two of Faun's fairy.

The last task is to bring her brother to the Faun (after her mother's
death). She managed to trick the captain, and kidnap her brother (her
brother is kept in captain's room). However there's a trick here, the
Faun wants to sacrifice the baby so that Ofelia could enter the
kingdom. Ofelia refused, the captain found them and shot Ofelia. Her
blood is dripped, and Ofelia died. However because of this self-
sacrifice she's granted to enter the kingdom as a princess. *some
note here, in the real world Ofelia is shown dead in front of
Mercedes, who hum her an old lullaby. It's not clear that what happen
is real or only her imagination.

On the backdrop of her quests, she still has problems such as her
mother's pregnancy, the maid (Mercedes) and doctor's (Fierro) backing
up rebels army (lead by Mercedes' brother Pedro), later the birth of
her brother, and the death of her mother, and the rebels attack the
camp.

Time-Lapse

Recently I spring clean my room, and found the 'almost forgotten' 2000 pieces jigsaw puzzle. The picture is "the Zodiac". I decided to finish it to begin this year, and did it in 10 days (started 27 Dec, finished 5 January). Since I know that this will be done in a couple of days, I decide to experiment with Time-lapse photography. What is Time-lapse? basically take photos of on going process of something. Therefore you could see as the progress goes. Here's the result:



and here's the finished puzzle: