Ubuntu vs Vista

I came across this blog that briefly compares the prices in Ubuntu and Vista, a nice way to slice up your budget if you've blown it up on hardware.

Another objective comparison from InformationWeek is also a good article to check out.

Google Earth Flight Simulator

Have you played Microsoft Flight Simulator yet? Feel like playing it for free? Try the new version Google Earth (4.2) with it's new hidden feature of flying around the planet.

Watch this video from the Google Earth Blog.

You can find more of these videos at You Tube.
This is too cool to be happening for free!!!

"We assure you.. no more blackout!" is not an assurance

Heard from the radio this morning saying that the electricity company (PT. PLN) (which is monopolized by the government) is almost assured to not able to keep their promise to keep the light on as power outage is still going on in the area.

Previously, they had stated publicly their apologize and promised to ensure that electricity will be fulfilled before and during this Ramadan.

And now they're saying that they won't keep that promise.. again..

Mayor?

On the transport this morning, I was awakened by the siren sound of the mayor candidate of Medan Ali Umri's convoy.

The traffic was fairly ok, not jammed, but still vehicles are running slow. And out of nowhere these convoy simply rushing over the crowds like he owns the road or something.

One point I feel the officials should notice is that they should live their life as normal citizens so that they would know what's wrong with their area. If they simply put a loud siren on their car and have police escorting their way, they'd not know if that road is actually so bad, or at least the traffic.

Definitely not the type of guy I would choose to run the government, but who knows.. :-P

Another dinner party @ home

I kind of like it being at home now (as in living here, working here). Most of any celebrations in the family gather almost all members of near family in the town (which doesn't happen a lot since everyone is working already).

This time my aunt's birthday, so we had a BBQ at the rooftop. Had the usual family and family friends, not so crowded, but I like it where it cheers me up. ^_^





And not forgetting the cake ceremony. ^_^


And usual, the jokes were still available. ^_^

Converting MS Office Word 2007 to earlier versions

Received an email with .docx files and you don't have Microsoft Office 2007 installed?
Try downloading the Microsoft Office Converter to convert from new version of 2007 to earlier version.

While the converter above requires Microsoft Office to be installed, there are free online file conversion systems like Zamzar, docx2doc, and there may be others that I don't know of.

P3MI Binjai's Anniversary

Now that the fellowship has been around for generations (it started on the 3rd Saturday 1958) we're celebrating the anniversary by inviting children from orphanage with 38 children in total.



Most of them lost their parents during the 2005 tsunami. Make me realize of helping others while I can.

The first Indonesia Raya

Found this video on YouTube of the first Indonesian National Anthem released.
It's still in the old spelling of Indonesian.

This video has been quite some stories since it was discovered few weeks ago in some server located in Dutch.

My Indonesia

Happy independence day for my beloved country of Indonesia. 62 years after the proclamation of the independence.
Came across this song "Bendera" (Flag) by Cokelat on TV.

I can't seem to find the video clip that I saw on TV, but I found this on YouTube.

Here is the lyric:
{Biar saja ku tak sehebat matahari
Tapi ku slalu mencoba tuk menghangatkanmu
Biar saja ku tak setegar batu karang
Tapi ku slalu mencoba tuk melindungimu

Biar saja ku tak seharum bunga mawar
Tapi slalu kucoba tuk mengharumkanmu
Biar saja ku tak seelok langit sore
Tapi slalu kucoba tuk mengindahkanmu

Kupertahankan kau demi kehormatan bangsa
Kupertahankan kau demi tumpah darah
Semua pahlawan-pahlawanku

Merah putih teruslah kau berkibar
Di ujung tiang tertinggi di Indonesiaku ini
Merah putih teruslah kau berkibar
Di ujung tiang tertinggi di Indonesiaku ini
Merah putih teruslah kau berkibar
Ku kan selalu menjagamu}

Translation:
{
though I am not as great as the sun
but I always try to make you warm
though I am not as strong as rock
but I always try to protect you

though I am not as fragrant as rose
but I always try to [make you smell good]*
though I am not as beautiful as sunset sky
but I always try to [make you look good]*

I protect you for the honor of the country
I protect you for the blood of all my heroes

Red and White may you keep waving
in the top of the highest pole in my Indonesia
Red and White may you keep waving
in the top of the highest pole in my Indonesia
I will always take care of you
}
* some words might not be appropriate, but those are the best I can do for now

I'm not into Indonesian Idol, but they appeared to sing this song too and inspired many people in the country.

If u happen to have an account in fotografer.net, u might want to check out this picture.

May this country become greater and greater in God's way, so do the others.
Happy independence day.

Adios Vista

I have just uninstall Windows Vista at my home PC last night.

I'm back to Windows XP. If any of u guys wonder why, please check my previous posts about Windows Vista.

Here are some funny videos about Windows Vista. I like the Mac ad.

In fact, I feel more speed, reliability on XP. Couldn't the amount of money I spent for that powerful PC and still experiencing so buggy and slow computing experience.

Get's Youth Camp 2007 Bazaar

Fund-raising bazaar for the Youth Camp 2007.. Busy day...

Opening... 9:10AM




Almost everyone involved in the project..


Too tired today.. Can't even think of what to say today..

SAP Go Live (again)

Dejavu?
I do hope this time we're doing it right.. Cause most of us have been doing lots of preparations in this time.

However, despite of the so-called mature preparations, I still hanging around in remote site doing nothing because the other modules are still arguing bout lots of things.

I myself am in the remote site now, currently online on MSN using the remote desktop connection to my desktop computer in the HQ office.

Hope that I can get back in the weekend; it's so boring here...

Mission Trip

Mission trip to one of the village in the west of Binjai called Desa (village) Rampah. The first one and half hour trip was OK.. the next one hour is like riding a bull. The road is terrible, and one must ride on four wheel drive to reach those places.


This is one of the most terrifying church we encountered in Desa Antara. The Korean Methodist have agreed to build this church.


Methodist Indonesia built this church in 1986 and it has never been repaired whatsoever. What a terrifying view for a church.

Methodist Binjai decided to help most of their reconstruction of the church. And here we are.. in a middle of nowhere, far-far away from any cellular radiation.


We traveled a few more kilometers for another post, but the terrain was so bad :-(



The nature was so nice... Green all the way.. The river stream was still cold..

Windows Vista takes up 21% of total sales of Windows in Indonesia

According to detik.com, Windows Vista takes up 21% of the total sales of Microsoft Windows operating system in Indonesia.

Microsoft Indonesia has been offering some of Windows Vista's best features including Parental Control and support of DirectX 10 for gaming. They are pushing three main scenarios for Windows Vista: computer for family, computer for gaming, and computer for business.

But still, the most basic feature such as slow copy in Windows Vista has not been resolved by Microsoft while the issue has been there since the beta.

Microsoft published a knowledge base on this issue but still does not provide a reliable solution to this issue.

How the hell can Windows Vista passed the QA in the first place?

C# to VB.NET

Found this cool online tool that converts your code from C# to VB.NET..
Very useful if you encounter C# snippets that you want to try it out in your VB.NET application.

Heavy flu during project

I'm so sick today.. Can't even concentrate on doing anything.
Headache, heavy cough.. I think I'm having a flu..

So much for the "I hate Monday" thing...

Slow copy/move file operation in Windows Vista

Try to Google: windows vista slow copy and you'll understand why people are leaving Windows Vista and back to XP; even not few have converted to Linux solutions, where you can get what you can't get in Vista for free. One of those are simply reliability of file operations.

I browsed though the technet forum regarding this issue and found the problem seems to be in the indexing service.


Well done Microsoft; I think I'm switching back to XP.

AutoPatcher

Have you formatted your computer lately? or have you been doing it often?
Sick of Windows Updates and patches that makes you download it again and again? Or feeling sick of executing the patches that you have downloaded previously?

For corporate users, there is alternative using Windows Server Update Service; but what about home users? AutoPatcher is the thing. Just download it, and install it once after a Windows Service Pack 2. They update it monthly; I guess it saves tons of downloads of patches.

This thing is so useful for administrators that do setups for systems and installing fresh copy of Windows. Won't do good for you guys who are always connected to the internet for download, but it's always good to have a copy just in case you happen to format and reinstall your computer. Having the patches before connected to the internet (to download patches of course) has already posted security threats to your new Windows.

Btw, it's FREE...

Fantasy Character

Saw Ahmed with his fantasy character and wanted to try it out.

Came up with Galadriel:

Possessing a rare combination of wisdom and humility, while serenely dominating your environment you selflessly use your powers to care for others.

Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.

Try it out at http://www.tk421.net/character/

Lili's Wedding

Went to Kisaran for Lili's wedding on 5th-6th; and I took my brother this time..


My girlfriend's youngest sister is getting married before me.. [Huahaha.. ^_^]

Anyway.. took 2 days leave for Kisaran.. Man it was hot there.. Nothing much to say except that her dad was the only Chinese in Kisaran that blocked the road just for a wedding; I guess he knows people..



Reached home at 5:30 pm.. Felt happy since I could still see the bright sun in Binjai (haven't really seen it since I worked; reach home just about sunset most of the time)

Work again tomorrow.. ;-(