With all this hype about the iPhone 3G, what happens if you weren’t able to get one last week? The iPhone 3G is pretty much sold out everywhere you look, however we found this phone really interesting. Don’t worry, this isn't about another those so-called “iPhone killer” phones, just a new approach to something that we all use everyday.

My last post for AT/Unplggd... Click to read more...

The upcoming BlackBerry Bold smartphone has been getting lots of attention and since BGR has had one for a few weeks now they've reviewed it and now posted a video of the Bold in action so you can see what it's like.

It's interesting looking at some of the comments by people who have seen the video...for a handset that has had so much buzz, a fair number of people are turned off seeing it in action.

Check out the video for yourself here.

[Via BGR]

Details of Resolume Avenue 3 features are hatching out of this site like flying ants in a London heatwave. Resolume is a brilliant software package for triggering live visuals; a bit dense and dry to the uninitiated but very practical and visual once you're accustomed to the interface. The most exciting feature for me has to be that Avenue is written using cross-platform technologies like openGL and a cross-platform programming language c/c++, so it finally runs on the Mac - everything else is a bonus. No more rebooting in Windows, no more self-congratulatory anti-virus proclamations (yeah, you blocked a pop-up, but you announced it via a whole string of NOISY pop-ups... ), no more unexplained crashing and driver re-installing!

Where where we? Oh yeah. I can see the video mapping capabilities, for mapping the output image to a specified terrain or shape, the multi-screen and the sound-output features getting a caning from me when I snap this software up once I'm back from next weekend's Big Chill 2008.

About: While most may only really notice the war on Khaeldron, there were actually four updates on Wednesday, which I'll go over very briefly here. First, MechQuest had a bit of an interface change with the bottom buttons (Battle, Equip, Repair, and Shop) being combined to form a long "bottom-line" on the bottom of the screen, along with a new button that teleports you straight to the new release (in this case the war). The second update allows players to immediately get off the dropship instead of having to level up to level 3. The third update was the inclusion of a new level Kurosawa model for the very new players. Lastly, of course, there was the war, this time on Khaeldron, and this time with major plot ramifications (unlike the Alamaonia Bug Disaster). Arin-Ha received a message from the evil Vul'Kharim about an ancient prophecy passed down from many generations, stating: "The hand of the visitor shall awaken the sleeper and bring doom down from the stars." And of course, the mine belonging to Arin-Ha and her family is being overrun by strange creatures, presumably the "visitors" attempting to awake the "sleeper". It is up to us to drive away the invaders and keep the "sleeper" from awakening. The war features two new EC enemies (EC02 and EC03), a new plot, and the excitement that all wars inevitably bring.

My Opinion: If you read my Predictions post, you would know that I wasn't exactly too optimistic about this week's releases, including the war. Well, I was completely, utterly, horrendously, wrong. For some reason I wasn't too excited about the war on Khaeldron, and it might have been a hangover from the Alamanoia Bug Disaster (yes, that's what I'm calling it from now on). Whatever the reason, it's completely changed now, and I am absolutely loving this latest war. Every aspect of it is excellent, starting with the plot: I pretty much went over the plot situation regarding this war, and I am really excited to see how it plays out. Warlic has promised some fantastic plot revelations, and the beginning is a great opening that could lead into many different possibilities. The new EC02 and EC03 enemies are outstanding, with a new effect of their (+20 to critical), while also having some very, very cool death animations. There's also a Star Captain-only quest which, while unspectacular and nothing special, is a nice touch that adds to the depth of the release. The new interface change makes the game feel fresh and new and I really liked AE combining all of the buttons to form a nice, long interface strip at the bottom. The new level 1 Kurosawa is just a cherry-on-top and it's great to see AE still focusing on the ultra-new players. Unfortunately, the update allowing players to immediately get off the ship is a real update-diminisher, and I absolutely have no idea why AE would do it. It's really too bad, because everything else was so excellent.

Overall Grade of Update: 9.5/10. The only thing holding this back was the dropship issue, but it was so minimal and there was so much else I only took off a half-point because of it. Still, AE is making a terrible mistake by doing that and they really shouldn't do it, but that's besides the point I guess. Everything was pretty much perfect, and I have to give props to the team for changing my opinion on the war from not-so-great to outstanding. :)

Enjoy! The comments section is open, so let 'em loose!

Information and files can be easily misplaced on our gigantic hard drives. Who among us hasn’t lost a file or searched for one buried deeply in different drives and folders?

Currently, computer file management systems force users to store files hierarchically in folders. Project get buried deeper and deeper without providing any visual clues on how to find them. The Slice computing system is a concept that seeks to change this. Organically inspired from a need to organize and interact with information, it enables users to physically interact with information, by interacting with the slice...

My latest post for Apartment Therapy/Unplggd...

Here's the final part of rules & tips to help make your ecommerce website a success.

20 Rules For a Successful ecommerce Website Continued

11. Give Users As Much Information As You Can
Although it may seem like a daunting task when you have thousands of products, it is worth while making sure that your website gives users as much information about each product as possible. Different products have different criteria, however a user is more likely to stay on your website if you offer them a reason to stay, and giving them information regarding a product they are interested in is much more effective than any flashy design or gimmicks. For example, you may give technical information, what kind of "fit" a garment is, what size it actually is, what it's compatible with. The list is vast.

12. Availability
Let the users know if you've got the product in stock, whether it is a special order item, if so, how long does it take to be ordered? This kind of information is useful for users, even if you don't have it in stock you have at least saved the user the pain of going through the order process only to be sent an email telling them they can't have it. Using this approach makes the user experience a much more positive one.

13. When Can I Expect My Goods?
Give the user shipping information. Let them know what kind of delivery services are available. Is there a charge? What other options are there? Some products may take longer to be delivered than others. This is important information and the user should be able to find out these things quickly. The information should be plain and obvious to understand.

14. Delivery Costs?
Show users the costs involved in sending them their products. Adding these costs at the end of the buying process can give the user the sense that they haven't been given the full picture, thus they may not return. Conversley, if shipping is free, then highlighting this to users is a great way to secure sales.

15. Product Images
If there are multiple product images available then the user should be able to see them. Seeing a product from different angles, in situ, colour variations etc adds value to the product and increases the chance of a sale. The more images the better.

16. email Confirmation
Once an order has been made send the user an email to show them what they have ordered. This is a reassuring and professional process that also gives the user a point of reference should they have a query on their order.

17. Display All Order Details
Display all order details that are relevant to the user. Giving them the option to view all of their details allows them to check for any errors which can be costly to put right.

18. Search Engine Friendly URLS
v.stall™ automatically inserts relevant keywords into urls so that the page URL is relevant to the products or category that it displays. This helps with Search Engine Optimisation whereas a URL with a long code string (lots of letters and nnumbers) is meaningless to the user and search engines alike.

19. Highlight Special Offer Products
Making special offer products stand out is a great way to promote and increase sales potential of products that aren't selling too well. Adding feature graphics to product images (as in example 19) draws user attention very effectively, and can achieve great results. Be careful not to use this approach too much however. If every product is on 'SALE' or 'Discounted', the user may feel that the prices have been doctored to just appear that they are cheaper than they actually are.

20. Highlight Keywords and Cross Sell
Highlight keywords that describe products as ths will grab the users attention. The nature of web content is such that most people scan web pages drawn in only by things that stand out. Making keywords bold will grab attention, but consider also making relevant words into links. For example, one product may be compatible with another product. Linking off to these products is a great way to generate product awareness.

If you’re thinking about selling online or you want to discuss your current ecommerce solution then please call us on 0870 41 777 41 and let us help you put these 20 rules into practice

Standards prevailed, usability won out, and we're now free to spend our collective billions of pounds per year online.

That said... It can still get better. Online shopping is in, if not infancy, at least a toddler stage. The advances that brought us to where we are have made the process simpler and easier than ever, but some sites still haven't caught on.

This is part 1 of a 2 part series that will provide you with some great tips for successful ecommerce design.

20 Rules For a Successful ecommerce Website

1. Tell The User Where They Are
Showing users where they are in a website is crucial. As most ecommerce sites can be complex in terms of categories, sub-categories etc, having a breadcrumb trail is both functional (as this provides links to previous pages) but also gives a good visual representation of where the user has been, and how they have arrived on that page.

2. Removal of Narrowing Options
Allowing users to reset or clear selections means that they don't have to use 'back' buttons to reset their selections. Particularly useful when a mistake has been made.

3. Sort Options
Sorting your products into different orders helps the user get to what they're after much quicker. There are a number of options for these narrowing options so deciding on what best suits your products is a key objective to the succcess of your site.

[caption id="attachment_49" align="alignnone" width="445" caption="Image Demonstrating Points 4 Through 7"][/caption]

4. Display Products

This sounds obvious, but in this we mean that the option should exist to show the user as many products on one page as possible, with the choice to limit down how many they can see at any one time. Referring back to point 3, in the image there is an option show 'Display 3 items per page'. Unless there are hundreds of images/products then giving the user this option is highly recommended.

5. Refine Options

Refining the display of products in a category makes for an overall better user experience. Depending on what kind of products you sell, these options can help the user find what they are looking for more quickly whilst showing related products.

6. More Refining Options

In this example we have shown two refining options, by brand, and by price. This works for users have an idea of something they are after, and also have an idea of how much it costs or what they have to spend.

7. Display Cost Variables

Again, this may seem obvious, but here we are making the point of showing as much information as possible. Showing the user the price they pay is fundamental, but showing them what the RRP is, what they are saving, what the discount is, what the price exclusive of VAT is etc, gives the user all the information they need to make decisions.

8. Keep The Search Bar Constant
Keeping the search in a constant position creates familiarity in the user for them to return to this powerful feature at anytime throughout their time on your site. Even if other search boxes appear on the site, there should always be a constant search field visible from every page.

9. Search Options
For more experienced users, having search refining options gives them much more functionality and power over the information they get to see.

10. Search Results
Displaying as many permitations of the search query offers up further options for the user to search by, and also highlights any mistakes made in the original search query. It is quite common to miss-spell a product name or keyword so showing the user what they typed in also very useful.

In the next part of this article we will be looking at more design and functionality features that we at neteffekt™ advise our clients to consider when we create ecommerce websites...Continue to Part Two>

Reference: 1216114411

Edit | 15th July 2008 at 10:33 BST by Nikki Ambler. Permalink.

Our client is seeking a Rotating Equipment Engineer to be based in Saudi Arabia.

Location Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia

Salary

Competitive salary depending on qualifications and experience

Job Responsibilities

Responsibilities: Supervise the day-to-day administration of the installation of all rotating machinery, e.g. pumps, compressors, fans, etc., including those fitted as part of a unit.

Ensure work of contractors is carried out safely and efficiently in a competent manner and that they adhere to the Permit to Work System.

Organize and direct the site engineers and inspectors controlling the works.

Resolve contractor raised queries in conjunction with technical support group, raise and close out engineering queries as applicable.

Witnessing of any testing as required in the codes and standards.

Ensuring correct compilation of certification by the contractor as agreed with the Completion’s Leader.

Compilation of punch lists in conjunction with the contractor and client.

Ensuring that the contractor generates the required as built drawings as required by the project procedures.

Carry out inspections, surveys and checks to ensure machinery installation and alignment pre and post pipe work testing is as per Project Specifications.

Assist in the resolution of interface problems with other contractors.

Ensure safety and security of all construction activities and workers under his control.

Advise site planners on the realism of construction programs and advising of amendments.

Ensure work is completed as per specification and drawings, and that the requirements of engineering queries are incorporated.

Progress and direct contractors to ensure work is completed in a timely manner.

Ensure costs are controlled and site instructions monitored during work progress.

Interpret contract documents and liaise with the contractor on all aspects of the work.

Undertake vendor inspection and testing acceptance as required.

To create a preservation and maintenance schedule, ensuring all equipment listed is preserved and maintained in accordance with the guarantee requirements of all Vendors.

Direct labor to carry out the preservation and maintenance of equipment in an efficient manner and as per schedule and contract requirements.

Co-ordinate Completion’s Groups responsibilities for providing "First Fills" of equipment as per schedule and contract requirements.

Overseeing the installation of all mechanical equipment, including organization and monitoring of vendor representatives´ site visits.

Assist contractor with the preparation of method statements to meet permit requirements.

Contact ERS on +44 (0) 1454 203 460  or submit a CV to CV@energyrs.co.uk to register your interest or apply for this position.

Reference: 1216114411

Edit | 15th July 2008 at 10:33 BST by Nikki Ambler. Permalink.

Our client is seeking a Rotating Equipment Engineer to be based in Saudi Arabia.

Location Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia

Salary

Competitive salary depending on qualifications and experience

Job Responsibilities

Responsibilities: Supervise the day-to-day administration of the installation of all rotating machinery, e.g. pumps, compressors, fans, etc., including those fitted as part of a unit.

Ensure work of contractors is carried out safely and efficiently in a competent manner and that they adhere to the Permit to Work System.

Organize and direct the site engineers and inspectors controlling the works.

Resolve contractor raised queries in conjunction with technical support group, raise and close out engineering queries as applicable.

Witnessing of any testing as required in the codes and standards.

Ensuring correct compilation of certification by the contractor as agreed with the Completion’s Leader.

Compilation of punch lists in conjunction with the contractor and client.

Ensuring that the contractor generates the required as built drawings as required by the project procedures.

Carry out inspections, surveys and checks to ensure machinery installation and alignment pre and post pipe work testing is as per Project Specifications.

Assist in the resolution of interface problems with other contractors.

Ensure safety and security of all construction activities and workers under his control.

Advise site planners on the realism of construction programs and advising of amendments.

Ensure work is completed as per specification and drawings, and that the requirements of engineering queries are incorporated.

Progress and direct contractors to ensure work is completed in a timely manner.

Ensure costs are controlled and site instructions monitored during work progress.

Interpret contract documents and liaise with the contractor on all aspects of the work.

Undertake vendor inspection and testing acceptance as required.

To create a preservation and maintenance schedule, ensuring all equipment listed is preserved and maintained in accordance with the guarantee requirements of all Vendors.

Direct labor to carry out the preservation and maintenance of equipment in an efficient manner and as per schedule and contract requirements.

Co-ordinate Completion’s Groups responsibilities for providing "First Fills" of equipment as per schedule and contract requirements.

Overseeing the installation of all mechanical equipment, including organization and monitoring of vendor representatives´ site visits.

Assist contractor with the preparation of method statements to meet permit requirements.

Contact ERS on +44 (0) 1454 203 460  or submit a CV to CV@energyrs.co.uk to register your interest or apply for this position.

So, yesterday I was installing TrueCrypt 6.0a because there's some... um...  "sensitive" that files need protecting :P The installation was easy, until I stumbled into this :

So there I was with another decision in my life, but this time there's only one option left. But wait! there's a close button up there, that might help. But the close button also said no :

And I'm telling you, deploying a system, with a little taskbar on the lower left that said "TrueCrypt Setup" all day, just plain sux :D

เป้าหมายของการพัฒนาเทคโนโลยีก็เพื่อช่วยให้ชีวิตของผู้คนดีขึ้น โดยเฉพาะผู้พิการทาง

ร่างกาย ซึ่งผลงานสิ่งประดิษฐ์ล่าสุดของกลุ่มนักศึกษาและอาจารย์ใน Georgia Tech ได้

พัฒนาอุปกรณ์ช่วยควบคุม หรืออินเตอร์เฟซสำหรับอุปกรณ์ โดยผู้พิการสามารถใช้งานพีซี

ตลอดจนบังคับให้รถเข็นไฟฟ้าเคลื่อนที่ไปในทิศทางต่างๆ ได้ตามที่ต้องการ เพียงแค่ขยับ

"ลิ้น" เท่านั้น...ว้าว

สำหรับอินเตอร์เฟซที่ใช้"ลิ้น" มีชื่อว่า Tongue Drive System ซึ่งด็อกเตอร์ Maysam

Ghovanloo ได้อธิบายหลักการทำงานคร่าวๆ ว่า ขั้นแรกผู้พิการจะต้องติดชิ้นแม่เหล็ก

ขนาดเล็กไว้บนลิ้น โดยในอนาคตอาจจะใช้วิธีฝังเข้าไปในลิ้นก็ได้ หลังจากนั้นสวมอุปกรณ์

อีกชิ้นหนึ่งไว้บนศรีษะ ซึ่งมันจะมีแกนยื่นออกมาด้านหน้า และพับเข้าบริเวณด้านข้างมุมปาก

ทั้งสอง โดยจะทำหน้าที่ในการสร้างสนามแม่เหล็กไฟฟ้าบริเวณด้านหน้าของปาก เมื่อขยับ

ลิ้นแม่เหล็กที่อยู่บนลิ้นจะขยับไปด้วยทำให้เกิดการเปลี่ยนแปลงของสนามแม่เหล็กที่ด้าน

หน้า ซึ่งข้อมูลการเปลี่ยนแปลงดังกล่าวจะถูกตีความหมาย และภาคส่งสัญญาณไร้สายที่อยู่

ด้านบนศรีษะผู้ใช้จะส่งข้อมูลดังกล่าวไปให้คอมพิวเตอร์อีกทีหนึ่ง พูดง่ายๆ ก็คือ เราสามารถ

ใช้ลิ้นพิมพ์ข้อความบนพีซี หรือแม้แต่ใช้แทนจอยสติ๊กเล่นเกมได้นั่นเอง

แต่ที่ซีเห็นแล้วชอบมากก็คือ การควบคุมรถเข็นไฟฟ้าที่จะทำให้ผู้พิการสามารถสั่งให้รถเข็น

เคลื่อนที่ไปในทิศทางต่างๆ ตามที่ต้องการได้ด้วยตัวเองค่ะ

«vienen los de Entellium, un proveedor de CRM SaaS, diciendo que les va mejor usar una aplicación cliente - por lo visto venden más (tres veces más para ser exactos). En mi humilde opinión no creo que vayan desencaminados ya que un navegador normal será difícil que pueda competir en usabilidad». [La negrita es mía]

A esta idea se sumó luego Jose Carlos. Pero yo no lo voy a hacer, al menos por el momento. Necesito saber algo más.

Me parece que ninguno pretendemos ser investigadores, sacando conclusiones universalmente válidas a través de realizar muchas observaciones y aplicar el método científico. Si embargo, creo que sí empleamos lo del «estímulo, conversación y comprensión» que predica Jorge Wagensberg en «El gozo intelectual» como forma de adquirir nuevos conocimientos.

Sabemos que un «caso clínico» no es representativo, pero creo que sí puede ser ilustrativo si se razona convenientemente sobre él. A ver si, tras el estímulo inicial de Tictac, consigo agitar algo nuestro barrio y podemos montar alguna conversación al respecto. A ello me pongo.

La opinión de Phil sobre las limitaciones del navegador estándar se apoyan en el caso de un proveedor de servicios de software para pymes. Durante el último año, ha mejorado sustancialmente sus ventas y reducido el coste de éstas. Su CEO considera que una gran parte de este éxito se debe al hecho de haber empleado una nueva interfaz de usuario. Ahora requieren que el comprador se descargue un software específico para su ejecución local utilizando el WPF de Microsoft (que está empleando este caso para promover el uso de su tecnología).

Por consiguiente, sus clientes deben descargar algo porque han aplicado a la mayoría de sus diálogos de usuario el principio que han llamado «Gamer-Influenced Design» (GID). Supongo que consideraron que, para hacer atractivo el uso de su aplicación a sus usuarios potenciales (los vendedores de las pymes), tenían que ofrecerles una experiencia de uso de su herramienta más “divertida” (y diferente a la del líder Salesforce.com, que emplea “sólo” un sencillo navegador normal).

Me parece que la idea y fin originales eran claros. Si muchos viajantes de comercio se consideran así mismos como “guerreros de la carretera”, ¿por qué no hacer que jueguen a ello mientras identifican los objetivos comerciales, seleccionan sus armas de venta, exploran nuevas oportunidades y comparan sus resultados con los de sus contrincantes en el premio al «mejor vendedor del año»? Para ello necesitaban una “interfaz líquida” que decidieron no implementar en el navegador, lo que requería que se instalara localmente y tuviera que ser ofrecida como descarga.

Ese proceso es análogo al que requiere el uso de Google Earth (aplicación de Keyhole), que no usa la interfaz de Google Maps. Se hace con otras muchas aplicaciones en la web. Entre ellas están las de interacción en mundos virtuales como el de Linden Lab, programas de entrenamiento mediante simulación como los de Forterra, aplicaciones de conferencia en la web como las de Cisco, o juegos multijugador en línea como los de Blizzard. No obstante, me parece que una interfaz con cierto aspecto “líquido” podría haberse conseguido también empleando alguna técnica propia de las RIA sin tener que descargar nada, como en las aplicaciones multimedia de YouTube, SlideShare o Acrobat.com.

Curiosamente, el CEO de Entellium —según expone su amigo Phil, aunque éste no lo tenga tan claro— considera que su mejora de ventas se debe al factor “descarga” mucho más que a ningún otro. No dicen que hayan investigado sobre el asunto preguntando a sus clientes, pero él se muestra convencido porque, ítem más, dice que explotará esta ventaja «using digital retailers as its core distribution channel». En cualquier caso, creo que no era ésto lo que tenían en mente al diseñar la nueva “interfaz fluída”, por lo que resulta un descubrimiento más de la serendipia que de un planeamiento racional por su parte.

Otro elemento a considerar es el de que hay ciertos diálogos de usuario que van a mantener en el navegador estándar porque, según ellos, no tiene sentido cambiarlos. Su CEO cree que el sector —supongo que se refiere al SaaS, como si esta modalidad de explotar el software fuera realmente un subsector económico del macrosector TIC— «está de alguna forma atemorizado y paralizado por la importancia del uso del navegador». Añade que:

“Our assessment is that there is a role for the browser but it is a minimized role. We do have some task- and role-specific functions that will be delivered in the browser when rational use of a browser makes sense.” Examples include a systems administrator setting up users or a CEO quickly checking static metrics in a dashboard. But the core application needs a smart client, he said. “What we wanted to do for the CRM experience could not be delivered purely through the browser.”

Hasta aquí lo que yo he entendido de este «caso de éxito». Me parece que Phil, Luis y José Carlos le dan a su buen hacer un significado distinto del mío en relación con el futuro del navegador en los servicios de software. Intentaré explicarme en una próxima entrada. Lo que digo ahora es que el navegador de hace diez años es distinto del actual, y que sus estándares siguen estando en plena evolución.

[Imagen 1: Pantalla de la demostración del producto Rave de Entellium]
[Imagen 2: Pantalla de un “mundo simulado” de Forterra Systems. Business Week]
[Imagen 3: Tienda virtual de PC Mall que vende productos de Entellium]

War on Khaeldron
*sigh* Yes, we have another war on Westion, although this time it's in Khaeldron, where Mineshaft #13 has become cursed, and we need to move in and find out why people who go in aren't coming out. To be brutally honest, the first thought that popped up in my head when I saw that there would be a war on Khaeldron was "Ugh..." This is definitely a better time to have a war in relation to the other games (AdventureQuest and DragonFable haven't had wars for a while) and I think this could have more important effects to the plot of the zone than the Bug Invasion (which, by the way, had zero impact). But I still can't help but feel that "Another war... come on..." sensation bubbling up inside of me that makes me unwilling to participate (even though I probably will). However, on the bright side, I do think that if AE was going to release a war in MechQuest this would be a good time to do it and I know it will get a lot more participation than the Alamonia one. Besides, it'll be great farming for the oodles of players making their trek to level 23. :)

Interface Changes
The only specific interface change mentioned was the functionality for all players to easily access new releases without having to walk over to the Starship each time. Not much of an opinion here, although it looks like there could be more to come, which is interesting, to say the least.

Buyable Mecha Slots
Starting Friday, players will be able to buy additional mecha slots (up to 25 more) for 200 Nova Gems each. I think this is a case of AE being too kind and listening too much to player requests and being a bit greedy as well: The game is not even one year old yet, and we are already being able to buy more mecha slots? I'm assuming this is more for free players since three slots are really not a lot, but consider this: Why are free players free players? Because they either can't afford or don't want to pay to upgrade. This means they are not willing to pay any money whatsoever to AE and are content with being free players. If the update is indeed aimed at free players, then it can't effect them because the extra slots cost Nova Gems (200 per slot), which cost real money. Remember, you can't buy Nova Gems in $2 200 increments, you have to buy them in either 10 dollar 2000 increments or 20 dollar 5000 increments. If a player really had enough money to do that, they would surely have enough to upgrade to Star Captaincy and this wouldn't effect them. And if this is for Star Captains, honestly, do we really need more than 20 mecha slots? I can only think of five slots that could actively be used as quality mechs, and 15 is more than enough to accommodate a rare mech here or there. I mean, come on, the game isn't even a freaking year old yet... 20 is almost too much at this stage! And the price... 200 Nova Gems for a single slot... well, I think I'll save that for the analysis. Let's just say this update doesn't look too promising.

New Players Can Leave the Starship At Any Time
This one really puzzles me. Like I have no idea why AE decided to do this. Whatever happened to "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"? The level 3 requirement to get to Soluna City was there to make sure players could get accustomed to the game in a smaller environment, and then when the player is experienced enough, can move on to the big Soluna City. With this update I'm sure over 90% of new players will not even bother with the dropship and land on Soluna City as a level 1 with 0 exp, 0 credits, and one weapon. They will be overwhelmed with the vastness of Soluna City and will quit. There was a reason AE put into place the level 3 requirement, and I just can't see why they would remove it. A real puzzler.

Overall, while four updates is definitely nice to have, I'm really not looking forward to any of them (especially considering three don't seem to apply to me and probably won't apply to most players), and some of them just flat-out don't make sense. And there was also no mention of the drakel power cell and the mecha counterpart, which a lot of people were hoping to see being released this week (including me), so it's disappointing to see nothing about it. Well, at least I have the AQWorlds Beta Test to look forward too...

Enjoy! :)

So what is actually an interface? I will start with an example from real life. We use interfaces or interface all the time. When my dad told me how to dial my first telephone number from our home phone many years ago, I was pretty pleased. When we visited my uncle in their house I could use their phone just as easy.

Imagine if someone had to teach me all over again how to use the phone. I do not need to know how the interface is implemented for a phone. I can use the buttons in the panel (the interface in this case)  and know that the phone will subscribe to the general phone interface.

Let's see interface characteristics in the "code world"

• An iterface defines only the properties and method signatures and not the actual implementation. I mean that in a class declaration we implement fields,properties,methods ans events. In an interface we just define what properties/methods the class should have.
• Requires that classes which implement an interface must "honour" the property and method signatures. Basically are like contracts for classes. Classes which implement an interface must implement the methods and the properties of the interface
• Many classes can implement a particular interface method, in their own way
• An interface may inherit from multiple base interfaces
• A class may implement-inherit from multiple interfaces
• A C# class may only inherit from one class

Let's see a simple example

1) Create a asp.net web application with C#

2) Add a new item to your project, a class file, called Human.cs.

3) Let's define an Interface, called IHuman.

Just above this line of code

public class Human

type the following

interface IHuman
{
    void Read();
    void Write(object obj);
    int Height { get; set; }
    int Weight { get; set; }

}

here we define properties and methods that the class that subscribes to this interface must implement.

We prefix the name of the Interface with an "I". Just a widely accepted convention...

4) Now let's implement the class

Here we declare (sign a contract so to speak, that the Human class will Implement the IHuman Interface)

public class Human:IHuman

Right after the line above type

private int height;
        private int weight;

    public Human(string s)
         {
             MessageBox.Show(s);
      
         }

         // implement the Read method
         public void Read()
         {
             MessageBox.Show(
                 "Implementing the Read Method for IHuman");
         }

         // implement the Write method
         public void Write(object o)
         {
             MessageBox.Show(
                 "Implementing the Write Method for IHuman");
         }
         // implement the property Height
         public int Height
         {
             get { return height; }
             set { height = value; }
         }

// implement the property Weight

public int Weight
         {
             get{ return weight; }
             set{ weight = value; }
         }

As i said before the class must "honour" its contract with the interface.

Before you go on try to comment this code out

public void Read()
    {
        MessageBox.Show(
            "Implementing the Read Method for IHuman");
    }

Try to build your application. Well as you see from the error message below, someone is not honouring his contract....

Human' does not implement interface member 'IHuman.Read()'

5) From our Page_Load event of the defaul.aspx page we can create a new instance of the Human class

 Human myperson = new Human("fofo");
        myperson.Read();
        myperson.Weight = 78;
        myperson.Height = 88;
        Response.Write(myperson.Weight);
        Response.Write("</br>");
        Response.Write(myperson.Height);

Please note that i could have a Boy class that could implement the IHuman interface.

public class Boy:IHuman

each class (boy,human) should implement the Read method of the IHuman interface. But each class was free to implement it in its own way. 

We could define the IHuman interface above as an abstract class.And then had our class inheriting from our abstract class. But if changed slighlty the implementation of our abstract class then the referencing classes would fail and so our application would fail. If we work with Interfaces and we are commited to follow good practices like, never to alter the Interface implementation after they have been deployed, we will not run into such problems.

Read this article from msdn to see when to use interfaces

Read this article from msdn to see when to use Inheritance

Our client is seeking a Production Manager to implement and manage tasks as directed by Operations Manager and planning team. To provide management of the process supervisor and process workers within the operational area. To review and approve process and procedural documentation for implementation.

Location

Aldermaston

Salary

Competitive salary depending on qualifications and experience

Job Responsibilities

Accountable for delivery of programme requirements within the Production Area.

Accountable to the Facility Manager for the safe operation and practices within the Area.

To ensure that all operations are conducted safely, to approved procedures and correct behaviours.

To manage the operational interface with Manufacturing Engineering and facility process engineers.

Management of resolution to technical issues relating to Unit manufacture.

Deputise for the Operations Manager in their absence or as otherwise directed.

Management of resolution to technical issues relating to Unit manufacture.

Review and approve process and support documentation as required.

Undertake toolbox talks and staff briefings as required.

Initiate orders for the procurement of equipment and consumables to support production activities.

Please contact ERS on 44 (0) 1454 to register your interest in this position.

(include Versions for: ASP.NET 1.0, ASP.NET 3.5, ASP.NET AJAX & Serials 56 MB)

More Info: http://www.componentart.com/webui/

http://rapidshare.com/files/131526160/ComponentArt.WEB.UI_2008.1_ASP.NET_AJAX-Suite.rar

.

It is confused, badly structured, sprawls over the browser in an incoherent fashion, looks ugly and is just generally bad!

Visit http://www.new.facebook.com to see what your profile will soon look like. Alternately, become a fan of Facebook Profiles Preview on Facebook and check their recent postings if you're not trusting my copy of the message below - nothing wrong with folk being security conscious, especially when log-in details are involved.

The Facebook Profiles Preview update has been very useful over the past few months in seeing what the developers have had planned for the site and gave users the ability to feedback to them about different components of the website during the design stage. Unfortunately, most of the feedback posted to the group seemed to come from kids squabbling amongst themselves and weirdos, and so the constructive feedback actually posted perhaps wasn't given the weighting it deserved.

Alas, having seen the state of the new site (surely at least one of the developers must have thought 'hang on, this looks shoddy and terrible!') I do think that I will be using Facebook a whole lot less (if at all) once the new site goes live for everyone.

I did just feedback to them asking if they could make the change optional (which they can clearly do, as at the moment everyone has access to the old and the new version, as well as the option to switch between the two), though somehow I doubt that they will do this.

What a pity.

Try out the new Facebook now

From Facebook Profiles Preview

Today at 6:27pm

The new profile has finally arrived. We’re slowly allowing users to opt into the new Facebook so please check it out, get accustomed to it, and provide us with feedback. To access it, please go to http://www.new.facebook.com. On the top of the screen, you will see the option to send feedback as well as switch between the new version and the old version. Over the next few weeks, as the trial version winds down, we’ll be opting everyone into the new Facebook. Thanks to everyone who has been sending us feedback over the last few months.

I find it kind of funny that people are nagging about the delayed launch. It's about a week late... which is quite decent considering the rule for most pre-announced updates/launches in the software business seem to be a year or two past the original date (if they're ever launched).

Anyhow. I think it looks quite nice. They've got rid of the bulky, cluttered three column layout, in which both the outer columns were almost always wasted. The feed itself is very friendfeedesque, though I think it's fair to say that Facebook was doing the whole activity stream before the Friendfeed guys quit Google ;) Calls to action in terms of participation are everywhere, pushing the user to add updates, photos, notes etc., but I think they've done a solid job in balancing the number of calls for participation on each screen.

Their aim is obvious: make people talk. Their strategy for this is creating more reasons to talk and making it easier to do so. Or in pseudo-Internet-social-psychology-babble: they're increasing the number of social objects on the site and lowering the threshold for participation.

Conversations equals stickiness equals more conversation equals more stickiness etc.

Overall it's a job very well done. The layout is a lot more flexible and easier on the eyes, and the navigation is more contextually relevant and much less invasive. And most interesting of all: the new layout and uncluttered interface makes the site a whole more interesting for advertising. Maybe they can finally push their RPU above 5 dollars/year? ;)

1.1 COLORS

1.1.1 Are hyperlink colors standard?
1.1.2 Are the field backgrounds the correct color?
1.1.3 Are the field prompts the correct color?
1.1.4 Are the screen and field colors adjusted correctly for non-editable mode?

1.1.5 Does the site use (approximately) standard link colors?
1.1.6 Are all the buttons are in standard format and size?
1.1.7 Is the general screen background the correct color?
1.1.8 Is the page background (color) distraction free?

1.2 CONTENT

1.2.1 All fonts to be the same
1.2.2 Are all the screen prompts specified in the correct screen font?
1.2.3 Does content remain if you need to go back to a previous page, or if you move forward to another new page?
1.2.4 Is all text properly aligned?
1.2.5 Is the text in all fields specified in the correct screen font?
1.2.6 Is all the heading are left aligned
1.2.7 Does the first letter of the second word appears in lowercase? Eg:

1.3 IMAGES

1.3.1 Are all graphics properly aligned?
1.3.2 Are graphics being used the most efficient use of file size?
1.3.3 Are graphics optimized for quick downloads?
1.3.4 Assure that command buttons are all of similar size and shape, and same font & font size.
1.3.5 Banner style & size & display exact same as existing windows
1.3.6 Does text wrap properly around pictures/graphics?
1.3.7 Is it visually consistent even without graphics?

1.4 INSTRUCTIONS

1.4.1 Is all the error message text spelt correctly on this screen?
1.4.2 Is all the micro-help text(i.e tool tip) spelt correctly on this screen?
1.4.3 Microhelp text(i.e tool tip) for every enabled field & button
1.4.4 Progress messages on load of tabbed(active screens) screens

1.5 NAVIGATION

1.5.1 Are all disabled fields avoided in the TAB sequence?
1.5.2 Are all read-only fields avoided in the TAB sequence?
1.5.3 Can all screens accessible via buttons on this screen be accessed correctly?
1.5.4 Does a scrollbar appear if required?
1.5.5 Does the Tab Order specified on the screen go in sequence from Top Left to bottom right? This is the default unless otherwise specified.
1.5.6 Is there a link to home on every single page?
1.5.7 On open of tab focus will be on first editable field
1.5.8 When an error message occurs does the focus return to the field in error when the user cancels it?

1.6 USABILITY

1.6.1 Are all the field prompts spelt correctly?
1.6.2 Are fonts too large or too small to read?
1.6.3 Are names in command button & option box names are not abbreviations.
1.6.4 Assure that option boxes, option buttons, and command buttons are logically grouped together in clearly demarcated areas "Group Box"
1.6.5 Can the typical user run the system without frustration?
1.6.6 Do pages print legibly without cutting off text?
1.6.7 Does the site convey a clear sense of its intended audience?
1.6.8 Does the site have a consistent, clearly recognizable "look-&-feel"?
1.6.9 Does User cab Login Member Area with both UserName/Email ID ?
1.6.9 Does the site look good on 640 x 480, 600x800 etc.?
1.6.10 Does the system provide or facilitate customer service? i.e. responsive, helpful, accurate?
1.6.11 Is all terminology understandable for all of the site’s intended users?

That being said, I am genuinely looking forward to the update. I tend to stream a lot DIVx from my Mac and if it gives previews for those files on the network I will love it forever. It'll be like Apple TV... for free. Plus it'll actually PLAY my video files! (Come on Apple - I want to see more than just h264 codec support!) And what's with ripping off Nintendo Wii's avatars? I think the tech world is soon going to turn patent crazy.

Background

Component Object Model (COM) is a not a new technology, in fact, it is a very old one. Microsoft introduced it in 1993. Even though it is an old technology, it is a very much celebrated one. There are literally millions of applications based on COM technology and a huge amount of money has been invested on it worldwide. Today, .NET technology, almost replaces COM. Despite this, there are already many COM controls and as you program for Windows, you will encounter the necessity to integrate your application with these COM controls. Possibly, you may require to write your own COM controls/server also.

Introduction

So what is COM ?

COM is a binary standard that defines a way for software objects, developed in different languages or operating on different platforms, to communicate. A COM component is a resuable software object that conforms to COM specifications.

COM objects allow you to construct an application comprising a set of distinct cooperating components. One benefit of using COM objects is that they make interoperability available, irrespective of where the binary object is physically located. An imporant aspect of COM objects is that a program may attach dynamically to the object during execution.

For example, an application hosted in an executable file may link dynamically to a COM component hosted in a DLL. Because the component and executable are dynamically linked, they do not need to reside in the same location. To dynamically link to a binary object during execution, a program and the operating system cooperate to locate the object. COM defines all elements that both you and the operating system use in cooperation to ensure that the dynamic linking process works correctly.

How do the look like and how to interact?

COM objects are implemented as .dll or .exe files. Every COM object that resides on your system must be registered with the Windows operating system. Registration information appears in the Windows registry. In the registry, you find a class identifier (ClassID) that identifies the object uniquely across all computers. The ClassID is a specially formatted globally unique identifier, or GUID.

When your client wants to link dynamically to a registered COM object, the client program uses the ClassID to identify the binary object. The COM run-time libraries, an integral component of the Windows operating system, provide the means for clients to locate and instantiate COM objects.

Once the COM libraries receive a ClassID, they search the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT portion of the registry in an attempt to find the location of the COM object that owns that ClassID. If the search is successful, the COM libraries create an instance of the object and return a pointer to the object's interface. The client uses this pointer to call the methods that the object provides. Otherwise, an error is reported to the client. An application will typically interact with this dynamically linked binary object by executing methods listed in its interface pointer. If the object needs to initiate interaction with your client program, you register event handler methods with the object. Under appropriate and well-defined conditions, the object fires events that are processed by these handler methods.

One of the features of COM is location transparency. Client applications can be written without concern as to whether the objects used run within their process, in a different process on the same computer, or in a process on a separate computer.

COM Interfaces

COM is heavily interface driven. You COM object provides access to its services through one or more interfaces. A COM interface is a logical grouping of related methods identified by a GUID, known as an Interface Identified (IID). COM components are often described in terms of the client/server model, wherein a COM server is a component that provides services to client programs through the methods it exposes. Using this model, an interface can be understood as a description of the services provided by a component.

You gain access to the methods provided by the interface by obtaining a pointer to the interface, which references a table of function pointers known as the "vtable". Each function pointer in the vtable enables you to access a single method provided by the interface.

An interface is a logically separate entity from the component that implements the component. In other words, the same interface can be implemented by many different components. An interface is analogous to a C++ abstract class definition. The identity of an interface is established by its unique IID. Once you publish your interface specification to the world, you are guaranteeing to anyone who might want to use or implement your interface that it will not change. The number and order of the methods, and the data types of the arguments and return values, are guaranteed to remain the same. If you want to add or alter methods, you must define a new interface with a different IID.

The fact that an interface is obtained as a pointer to a function table (the vtable), would seem to imply that a COM object could provide only methods to client applications. However, many languages that support COM (Microsoft Visual Basic, for example) support the notion of properties—public data members of components that are analogous to the member variables of a C++ class. Components written in C++ implement properties as pairs of methods used to set and get the value of encapsulated class data.

GUID

GUIDs are 128-bit numeric identifiers that uniquely distinguish each COM object and the specific interfaces supported by COM objects. GUIDs are guaranteed to be unique across the world and to remain unique for a very long time. You use the Windows command-line utility UUIDGEN.EXE (or the graphical user-interface version GUIDGEN.EXE) to generate GUIDs for your components and interfaces.

A detailed characterization of a GUID appears below.

A GUID actually exists in two formats: string and numeric. A string format appears in various locations in the registry. Numeric representations of GUIDs are necessary when using the GUID within client applications and within the actual COM object implementation.

When you use the numeric representation within your COM object or within C++ client code, you declare a variable and use a specific macro to initialize the variable to the associated numeric value. The macro that you use is named DEFINE_GUID and appears in the header file initguid.h. Typically, the variable name that you use begins with either the prefix CLSID or IID. These prefixes indicate whether the GUID refers to a COM object or to an interface supported by a COM object.

COM Registry Entries

When you install a COM object onto a computer, you must register the object by creating entries in the computer's registry.

Figure below illustrates the registry entries required for a typical COM object.

To register your COM object, you create entries under the HKEY_CLASSES_ ROOT subtree, under the predefined CLSID key. These entries enable the COM libraries to locate your COM object and load it into memory. Beneath the CLSID key, you type a subkey that is the string form of your CLSID COM object. Beneath this subkey, you attach the subkey that provides COM with the path to the component server, as shown here:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{64CE33A0-6B03-11d3-9352-0080C7FA0C3E}\ InprocServer32 = c:\Encoder\debug\Encoder.dll

The name of the subkey—InprocServer32—indicates that the component server is a DLL on the local computer.

Immediately beneath HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, you can provide a key value representing a string name for your COM object. This string name is a version-independent programmatic identifier (ProgID). Associated with this string name, you type a subkey explicitly named CLSID whose value indicates the GUID for your COM object in its string format. A path representation for this entry looks like this:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Encoder\CLSID = {64CE33A0-6B03-11d3-9352-0080C7FA0C3E}

By using a function named CLSIDFromProgID(), a client application can retrieve the CLSID from the ProgID. By providing the ProgID, you enable a client application developer to create an instance of your COM object without having to go through the error-prone process of typing a CLSID into the source code. Visual Basic client code will always specify COM objects as ProgIDs, so you will need to register a ProgID if you are intending to use your objects with non-C++ clients.

Summary

COM allows dynamic linking of binary software components that can reside on a local computer or on a computer across a network. The COM run-time library uses registry entries to locate and to load a COM object. Every COM object supports the IUnknown interface and additional component-specific interfaces. Each interface is a collection of one or more methods. Separate GUIDs identify the COM object and every interface exposed by the object. Within your class implementation you provide an object known as a class factory that creates an instance of your COM object.

Next: In Part 2, I will explain step by step, how to create your own COM Server. Many aspects described here in words, will be clearly visible. Part 3 will show the client part.

Credit: This explanation of COM architecture i.e. Part 1 has been taked from the book - Desktop Applications with Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 MCSD Training Kit.

Other Links:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_Object_Model

2. http://www.codeproject.com/KB/COM/comintro.aspx

3. http://www.codeproject.com/KB/COM/#COM/DCOM/COM+%20-%20Beginners