Adeona is designed to use the Open Source OpenDHT distributed storage service to store location updates sent by a small software client installed on an owner's laptop. The client continually monitors the current location of the laptop, gathering information (such as IP addresses and local network topology) that can be used to identify its current location. The client then uses strong cryptographic mechanisms to not only encrypt the location data, but also ensure that the ciphertexts stored within OpenDHT are anonymous and unlinkable. At the same time, it is easy for an owner to retrieve location information.
Download it
Source (french)

Thanks to Sree Sreenivasan, Dean of Students and New Media Director Columbia University Journalism School and Technology Reporter for WNBC-TV in New York, I learned about Nike Plus. It was actually through one of Mr. Sreenivasan’s fascinating online video courses at the mediabistro website, of which more later. Get this: you can connect a pair of Nikes to your iPod nano and presto! you’ve got your own personal trainer. The iPod will log each step you take and keep track of it on a special website. It’s rather amazing. More info here.

In the next posts to come, there'll be more interesting and perhaps useful tips...keep readin'!!

- ciao!

One of my team asked me why should we use “List={GUID}” and/or “ID={ItemID}” in query string? Can’t we use other query string name?

My answer is yes you can use other query string name, but you will lost one of out of the box functionality. Why? Because when you keep with standar “List” or “ID” query string then you don’t need to parse it anymore – then SharePoint provides simple way to get SPList or SPListItem object using SPContext.

The query string  “List={GUID}” has corresponden SPContext.List , and query string “List={GUID}&ID={ItemID}” has the corresponden SPContext.Item. SPContext.List is SPList and SPContext.Item is SPListItem that can be obtained easily if you follow the convention.

So, check your code now. 

-o0o-

Indonesia (see English version)

Ada pertanyaan dari salah satu tim saya kenapa kita harus menggunakan “List={GUID}” dan/atau “ID={ItemID}” di dalam query string? dan apakah kita tidak boleh menggunakan nama lain untuk query string?

Jawabannya adalah tentu saja kita dapat menggunakan nama lain, tetapi kita akan kehilangan salah satu fungsi yang sudah disediakan oleh SharePoint. Mengapa?

Karena jika kita tetap menggunakan standar “List” atau “ID” didalam query string, maka kita tidak perlu melakukan parsing parameter lagi. Dan untuk itu SharePoint telah menyediakan cara yang sangat mudah untuk memperoleh object SPList atau SPListItem dengan menggunakan SPContext.

Query string  “List={GUID}” memungkinkan kita untuk memperoleh SPContext.List , dan query string “List={GUID}&ID={ItemID}” memungkinkan kita untuk memperoleh SPContext.Item. SPContext.List adalah objek SPList dan SPContext.Item adalah objek SPListItem yang dengan mudah diperoleh hanya jika kita mengikuti konvensi tersebut.

Jadi, coba cek lagi apakah sudah mengikuti konvensi yang berlaku?

For anyone who customize SharePoint using SharePoint Designer, I believe you’ve familiar with “Error page has been modified”. The reason is obvious, you open the page in browser while modifying it using SharePoint Designer. Then save the page withing SharePoint Designer and try to access any links in that page. So, just go back , refresh and the link will works again.

But how about in a case that this happened in production environment, where nobody edit the page behind the screen. What can cause “Error page has been modified” ?

I have tried some resources from internet and check whether this can help me solve the problem:

1. One or more feature is missing (http://forums.technet.microsoft.com/en-US/sharepointgeneral/thread/9a98188b-9dec-4d85-b8b7-47ba41e5271f/)
2. Use of PublishingLayoutsPage instead of TemplateRedirectionPage (http://blogs.msdn.com/tejasr/archive/2008/06/19/resolution-moss-this-page-has-been-modified-since-you-opened-it-you-must-open-the-page-again.aspx)
3. Use of NLB with affinity set to none (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/892348)
4. Some says that security enhancement in MOSS SP1 (KB936984) /WSS SP1 (KB936988)help to fix this problem.

But unfortunatelly I come back with no luck, untill I read an article “The evil’s of RunWithElevatedPrivilege from Danniel Larson”. I believe that since it drops down to the thread identity, then the current session in page is no longer valid with the links. Thus creating exception “Error page has been modified”.  Then, I instructed my team to change all impersonation method to use

SPUserToken sysToken = SPContext.Current.Site.SystemAccount.UserToken;
using(var systemSite = new SPSite(SPContext.Current.Site.ID, sysToken))
{
    using (var sysWeb = systemSite.OpenWeb(SPContext.Current.Web.ID))
    {
        // Perform elevated actions here
    }
}

instead of using old

SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivilege(delegate()
{
     using(var systemSite = new SPSite(SPContext.Current.Web.Url))
     {
           using (var sysWeb = systemSite.OpenWeb(SPContext.Current.Web.ID))
          {
               // Perform elevated actions here
          }

      }
});

That is and the production issues gone. So from now I would add one more entry to the list, Minimalize using RunWithElevatedPrivilege in your code, and use SPUserToken instead.

-o0o-

Indonesia (see English version)

Bagi rekan-rekan yang sering bekerja dengan SharePoint Designer, pesan kesalahan berikut ini pasti sering dijumpai “Error page has been modified”. Penyebabnya jelas sekali, karena kita membuka halaman di browser sementara di balik layar dilakukan editing dengan menggunakan SharePoint Designer. Kemudian setelah melakukan editing dan menyimpan halaman di SharePoint designer, kita langsung mengklik salah satu link di halaman yang telah dibuka. Cara mengatasinya cukup mudah , kembali ke halaman semula , refresh dan link-link akan bisa diakses seperti semula.

Tetapi bagaimana dengan kejadian yang muncul di server produksi? Di server produksi, tidak seorang pun mengedit halaman dengan SharePoint Designer. Jadi apa yang bisa menyebabkan “Error page has been modified” ?

Seperti biasa, saya mencari-cari informasi di internet dan menemukan beberapa hal dibawah yang mungkin dapat membantu:

1. Ada fitur yang ada di datastore tapi hilang secara fisik (http://forums.technet.microsoft.com/en-US/sharepointgeneral/thread/9a98188b-9dec-4d85-b8b7-47ba41e5271f/)
2. Tidak menggunakan TemplateRedirectionPage tapi PublishingLayoutsPage (http://blogs.msdn.com/tejasr/archive/2008/06/19/resolution-moss-this-page-has-been-modified-since-you-opened-it-you-must-open-the-page-again.aspx)
3. Menggunakan NLB dengan affinity diatur none (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/892348)
4. Beberapa mengatakan bahwa perbaikan prosedur keamanan di MOSS SP1 (KB936984) /WSS SP1 (KB936988) akan membantu menyelesaikan masalah.

Sayangnya semua hal diatas sudah terpenuhi, tetapi tetap saja masalah tersebut muncul. Sampai akhirnya saya membaca artikel tentang RunWithElevatedPrivilege - “The evil’s of RunWithElevatedPrivilege dari Danniel Larson”. Dari penjelasan yang ada, saya menduga bahwa penyebabnya adalah karena prosedur tersebut mengganti identitas thread dan menjalankan di thread lain, sehingga halaman yang sedang dibuka akan kehilangan “hubungan” dengan server (mirip dengan pada saat kita menyimpan dengan menggunakan SharePoint Designer). Akibatnya, link-link yang ada di halaman sudah tidak valid lagi dan muncul “Error page has been modified”. 
Berbekal dari dugaan itu, saya kemudian meminta rekan-rekan di team untuk mengganti cara impersonation untuk mengugnakan SPUserToken 

SPUserToken sysToken = SPContext.Current.Site.SystemAccount.UserToken;
using(var systemSite = new SPSite(SPContext.Current.Site.ID, sysToken))
{
    using (var sysWeb = systemSite.OpenWeb(SPContext.Current.Web.ID))
    {
        // Perform elevated actions here
    }
}

dan menghapus RunWithElevatedPrivilege

SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivilege(delegate()
{
     using(var systemSite = new SPSite(SPContext.Current.Web.Url))
     {
           using (var sysWeb = systemSite.OpenWeb(SPContext.Current.Web.ID))
          {
               // Perform elevated actions here
          }

      }
});

Dan seperti yang diharapkan, masalah di production akhirnya teratasi. Jadi mulai dari saat ini saya akan menambahkan satu lagi di dalam daftar , Kurangi penggunaan RunWithElevatedPrivilege dan sedapat mungkin gunakan SPUserToken.  

Visit Gethuman.com. It sorts companies alphabetically and gives you step-by-step instructions. It'll save you time and frustration.

There are no guarantees that the person you are talking to will:

1. Speak fluent English

2. Help you

But that's a whole different matter... for another post.

Six years ago when "palm-pilots" were in, i purchased a Casio touch screen device called the PV-S400 Plus for about $40 which had an impressive 20 Mhz CPU and 4MB of Flash Memory for a low cost device at that time. Anyway, i came across a few manuals which i had written for the device and thought i would post it here for all to see. I called it the Advanced Features Manuals or AFM for short. It contained general information on how to use the device and some extras. Now, i realize there may not even be anyone out there still using this device, but i'm hopeful that by posting the manuals here it can at least help one person out. If these manuals prove to be useful to you, i'd like to hear about it. Please post your comments below.

Wayne

Download files here:

advanced-features-manual-1

advanced-features-manual-2

advanced-features-manual-3

advanced-features-manual-4

Check those liquids...and check them again!

One time, while flying by myself, I was roughly pulled aside and searched everywhere and everything! We are talking they went through each page of my Sociology textbook way more throughly than I would at finals! The reason: I had left the solution in my contact case. Absurd, yes. Dangerous, probably not. Annoying, definitely. So go through all those unexpected toys and gadgets that your kids are bringing on the plane to pass the time...because something as unexpected as that bit of water in a baby doll with a diaper could cause a huge incident!

Size the carry-on before you need to carry on asprin

There is nothing like being so excited to get on a plane as a little kid. You gather your toys and books and crayons and arrange them perfectly in your mini backpack. You tell Susie the Bear all about where you are going, and make sure she won't get motion sick. And then you get to the airport...and are told to unpack everything or check it! Make sure that your carry on fits all the requirements, and beware that they are getting much stricter each day. Check your airline's website fully for the height and weight restrictions for carry-ons, as well as the number you can have.

Moooommmm, Ryan spilled his orange juice ALL over me!

How many times has this happened at the dinner table? Well, I know you were so going to miss this dearly while you were flying. Never fear! It will still happen, even more because of those little tiny seats that really don't contain all that huge pent-up kid energy. Always take at least an extra shirt and underclothes on board the plane, if you can't fit an entire outfit. Not only will this help you in case of some kid fights and spills, but also if your luggage gets lost, or you are delayed overnight somewhere. Take it from me, there is nothing worse than having your flight canceled, and spending three days flying home from halfway across the world in the same shirt. Multiply this by the number of kids...and well, you get the idea.

Weather webpart is one of most popular wepart to place in homepage. Many available resources out-there in internet using C# and webservices. But instead of create weather webpart using Visual Studio I will show you how create it using SharePoint Designer.

The process is pretty simple,
1. You need to create a new page in Sharepoint as working canvas.
2. In that working canvas, drop webpart zone and dataview webpart.
3. Find appropriate weather datasource and format dataview webpart.
4. Export the new formatted webpart and delete working canvas.
5. Distribute / use the webpart. Package in solution file if necessary.

Initially open SharePoint site using SharePoint Designer. To prepare a page for working canvas, just create a new aspx page.

On the new page, attach default master page by using attach master page under format menu.

On the PlaceHolderMain in the page, click Create Custom Content to detach this section from master page.

Then in the new custom content area, insert “Web Part Zone” and “Data View”  component from SharePoint Controls.

Next, we need the reference to get weather information from. SharePoint designer provides wide range of data source type, starting from SharePoint List, SharePoint Libraries, Database Connection, XML Files, Server-side scripts, XML Web Services and Linked sources. Since my country has “BMG” which announce weather data officially, in this case I will use XML files as my datasource.

For me, the location of weather data is http://www.bmg.go.id/dataxml/cuaca_indo_1.xml or http://www.bmg.go.id/dataxml/cuaca_indo_2.xml. Saving that location into XML data files, give me a new datasource to working with.

Then click Show Data on the new datasource.

In the data source detail, we can select appropriate fields to show. In this case I select “Kota”, “Cuaca”, “SuhuMin” and “SuhuMax”. And then click Multiple Item View.

By default you will get a table from XML datasource. Like the one bellow.

Since I only want few big cities in Indonesia, then I click filter on the Common Data View Tasks.

Next, is to insert icons to describe weather conditions such as raining, clear, clouds etc. To select appropriate icon, we can test on the “Cuaca” field and choose correct icon ( inspect line number 108 – 118 in the figure below). I also make the table into single column by moving the field content into leftmost column and deleting other column in original table.

Since I transform to single column, then I don’t need to keep the header anymore. So I just change the header into long cell title.

Saving the page and opening in browser, allows me to export the webpart and import back in the future.

Thats for now, just couple minutes to create weather webpart. For you who curious with the webpart, please download it from the attachment ( BMGLike.webpart (17 KB) ).

-o0o-

Indonesia (see English version)

Webpart cuaca merupakan salah satu webpart populer yang sering diminta oleh client. Di internet bisa kita temukan webpart cuaca yang berbayar maupun gratis yang dibuat dengan C# dan web services. Di artikel ini, alih-alih membuat webpart dengan menggunakan Visual Studio, saya akan mendemonstrasikan pembuatannya dengan menggunakan SharePoint Designer.

Prosedurnya cukup sederhana, 
1. Buat halaman aspx di SharePoint sebagai tempat eksperimen.
2. Tambahkan webpart zone dan dataview webpart di halaman kerja tersebut.
3. Tambahkan sumber data cuaca yang sesuai dan format dataview webpart agar tampil cantik.
4. Export webpart yang baru ke dalam 1 file dan hapus halaman kerja.
5. Distribusikan webpart dan masukkan ke dalam solution package jika perlu.

Untuk menyiapkan halaman kerja, buka SharePoint site dengan menggunakan SharePoint Designer. Dari menu file, buat sebuah halaman ASPX baru.

Di dalama yang baru terbentuk, buat referensi ke master page dengan menggunakan menu attach master page.

Setelah di-tempel dengan master page, maka secara default design dan isi halaman akan mengikuti master page. Klik Create Custom Content di bagian PlaceHolderMain untuk memulai membuat kustomisasi di halaman itu.

Di area custom content yang baru terbentuk, tambahkan “Web Part Zone” dan “Data View” webpart didalamnya.

Selanjutnya yang kita butuhkan adalah sumber data. SharePoint Designer memberikan kemudahan untuk menggunakan beberapa jenis sumber data misalnya, SharePoint List, SharePoint Libraries, Database Connection, XML Files, Server-side scripts, XML Web Services dan Linked sources. Disini saya akan menggunakan data yang disediakan secara cuma-cuma oleh BMG , berupa XML file. Kita dapat langsung menggunakan referensi berupa URL ke XML yang bersangkutan.

Lokasi XML data yang disediakan oleh BMG adalah di http://www.bmg.go.id/dataxml/cuaca_indo_1.xml atau http://www.bmg.go.id/dataxml/cuaca_indo_2.xml. Simpan informasi lokasi tersebut sebagai sumber data XML yang baru.

Kemudian klik “Show Data” pada sumber data XML yang terbentuk.

Didalam data source detail, kita dapat menentukan field-field yang akan ditampilkan. Disini kita ambil “Kota”, “Cuaca”, “SuhuMin” dan “SuhuMax”. Kemudian klik Multiple Item View.

Secara otomatis, kita akan memperoleh tabel yang diperoleh dari field-field yang ditentukan tadi, seperti dibawah.

Kita juga dapat memfilter agar menampilkan beberapa kota besar di Indonesia saja. Caranya, dengan menentukan filter dari properti data view webpart di  Common Data View Tasks.

Agar tampilannya menjadi cantik, kita bisa menambahkan icon untuk hujan, cerah, berawan dsb. Untuk mendapatkan icon yang sesuai, maka kita gunakan xsl:choose dan mengetes nilai field Cuaca (perhatikan baris 108 – 118 pada gambar dibawah). Saya juga mengubah tabel menjadi 1 kolom, dengan memindahkan isi field lain ke kolom paling kiri dan menghapus kolom yang tidak digunakan. 

Judul tabel juga diubah dengan mengubah table headernya, dan menyesuaikan dengan format 1 kolom.

Simpan halaman yang sudah selesai diedit dan kemudian buka di browser. Hasilnya adalah halaman dengan weather webpart yang baru, tugas kita berikutnya adalah mengeksport webpart tersebut dan siap untuk didistribusikan.

Akhirnya, mudah-mudahan step-by-step diatas memberikan ide untuk rekan-rekan semua. Untuk yang tidak mau report, berikut ini adalah webpart yang sudah jadi ( BMGLike.webpart (17 KB) )

Money Talks...and We Listen:

Clearly, budget is always a consideration when choosing where to go. And the more kids, the more this one is the ultimate deal-breaker. With the obvious lowering of the USA dollar power, not to mention huge security hassles that make you want to tear your hair out, traveling too far is sometimes not an option. Never fear! There are endless family friendly places close by your neck of the woods. Some won't-break-the-bank ideas are to check out your county Visitor's Center and see some sights that you've never gotten the chance to. Also, you can look at online (or soon, this site) for some ideas at areas that are closet to you, within driving distance, but not so far that you use the kids' college fund on the gas money!

Higher the Number of Kids...Lower the Hotel Space:

When you are traveling with kids, it can be really difficult trying to get them all cleaned up and dressed in the morning for breakfast. So if you want to get out the door and see the area before, say, dinnertime, think about a short-term furnished apartment. Hotels have live-in suites with kitchenettes and all the do-dads that go along with that. When I was growing up, my parents sure wish they knew about this beforehand! It is much easier (and cheaper) to buy some easy breakfast foods and keep them in the apartment. That way, the kids can be in their pj's, and you can have your coffee while you get them out the door!

Beware the Picky Eaters!

Now confession time: for all my travels, I am still one of the hardest people to find something to eat. Oh I'll just say it--I'm a hugely picky eater! And I'm pretty sure you'll have at least one of those in the family. So don't worry, a trip is not the place to try and cure this bad habit...hey, my parents' spent years on this, and I think they've admitted defeat. Check out the local supermarkets and pick up some kid-friendly dry food that you can keep in your mini apartment or hotel room as snacks...or even last minute meals. Because there is nothing like getting to a fun and exciting new international destination, and opening that menu for a relaxing first dinner...and then hearing the whine start in! This will also be way cheaper in the long run!

1. Change the default Blue Skin to Black - Million thanks to Upnishad from GeekPedia
2. Put the home button on the toolbar - a silly one, I know, but still I saw people asking this in some forums. Thanks goes to Technipages and others who wrote a Howto for this
3. Download Google Chrome Portable without Google Update - Thanks to Caschy
4. Block ads in chrome (adblock replacement) - Two ways of doing this as far as I have found

Privoxy - Here's how to use it with chrome - Thanks goes to Boris Fritscher

Admuncher - Sorry, can't find a Howto for it

This is the list so far. Will update as for TnT rolls in. Cheers

Here are two options...

===========================================================
Note: Both of these options may remove document formatting.

Option 1(Using word). Break the password by inserting the protected file into a blank document.  Steps below.

Step 1. Create a new document

Step 2: Click Insert -->File...

Step 3 (Final Step): Navigate to the file you need to unprotect and click it, then click insert. All done!

===========================================================
Option 2. Send it to yourself at your gmail account, and select "open as a google document"  No gmail account? See option one :) or get one here.

Disclaimer: This information is intended for learning purposes. Do not attempt these steps on documents you do not own.  I am not responsible for any damages to any data.

Wordle Gallery

Try taking the photo at different angles and heights e.g. even lying on the floor
Always have an interesting object/subject in the foreground (especially for landscape photography)
Work with different textures and colours
Position the horizon 1/3 from the bottom or top of the photo, never in the middle (landscape photography)
Remember some distractions can be 'healed' later, so don't be too fussy about those cranes polluting your London skyline or litter in the park
Bright sunny days are best for bringing out different textures (especially good for black & white photography)
Instant silhouettes - move Exposure compensation setting into the minus figures (landscape photography)
Be creative with your cropping, it can make a great photograph (it can also break it, so be careful)
It's not the camera you use, but how you use it ;)
Following on from the above, get to know your camera! Also, learn how to use Photoshop! No good photographer can go without it. It's an artistic tool. Levels, layers and curves = must learn!
Beware of dark patches which distract from the main picture
Beware of busy backgrounds which distract from the subject; minimise the depth-of-field to blur the background
Framing, with natural objects e.g. tree branches, is very important. It adds a sense of balance to the picture. Bottom framing and bottom-right framing are ideal for landscapes
Don't place anything squarely in the middle of the photograph; make it more interesting, use the Rule of Thirds! Although, sometimes it's good to break the rules as well...
Theory means nothing unless you put it into practise....

Continue reading: HOWTO - reset a lost Ubuntu password