I received an email today from a dear friend of mine, telling me about his experience with Linux. I thought its a worthy read for anyone interested in the field. Enjoy!

Hey bro,

so here it goes …

sometime Friday evening I decided to give linux yet another go .. I’m not sure you know this but I’ve always had this love/hate relation with linux and I’ve been trying the latest version on and off since back in 98. Sadly, everytime it ended with Linux being removed and going back to windows.

So back to Friday, I looked up the latest releases decided on one (PCLinux OS 2007) and downloaded it. Few hours later, I had the cd iso burnt and got ready to start.

Now I can probably fill pages in this part here but I think you’ll get bored .. enough to say, after many reboots, re-partitioning, fixing master boot records, repairing bootloaders and all in all general agony. I finally gave up on it by Saturday afternoon.

So I came back to Windows and although I enjoyed the familiarity of it I felt somewhat unsatisfied as I didn’t even get to try Linux .. installation kept failing and the few times it finished, booting kept failing.

So I gathered whatever resolve I still had and went online again looking for an Alternative .. sadly to say, there was nothing among the top recommended Linux Distros that I hadn’t tried yet (at some point) and I felt disappointed.

Then I found out that Ubuntu (which BTW was the last I tried until this recent cycle and by far the most impressive but couldn’t live with Gnome) had a new version called Kubuntu which is great, since it combines the power of Ubuntu with my favorite linux X manager KDE.

Downloaded, burnt, started process again.

Faced a bit of trouble at first time, but it’s excusable .. it was only the first try.

Things went smoothly from there, installed fine, booted fine (I had applied all the experience I gained from the multiple failures the night before). Then I started actually using it … trying to set it up the way I am comfortable with and downloading the software/drivers I needed, standard so far as with any new OS install.

But it wasn’t meant to be. The system kept hanging, and badly. To the level that only a hard reset will work. I was heart-broken.

Gave up once again, got back to windows and deleted all the Linux partitions.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuut, that unsatisfied feeling remained.

So once again, I started anew. This time, I did extensive research on things like ACPI and HPET and all sorts of other BIOS settings (which was my major suspect in terms of what’s causing all this). In addition, I refused to use any automated partitioning or otherwise that the Linux distro’s setup was offering. I did all the partitioning and assigning of the /root /swap partitions on my own and formated with the correct filesystem (ext3 for current linux distros). Then I got ready for one last try.

This time, I went back to PCLinuxOS 2007 (compared to Kubuntu, I felt I have more of a chance of lasting with PCLOS so I went with it)

Well, here we are Monday evening .. Installation went smoothly, boot up was a breeze and since then I’ve updates software that came pre-installed, installed new ones updated drivers and settings to match my needs and even transferred my entire firefox environment over (extensions, cookies, bookmarks, form history, browsing history, and the list goes on). Got NTFS support configured and downloaded drivers to allow write access to NTFS (usually you only get read access). In general, so far, I’m a long way through making this a new home for me and so far, it rocks

I’m glad I stuck with it .. don’t get me wrong, so far, I don’t see a major reason why I should abandon windows .. but for the first time, as of now, I don’t see any reason to dump Linux and rush back to the familiarity of windows. this is a great feeling for me.

BTW, you wont’ believe this, but this time (learning the lessons of the past couple of nights) I have a very very cool solution in case I left something behind in the Windows installation that I need to check … I can actually run my windows inside linux as a virtual machine .. and no I’m not talking about general virtual machine usage (this has been around for a while now) what I mean is my ACTUAL windows installation, with my own setup and software, exactly as if I had rebooted into windows, but from inside a virtual machine program within Linux. How cool is that

Ok man, hope I didn’t bore you too much

Cheers

That’s right, he’s a very simple and modest man. I can’t think of how else to describe his simplicity. Here is what happened.

Yesterday, after my evening prayers at Malaysia Hall in London, I stepped out to the canteen, and met my friend, Kamal. He was having dinner with 4 others. He invited me to join along and I did. I had met everyone before except for the Chinese man. I shook hands with everyone and said hello. Kamal introduced the man to me as “The icon of the world”, I was a little bit confused on why he said that. Then I asked him to come with me to grab a drink, and on the way I asked him, “who is that”? He was shocked with the question and he said “Oh dear God, you would have embarrassed us all if you had asked infront of him. He is Dato’ Jimmy Choo”. That’s when it clicked to me that this is indeed the man who owns the “Jimmy Choo, London” empire. I don’t feel guilty that I don’t know him, as I had never seen his photos before. And its not a sin that I didn’t recognize Jimmy Choo. However, I felt really proud that I was sitting and talking to him. Here is a Malaysian man, who took the world in his hands by his design talents.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with “Jimmy Choo, London”, it is the designer brand that produces ladies shoes and hand bags. Most of the designs are patented and are made in Italy. Jimmy Choo shoes and bags are the most expensive range in the world, and they are bought primarily by Hollywood actresses and other celebrities. Oh, and he also designed and made shoes for Princess Diana.

http://www.jimmychoo.com

What amazed me most was how he presented himself. A person can’t be simpler than him. A very casual shirt, with a pair of very usual jeans, and a sling bag around his neck, who would have thought he owns even a business, let alone “Jimmy Choo, London”. He talked very politely and even asked everyone to share the food with him. I admire him for his business, his style and his personality.

Before leaving, he gave us his business card along with a smile and a statement “sell it on ebay, and you can make some money”. Of course it was a joke, but I’m very sure there will be many who are interested in his personal business card, with his personal email address. However, I decided to keep it with me. In case, I wanna buy a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes for my gf!! I think she’ll straight away marry me then…!!

“Reading gives you knowledge, practice gives you experience, and mistakes give you wisdom!”

It is something that’s ringing in my head constantly. Something that might have been said by many people, hundreds of times. Something that you might know yourself. But its amazing how most people don’t pay much attention to these simple basics.

I’m in a series of very important studies right now, and so, I’m afraid I would not have the luxury of time to write much on this blog. However, if and when I have some time, I will write something to keep it breathing, and if and when I take good pictures, I’ll put up some shots to give it some colors.

Bye for now.

“Until you are away from home, you will not be able to truly appreciate home!”.

I miss Malaysia… I do… I really do… I really truly madly deeply whole-heartedly miss Malaysia! I have no words to describe how much I miss Malaysia, how much I long to go back home for a short break. How much I wish I can close my eyes and open in Kuala Lumpur…

Home sickness had never been a problem for me. But, after living so many years at one place, when you suddenly move away, being home-sick is something that you can’t help but to get through. I’m trying to get through.

I miss you Malaysia. So very much!

Remember in the TV Serial Friends, Season 7 Episode 12, “The One Where They’re Up All Night”, how Phoebe’s smoke detector kept beeping, and how she tried everything she can to stop the beep, but failed? Well, sad to say, right now, I know exactly how that feels.

Yesterday morning, at 5am, the smoke detector in my room started to beep randomly. Being awoken by a loud beep is not something pretty. I quickly ran downstairs to make sure that there is no fire in the kitchen or anywhere in the flat. And then I realized that the smoke detector in my room has gone mad! It beeped once every minute or two. I couldn’t sleep. I thought may be my room is warm, but it wasn’t. Anyhow, I left the window open, and went to work. When I came back at night, the beep was still there! Blimey!!

I opened the smoke detector, removed the main cables connected to it, and hoped for the beep to stop. After a minute, there it goes again “BEEEEEEP!!!!”. I had no choice but to open the battery compartment, and reluctantly remove the 9V brick battery, which will completely kill the device. I read the message near the battery compartment, that said “Warning: Risk of fire if battery removed!”. Since I haven’t slept peacefully from yesterday, I took the risk and removed the battery. With a victorious face, I put the detector, the cables, and the battery, on my table, all separate next to each other. It wasn’t even a minute, when all of a sudden the detector went “BEEEEEEP!!!!!!!”. #&!£$^#”!%£&%$!”#*$!&#%£”#”&!!! I don’t know how to explain what I felt at that time, but all I remembered was Phoebe screaming “How could you be beeping? I disconnected you! I took out your battery! How can……”beeep!” DON’T INTERRUPT ME!!”.

Its still beeping while I’m typing this!! I have stuffed a whole bunch of cotton in my ears. And I covered the detector with a whole load of cellophane tape. Does any of you know how to make the beep stop? If you do, please tell me, so I can get some good night sleep!! Thanks!!

Update: I found the reason as to why the detector beeped even after the batteries were removed. Basically, there is a capacitor inside, which regulates the electricity to the device. If you have studied electronics, you would recall that a capacitor charges and gradually discharges. The beeps after the battery was removed was due to the charge that was left in the capacitor. After a couple of beeps, the device finally went silent! Rest in peace good fellow, while I get my beauty sleep!

One of the patient in the hospital had an emergency, and since it was late night, no doctor was available to attend to the patient. So, what does the hospital do? What else. Dial 911…!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/02/business/02alarm.html?th&emc=th

It indeed is. And it is one of my passions too. I am not yet an expert photographer. However, I enjoy going out to different places occassionally with my “good enough” yet “better than average” Kodak Z7590 5.0 megapixel camera and take a few snaps to test my skills. Over the years, I have tried to take many different types of pictures, from people, to animals, to nature, to buildings, etc. And I realized that my strength is in taking pictures of buildings and places, especially, night shots! The feelings? More than words can explain. When I look at these photos, I remember the saying, “a picture says a thousand words”.

I am in the process of organizing my best shots into a simple yet neat gallery. As for the moment, enjoy yourself with some of the pictures I have posted here that I think really stand out. Your comments, criticisms and advices are more than welcome…

Remember I wrote an article here titled “Islam is not teachings of Osama Bin Laden”? If you don’t remember, or have not read it before, click here to read it. Well, yesterday, as I was going through my Newsweek magazine, I came across an article, which explains very nicely a lot of what I had in mind. I just thought of bringing your attention to it, if you are interested. Click the link below to access the article and read the part titled “RELATED CONTENT - A Bombthrower’s Life”

 

Only One Side of the Story [Newsweek Books]

Chinese New Year this year is on the 18th of February. According to Chinese calendar, 2007 is the Year of Pig. In case you were wondering, 2006 was the Year of Dog, 2005-Rooster, 2004-Monkey, 2003-Goat, 2002-Horse and 2001-Snake. For more information about this, go here or here.

I would like to wish all my Chinese students, friends and their families, and whoever else celebrating this wonderful occassion a warm Happy Chinese New Year. XIN NIEN KUAI LE!

PS: A very special wish to my girlfriend and her family since she is half Chinese.

I can get along with almost everything in the UK. The people, the culture, the English slang, the weather, the food, like I said, almost everything. But there is one thing that I still cant get used to. And that is people asking me “are you alright?”. In case you didn’t know, that’s their version of “how are you?”. When I first heard my friend asking me “are you alright?”, I actually thought that there was something wrong with me. I wasn’t looking upset, unhappy or even sad. I looked at my clothes and myself to make sure nothing was improper. With a rather confused look, I replied back “hmmm, yeah, I’m alright, thanks”. In my mind I was asking myself “why would he ask me if I was alright?”. Imagine a friend of yours suddenly ask you “are you alright?”. What would you feel? Here is my gf’s reaction when I tested it on her, “I thought I fell down and you were trying to make sure I was alright.”

I dont know if its just a London culture or a whole UK culture. But its definitely a new and rather weird experience for me. Its been a year now, and still, when someone asks me “you alright?”, I still struggle to tell myself that it means “how are you?”. I guess I prefer the normal, general, common version, i.e. “how are you?” or better still, Joey’s (Friends) version “how u doing?”.