Ninite

I know many of you have had to format a computer at least once. in my case for instance, it can get boring in the end if you have to fetch the same programs again and again (you know, firefox, messenger…)

So it was then when I read about Ninite.

This website justa asks you what free software you would like to install and it does it for you by getting a simple installer on your PC and doing all the job (downloading and installing) for you, without installing bars and other annoying stuff!

If I were you I would give it a try

Servers and stuff alike…

You know, we have a problem. In my residence we’ve had some issues with the internet for as long as it’s existed, mainly because we get stuff 7 years after they come out.

Take wired internet for instance, it came out ages ago and it wasn’t until 5 years ago that we started having it. and now the issue is wireless.

You see, we only have 10 Mb of internet speed at the moment, which is exactly the same I have in my house, the only difference is that in my house there are 4 people and here we are 103! so you can imagine how long it takes to check my Gmail for instance (I get enough time to go to the toilet and come back) which is only worsened by the amount of people downloading stuff from P2P and such. This is going to end now.

I have gathered the techiest heads here and managed to get some ideas going, starting with the creation of a Linux server to filter all Megaupload, rapidshare…  connections, block P2P ports and avoid any sort of Spotify-alike program (Any other thing that you can come up with will be great)

the real issue is: how?

It’s probably going to be a Ubuntu Server Edition PC, but I have never set up a server myself and neither have any of the people that are going to help me. I know our friend Google is always there but I just read Ubuntu server had no graphical interface, so I have no idea how I’m going to manage (I’m not the best with Linux console).

Any revolutionary ideas on how to help or any program to get stuff working?

United Nations Volunteering

   You know, for quite  while now, I’ve been thinking about going somewhere to do some volunteering, mainly because I thought it would be a very nice experience that will (1) make me feel useful and (2) let me see how the real world is like… also because I love travelling.

So yesterday night I decided to give it a shot and have a look at the official UN Volunteering Website. after a few minutes browsing to find what I was looking for, I finally found it and, to my disappointment, I can’t apply for it.

Professional qualifications

• A university degree or higher technical diploma;
• Several years of relevant working experience;
• At least age 25 when taking up an assignment (there is no upper age limit);
• Good working knowledge in at least one of the three UNV working languages: English, French and Spanish.

So yeah, no can do this time. Seems like I’ll have to wait for a few more years.

So, does anyone know anything I can do of that sort (volunteering or working away from Europe)? Remember I speak Spanish and English and I’m still not done with my degree (although anything related to it would be extremely great).

Notepad++

  It’s been a long time since I last wrote anything geeky on the blog (which is supposed to be the main objective) so I guess I’ll start again by my newest software addition: Notepad++

Notepad++ is a Free Software that intends to improve the original Notepad in Windows (or Linux/Mac). Personally I think its well worth switching to it.

As the “Notepad on steroids” that it is, you will have access to the possibility of editing any sort of text file, also *.nfo and, any sort of programming language you want:

Here are the features of Notepad++ (from official website):
Syntax Highlighting and Syntax Folding Supported languages :

C C++ Java C# XML HTML

PHP CSS makefile ASCII art (.nfo) doxygen ini file

batch file Javascript ASP VB/VBS SQL Objective-C

RC resource file Pascal Perl Python Lua TeX

TCL Assembler Ruby Lisp Scheme Properties

Diff Smalltalk Postscript VHDL Ada Caml

AutoIt KiXtart Matlab Verilog Haskell InnoSetup

CMake YAML

WYSIWYG If you have a colour printer, print your source code (or whatever you want) in colour.

User Defined Syntax Highlighting It allows user to define his own language : not only the syntax highlighting keywords, but also the syntax folding keywords, comment keywords and the operators. ( screenshot1, screenshot2, screenshot3, screenshot4 ).

Auto-completion For most supported languages, user can make his/her own API list (or download the api files from dowload section). Once the api file is ready, type Ctrl+Space to launch this action (see screenshot). For more information about Auto-completion, please see Auto-completion HOWTO.

Multi-Document You can edit several documents at the same time.

Multi-View You have two views at same time. That means you can visualize (edit) 2 different documents at the same time (screenshot). You can visualize (edit) in the 2 views one document at 2 different positions as well. The modification of document in one view will carry out in another view (i.e. you modify the SAME document when you are in clone mode, see screenshot).

Regular Expression Search/Replace supported You can search and replace one string in the document by using the regular expression.

Full Drag ‘N' Drop supported You can open a document by drag & drop. You can also move your document from a position (or even a view) to another by drag & drop.

Dynamic position of Views The user can set the position of the views dynamically (only in 2 views mode : the splitter can be set in horizontal or in vertical), see screenshot.

File Status Auto-detection If you modify or delete a file which opened in Notepad++, you will be notified to update your document (reload the file or remove the file).

Brace and Indent guideline Highlighting When the caret stay beside of one of those symbol { } [ ] ( ) , the symbol beside of caret and its symmetric opposite symbol will be highlighted, as well as the indent guideline (if any) in order to locate the block more easily. See screenshot1, screenshot2 .

A must program for everyone with computer skill, specially for programmers.

Few updates

wow, I’ve really had two tough weeks!

I know it sounds like a lousy excuse for not writing anything on the blog since the Google Wave update but it’s true, I’ve been really busy!

First, I started with Judo again and fortunately, I still fit in my suit (I really thought I had grown something in 4 and a half years of Judo inactivity). anyways, the Judo thing keeps me busy Tuesdays and Thursday every week.

Second, everything is starting to get hard at uni. Programming in Java is no issue (seems like I have some natural talent for programming I didn’t know about), and algebra I can manage single-handed. as of the other is starting to get challenging, specially physics, where my professor is…. don’t know…really funny but really hard to understand at times. Calculus is still manageable.

At any rate, I have some news:

1. I’m back on Twitter! I promise I’ll keep it updated! My profile is here and there is also a new Twitter gadget in this blog
2. I’ve had the most awesome Birthday present ever (check below), together with a gift card (that I’m not attaching, sorry)
3. I got my Google Wave account! YES! thanks to Zenitram (classmate) for inviting me. I was really not expecting to get it so soon! The system is really incredible, still with some bugs and so on, but I think its really going to be the future, beware hotmail and yahoo!

Thank you all!