From the lack of activity on my blog – You can sense that I have been somewhat held up with other stuff in my life. Career Planning, Job Searches, Job Interviews, Training, switching web hosts, and catching up with my friends. 2008 was a year full of FUD. I didn’t expect this to happen to me, but I think I went through a mini quarter-life crisis. Thanks to Yili, Kenneth and Alvin for being with me through this rough patch.
web hostingSwitching from Macintosh to Windows Vista
The news:
Some of you might have already known that I made the switch a few weeks back from Macintosh to Windows Vista. I went to the PC show with my girlfriend, and we purchased a pair of laptops together – We each purchased the NEC Versa E6300 14” laptop together for S$1199.
- Windows Vista Home Basic
- Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7250 @ 2.0 Ghz
- 3GB DDR2 Ram ; 160GB Storage Space
- 6-in-1 card reader, with Bluetooth
- A 2.0 Megapixel Integrated Web Camera
What I was using
I was using an iBook 12” PPC running OS X 10.4 for the past 4 years, and my girlfriend was looking out for a desktop since she don’t think she will be bringing her computer around. It was an odd choice for me because I had always been on the look-out for another Macintosh replacement, and had reservations about switching back to Windows, remembering the horrible user experience I had with Windows ME (my last OS before I purchased my iBook).
What prompted me to switch
- NEC’s claim that they are the best in Japan. I thought any company who was that confident to claim that should have some form of backing for what they mentioned. I trusted them, and till now they have not disappointed me. I know I have just fallen as a sucker for marketing campaigns I guess.
- I believed the purchase was value-for-money (I’m not the only one). I always thought the cheapest laptop I can get will be at S$1500, and I will rather top up $100-$300 for a MacBook with equivalent value. However, the cheapest Macbook I could see then was around S$1700. Sadly, the $500 makes a difference because I’m broke, and I badly want a new laptop. I spent 80% of my non-sleeping time at home with my computer, and I bring them around wherever I go.
- I witnessed for myself how running XP on Parallels and VMWare on the Intel Macintosh does not work well with my Windows mobile 6.0 phone. I needed a compatible system to synchronize files, photos and contacts with my HTC Touch.
- I thought it will be pretty cool to have the same laptop with my girlfriend together. It might just “synchronize” us together.
- Apple releases new versions of their OS too fast for my liking – Leopard (10.5) does not impress me. The only outstanding feature Leopard I see that’s different from Tiger (10.4) was Time Machine, and I seriously cannot imagine myself using that application.
- I heard rumors that Apple is going to refresh their notebook lines again in June, with the Intel Montevina (Centrino 2), and made with more eco-friendly materials such as air-craft grade aluminum and stainless steel. Maybe I should just wait a few more months for them to refresh their design?
I have written down a list of my Vista experiences after the switch, and will update more on it soon! Hopefully, it will be helpful for anyone who’s considering switching operating systems (either way).
Posted in Updates.
Secrets to smart decisions when you graduate from college
It is true. You search and sniff out information that is most relevant to you. As someone who’s going to graduate soon – I thought this article brought in an alternate view point to my life.
The question I have is – Isn’t it difficult to get jobs that you are neutral in? How many of us “acted as if we were interested” just to get the job that they want?
Secrets to smart decisions when you graduate from college » Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk
Posted in Updates.
Django Vs RoR
My personal preference goes for Python rather than Rails.
Ruby was too… magical for me to understand at times; and it was too magical for me to comprehend how they worked at the back. I missed the database schema migration on Rails though. Unit testing was done easier.
Django is written in Python, which for the most part is comprehensible to me, except for certain introspection and meta-programming involved when I tried to write form modules on Django.
Posted in Technology.
Next Gen Apps Won’t Be Pushed Around By the Browser
Adobe Thermos looks quite promising. I tend to believe the future of Internet Applications lies in offline syncing and RIAs. 
Next Gen Apps Won’t Be Pushed Around By the Browser – ReadWriteWeb
Posted in Technology.
Your Laptop Data is no longer private when you are traveling
Now airport authorities have the power to download and check the data inside your laptop. > <
Taking your laptop into the US? Be sure to hide all your data first | Technology | The Guardian
Last month a US court ruled that border agents can search your laptop, or any other electronic device, when you’re entering the country. They can take your computer and download its entire contents, or keep it for several days. Customs and Border Patrol has not published any rules regarding this practice, and I and others have written a letter to Congress urging it to investigate and regulate this practice.
Posted in Updates.
Hatebook – Anti Social Utility
Tired and Sick of Social Networks? Sign up for Hatebook – An anti-social utility that disconnects you from the things YOU HATE. 
Posted in Fun, Technology.
A Father’s Letter to His Son
Beautifully written article. For the visitors of my website who has been hurt countless times, take note of what was written here:
You might get teased and bullied and hurt by people you meet … and then
after meeting dozens of jerks, find a true friend. If you close
yourself off to new people, and don’t open your heart to them, you’ll
avoid pain … but also lose out on meeting some incredible people, who
will be there during the toughest times of your life and create some of
the best times of your life.
A Letter to My Son, on Starting Out In Life | Zen Habits
There will be times when you are met with disappointment instead of success. Life won’t always turn out the way you want. This is just another thing you’ll have to learn to deal with. But instead of letting these things get you down, push on. Accept disappointment and learn to persevere, to pursue your dreams despite pitfalls. Learn to turn negatives into positives, and you’ll do much better in life.You will also face heartbreak and abandonment by those you love. I hope you don’t have to face this too much, but it happens. Again, not much you can do but to heal, and to move on with your life. Let these pains become stepping stones to better things in life, and learn to use them to make you stronger.
But Be Open to Life Anyway
Yes, you’ll find cruelty and suffering in your journey through life … but don’t let that close you to new things. Don’t retreat from life, don’t hide or wall yourself off. Be open to new things, new experiences, new people.
Posted in Lifestyle.
Virtual Reality Views using the WiiRemote
Awesome innovation by Johnny Lee – Virtual Reality using the WiiRemote!! This will change the future of 3D gaming more. Super exciting!
Other than gaming, what other uses can this technology be used for? Virtual conference? Can’t imagine having virtual conferences with this technology. Hmm..
YouTube – Head Tracking for Desktop VR Displays using the WiiRemote
Posted in Technology.
Career Advice 2.0
An interesting slideshow for career advice. It’s one of the marketing channels for a book on career advice. In general there are 6 lessons:
- There is no plan – You can only connect the dots looking backwards.
- Think about strengths, not weaknesses – Do what you are good at.
- It’s not about you. - It’s about giving back to society
- Persistence trumps talent. – I have a problem with this. +_+
- Make excellent mistakes. - Risk management
- Leave an imprint. – What do you want to be remembered for when you die?
Enjoy!
Post inspired from- QuBitBucket: Chopsticks vs. Parachute – Career Advice 2.0
Posted in Updates.
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