Development

Bocah Cilik Sabet Rp 27 Juta dari Mozilla

2010-10-25T17:22:00.000+07:00

Alex Miller menemukan cacat di memori saat browser Firefox dijalankan.

Juli lalu, Mozilla secara terbuka sempat mengiming-imingi hadiah uang sebesar US$3000 (sekitar Rp 27 juta) kepada siapa saja yang bisa menemukan bug (cacat) pada program browsernya.

Ternyata, sayembara tersebut berhasil dimenangkan oleh seorang bocah 12 tahun asal Amerika Serikat bernama

Alex Miller, dengan hadiah cek US$3000 dari Mozilla (San Jose Mercury News)

Alex Miller. Ia berhasil menemukan sebuah cacat kritis di memori saat program berjalan.

"Mozilla sangat tergantung dengan kontributor seperti dia untuk bisa bertahan," kata Brandon Sterne, Security Program Manager, Mozilla, dikutip dari situs San Jose Mercury News.

Menurut Sterne, sebagai organisasi nonprofit dan proyek open source, temuan terpilih Miller merupakan masukan berharga bagi Mozilla.

Alex sendiri memang merupakan pengguna loyal Firefox. Sebelumnya, ia pernah mencoba menemukan celah lain di Firefox, tapi temuannya kurang begitu besar. Ia pun berusaha lagi.

Alex menghabiskan 90 menit setiap hari di depan layar komputer memelototi setiap celah yang ada. Akhirnya pada hari kesepuluh, Alex mendapatkannya. Ia pun berhak menggamit hadiah uang itu.

Alex memang bukan anak sembarangan. Anak-anak seusianya biasanya masih duduk di kelas dasar. Sementara saat ini, Alex telah duduk di Grade 7 dan tengah menempuh tingkat persiapan Universitas.

Menurut Ibunya, Alex memahami pemrograman dengan mempelajarinya sendiri. Selain gandrung dengan komputer, Alex menyukai olahraga tepok bulu dan gemar memetik gitar.

Ia juga berdiskusi berbagai masalah politik seperti layaknya orang berusia 40 tahun. Alex pun tengah belajar bahasa Mandarin, dan ia juga berencana untuk turut dalam Olimpiade Fisika dengan membangun proyek sebuah robot.

Namun, mendapat hadiah cek US$3000 tak membuat anak kecil gelap mata. Ia justru mendonasikan sebagian hadiahnya untuk organisasi nonprofit penyayang binatang dekat rumahnya, Unconditional Love Animal Rescue. Ia juga berniat memberikan hadiah natal kepada keluarganya dari uang itu. Sisanya ia akan menabungnya ke Bank.

Yang jelas, Alex mengajarkan anak-anak seusianya, bahwa uang tak hanya bisa dicari dengan cara menyemir sepatu, atau pekerjaan yang kerap dilakukan anak-anak seusianya. Kini bocah seusia sekolah dasar juga bisa mencari uang dengan menguasai pemrograman komputer. (hs)

• VIVAnews

Everything You Need To Know About 4G Wireless Technology

2010-05-16T22:58:00.005+07:00

While most of us are used to getting high speed Internet connections at home, the office or even the local coffee shop, once we are on the road those high speeds have to stay behind. With 4G the promise is that you can get real mobile broadband to go. In this piece we are going to tell you all about the technology and its benefits, who offers it or plans to, how much it costs, and the gear you need to enjoy the next generation of wireless broadband today.
But first, some background: 4G is the short name for fourth-generation wireless, the stage of mobile communications that will enable things like IP-based voice, data, gaming services and high quality streamed multimedia on portable devices with cable modem-like transmission speeds. It's a successor to 2G and 3G wireless, whereby the first signified the shift from analog to digital transmissions, bringing data services like SMS and email to mobile phones for the first time, and the second refers to the advent of things like global roaming as well as higher data rates.

Think of wireless generations as a handful of services that get faster and more feature-rich as newer technology becomes available. The 3G networks that we use today allow us to stream video, download music and files, and surf the web at average download speeds from 600Kb/s to 1.4Mb/s. With 4G you'll be able to do the same but at much faster rates, while the extra bandwidth opens the door for newer applications.

There are a number of standards and technologies pertaining to each wireless generation -- GSM, cdmaOne, GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000, UMTS (also marketed as 3GSM), HSDPA, among others. For practical reasons, we won't be dwelling on the technicalities of each term and instead will move onto the ones that involve our topic of interest here: 4G.

Although no set of standards have been established as of yet by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the authority on such things, two competing technologies have been proposed: LTE and WiMAX. Many service providers often use the term 4G mobile broadband to describe the technologies they are offering based on their own, sometimes distorted definitions. However, current implementations are largely considered pre-4G, as they don't fully comply with the planned requirements of 1Gbit/s for stationary reception and 100Mbit/s for mobile.

Besides speed, several other guidelines have been traced for wireless communication standards to qualify as 4G. In a nutshell, they should be very spectrally efficient, should dynamically share and utilize the network resources to support more simultaneous users per cell, have smooth handovers across heterogeneous networks, offer high quality of service for next generation multimedia support, and should be based on an all-IP packet switched network.

LTE
Short for Long-Term Evolution, LTE is considered by many to be the natural successor to current-generation 3G technologies, in part because it updates UMTS networks to provide significantly faster data rates for both uploading and downloading. The specification calls for downlink peak rates of at least 100Mb/s and an uplink of 50Mb/s, but going by real world tests its transfer speeds will more likely range from 5-12Mb/s for downloads and 2-5Mb/s for uploads.

LTE is being developed by a group of telecommunications associations known as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, or 3GPP, as an eight release of what has been evolving since 1992 from the GSM family of standards.

There are two fundamental aspects of LTE. The first is that the technology finally leaves behind the circuit switched network of its GSM roots and moves to an all-IP flat networking architecture. This is a significant shift which in very simple terms means that LTE will treat everything it transmits, even voice, as data. The other big change relates to the use of MIMO technology, or multiple antennas at both the transmitter and receiver end to improve communication performance. This setup can either be used to increase the throughput data rates or to reduce interference.

Many big-name global operators and mobile communications companies are backing LTE in the race for 4G mobile broadband, including Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, LG Electronics, Ericsson, Nokia, Siemens, NTT DoMoCo, and others. In the U.S., Verizon Wireless has said it is going commercial with its LTE network in the fourth quarter, with 25 to 30 markets up and ready at launch. AT&T and T-Mobile claim they will begin to deploy LTE in 2011, but in the meantime both networks have moved to HSPA 7.2 and the latter plans to roll out HSPA+ beginning this year. Theoretically these can support speeds of up to 7.2 and 21 Mbps, respectively, but in real world scenarios they are only marginally faster than most 3G data services.
The reason behind LTE’s strong industry support lies in the relative ease of upgrading from current 3G networks worldwide over to LTE mobile broadband, compared to the significant infrastructure build out that WiMAX has taken thus far. Fewer cell sites have to be built and penetration into buildings is better at the 700 MHz spectrum LTE uses. However, WiMAX deployments are already up and running while LTE's formal debut is still a few months out.

WiMAX
WiMAX is a wireless broadband access standard developed and maintained by the IEEE under the 802.16 designation. As its name suggest, WiMAX can be thought of as an extension of Wi-Fi designed to enable pervasive, high-speed mobile Internet access on a wide range of devices, from laptops to smartphones. The current implementation is based on the 802.16e specification which offers theoretical downlink rates upwards of 70Mbps and up to 30-mile ranges.

Again, "theoretical" is the keyword here as WiMAX, like all wireless technologies, can either operate at higher bitrates or over longer distances but not both. Production networks being operated in the United States are seeing average speeds go from 3 to 6Mb/s, with bursts up to 10Mb/s. Like LTE -- and Wi-Fi 802.11n for that matter -- WiMAX supports MIMO technology, which means that additional antennas can increase the potential throughput.

There is no uniform global licensed spectrum for WiMAX, but three have been listed: 2.3 GHz, 2.5 GHz and 3.5 GHz. In the U.S., the biggest segment available is around 2.5 GHz and is already assigned primarily to Clearwire, a wireless internet service provider in which Sprint Nextel holds a majority stake.
In terms of total available 4G spectrum to deploy their services, Clearwire has several times more than its competitors, which have smaller portions of the 700 MHz band. However, Verizon and AT&T are not too worried about this as they can re-utilize spectrum being used right now for 2G and 3G services by upgrading these to LTE when the demand is there.

Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, the 700 MHz band that both Verizon and AT&T plan to use has enormously better range and penetration of buildings than the same power of signal at 2.5 GHz. Some experts have said that 700MHz will require as few as one-quarter as many base stations to offer identical coverage to 2.5 GHz.

As you might have guessed, the industry players behind these 4G technologies reflect the history of each standard. Whereas LTE biggest supporters are, in general, telecommunication service companies and handset manufacturers, WiMAX counts the likes of Intel, Cisco and Google among its most important backers. It should be noted though that many companies like Nokia or Motorola are members of both industry groups, with different levels of involvement.

The 'Real' 4G, Products and Availability
The 'Real' 4G Still a Long Ways Off?
Like we mentioned before, neither WiMAX nor LTE are truly considered a 4G technology by the International Telecommunications Union. As defined in their International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced (IMT Advanced) family of standards, these technologies must have target peak data rates of approximately 100 Mb/s on high mobility devices like cell phones and approximately 1 Gb/s for stationary devices like a 4G modem at home.

Just like the so-called 2.75G EDGE standard was developed to provide speeds several times faster than 2G data (GPRS) before 3G could be deployed, current implementations of WiMAX and LTE are largely considered a stopgap solution that will offer a considerable boost while WiMAX 2 (based on the 802.16m spec) and LTE Advanced are finalized. Both technologies aim to reach the objectives traced by the ITU, but are still far from being implemented.

In the United States, both T-Mobile and AT&T have moved to UMTS and various flavors of paired HSDPA / HSUPA, while on the CDMA front Sprint Nextel and Verizon Wireless support the EV-DO network. Download speeds vary from carrier to carrier depending on several factors, but on average they are somewhere between 600Kb/s and 1,400Kb/s.

In the case of Sprint, however, they've opted to go the WiMAX route because it was a near-term solution for which the company had enough spectrum to deploy right away. So while the 'real' 4G may still be a long ways off, we'll take all the speed we can get at the moment. Today that's 3-6Mb/s with Clearwire's WiMAX service.
We expect operators to maintain their existing 2G or 3G networks for the foreseeable future, to support voice and narrower-band data while providing ubiquitous coverage. WiMAX and LTE will initially be deployed as an overlay network for fast data transfer rates, with multi-mode handsets (EV-DO / WiMAX or HSPA / LTE, for example) enabling users to get the best of both worlds as operators build out their 4G networks over several years.

Products and Availability
The biggest WiMAX provider in the U.S. is Clearwire, with their Clear service currently available in 30 markets including big cities like Atlanta, Las Vegas, Portland and most recently Houston. By the end of the year the company expects to expand its coverage to 80 major markets, reaching over a hundred million potential customers. Comcast, Sprint, and Time Warner Cable act as wholesale providers selling access to the same underlying WiMAX network as well.

Clear's mobile and residential plans can be purchased by the day or by the month, with several no-contract options available. Home Internet service plans start at $30 per month for unlimited data, while mobile Internet plans start at $40 per month and a combination of the two is available from $55. True road warriors can also sign up for a dual-mode plan, offering the speed of Clearwire's WiMAX network where available and 3G mobile Internet connectivity elsewhere.

Besides from choosing the plan that fits you, new gear is required to access this service. The easiest way to get up and running is with one of several USB dongles, which are available at low prices from Clear itself when signing up to a plan, or separately starting at $50 and all the way up to $225 for WiMAX and 3G coverage with the same device. There is also a range of stationary modems for home or office use, as well as Sprint's Overdrive device, which serves as a portable hotspot for up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices to hop on Clearwire's WiMAX and 3G networks.

If you want support built inside your laptop, there are an increasing number of options out there with mobile WiMAX technology from Intel available out of the box or as an option. These range from netbooks to business-oriented laptops like the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge, which sells for around $900, and all the way up to luxury desktop replacements.

Sometime during this spring, Sprint is expected to release the first "4G" phone in the U.S. -- and it's a monster. Dubbed HTC EVO, this Android-based phone will sport a large 4.3-inch screen, 1Ghz Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM, an 8-megapixel flash-equipped camera capable of recording 720p video, a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera for placing video calls, and offer tethering of its speedy WiMAX signal to double as a portable hotspot. Of course, this will be a dual-mode smartphone, so outside of WiMAX areas the EVO will fall back to Sprint's EV-DO Rev. A network.

On the other side of the fence, Verizon is expected to launch its LTE network in 25 to 30 markets before the end of the year. There's not much we can tell in the way of pricing or product details yet, but we know the carrier doesn't plan to launch its first LTE-based cell phone until mid-2011. Meanwhile, MetroPCS is also getting ready to roll out its LTE network in "various metropolitan U.S. markets" this year and is partnering with Samsung for the first compatible phone.
A Future of Convergence?
As you can guess, today’s debate lies on which technology has the most advantageous position. WiMAX is available now, but even Sprint and Clearwire's highest ranking executives have admitted that LTE might eventually become the dominant 4G technology throughout the world. That's not to say they are fighting an already lost battle. While they believe WiMAX has a lot of potential, and plan to continue pushing it, their decision to back this technology is all about timing. By the time LTE hits the market WiMAX will be available in at least twice as many cities.
On the other hand, GSM network standards dominate over 80% of the cellular markets worldwide, so it's only natural that most mobile operators will want to move to LTE, as it's rooted on the same technology they've worked with for over a decade -- Verizon being the obvious exception with their network based on CDMA standards. Another important factor, as mentioned earlier, is that LTE requires significantly less infrastructure and thus will be cheaper to deploy.

Because both technologies are so similar there has been talk about them converging in the future. Clearwire CEO Bill Morrow emphasized this idea at the recent CTIA Wireless trade show, saying that the wireless industry should focus on the similarities between WiMAX and LTE rather than their differences. Motorola has added to this concept saying that they re-use much of its WiMAX technology when building LTE gear. Morrow envisions both technologies merging into one network standard, but even if that doesn't pan out, he says they can add LTE to their network if necessary.

Verizon was quick to express doubt this will ever happen, but ultimately it's up to the standards bodies and the driving forces behind them. Regardless if such convergence ever gains traction, for now WiMAX is at least a year ahead of LTE in terms of major commercial deployments and is moving full steam ahead. Clearwire will likely market WiMAX devices (and later on WiMAX 2) exclusively for the next 2-3 years, adding an LTE signal with minimal change to its antennas when -- and if -- the market demand is there as the LTE device ecosystem matures.

The leap to WiMAX in its current state is really more like going from dial-up to DSL. It's a nice speed gain, comparable to some of the lower-end home broadband plans, but more of an intermediate step to something much faster. In the short term that could be LTE. We'll have to reserve judgment until it's available commercially, but the fact remains neither technology will make users want to drop their speedy cable modem service just yet.

If you are not looking to do extremely demanding broadband usage, and spend most of your time within Clear's WiMAX coverage area, then the increased data speeds could be attractive for working at home or on the road without having to worry about finding a Wi-Fi hotspot. Sprint's upcoming HTC EVO handset might also play an important role in getting new customer sign-ups, as the first and probably only smartphone capable of 3-6Mbps download speeds that can also double as a portable Wi-Fi access point for as many as eight devices.

War Games The-dead code

2010-05-15T00:45:00.003+07:00

Reviewed by Colin Jacobson (July 29, 2008)

For a long-overdue sequel to 1983’s WarGames, we head to 2008’s direct-to-video WarGames: The Dead Code. The film introduces us to a sophisticated US defense system called RIPLEY. On the surface, it exists as a game site, but it keeps tabs on potential terrorists and nails them via remote attacks.
Teenager Will Farmer (Matt Lanter) possesses great computer skills and sometimes gets into trouble due to hacking. He stumbles onto the RIPLEY games and becomes a top-flight player in no time. That ain’t good, for RIPLEY targets the best gamers as probable terrorists, which turns Matt into a suspect. Matt struggles to clear his name and stay alive.
When I recently viewed the original WarGames, I was surprised to see how well it held up over the last 25 years. Sure, the technology dates it, but the premise remains realistic and the film provides a solid piece of dramatic entertainment.
Since the idea of threats from computer hacking has become even more believable and scary since 1983, WarGames boasted a premise well suited for an update. That meant Code had the potential to become something more than a cheap direct-to-video knockoff made long after its predecessor.

Unfortunately, Code lives down to those low expectations. Other than its name and computer connection, it bears little connection to its predecessor. That could’ve been good, as I wouldn’t want Code to simply remake WarGames, but the lack of real link to the first flick doesn’t work out in a positive way.
Indeed, other than as a brand name, it seems really tough to figure out why they bothered to call this a WarGames movie. Yes, it does throw out a clumsy connection between the two, but they don’t feel linked in an honest way. In reality, Code comes across more like a low-rent version of Enemy of the State instead of a sequel to WarGames. Code offers a pretty stiff and transparent thriller without much to make it stand out from the crowd.
Back in 1998, the super-surveillance theme of Enemy seemed chilling and clever, but 10 years later, it comes across as old hat. Perhaps if Code boasted the talented cast/crew and solid production values of Enemy, it could overcome the fact it feels like a tired retread of that flick.
But it doesn’t, especially in terms of the actors. Lanter leaves a hole at the center of the movie. Not only is he no Will Smith, but also he’s not even remotely as talented as Matthew Broderick, the first flick’s protagonist. Lanter provides a relentlessly dull presence, one who lacks charisma or anything more than a handsome face. Broderick managed to create a believable character, but Lanter just wanders through the role and brings nothing to the table.

It doesn’t help that he and his co-stars make for wholly unrealistic teenagers. I liked the fact that Broderick and Ally Sheedy felt like real high school students, but that sense of verisimilitude doesn’t reappear here. Lanter and his peers all feel significantly too old for the parts.
Ordinarily I could overlook that flaw, but given all the other problems with Code, the casting concerns become more glaring. To call this a braindead story would be a compliment. It provides frequent lapses and leaps in logic as it shows a nearly total lack of intelligence. The basic concept makes little sense - they’re using computer games to track terrorist cells? – and matters never improve from there. The way the film puts the government on Will’s case seems idiotic, and all subsequent developments vary from moderately insulting to downright absurd. The movie sets up an illogical world and can’t even be bothered to maintain any internal consistency.
To be honest, it feels like the screenwriters penned the script to Code over drinks – and scribbled it on a bar napkin. The lack of depth, believability or even basic common sense seems amazing. How did this thing get made?
I don’t know, but I can say that The Dead Code provides a serious disappointment. Even though I went into it with low expectations, the end product is so stupid, predictable and charmless that it can’t live up to even minor goals. This direct-to-video dreck poops on the original film’s legacy.

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E-book bahasa pemerograman Ruby

2010-05-15T00:25:00.001+07:00

you can download some ebook learning about Ruby programming language, please download the link below:

silakan click disini:

learning materials

2010-04-15T09:28:00.003+07:00