InfoTech Guide

Mozilla Firefox 11.0 Released

2012-03-14T22:32:00.000-07:00

Mozilla has released the all new Firefox 11.0 for Windows, Mac and Linux. This release has got many fixes for HTML5 video related problems and has new features for developers.

Mozilla Firefox is a fast, full-featured Web browser. Firefox includes pop-up blocking, tab-browsing, integrated Google search, simplified privacy controls, a streamlined browser window that shows you more of the page than any other browser and a number of additional features that work with you to help you get the most out of your time online.

The Web is all about innovation, and Firefox sets the pace with dozens of new features to deliver a faster, more secure and customizable Web browsing experience for all.

What is new in Firefox 11.0 ?

Firefox can now migrate your bookmarks, history, and cookies from Google Chrome
With Sync enabled, add-ons can now be synchronized across your computers
The CSS text-size-adjust property is now supported
View source syntax highlighting now uses the HTML5 parser
Web developers can now visualize a web page in 3D using the Page Inspector 3D View
Redesigned media controls for HTML5 video

Source: spicytricks.com/

Mozilla Thunderbird 11.0 Released

2012-03-14T22:27:00.000-07:00

Mozilla Thunderbird 11.0 final has been released for Windows, Mac and Linux. Now Thunderbird is based on the new Mozilla Gecko 11 engine. Thunderbird, an Email Client has been improved lot which has new a UI, many bugs are fixed.

Thunderbird is a great email client from the same people who brought you the Firefox browser.

Thunderbird gives you IMAP/POP support, a built-in RSS reader, support for HTML mail, powerful quick search, saved search folders, advanced message filtering, message grouping, labels, return receipts, smart address book LDAP address completion, import tools, and the ability to manage multiple e-mail and newsgroup accounts.

Changes in Thunderbird 11.0:

New user interface with Tabs above the main menu bar to facilitate navigation and make it more contextual
Thunderbird notifications may not work properly with Growl 1.3 or later
Fixes a crash seen during importing of Microsoft Outlook profiles

Source: spicytricks.com/

Critical Security Update for Windows XP, Vista and 7 by Microsoft

2012-03-14T22:23:00.000-07:00

Microsoft regularly updated and fixes the security holes when they find any new vulnerabilities in Windows. Today, Microsoft posted in its Blog post, which noted that ”the update, MS12-020, should be downloaded and installed by Windows XP, Vista and 7 users right away”.

Security Update MS12-020 addresses two vulnerabilities in Microsoft’s implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). The exploit could allow any hackers to run malicious code on your Windows PC ” … if an attacker sends a sequence of specially crafted RDP packets to an affected system.”

RDP is commonly allowed through firewalls due to its utility. The service runs in kernel-mode as SYSTEM by default on nearly all platforms. The good news is that the Remote Desktop Protocol is disabled by default.

Microsoft is still recommending strongly that all Windows users grab and install the security update, saying:

Developing a working exploit will not be trivial – we would be surprised to see one developed in the next few days. However, we expect to see working exploit code developed within the next 30 days.

How ever, Microsoft urges all Windows users includes Windows XP,Vista and 7 to update this security fix using Windows update center.

Source: spicytricks.com/

Mass Effect 3 alternate ending petition raises $35k for charity

2012-03-14T22:16:00.000-07:00

A number of Mass Effect fans are upset with the way the latest entry in the series ended, and they're voicing their displeasure by giving to charity.

Members of the Mass Effect community have set up the Retake Mass Effect ChipIn fund, collecting PayPal donations for the Child's Play charity in order to call attention to their request for BioWare to make alternate Mass Effect 3 endings.

As of press time, the fund had raised more than $35,000 from more than 1,400 contributors. The donation drive will run until April 11.

Founded in 2003 by Penny Arcade's Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins, Child's Play works to improve the lives of sick children through offering toys and games at a network of over 70 hospitals worldwide. For more on Child's Play, see the organization's official website.

Source: asia.gamespot.com

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Game Review

2012-03-14T22:07:00.001-07:00

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves delivered a monumental leap over the first game in the series, and it might be easy to fall into the trap of assuming the same advancements would take place in every subsequent release. If that's your state of mind going into Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, you might walk away slightly disappointed. But that's not a fair response. Though the third entry in this treasure-hunting franchise offers a similar experience to its revered predecessor, it's no less magical. Just about every element showcases the care and craftsmanship you would expect from the series. Combat is even more versatile than in previous entries, combining incredible shooting encounters with advanced hand-to-hand takedowns set in lavishly designed areas. When you need a break from the taxing physical endeavors, thoughtful puzzles allow you to explore your more contemplative side. And these two elements are punctuated by exhilarating set-piece events that leave you gasping. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is another superb entry in Nathan Drake's ongoing quest to find the world's many lost treasures.

Once again, Nathan Drake is in search of lost treasure in a mysterious land. The story encompasses many of the same tropes from previous games--deception, twists, camaraderie--though the nuts and bolts of the plot have never been one of Uncharted's strong points. Rather, it's the realistic portrayal of characters--their lively back-and-forth discussions and snide jokes--that give you a reason to care about the tale. Drake, Sully, and the supporting cast sport detailed animation that makes them almost look real, and their playful dialogue further cements this image. Tempers flare, threats are made, and you can feel the tension during heated moments. But these lifelong friends always make up, and it's their believable relationships that make it so easy to become invested in their struggles.

The Good

Lots of exciting tactics in combat
Expertly designed levels reward experimentation
Great pacing
Excellent presentation including visuals, voice acting, and music
Exciting competitive and cooperative play.

The Bad

Slight AI flaws
Stiff platforming limits creativity.

Source: asia.gamespot.com

Toshiba 40RL858 Review

2012-03-14T18:02:00.002-07:00

Toshiba 40RL858: Features

This model’s main claim to fame is Smart connectability. The brand’s online community, called Toshiba Places, is home to a reasonable selection of ‘net TV (including BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Dailymotion and assorted PPV services), plus some social media malarkey.

DLNA media streaming is a bit bumpy, though. Across a network, video file compliancy is effectively restricted to MPEGs, but from USB you can play everything from MKVs on down. There’s also support for MP3s, although album art isn’t displayed.

Toshiba 40RL858: Design

All RL screens have a brushed silver finish, rather than common or garden gloss black, which looks very chic to our eyes. An exceptionally thin bezel adds an air of sophistication.

Toshiba 40RL858: Specs

The TV features three, rather than four HDMIs, one of which is side-mounted for casual gaming use; this may slow you down if you have more than a couple of permanent HD sources on the go.

Legacy connections include Scart, component video, a PC VGA input, CI card slot and an optical digital audio out. There’s no resident Wi-Fi, although you do get Ethernet and USB for local media playback.

Toshiba 40RL858: Performance

It may lack the cutting edge picture processing available higher up the Toshiba range, but once calibrated this screen is capable of a decent enough visual performance.

Colours are not particularly accurate (the set suffers from sun-bed syndrome, with reds rendered a TOWIE orange), but motion resolution is good and clarity is high (once you tame the over-eager Sharpness control). Blacks are deep, but levels have been crushed to exaggerate dynamics.

To see the 40RL858 at its best, hook up a Blu-ray player or external HD source such as Sky+HD or Virgin Media TiVo. The Freeview HD channels don’t really do the set justice.

One area where this TV really does falter is audio. The wafer thin cabinet hides anaemic speakers capable of only the thinnest of squeaks. An external sound system is highly recommended.

Soul Calibur 5 Game Review

2012-03-14T17:56:00.001-07:00

Soul Calibur 5: Gameplay

Soul Calibur 5 still plays in a similar style to its predecessors and Namco beat-em-up brethren Tekken. Eight-way-run combat is the order of the day, with combos based around this and three types of attacks: horizontal, vertical, and kick. Many characters have as many as 16 different moves for each type of attack, so we're talking about an extensive move-list, not to mention the numerous attack strings and combos on top of that.

Soul Calibur 5: Characters

Namco seems to have a penchant for creating characters and then giving them an old character's moveset, and Soul Calibur 5 is no different. Granted, Soul Calibur has more of a story arc than many fighting games and the changes are largely for this reason, but story canon aside it would have been nice to see some more of the old guard playable in Soul Calibur 5.

That said, the new versions of characters such as Kilik, Xianghua and Taki are well balanced and are different enough to justify their presence.

Fans of the series will be relieved to know that many of Soul Calibur's more iconic characters have still made the cut. Bullet-slicing growly man Mitsurugi, razorwire-wielding dominatrix Ivy and hulking executioner Astaroth are all included, as is Namco ever-present Yoshimitsu.

Again, their movelists have been simplified somewhat but if you've played them in previous games, you'll find that they are much the same, save for a few tweaks.

Namco has allowed itself a degree of fan-service by bringing in Ezio Auditore da Firenze from Assassin's Creed as a playable character. There is always a danger that guest characters simply won't fit into the style of the game, We've already mentioned the disaster that was the inclusion of Yoda in Soul Calibur 4, but Ezio is well suited and accompanies the rest of the cast well.

In short, fans of the series may be disappointed to lose a few characters, but the new cast are well balanced and have enough new tricks to keep both newcomers and series vets interested.

Soul Calibur 5: Features

Soul Calibur 5 has the best character creation facility of any fighting game ever. That's not an overstatement, it really is excellent, and other than modelling your character's fighting style on one of the already-present cast, you have total freedom to make your blade-wielding battler look as crazy as you want.

Then, you can take him or her (or it) online to fight players around the world, either in ranked or player matches, or in the 'Global Colosseo' - effectively a giant player match where players can face off against each other.

And as for the experience, Namco has absolutely nailed this one.. Until now, fighting game online lobbies have been dark places, filled with bitterness and thoughts of revenge.

Soul Calibur 5's are brilliantly designed, allowing you to watch the current fight while text chatting with the rest of the lobby and checking out your opponents' records and statistics. So much so that you can easily miss your turn to fight if you aren't paying attention.

The single player modes are extensive, but at the same time they feel a little bit lacking. Arcade mode is very well done, giving you lots of options and a reasonable difficulty curve should you so wish. The story mode is not so good, and actually feels unnecessary to Arcade mode.

Sony PS Vita Review

2012-03-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

Sony PS Vita: Features

Everything about the Sony PS Vita reeks of refinement. Looking initially rather disconcertingly like the original Sony PSP - it is, in fact, even bigger - the Vita is actually a strong mix of style and substance. Like the Apple iPhone 4, the problems with the first PlayStation portable were certainly not aesthetic, so its sleek and black chassis is unsurprisingly and reassuringly familiar.

An evolution of Sony's first handheld, this addresses a lot of its flaws – a terrible single analogue stick, drop-it-and-it'd-shatter product vulnerability, reliance on dead-on-arrival UMD software – and takes more steps on than you'd expect.

For a start, this is Sony's first handheld you don't have to wrap up in cotton wool, its reinforced shell making it more robust to knocks without diminishing its sexiness or making it too weighty.

Sony PS Vita: Screen

Arguably the most impressive thing about the PS Vita is its five-inch OLED display, which kisses everything that graces it. Let's not understate this: it's bloody enormous, but never feels bulky.

Colours are vibrant, images sharp - you almost want to ignore its capacitive multi-touch functionality in fear of sullying it (which unfortunately, in true smartphone style, your fingerprints very much will).

Sony PS Vita: Performance

The PS Vita's quadcore processor is a whizz, powering through spectacular graphical feats with rare slowdown. Audio is strong, though just as with the PSP, is best played through headphones.

The iPhone 4S-alike 512MB RAM isn't huge, and it's noticeable that while it can multi-task on the lesser services, each game has to be shut down to open another (at least it means you won't find someone quietly deleting your files in the background because you've carelessly left every game you own running simultaneously).

Sony PS Vita availability: Out now on Japanese import, or from 22 February in the UK

Sony PS Vita price: £230 for Wi-Fi-only, £280 for 3G model

VB.NET Relation to Older Versions of Visual Basic (VB6 and previous)

2011-08-03T00:22:00.002-07:00

Whether Visual Basic .NET should be considered as just another version of Visual Basic or a completely different language is a topic of debate. This is not obvious, as once the methods that have been moved around and that can be automatically converted are accounted for, the basic syntax of the language has not seen many “breaking” changes, just additions to support new features like structured exception handling and short-circuited expressions. Two important data type changes occurred with the move to VB.NET. Compared to VB6, the Integer data type has been doubled in length from 16 bits to 32 bits, and the Long data type has been doubled in length from 32 bits to 64 bits. This is true for all versions of VB.NET. A 16-bit integer in all versions of VB.NET is now known as a Short. Similarly, the Windows Forms GUI editor is very similar in style and function to the Visual Basic form editor.

The version numbers used for the new Visual Basic (7, 7.1, 8, 9, …) clearly imply that it is viewed by Microsoft as still essentially the same product as the old Visual Basic.

The things that have changed significantly are the semantics—from those of an object-based programming language running on a deterministic, reference-counted engine based on COM to a fully object-oriented language backed by the .NET Framework, which consists of a combination of the Common Language Runtime (a virtual machine using generational garbage collection and a just-in-time compilation engine) and a far larger class library. The increased breadth of the latter is also a problem that VB developers have to deal with when coming to the language, although this is somewhat addressed by the My feature in Visual Studio 2005.

The changes have altered many underlying assumptions about the “right” thing to do with respect to performance and maintainability. Some functions and libraries no longer exist; others are available, but not as efficient as the “native” .NET alternatives. Even if they compile, most converted VB6 applications will require some level of refactoring to take full advantage of the new language. Documentation is available to cover changes in the syntax, debugging applications, deployment and terminology

Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET) System and Hardware Requirements

2011-08-03T00:22:00.000-07:00

VB.NET System Requirements

Windows XP Service Pack 2 or above (for 2010 release, Service Pack 3)
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 or above
Windows Server 2003 R2 or above
Windows Vista
Windows Server 2008
Windows 7

VB.NET Minimum Hardware Requirements

1.6 GHz Central Processing Unit (CPU)
384 MB Random Access Memory (RAM)
1024×768 display
5400 RPM hard disk

VB.NET Recommended Hardware Requirements

2.2 GHz or higher Central Processing Unit (CPU)
1024 MB or more Random Access Memory (RAM)
1280×1024 display
7200 RPM or higher hard disk

Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET)

2011-08-03T00:19:00.000-07:00

Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET), is an object-oriented computer programming language that can be viewed as an evolution of the classic Visual Basic (VB), which is implemented on the .NET Framework. Microsoft currently supplies two major implementations of Visual Basic: Microsoft Visual Studio, which is commercial software and Microsoft Visual Studio Express, which is free of charge. Microsoft implementation of Visual Basic .NET is called “Microsoft Visual Basic”.

There are four versions and five releases of Visual Basic .NET implemented by the Visual Basic Team.

1. Visual Basic .NET 2003 (VB 7.1)

Visual Basic .NET 2003 was released with version 1.1 of the .NET Framework. New features included support for the .NET Compact Framework and a better VB upgrade wizard. Improvements were also made to the performance and reliability of the .NET IDE (particularly the background Compiler) and runtime. In addition, Visual Basic .NET 2003 was available in the Visual Studio.NET Academic Edition (VS03AE). VS03AE is distributed to a certain number of scholars from each country without cost.

2. Visual Basic 2005 (VB 8.0)

Visual Basic 2005 is the name used to refer to the Visual Basic .NET, Microsoft having decided to drop the .NET portion of the title.

For this release, Microsoft added many features, including:

Edit and Continue
Design-time expression evaluation.
The My pseudo-namespace (overview, details), which provides: easy access to certain areas of the .NET Framework that otherwise require significant code to access and dynamically-generated classes (notably My.Forms)
Improvements to the VB-to-VB.NET converter
The Using keyword, simplifying the use of objects that require the Dispose pattern to free resources
Just My Code, which when debugging hides (steps over) boilerplate code written by the Visual Studio .NET IDE and system library code
Data Source binding, easing database client/server development

The above functions (particularly My) are intended to reinforce Visual Basic .NET’s focus as a rapid application development platform and further differentiate it from C#.

Visual Basic 2005 introduced features meant to fill in the gaps between itself and other “more powerful” .NET languages, adding:

1 .NET 2.0 languages features such as:

generics
Partial classes, a method of defining some parts of a class in one file and then adding more definitions later; particularly useful for integrating user code with auto-generated code
Nullable Types

2. Support for unsigned integer data types commonly used in other languages

‘IsNot’ operator patented

One other feature of Visual Basic 2005 is the IsNot operator that makes ‘If X IsNot Y’ equivalent to ‘If Not X Is Y’, which gained notoriety when it was found to be the subject of a Microsoft patent application.

3. Visual Basic 2008 (VB 9.0)

Visual Basic 9.0 was released together with the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 on 19 November 2007.

For this release, Microsoft added many features, including:

A true conditional operator, “If(condition as boolean, truepart, falsepart)”, to replace the “IIf” function.
Anonymous types
Support for LINQ
Lambda expressions
XML Literals
Type Inference
Extension methods

4. Visual Basic 2010 (VB 10.0)

In April 2010, Microsoft released Visual Basic 2010. Microsoft had planned to use the Dynamic Language Runtime (DLR) for that release but shifted to a co-evolution strategy between Visual Basic and sister language C# to bring both languages into closer parity with one another. Visual Basic’s innate ability to interact dynamically with CLR and COM objects has been enhanced to work with dynamic languages built on the DLR such as IronPython and IronRuby. The Visual Basic Compiler was improved to infer line continuation in a set of common contexts, in many cases removing the need for the “_” line continuation character. Also, existing support of inline Functions was complemented with support for inline Subs as well as multi-line versions of both Sub and Function lambdas

Visual Basic (VB) Programming Language Features

2011-08-03T00:13:00.001-07:00

Like the BASIC programming language, Visual Basic was designed to be easily learned and used by beginner programmers. The language not only allows programmers to create simple GUI applications, but can also develop complex applications. Programming in VB is a combination of visually arranging components or controls on a form, specifying attributes and actions of those components, and writing additional lines of code for more functionality. Since default attributes and actions are defined for the components, a simple program can be created without the programmer having to write many lines of code. Performance problems were experienced by earlier versions, but with faster computers and native code compilation this has become less of an issue.

Although programs can be compiled into native code executable from version 5 onwards, they still require the presence of runtime libraries of approximately 1 MB in size. This runtime is included by default in Windows 2000 and later, but for earlier versions of Windows like 95/98/NT it must be distributed together with the executable.

Forms are created using drag-and-drop techniques. A tool is used to place controls (e.g., text boxes, buttons, etc.) on the form (window). Controls have attributes and event handlers associated with them. Default values are provided when the control is created, but may be changed by the programmer. Many attribute values can be modified during run time based on user actions or changes in the environment, providing a dynamic application.

Visual Basic can create executables (EXE files), ActiveX controls, or DLL files, but is primarily used to develop Windows applications and to interface database systems. Dialog boxes with less functionality can be used to provide pop-up capabilities. Controls provide the basic functionality of the application, while programmers can insert additional logic within the appropriate event handlers. For example, a drop-down combination box will automatically display its list and allow the user to select any element. An event handler is called when an item is selected, which can then execute additional code created by the programmer to perform some action based on which element was selected, such as populating a related list.

Alternatively, a Visual Basic component can have no user interface, and instead provide ActiveX objects to other programs via Component Object Model (COM). This allows for server-side processing or an add-in module.

Visual Basic (VB) Programming Language

2011-08-03T00:10:00.001-07:00

Visual Basic (VB) is the third-generation event-driven programming language and integrated development environment (IDE) from Microsoft for its COM programming model. Visual Basic is relatively easy to learn and use.

Visual Basic was derived from BASIC and enables the rapid application development (RAD) of graphical user interface (GUI) applications, access to databases using Data Access Objects, Remote Data Objects, or ActiveX Data Objects, and creation of ActiveX controls and objects. Scripting languages such as VBA and VBScript are syntactically similar to Visual Basic, but perform differently.

A programmer can put together an application using the components provided with Visual Basic itself. Programs written in Visual Basic can also use the Windows API, but doing so requires external function declarations.

The final release was version 6 in 1998. Microsoft’s extended support ended in March 2008 and the designated successor was Visual Basic .NET.

Java Swing Application

2011-08-03T00:09:00.000-07:00

Swing is the primary Java GUI widget toolkit. It is part of Sun Microsystems’ Java Foundation Classes (JFC) — an API for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for Java programs.

Swing was developed to provide a more sophisticated set of GUI components than the earlier Abstract Window Toolkit. Swing provides a native look and feel that emulates the look and feel of several platforms, and also supports a pluggable look and feel that allows applications to have a look and feel unrelated to the underlying platform. It has more powerful and flexible components than AWT. In addition to familiar components such as buttons, check box and labels, Swing provides several advanced components such as tabbed panel, scroll panes, trees, tables and lists.

Unlike AWT components, Swing components are not implemented by platform-specific code. Instead they are written entirely in Java and therefore are platform-independent. The term “lightweight” is used to describe such an element.

JavaServer Pages (JSP)

2011-08-03T00:08:00.000-07:00

JavaServer Pages (JSP) is a Java technology that helps software developers serve dynamically generated web pages based on HTML, XML, or other document types. Released in 1999 as Sun’s answer to ASP and PHP, JSP was designed to address the perception that the Java programming environment didn’t provide developers with enough support for the Web.

To deploy and run, a compatible web server with servlet container is required. The Java Servlet and the JavaServer Pages (JSP) specifications from Sun Microsystems and the JCP must both be met by the container.

JavaServer Pages (JSP) Overview

Architecturally, JSP may be viewed as a high-level abstraction of Java servlets. JSP pages are loaded in the server and are operated from a structured special installed Java server Packet called a Java EE Web Application, often packaged as a .war or .ear file archive.

JSP allows Java code and certain pre-defined actions to be interleaved with static web markup content, with the resulting page being compiled and executed on the server to deliver an HTML or XML document. The compiled pages and any dependent Java libraries use Java bytecode rather than a native software format, and must therefore be executed within a Java virtual machine (JVM) that integrates with the host Operating System to provide an abstract platform-neutral environment.

JSP syntax is a fluid mix of two basic content forms: scriptlet elements and markup. Markup is typically standard HTML or XML, while scriptlet elements are delimited blocks of Java code which may be intermixed with the markup. When the page is requested the Java code is executed and its output is added, in situ, with the surrounding markup to create the final page. JSP pages must be compiled to Java bytecode classes before they can be executed, but such compilation is needed only when a change to the source JSP file has occurred.

Java code is not required to be complete (self contained) within its scriptlet element block, but can straddle markup content providing the page as a whole is syntactically correct (for example, any Java if/for/while blocks opened in one scriptlet element must be correctly closed in a later element for the page to successfully compile). This system of split inline coding sections is called step over scripting because it can wrap around the static markup by stepping over it. Markup which falls inside a split block of code is subject to that code, so markup inside an if block will only appear in the output when the if condition evaluates to true; likewise markup inside a loop construct may appear multiple times in the output depending upon how many times the loop body runs.

The JSP syntax adds additional XML-like tags, called JSP actions, to invoke built-in functionality. Additionally, the technology allows for the creation of JSP tag libraries that act as extensions to the standard HTML or XML tags. JVM operated tag libraries provide a platform independent way of extending the capabilities of a web server. Note that not all commercial Java servers are Java EE specification compliant.[which?]

Starting with version 1.2 of the JSP specification, JavaServer Pages have been developed under the Java Community Process. JSR 53 defines both the JSP 1.2 and Servlet 2.3 specifications and JSR 152 defines the JSP 2.0 specification. As of May 2006 the JSP 2.1 specification has been released under JSR 245 as part of Java EE 5. As of Dec 10, 2009 the JSP 2.2 specification has been released as a maintenance release of JSR 245.

Advantages of using Java Servlet

2011-08-03T00:03:00.001-07:00

The advantages of using servlets are their fast performance and ease of use combined with more power over traditional CGI (Common Gateway Interface). Traditional CGI scripts written in Java have a number of disadvantages when it comes to performance:

When an HTTP request is made, a new process is created for each call of the CGI script. This overhead of process creation can be very system-intensive, especially when the script does relatively fast operations. Thus, process creation will take more time than CGI script execution. Java servlets solve this, as a servlet is not a separate process. Each request to be handled by a servlet is handled by a separate Java thread within the Web server process, omitting separate process forking by the HTTP daemon.
Simultaneous CGI request causes the CGI script to be copied and loaded into memory as many times as there are requests. However, with servlets, there are the same amount of threads as requests, but there will only be one copy of the servlet class created in memory that stays there also between requests.
Only a single instance answers all requests concurrently. This reduces memory usage and makes the management of persistent data easy.
A servlet can be run by a servlet engine in a restrictive environment, called a sandbox. This is similar to an applet that runs in the sandbox of the Web Browser. This makes a restrictive use of potentially harmful servlets possible

Java Servlet

2011-08-03T00:02:00.001-07:00

A servlet is a Java programming language class used to extend the capabilities of servers that host applications accessed via a request-response programming model. Although servlets can respond to any type of request, they are commonly used to extend the applications hosted by Web servers. Thus, it can be thought of as a Java Applet that runs on a server instead of a browser.

A Servlet is a Java class in Java EE that conforms to the Java Servlet API, a protocol by which a Java class may respond to requests. They are not tied to a specific client-server protocol, but are most often used with the HTTP protocol. Therefore, the word “Servlet” is often used in the meaning of “HTTP Servlet”. Thus, a software developer may use a servlet to add dynamic content to a Web server using the Java platform. The generated content is commonly HTML, but may be other data such as XML. Servlets are the Java counterpart to non-Java dynamic Web content technologies such as CGI and ASP.NET. Servlets can maintain state in session variables across many server transactions by using HTTP cookies, or URL rewriting.

To deploy and run, the Apache Tomcat Server may be used. It is an open source servlet container developed by the Apache Software Foundation (ASF). Tomcat implements the Java Servlet and the JavaServer Pages (JSP) specifications from Sun Microsystems, and provides a “pure Java” HTTP web server environment for Java code to run.

The servlet API, contained in the Java package hierarchy javax.servlet, defines the expected interactions of a Web container and a servlet. A Web container is essentially the component of a Web server that interacts with the servlets. The Web container is responsible for managing the lifecycle of servlets, mapping a URL to a particular servlet and ensuring that the URL requester has the correct access rights.

A Servlet is an object that receives a request and generates a response based on that request. The basic servlet package defines Java objects to represent servlet requests and responses, as well as objects to reflect the servlet’s configuration parameters and execution environment. The package javax.servlet.http defines HTTP-specific subclasses of the generic servlet elements, including session management objects that track multiple requests and responses between the Web server and a client. Servlets may be packaged in a WAR file as a Web application.

Servlets can be generated automatically from JavaServer Pages (JSP) by the JavaServer Pages Compiler. The difference between Servlets and JSP is that Servlets typically embed HTML inside Java code, while JSPs embed Java code in HTML. While the direct usage of Servlets to generate HTML (as shown in the example below) is relatively rare nowadays, the higher level MVC web framework in Java EE (JSF) still explicitly uses the Servlet technology for the low level request/response handling via the FacesServlet. A somewhat older usage is to use servlets in conjunction with JSPs in a pattern called “Model 2″, which is a flavor of the model-view-controller pattern.

Disadvantages of using Java Applet

2011-08-03T00:00:00.001-07:00

Disadvantages of Java Applet

It requires the Java plug-in.
Some browsers, notably mobile browsers running Apple iOS or Android do not run Java applets at all.
Some organizations only allow software installed by the administrators. As a result, some users can only view applets that are important enough to justify contacting the administrator to request installation of the Java plug-in.
As with any client-side scripting, security restrictions may make it difficult or even impossible for an untrusted applet to achieve the desired goals.
Some applets require a specific JRE. This is discouraged.
If an applet requires a newer JRE than available on the system, or a specific JRE, the user running it the first time will need to wait for the large JRE download to complete.
Java automatic installation or update may fail if a proxy server is used to access the web. This makes applets with specific requirements impossible to run unless Java is manually updated. The Java automatic updater that is part of a Java installation also may be complex to configure if it must work through a proxy.
Unlike the older applet tag, the object tag needs workarounds to write a cross-browser HTML document.

Advantages of using Java Applet

2011-08-02T23:59:00.000-07:00

A Java applet can have any or all of the following advantages:

It is simple to make it work on Linux, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X i.e. to make it cross platform. Applets are supported by most web browsers.
The same applet can work on “all” installed versions of Java at the same time, rather than just the latest plug-in version only. However, if an applet requires a later version of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) the client will be forced to wait during the large download.
Most web browsers cache applets, so will be quick to load when returning to a web page. Applets also improve with use: after a first applet is run, the JVM is already running and starts quickly (the JVM will need to restart each time the browser starts afresh).
It can move the work from the server to the client, making a web solution more scalable with the number of users/clients.
If a standalone program (like Google Earth) talks to a web server, that server normally needs to support all prior versions for users which have not kept their client software updated. In contrast, a properly configured browser loads (and caches) the latest applet version, so there is no need to support legacy versions.
The applet naturally supports the changing user state, such as figure positions on the chessboard.
Developers can develop and debug an applet direct simply by creating a main routine (either in the applet’s class or in a separate class) and calling init() and start() on the applet, thus allowing for development in their favorite Java SE development environment. All one has to do after that is re-test the applet in the AppletViewer program or a Web Browser to ensure it conforms to security restrictions.
An untrusted applet has no access to the local machine and can only access the server it came from. This makes such an applet much safer to run than a standalone executable that it could replace. However, a signed applet can have full access to the machine it is running on if the user agrees.
Java applets are fast – and can even have similar performance to native installed software.

Java Applet Overview

2011-08-02T23:57:00.000-07:00

Applets are used to provide interactive features to web applications that cannot be provided by HTML alone. They can capture mouse input and also have controls like buttons or check boxes. In response to the user action an applet can change the provided graphic content. This makes applets well suitable for demonstration, visualization and teaching. There are online applet collections for studying various subjects, from physics to heart physiologyApplets are also used to create online game collections that allow players to compete against live opponents in real-time.

An applet can also be a text area only, providing, for instance, a cross platform command-line interface to some remote system. If needed, an applet can leave the dedicated area and run as a separate window. However, applets have very little control over web page content outside the applet dedicated area, so they are less useful for improving the site appearance in general (while applets like news tickers or WYSIWYG editors are also known). Applets can also play media in formats that are not natively supported by the browser.

HTML pages may embed parameters that are passed to the applet. Hence the same applet may appear differently depending on the parameters that were passed.

As applets have been available before CSS, they were also widely used for trivial effects like navigation buttons. This use is criticized and declining.

Java Applet

2011-08-02T23:55:00.001-07:00

A Java applet is an applet delivered to users in the form of Java bytecode. Java applets can run in a Web Browser using a Java Virtual Machine (JVM), or in Sun’s AppletViewer, a stand-alone tool for testing applets. Java applets were introduced in the first version of the Java language in 1995, and are written in programming languages that compile to Java bytecode, usually in Java, but also in other languages such as Jython JRuby, or Eiffel (via SmartEiffel).

Java applets run at speeds comparable to, but generally slower than, other compiled languages such as C++, but until approximately 2011 many times faster than JavaScript. In addition they can use 3D hardware acceleration that is available from Java. This makes applets well suited for non trivial, computation intensive visualizations. When browsers have gained support for native hardware accelerated graphics in the form of Canvas_element and WebGL, as well as Just in Time compiled JavaScript, the speed difference has become less noticeable.

Java applets are programs that are embedded in other applications, typically in a Web page displayed in a Web Browser.

// Hello.java

import javax.swing.JApplet;

import java.awt.Graphics;

public class Hello extends JApplet {

@Override

public void paintComponent(Graphics g) {

g.drawString(“Hello, world!”, 65, 95);

}

The import statements direct the Java Compiler to include the javax.swing.JApplet and java.awt.Graphics classes in the compilation. The import statement allows these classes to be referenced in the source code using the simple class name (i.e. JApplet) instead of the fully qualified class name (i.e. javax.swing.JApplet).

History of Java Programming Language

2011-08-02T23:53:00.000-07:00

James Gosling, Mike Sheridan, and Patrick Naughton initiated the Java language project in June 1991. Java was originally designed for interactive television, but it was too advanced for the digital cable television industry at the time. The language was initially called Oak after an oak tree that stood outside Gosling’s office; it went by the name Green later, and was later renamed Java, from a list of random words. Gosling aimed to implement a virtual machine and a language that had a familiar C/C++ style of notation.

Sun Microsystems released the first public implementation as Java 1.0 in 1995. It promised “Write Once, Run Anywhere” (WORA), providing no-cost run-times on popular platforms. Fairly secure and featuring configurable security, it allowed network- and file-access restrictions. Major web browsers soon incorporated the ability to run Java applets within web pages, and Java quickly became popular. With the advent of Java 2 (released initially as J2SE 1.2 in December 1998–1999), new versions had multiple configurations built for different types of platforms. For example, J2EE targeted enterprise applications and the greatly stripped-down version J2ME for mobile applications (Mobile Java). J2SE designated the Standard Edition. In 2006, for marketing purposes, Sun renamed new J2 versions as Java EE, Java ME, and Java SE, respectively.

In 1997, Sun Microsystems approached the ISO/IEC JTC1 standards body and later the Ecma International to formalize Java, but it soon withdrew from the process. Java remains a de facto standard, controlled through the Java Community Process. At one time, Sun made most of its Java implementations available without charge, despite their proprietary software status. Sun generated revenue from Java through the selling of licenses for specialized products such as the Java Enterprise System. Sun distinguishes between its Software Development Kit (SDK) and Runtime Environment (JRE) (a subset of the SDK); the primary distinction involves the JRE’s lack of the Compiler, utility programs, and header files.

On November 13, 2006, Sun released much of Java as open source software under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL). On May 8, 2007, Sun finished the process, making all of Java’s core code available under free software/open-source distribution terms, aside from a small portion of code to which Sun did not hold the copyright.

Sun’s vice-president Rich Green has said that Sun’s ideal role with regards to Java is as an “evangelist.”

Following Oracle Corporation’s acquisition of Sun Microsystems in 2009–2010, Oracle has described itself as the “steward of Java technology with a relentless commitment to fostering a community of participation and transparency

Java Programming Language

2011-08-02T23:51:00.001-07:00

Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems (which is now a subsidiary of Oracle Corporation) and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems’ Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities. Java applications are typically compiled to bytecode (class file) that can run on any Java Virtual Machine (JVM) regardless of computer architecture. Java is a general-purpose, concurrent, class-based, object-oriented language that is specifically designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible. It is intended to let application developers “write once, run anywhere”. Java is currently one of the most popular programming languages in use, particularly for server-client web applications.

The original and reference implementation Java compilers, virtual machines, and class libraries were developed by Sun from 1995. As of May 2007, in compliance with the specifications of the Java Community Process, Sun relicensed most of its Java technologies under the GNU General Public License. Others have also developed alternative implementations of these Sun technologies, such as the GNU Compiler for Java, GNU Classpath, and Dalvik.

Steps to solve Joomla Internal Server Error (Error 500)

2011-06-24T00:12:00.000-07:00

If you have just recently performed an upgrade of your current Joomla setup, and now get an error that shows "Internal Server Error 500" when you browse your website. You are in the right blog where you can get a possible solution for your problem.

A Fresh intallation of Joomla includes a file name called ".htaccess, which is located in the main directory folder of your current joomla installation. This file contains certain configuration settings, and your current web server configuration may get a conflict with your new settings. The results of this conflict is you may get an Internal Server Error displayed when you try to view your website.

However you can quickly notice if .htaccess file can cause this error by renaming it to .htaccess or disable it. Now you know what can cause the problem and youre looking for a solution. It must be one of the directives within the .htaccess file, so you need to find which one can cause the error by removing it or put a comment.

3 Steps to solve Joomla Errors Shows Error 500

Step 1. Open the .htaccess file with a text editor. You can edit it with the use of file manager, click Site Management then go to File Manager located on your web hosting control panel. Look for the following line of codes "Options +FollowSymLinks

Step 2. Now you can put a # sign in front of it, so it would look like this. #Options +FollowSymLinks. FollowSymLinks are enabled by default.

Step 3. You dont need to cripple your Joomla installation all you have to do is disable this directive. This should fix the Internal Server Error 500 problem. If is not solve yet try commenting other directives until you find the one that cause the problem. you can also look for the following, maybe it would cause problems. phpflag, ExecCGI, Options , Includes, FollowSymLinks.

UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)

2011-01-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) In the technology world, UPS is more than just a brown shipping company. It is also a type of power supply that uses battery backup to maintain power during unexpected power outages.

A typical consumer UPS is a surge protector that contains a high-capacity rechargeable battery. Smaller UPS devices look like bulky power strips, while larger ones may stand upright and look almost like small computers. Many businesses use uninterruptible power supplies to keep their equipment running in case of a power failure. While a UPS may only keep a computer running for 15 minutes after the power is lost, it is usually sufficient time to save all necessary documents and properly shut down the computer. That extra time can be invaluable to someone who is working on an important document or project that has not been recently saved.

Because UPS devices run the power through a battery, they have a limit on the wattage load they can support. The maximum power load limit is often included in the name of the UPS, followed by the letters “VA.” For example, the APC (American Power Conversion) Battery Backup 750VA has a load limit of 750VA. However, the maximum wattage a UPS supports is typically 60% of the VA number. So the 750VA UPS supports a maximum of 450 watts for connected devices. It is important to check how many total watts your computer setup uses before buying a UPS to make sure you get one with enough wattage so you don’t overload it.