Time flies so fast. And in just 2 days, we will again witness the series turn of events. This includes how we judge these presidentiables and their political platforms for the Philippines. Not to mention, we standby as we witness how effective are their political campaigns from the use of multi-million political advertisements on television and radio, through the social networking internet sites like facebook, linkedin, greenbodytalk, multiply, facepic, tagged, blogs and from other means of electronic channels via mobile/cellphones, public posters, online/offline surverys (from sws surveys, pulse asia surveys, online surveys) as well as winning speeches from presidential debates on forums.

And with a lot of Filipinos doing their share to participate this election 2010, it’s exciting to see what’s in store for my beloved country. You see this even gives me better hope  as there are lots of deserving candidates to choose from unlike during the 2004 Presidential elections where we are presented mostly with a limited no. of candidates, even having second thoughts on who to actually vote which is only disheartening. In essence, this perfect time gives every Filipino voters a chance to equally think, reassess and learn much more the deserving candidate.  With these, I hope and pray that we see a new and clean elections come this May-ten-twenty-ten .

To give us a glimpse and preview of who will win this May 2010 Election – Monday,let us create an independent Presidential poll. Who do  you think is the best President for our country? And why do you think s/he’s the deserving one ?

We appreciate your comments as we like to know your insights and your presidential bets. This would be for the future of our country so think and vote wisely.

For those who are still unaware of what is going to happen on Monday May 10 elections, i am posting this Election Campaign Tutorial… Tagalog version…. vote wisely.

It’s true. Kingston has just released the very first 256 GB Flash drive. Imagine how much data you can store in just a tiny piece of storage. If you are an IT Specialist like me, you would surely go to the hardware store now and inquire…

And that was exactly what i did….

Out of curiosity and surprised with this information, i swiftly went to SM Megamall Cyberzone at Ortigas Pasig Philippines myself to inquire and check what’s in store. But to my dismay,  i found out most of the local stores here – Octagon, Villmall, Apple Center, Sony Center, Toshiba Center, PC Corner just sells 1 GB -4 GB -8 GB- 16GB variants at most for price ranges of 400-3000 Philippine Pesos denominations. Hmmm…. i wonder when these Kingston Flash Drives would arrive in Manila.

You see  i am just amazed like everyone else. I remember  roughly around 6 years ago, I bought my very first 500MB SanDisk Flash drive for a whopping price of P8000 (Philippine Pesos) ! Then came my external hard drives in the following  100GB, 120GB, 256 GB and 1TB Seagate and Western Digital variations…. now 256GB in flash drives? Technology  is surprising us day by day and such innovation makes our world interesting to live in. This product could give us a glimpse of how the future holds for SSDs and flash drives.

The DataTraveler 300/310 is capable of holding up to 54 DVDs or 51,000 JPEGs or 10 Blu-ray single layer discs and works perfectly with Windows, Linux and OS X-based systems.

According to Kingston Website, Kingston’s new DataTraveler® 300 USB Flash drive carries the highest capacity available on the market. Up to 90% of the drives content can be password protected and conveniently accessed due to the new Password Traveler software. No administrator rights are required. Fast transfer speeds guarantee smooth data flow to your host device.

Features/Specifications:

• Capacity¹ — 256 GB
• Speed ² — Data transfer rates of up to 20MB/sec. read and 10MB/sec. write
• Safeguarded — includes Password Traveler security software for Windows
• Convenient — does not require Administrator rights to access the Privacy Zone
• Dimensions — 2.78″ x 0.88″ x 0.65″ (70.68 mm x 22.37 mm x 16.45 mm)
• Operating Temperature — 32° to 140° F (0° to 60° C)
• Storage Temperature — -4° to 185° F (-20° to 85° C)
• Simple — just plug into a any 1.1 or 2.0 USB port
• Practical — durable, capless design
• Guaranteed — five-year warranty
• Enhanced — for Windows ReadyBoost™ on Vista-based systems ³
• Compatibility Table

  Operating System	File Transfer	Password Traveller
  Windows® 7
  Windows Vista® (SP1)
  Windows ReadyBoost™
  Windows XP (SP1, SP2, SP3)
  Windows 2000 (SP4)
  Mac OS X v.10.3.x+
  Linux v.2.6.x +

Now the price? If you’re rich enough to spare a US$1300 tag then this is for you…. check out http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320506182801

But if you would ask me, I don’t think i would buy anytime soon….. probably in the coming months when my budget fits the tag…. ;D

Fast Track….confident with my knowledge in C++ and Visual Basic programming brought by my formal training in college, never did i realize that i would be exposed to Lotus Notes/ Domino Programming. The company where i work for trained us to become Lotus Notes/Domino Developers. Learning a document-centric/ non-relational environment  is totally a different approach especially since i came from relational database background. But the programming syntax is comparatively the same through out that is lined with Lotus Notes Scripting and Visual Basic programming. And as i could relate, Zelina “Gay”, as we fondly called her, one of my officemates back then, pretty much enjoyed doing the coding especially how things work with business workflows. She pretty much enjoyed her new role where in fact she relatively came from a QA background. She even managed to get certified with IBM Lotus Notes 6.5 the same way i did.

Now my verdict? I love Lotus Notes/Domino! Not because it’s my bread and butter at the moment but how things can get further expanded with this great technology. I’ve witnessed how Lotus Notes Domino transformed itself from being just a legacy software to how it is now perceived as of today from versions 4.6, 5, 6.5, 7, 8…. Although i must agree to some comments held before that there could be a delay in this product roadmap strategy, fair enough, the software itself has greatly improved over the years especially now. Think about the current version of IBM Lotus Notes Client (as of this writing) which is 8.5.1 built on a rich client platform (RCP) Eclipse version … this only makes me wonder how this tool could bring more interactive Notes applications. Definitely endless possibilities! If you are a java programmer, you would definitely find it easier now to run java agents. How about linking your Notes/Domino Applications over social networking sites like facebook, linkedin, friendster over the notes client etc?   How about sending a notification email only to be approved via an Simple Messaging System (SMS) reply or using VOIP (Voice Over IP)?How about integrating JEE Frameworks (Spring, Hibernate, Struts, JavaFaces) into Domino Architecture?  The built in messaging utility which is Lotus Notes Same time is also an added great feature. See….. Endless possibilities!!!!  Eclipse is actually one of the greatest application designer softwares ever built. Three months ago, I was able to be witness how XPages got into the scene courtesy of the training conducted by a representative from IBM Philippines and co-sponsored by my employer. Much like a Microsoft Visual Studio for me with the introduction of the drag and drop feature for XPages and Wiring connections in the Notes/Domino designer client. The core libraries and functions are as richer and as convenient as using Microsoft Visual Studio releases and integrating these to Lotus Notes Domino Designer client environment  as another perspective is totally a brilliant idea.

So for you out there who are venturing into learning IBM Lotus Notes/Domino Technology you can actually give it a try by downloading the FREE versions here at the IBM Website . From novice to expert programmer,  consultant, researcher, student, or just anyone using Lotus Notes/Domino as their email platform — can get / learn / use Domino Designer at no charge. Those versions are also compatible with macbook users. IBM is wise enough to have made these licences free. So, in behalf of my Notes Client users (who don’t have programming experiences  but really wanting to learn Lotus Notes/Domino) at the office, we thank you IBM. ;D.

Hmmmmm,  now which reminds me, what could Microsoft be thinking? FREE Visual Studio licenses too? I think they are also available but just the express editions. Right?

For more details on this post… do check out this LOTUS NOTES PROGRAMMING section.

So for those who have experienced using Lotus Notes Designer Client already. What do you think? Let me here you ;D

I remember roughly 8 years ago, when i was still starting up my professional career in the IT industry, i met Ronnel who was a fresh philosophy graduate from UP-D. A gifted MAGNA-CUM LAUDE! We stumbled each other  applying for Information Technology Bootcamp (as trainees)  in the corridors of the Ex Equitable PCI Bank Building which is now known as BDO Towers. Realizing the value of the rigorous training for 2 consecutive months plus the sleepless nights of reviews and exams, luckily, we ended up as graduates and successfully landed a position in the said bank. Ronnel filled the QA position post while i got the Jr Programmer post.

Later on, when i got the chance to talk with Ronnel privately and asked him why did he choose this path, he simply answered uninhibitedly that he liked working with computers. WOW! That’s straightforward.  What intrigued me more was his background in Catholicism and Priesthood. Imagine, he came from a different world after all. “What exactly can an ex-seminarian do in a corporate world like this?”, I mumbled, thinking how things would turn out for him. Though he was skillful enough to manage and keep  his faith unshaken outside the conventional Catholic headquarters, the idea to survive the everyday task as a Quality Assurance Analyst was definitely a baffling and daunting experience… at least for him as newbie in the said field. Here, comes a gifted lad who took a lot of courage, sacrifices and hardships to make things happen. And look at him now? I heard he’s now a Product Support Manager for a Multinational Bank in Makati City.

Then there’s another friend and a college classmate, Nancy, who managed to shift career to programming for a reputable  IT Consulting firm in Ortigas. She was a former actuary for PhilamLife, a known multinational insurance company. For those who still don’t know, actuaries are actually business professionals doing predictive analysis with the financial impact of risk and uncertainty. They are greatly in demand as well because they have a deeper understanding of financial security systems, with a focus on their complexity, their mathematics, and their mechanisms (check wikipedia.com). In short, they are simply referred to as MATH WIZARDS of insurance industry!   Never did i imagine that she would take down this road to IT field knowing for the fact that she’s pretty much doing well in her chosen field. Then one evening I got a surprise text message from her asking me how could she transition from her current 2-year role as an actuary to IT. “If you’re willing to sacrifice your current earning rate for a trainee in an IT Consulting firm and willing to bind for 2-3 year with the company who is sponsoring your training  then that could be a good start”, I replied with a positive reinforcement. Then fast forward, later when i found out, she is now delved into Microsoft .NET Programming! Wow, that’s one of the fastest growing programming languages and in great demand nowadays. Luckily for her, she managed to get back on track.

In addition, Nona, my beloved sister, who was a former chemistry engineering graduate from a reputable university also did the same career change which transpired just this last quarter of Y2009. She was a former analyst for X Corporation then  eventually became a fulltime technical support agent for 2 years for a known Call Center Company in Ortigas. According to her, mostly she didn’t enjoy the rotating job schedule as an agent thus the reason to sift for better job alternatives.  The cycling work condition is jeopardizing the biological clock of the body’s internal organs which in the long run, may have an adverse effect in one’s health. One of those dynamic discussions i saw over GreenBodyTalk, a health discussion board. This is true enough as i witnessed her eyebags fall during the evening shift and the lethargic composition of her face as she drags herself to the office. Good thing was, upon my proposal, she managed to land to a position she ever liked, even better, through the help of her church mate-turned-project-manager who is currently working for the well known Food/Manufacturing Industry in Mandaluyong. Now she is engaged into a SAP/R3 Project, an envied job of some people i already know in the IT industry… a 6-digit figure. And luckily for her, she was offered a competitive package much better than from her previous job as a technical support agent.

But unlike some of my dear friends mentioned above, Dyan, who graduated an IT course, admitted to me that she enjoys working with people more than a computer-centric environment. Although she liked programming subjects during her tenure in college, her heart called her for another role, a clinical nurse. She had been taught to handle basic clinical operations for a dermatological clinic in Makati City helping people to deal with acne and skin diseases.  Her amiable demeanor makes her win trust/smile from patients.

Shifting in a career in IT or in any other line of business can be a traumatic or fulfilling one depending on the current outlook of the present economy. It is definitely not easy i would say and that you have to carefully invest a tidbit of your time to self-reflect and answer some basic questions. Is IT (information technology) really for me?  What are my strengths/weaknesses? What are your skills and competencies?What are the cost/benefits of making this change? Am i ready to face this challenge? What would making the change entail? Should i get back to school and earn certifications? What are my priorities? Would there be a temporary setback in pay? If so, can you live with the temporary adjustments? What are the present market conditions which are in great demand at the moment?

If you are able to engage yourself retrospectively and was able to arrive to a decision where in you realized that the benefits of career change to Information Technology clearly outweighs the costs involved and emotional involvement, then IT could be for you. But  if you completely feel adamant about making this change or hesitant that you can’t take the challenge and evolving world of IT then i think you need to revisit yourself and possibly rekindle your priorities in life. If you are the type where you mostly enjoy solving world’s problems through the emerging technologies then information technology could be a great career for you. But if you prefer a hospitable environment or you are looking into a possibility of owning a restaurant or engaging in a NON-IT business then you opt to consider other possible roles.  People from different walks of life, reinvent themselves either through self-improvement, career-change or a demand of everyday tasks. It’s a human nature. It’s considerably normal and it’s inevitable especially to a dynamic business climate like ours, the one we are actually seeing today. And as IT evolves from the synthesis of science, mathematics,technology, and the brilliant minds of the IT architects so as the various roles of each people living with it. And as we know, change is only the constant thing in this world.  True enough, people keep on changing … for the better.

The procedure entry point sllfmd count not be located in the dynamic link  library oracommon10.dll

Now what does THAT suppose to mean? Seriously i have no idea.

Gladly Google gave a fairly nice results dealing with this error. And as someone suggested,  i just need to rearrange the environment variables for path such that  C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\bin;c:\windows;c:\windows\system32; comes in first in the line. But alas, it didnt work for me.

I even tried registering regsvr32 oracommon10.dll in the registry but to no avail it didn’t work also. Then Aimee my oracle officemate came to the rescue. She suggested to reinstall oracle 10g.  Since i have no other choices left, i followed her advice and luckily get it working. Pretty much it… yep. But when you do so, don’t forget to back up the old oracle data structure along with the files, especially your tnsnames.ora file. Once installed, get the tnsnames.ora file back to its original folder   and then you are all set. =)

Try your sqlldr now. That should work =)’

I couldn’t help but blog about this. This Sony VAIO am using right now is my new baby! What can i ask for? Imagine for $749.99 or roughly around P35,249.53.00 (i.e. $749.99* P47 conversion as of this writing) you can actually own an  Intel-based Core i3-330M Processor combined with all smart features of a genuine LAPTOP (am using it here in MANILA).

I must admit, it took me sometime to sit down, ponder my current needs and eventually realize that i needed to buy a new one. With my busy schedule as a student, full-time IT professional by day, part time blogger & CEO of my own business for a sideline it’s rational to think that i can be highly selective when choosing an alternative laptop. My almost 4-yr old Toshiba M100 Sunlight Laptop is losing its shine already having the machine used for almost 24×7 in my daily operations. I know it needed some break and hence this decision. Cashing out around P69,999.00 (tax included) at Octagon Megamall Manila was really a cry for my pocket during that time but i realized it was still one great investment after all because of my unequivocal urgent need  plus am still using it until now.

Actually I’ve been eyeing for Sony VAIO Laptop for like a year already… much like when they started to release their notebook VAIO product lines. At first instance, I got a huge crush on this Sony Black VAIO Z series because of it’s powerful and business-centric features. But my heart jumped off because of the price tags here in MANILA. The exquisite design for such series is pricing for around P130,000 bucks. Check out www.sony.com.ph. I can’t barely imagine! But later on as i did my further research and successive hands on trial/ demo use at VAIO Store in SM Megamall, and to the other Sony outlets, considering my budget constraints/need, i decided to shift my gear to Sony VAIO CW Series instead only to find out it’s actually cheaper to buy such models in the US than here in Manila. Check out www.sonystyle.com for comparison. They have US-based pricing schemes.  The good thing was, i was able to find a good contact c/o my sister and got the item Sony VAIO CW purchased at bestbuy.com. I don’t have much credit left in my credit card hence i decided to buy some dollars in the local bank then handed them over to my sister’s friend who happen to be going to the US as well. Talking about social networking???? Yipee…. .

I’ve had this computer for like about a week already, and I am really loving it! Though i mostly prefer black in all my gadgets, this Sony VAIO CW i bought looks great with the color Icy white, very neat! It makes me feel like I am using a Mac Pro much like now that I have installed a Clown Fish Wallpaper, lol! This I3 Core processor is much faster than my Core 2 Duo Toshiba I’ve mentioned, and there is an ample memory left for other programs to run smoothly . 4GB is heaven! LED display is crystal clear and looks sharp and exquisite when video is output to HDTV via HDMI. The HDMI feature requires no setting up: just plug in the cable to the laptop and the television, and it’s all set. The touchpad mouse has multi-touch zooming capability as well which i think is cool. Windows 7 is a difference maker but would have preferred if this is Windows 7 Professional instead of Windows Home Premium installed.  But hey, it’s totally fine as i could get it upgraded anytime i want for $89. Windows 7 is amazing, performance is great, screen size + resolution looks great, keyboard has a sleek design and comfortable, mouse pad is very responsive. The keyboard is very “Mac-ish” in style which i like. I also notice this  little “click” with each button pressed, an albeit quiet noise that some may not like especially some teens but that’s totally irrelevant….i wonder if i buy a black keyboard skin this time to see what’s the effect.  The battery life appears better than the average, though I just wish that it had a Blu-Ray player which maybe a nice complement for $750.  And one more thing i noticed is that even if I keep this laptop running for the whole day (say 8-10 hours – i am leaving this at home when am working), it still doesn’t make a huge noise and it doesn’t heat up very quick unlike my old Toshiba which requires you to get a cooling pad to suppress the heat inside. Looks amazing, sleek design and performs better then most upscale computers.

Sony VAIO CW Product Features : Model: VPCCW21FX/W | SKU: 9705355

• Intel® Core™ i3-330M processor
  Features a 3MB L2 cache and 2.1GHz processor speed.
• The all new 2010 Intel® Core™ i3 processor
  Features smart 4-way processing performance for HD quality computing.
• 4GB DDR3 memory
  For multitasking power, expandable to 8GB.
• Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive with double-layer support
  Records up to 8.5GB of data or 4 hours of video using compatible DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL media. Also supports DVD-RAM.
• 14″ LED-backlit widescreen display
  With 1366 x 768 resolution showcases movies and games in stunning clarity.
• 500GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 rpm)
  Offers spacious storage and fast read/write times.
• NVIDIA GeForce 310M GPU
  With 256MB dedicated graphics memory and 2007MB total available graphics memory. HDMI output for connection to an HDTV. Intel® High Definition Audio support.
• See the benefits of an NVIDIA graphics processor in your laptop.
• Built-in MOTION EYE webcam
  With microphone and face-tracking technology makes it easy to chat with and send video mail to family and friends.
• Multiformat media reader
  Supports Memory Stick PRO and Memory Stick PRO Duo formats with MagicGate functionality. Also includes a Secure Digital card slot.
• i.LINK (IEEE 1394) port and 3 high-speed USB 2.0 ports
  For digital data transfer and mobile digital imaging capabilities.
• Built-in wireless LAN (802.11b/g/n)
  To wirelessly connect to the Internet.
• Built-in A2DP Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) interface
  For linking with other Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as a mobile phone or MP3 player.
• Built-in 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T Fast Ethernet LAN
  With RJ-45 connector for a quick and easy wired Web connection.
• Weighs 5.3 lbs. and measures 1.5″ thin
  For easy portability.
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 64-bit operating system preinstalled
  Provides a stable platform for word processing, Web navigation, gaming, media storage and more.
• Software package included
  With Sony Creativity Suite, Microsoft Works SE 9.0 and more. 60-day trial version of Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 also included.
• ENERGY STAR qualified
  Designed to use less energy and meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy.
• Intel, Pentium, Celeron, Centrino, Core, Viiv, Intel Inside and the Intel Inside logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

Overall this computer has been perfect for what I need.  I can run numerous programs and even play music and movie all at the same time, with no performance problems. I will agree that maybe it is a lil too many extra unnecessary programs on here, but the computer is wonderful!! Great investment for any “computer needing” person.” It is incredibly fast, even when I’m multi tasking. It streams video without any choppiness. All in all this is an excellent buy for the money and for anyone who’s looking for an above par experience I highly recommend this laptop. In my opinion, if you want a solid running lappy, that looks like a Mac, that blows the price versus options of a Mac outta the water, go with this or any of Sonys VAIO Product lines. I Highly recommended them.

***For more inquiries and possible orders of any  Sony VAIOs (MANILA Users only),we can get better pricing deals. Just contact me for more details.

And as i move forward, i’d like to share a jewel for thought saying “Every man should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page. Take up one hole more in the buckle if necessary, or let down one, according to circumstances; but on the first of January let every man gird himself once more, with his face to the front, and take no interest in the things that were and are past.” ~ from Henry Ward Beecher

Despite the short comings happened for many of us this year 2009, let us welcome 2010 with a glimpse of hope, and sense of happiness. I wish you all a very peaceful and blissful New Year 2010. Let us resolve our differences and try to see oneness in all.

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw1vvGYHQBw

How about you? How has 2009 changed you? How do you see 2010?

Photo Credits: istockphoto.com

Yep, it’s not a typo thing but i guess you heard me right.

Let’s face it. Not everyone has decided to upgrade to Windows Vista operating system.   Even the company where i work for with a around 5000-7000 seats still uses Windows XP SP2 Professional version. And why not? Considering  lots of issues that need to address including new operating system costs and licensing, business interruption, security and network testing… ooops… not to mention software compatibility issues which are mostly the ultimate problem when you are a developer/programmer like me, I guess that made the upgrade a bit more conservative. But how about Windows 7? Hmmm, let me see.

Seriously though, I was thinking of switching to LINUX because of the good reviews am hearing from the open source community. Through my friend Melinda of Phoenix One Makati Branch – Philippines, i found out how she managed to keep her old-time laptop  working with Windows 7 OS. She said there was a slight improvement with response rate  this time around not to mention other security patches and software drivers updates and that she kept on telling me to try it myself.

Alas! With gusto and curiosity sake,  I managed to install  Windows 7  on my spare laptop i.e. an XP Acer Laptop (actually it’s my Dad’s old laptop not mine =) ).  It’s amusing to think that  for an original hardware specs which was not meant (or advised)  to run Windows Vista, Windows 7 could actually run, and seemingly sporting  a  justifiable performance (ie comparable to the old XP that it had before).  My old laptop has the following specs:

Laptop Model: Acer TravelMate 3260
Processor: Genuine Intel(R) CPU T2250 @1.73GHz 1.73 GHz Core DUO
Installed memory (RAM): 512MB (502 MB usable)
System type: 32-bit operating system
Pen and Touch : No Pen or Touch Input is available for this Display

Installation was a breeze (took almost an hour due to software compatibility testing).  Even if the hardware didn’t fit the Windows Aero feature , it was totally ok with me as i don’t need it anyway. Although the performance vary from the software you wish to run,  still the overall  look and feel was great. There was a bearable speed when you try to launch MS Office Word 2007 which took roughly around 20 seconds while Excel 2007 took 12 seconds.    Looks like the window 7 architects got the clue this time. But i was not satisfied when i attempted to launch Adobe Photoshop CS3 which took me 45 seconds on initial loading and Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 which took me around 30 seconds. =C No wonder i was testing below the recommended minimum hardware specifications.  Well anyway, it was just a snapshot try. I wonder how this speed will go on my personal Toshiba Laptop.  Just hoping that I’ll get a free upgrade from Toshiba (my Satellite laptop with Windows Vista Ultimate) …. oh how i wish this Christmas / Year End season?

According to documentation provided, Windows 7 also sports a number of cool and interesting features spanning the use of touch and handwriting recognition, DirectAccess, and kernel improvements, support for virtual hard disks, performance improvement for multi-core processor, clean panel, improved boot performance, multiple heterogeneous graphics cards from different vendors (Heterogeneous Multi-adapter), a new version of Windows Media Center,a Gadget for Windows Media Center, improved media features, the XPS Essentials Pack and Windows PowerShell being included, and a redesigned Calculator with multiline capabilities including Programmer and Statistics modes along with unit conversion. Isn’t that cool? Eventually one by one i’ll try it myself. You should try it too. It’ll definitely make your life a little more colorful. =)

So for those who are planning to migrate to Windows 7, the minimum requirements are

** http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/system-requirements

For more details check out: Windows Section

searching-comment-in-authoring-guide

Anyway, good thing was I was able to find answers with my research. And based from what i found, you can actually display comments using the following programming syntax:

#/* < your comment here > */#

So, for example, suppose i have a filter in ReportNet that goes like:


#/*Filter for Documents Produced under TA - Document Type*/#
(((cast([DMS REPORTS].[Pending Documents for Disclosure].[Closing Date],date) between ?paramStartDate? and ?paramEndDate?) and [Document Type] ='Documents Produced under TA' and [Project Type] in ('PPTA', 'ADTA', 'RETA', 'RDTA','PATA','CDTA'))

then this line -> #/*Documents Produced under TA*/# is treated as comment which the system disregards upon run-time. You can also use this in Framework Manager.

fm-model-comments

I heavily use comments in my reports. And as they say it’s an ingredient for a good programming practice. =)

At first i thought making a simple quick hack into the captcha code to base the image on a reasonably bland photographic background would make a difference but decided to implement a much more secure and widely used spam fighter in the net which is the Recaptcha plugin. This is  just to make sure. You know how these spams work together to achieve their mission. Good thing was i was able to install recaptcha in minutes for my PHPBB3 Forum. I used to include Recaptcha code  in other Forums (i.e. SMF) which i manage as well and so far i am happy the way it works.

If you are not sure how this can be applied to your PHPBB3, then this procedure may come in handy which can also be found in:

http://code.google.com/p/recaptcha/downloads/list

Files you will need:

reCAPTCHA PHP plugin, available at:

http://code.google.com/p/recaptcha/downloads/list

Extract the file ‘recaptchalib.php’ and place it in:

%phpbb_root_path%/includes/captcha

Files that will be modified in your phpBB3 directory:

%phpbb_root_path%/styles/prosilver/template/ucp_register.html

%phpbb_root_path%/includes/ucp/ucp_register.php

Code to modify:

In ucp_register.html, locate:

<dd>{CONFIRM_IMG}</dd>

Then delete the following lines of code or comment them out:

<dd><input type=”text” name=”confirm_code” id=”confirm_code” size=”8″

maxlength=”8″ title=”{L_CONFIRM_CODE}” /></dd>

<dd>{L_CONFIRM_CODE_EXPLAIN}</dd>

In ucp_register.php, there are many changes that you’ll have to make,

so I’ll have to make the instructions compact.

/*Step 1. Place this code before the line “class ucp_register,” which

is near the top of ucp_register.php*/

require_once($phpbb_root_path . ‘includes/captcha/recaptchalib.’ .

$phpEx);

/*Step 2. Place this code after the line “global $config, $db, $user,

$auth, $template, $phpbb_root_path, $phpEx;” which is a few lines

after step 1.*/

// Get a key from http://recaptcha.net/api/getkey

$publickey = ”;

$privatekey = ”;

# the response from reCAPTCHA

$resp = null;

# the error code from reCAPTCHA, if any

$error = null;

/*Step 3. Place this code on the line “$confirm_id =

request_var(‘confirm_id’, ”);” in other words, replace the original

code with this new code*/

$confirm_id = (isset($_POST['recaptcha_response_field']));

/*Step 4. Comment out or delete the following line of code.*/

‘confirm_code’  => array(‘string’, !$config['enable_confirm'], 5, 8),

/*Step 5a. Go to the section:

// Visual Confirmation handling

$wrong_confirm = false;

if ($config['enable_confirm'])*/

if (!$confirm_id) {

}

else {

/* Comment out or delete all code within the first else statement

(which has nested if…else statements within it) and replace with the

code in Step 5b.*/

}

/*Step 5b. Place the following code within the first else statement.*/

$resp = recaptcha_check_answer ($privatekey,

$_SERVER["REMOTE_ADDR"],

$_POST["recaptcha_challenge_field"],

$_POST["recaptcha_response_field"]);

if ($resp->is_valid == false) {

$error[] = $user->lang['CONFIRM_CODE_WRONG'];

$wrong_confirm = true;

/*Step 6. Comment out or delete everything between the following two

lines of code. The two lines themselves are also deleted. In total,

you should be deleting about 13 non-empty lines of code*/

//first line of code.

$code = gen_rand_string(mt_rand(5, 8));

//last line of code

$db->sql_query($sql);

/*Step 7. A few lines after the end of Step 6, replace “$confirm_image

= ” and its values with the following line of code. Basically, you’re

assigning the variable $confirm_image with a new value.

$confirm_image = recaptcha_get_html($publickey, $error);

Step 8. You should be done. I hope. It works for me on my development

webserver, on a basically vanilla version of phpbb3.

There you have it guys. Why don’t you try it? It’s worth your time and effort. Needless i say, this totally saved my boards for despair. =) Thanks to Recaptcha Plugin. . .Kudos to the creators/originators of this helpful plugin for making it FREE and ACCESSIBLE! You make our lives easier. CATCHA !!!=)

http://code.google.com/p/recaptcha/downloads/list