bnura the new geek blog

The Ultimate Guide: Taming Stable Diffusion on an AMD RX 580

2025-08-22T01:50:00.002+05:30

So, you have a trusty AMD RX 580 graphics card and you want to dive into the world of local AI image generation with Stable Diffusion. You've seen the incredible results online, but the internet seems to think you need a high-end NVIDIA card.

The good news? It is absolutely possible to get the powerful Automatic1111 Web UI running on your RX 580. The bad news? The path is riddled with cryptic errors and frustrating setbacks.

This guide is a chronicle of a real-world troubleshooting session. It's not just a "how-to"—it's a "how-to-fix-it-when-it-inevitably-breaks" manual. We will walk through the entire process, from installation to conquering every single error we encountered along the way.

Part 1: The Foundation - Getting the Prerequisites Right

Before we even think about Stable Diffusion, we need a solid foundation. Getting this part wrong will cause everything else to fail.

Python 3.10.6: Version is critical. Do not use a newer version. Download the specific "Windows installer (64-bit)" for Python 3.10.6. During installation, you must check the box that says "Add Python 3.10 to PATH". This is non-negotiable.

Git for Windows: This tool allows us to download the necessary software from its repository. Download and install it, accepting all the default options.

Part 2: The Installation - The "Happy Path"

This is how the installation is supposed to go.

Create a Folder: Create a simple, clean directory for your installation, for example, C:\Stable-Diffusion.

Clone the Repository: Open the Command Prompt (cmd) and navigate to your folder (cd C:\Stable-Diffusion). Then, run the following command to download the special AMD-compatible version of the Web UI:

Download a Model: You need a "checkpoint" model to generate images. Start with the standard Stable Diffusion 1.5 model. Download the v1-5-pruned-emaonly.safetensors file and place it in:
C:\Stable-Diffusion\stable-diffusion-webui-directml\models\Stable-diffusion

Part 3: The First Launch & The Inevitable Errors

This is where reality sets in. We will now configure the launch file and systematically crush every error that appears.

Navigate to your stable-diffusion-webui-directml folder and locate the webui-user.bat file. This is the key to our setup. We will be editing and running this file repeatedly.

Error #1: RuntimeError: Torch is not able to use GPU

This is the first error everyone hits. The software is looking for an NVIDIA (CUDA) GPU and can't find one.

The Fix:

Right-click webui-user.bat and select Edit.

Find the line set COMMANDLINE_ARGS=.

Add the --skip-torch-cuda-test flag. The line should now look like this:
set COMMANDLINE_ARGS=--skip-torch-cuda-test

Save the file and run webui-user.bat again.

Error #2: AttributeError: module 'torch._C' has no attribute '_CudaDeviceProperties'

You fixed the first error, but now a deeper part of the program is still trying to call NVIDIA-specific code. This happens because the automatic installer has downloaded the wrong version of PyTorch, the core machine-learning library.

The Definitive Fix (Manual Environment Setup):
The automatic installer is failing, so we'll do its job for it. This is the most critical part of the guide.

Delete the Broken Environment: In your stable-diffusion-webui-directml folder, delete the entire . This removes all the incorrectly installed packages.

Open Command Prompt: Open a new cmd window and navigate to your installation folder:
cd C:\Stable-Diffusion\stable-diffusion-webui-directml

Create the Virtual Environment: Run python -m venv venv

Activate the Environment: Run venv\Scripts\activate. Your command prompt line will now start with (venv).

Install the Correct PyTorch: This is the magic command. Run:
pip install torch-directml torchvision
This manually installs the version of PyTorch built for AMD cards using DirectML.

Error #3: RuntimeError: Input type (float) and bias type (struct c10::Half) should be the same

You launch again. The Web UI loads! But when you try to generate your first image, it crashes. This error means your RX 580's drivers are struggling with the default half-precision (FP16) math.

The Fix:

Edit webui-user.bat one more time.

We need to force the software to use full precision (FP32). Add the --no-half flag to your arguments. The line should now be:
set COMMANDLINE_ARGS=--skip-torch-cuda-test --no-half

Part 4: The Final Optimization - From Working to Working Well

At this point, you can likely generate an image. But you might notice your CPU is working hard and your GPU is idle. The software has silently failed to initialize the GPU and has fallen back to the slow CPU mode.

The Problem: CPU Usage High, GPU Usage Low

This is the final hurdle. We need to explicitly tell the software how to use your GPU.

The Fix:

Edit webui-user.bat for the last time.

Add the --use-directml flag. This command directly orders the program to engage the DirectML backend for your AMD GPU.

Part 5: Your Golden Ticket - The Final webui-user.bat

After all this troubleshooting, your webui-user.bat file should contain this complete, optimized line. This combination ensures stability, forces GPU usage, and prevents all the common errors.

(Note: We also added

Conclusion: You've Done It!

If you've followed this guide, you haven't just installed Stable Diffusion; you've battled through every major roadblock specific to older AMD hardware and won. The performance jump after the final --use-directml fix is massive—often more than doubling the speed.

You can now expect to generate a standard 512x512 image in about 1 to 1.5 minutes, with your GPU running at full tilt. While SDXL models will be a challenge, the vast universe of incredible Stable Diffusion 1.5 models is now at your fingertips.

Zero Trust Architecture for Banking: A Technical Implementation Guide

2025-07-09T23:07:00.000+05:30

Traditional perimeter-based security models have proven inadequate in today's threat landscape, particularly for financial institutions handling sensitive customer data and high-value transactions. Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) represents a fundamental shift from "trust but verify" to "never trust, always verify," providing a security framework that assumes no implicit trust regardless of network location.

For banking institutions, implementing Zero Trust is not just a security enhancement—it's becoming a regulatory expectation and competitive necessity. This article explores the technical implementation of Zero Trust specifically for banking environments, addressing the unique challenges and requirements of financial services.

Core Principles of Zero Trust in Banking Context

1. Verify Explicitly

Every access request must be authenticated and authorized using all available data points including user identity, device health, location, application sensitivity, and transaction patterns. In banking, this means implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) that goes beyond traditional tokens to include behavioral biometrics, device fingerprinting, and risk-based authentication.

2. Least Privilege Access

Users and systems should have the minimum access necessary to perform their functions. For banking applications, this translates to role-based access control (RBAC) with time-bounded permissions, just-in-time access for elevated privileges, and microsegmentation of network resources.

3. Assume Breach

Design security architecture assuming that threats have already penetrated the network. This requires comprehensive logging, real-time monitoring, and automated incident response capabilities that can detect and contain threats before they impact critical banking operations.

Technical Architecture Components

Identity and Access Management (IAM)

The foundation of Zero Trust in banking requires a robust IAM system that can handle the complexity of financial services operations. Key components include:

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Implement adaptive MFA that considers risk factors such as transaction amounts, user behavior patterns, and device trust levels. For high-risk transactions, require additional verification methods including hardware tokens or biometric authentication.

Identity Federation: Integrate with existing Active Directory or LDAP systems while extending authentication to cloud services and third-party applications. SAML 2.0 and OAuth 2.0 protocols should be implemented with proper token management and refresh mechanisms.

Privileged Access Management (PAM): Deploy dedicated PAM solutions for administrative access to core banking systems. This includes session recording, just-in-time access provisioning, and automated password rotation for service accounts.

Network Segmentation and Microsegmentation

Traditional network perimeters are replaced with granular segmentation that isolates critical banking functions:

Software-Defined Perimeters (SDP): Implement SDP solutions that create encrypted tunnels between authenticated users and specific applications, making resources invisible to unauthorized users.

Network Access Control (NAC): Deploy NAC solutions that continuously assess device compliance and health before granting network access. This includes vulnerability scanning, configuration compliance checking, and real-time threat detection.

East-West Traffic Inspection: Implement next-generation firewalls and intrusion detection systems that monitor lateral movement within the network, particularly between different banking applications and data stores.

Device Trust and Endpoint Security

Every device accessing banking systems must be verified and continuously monitored:

Device Certificates: Issue unique certificates to corporate devices and implement certificate-based authentication for system access. This includes mobile devices used for banking applications and ATM networks.

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Deploy EDR solutions that provide real-time monitoring, threat detection, and automated response capabilities on all endpoints accessing banking systems.

Mobile Device Management (MDM): For mobile banking applications, implement MDM solutions that enforce security policies, remote wipe capabilities, and application wrapping for sensitive banking apps.

Implementation Strategies for Banking

Phase 1: Assessment and Planning

Begin with a comprehensive audit of existing systems, identifying all assets, data flows, and current security controls. Map critical banking applications including core banking systems, payment processing, and customer-facing applications.

Create a risk-based prioritization matrix that considers regulatory requirements, business criticality, and threat exposure. Focus initial efforts on systems handling sensitive customer data and high-value transactions.

Phase 2: Identity Foundation

Implement centralized identity management that can authenticate users across all banking applications. This includes integrating with existing identity providers while establishing new protocols for cloud and third-party services.

Deploy MFA solutions that can adapt to risk levels, requiring stronger authentication for sensitive operations such as wire transfers or account modifications.

Phase 3: Network Transformation

Replace traditional VPN access with Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solutions that provide application-specific access based on user identity and device trust.

Implement microsegmentation to isolate critical banking functions such as payment processing, customer databases, and regulatory reporting systems.

Phase 4: Continuous Monitoring

Deploy Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions that can correlate events across the Zero Trust architecture, providing real-time visibility into access patterns and potential threats.

Implement User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) to establish baseline behavior patterns and detect anomalies that might indicate compromised accounts or insider threats.

Banking-Specific Considerations

Regulatory Compliance

Zero Trust implementations must align with banking regulations including PCI DSS, SOX, and Basel III requirements. This includes maintaining audit trails, implementing proper data encryption, and ensuring segregation of duties.

High Availability Requirements

Banking systems require 99.9% uptime, making it crucial to implement Zero Trust solutions that don't introduce single points of failure. This includes redundant authentication services, distributed policy enforcement, and failover mechanisms.

Legacy System Integration

Many banks operate legacy mainframe systems that may not support modern authentication protocols. Implement gateway solutions that can translate between legacy systems and Zero Trust components while maintaining security standards.

Technical Implementation Challenges

Performance Considerations

Zero Trust introduces additional latency through continuous verification processes. Optimize performance by implementing local policy caches, using hardware security modules (HSMs) for cryptographic operations, and deploying geographically distributed authentication services.

Scalability

Banking systems must handle millions of transactions daily. Design Zero Trust components with horizontal scaling capabilities, implement load balancing for authentication services, and use containerized deployments for rapid scaling.

Integration Complexity

Banks typically operate hundreds of applications from various vendors. Develop standardized integration patterns using APIs and middleware that can accommodate different authentication and authorization mechanisms.

Best Practices for Banking Zero Trust

Policy Development

Create granular access policies that consider user roles, data sensitivity, and regulatory requirements. Implement automated policy enforcement that can adapt to changing risk conditions without manual intervention.

Incident Response

Develop incident response procedures that leverage Zero Trust telemetry to rapidly identify and contain threats. This includes automated isolation of compromised accounts and systems.

Training and Awareness

Provide comprehensive training for IT staff on Zero Trust principles and implementation. Include business users in security awareness programs that explain new authentication requirements and procedures.

Measuring Success

Key Performance Indicators

Track metrics including authentication success rates, policy violation incidents, and mean time to detect/respond to security incidents. Monitor user experience metrics to ensure security improvements don't negatively impact productivity.

Security Posture Metrics

Measure the reduction in security incidents, successful phishing attempts, and unauthorized access attempts. Track compliance with regulatory requirements and audit findings.

Business Impact

Evaluate the impact on customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance costs. Demonstrate ROI through reduced security incidents and improved compliance posture.

Future Considerations

Emerging Technologies

Prepare for integration with emerging technologies such as quantum-resistant cryptography, artificial intelligence for threat detection, and blockchain for identity verification.

Regulatory Evolution

Stay informed about evolving regulations such as the EU's Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and emerging central bank digital currency (CBDC) requirements that may impact Zero Trust implementations.

Conclusion

Zero Trust Architecture represents a fundamental shift in how banks approach cybersecurity, moving from perimeter-based protection to continuous verification and monitoring. While implementation requires significant technical investment and organizational change, the security benefits and regulatory alignment make it essential for modern banking operations.

Success depends on careful planning, phased implementation, and continuous improvement based on threat intelligence and regulatory requirements. By focusing on identity, device trust, and network segmentation, banks can create a robust security foundation that protects against both external threats and insider risks while maintaining the high availability and performance required for financial services.

The journey to Zero Trust is complex, but the alternative—continuing to rely on outdated security models—poses unacceptable risks in today's threat landscape. Banks that successfully implement Zero Trust will be better positioned to protect customer assets, maintain regulatory compliance, and adapt to future security challenges.

The Rise of Neo Banks in India

2024-10-01T18:33:00.000+05:30

In recent years, the Indian banking landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation, primarily driven by the emergence of neo banks. These digital-first entities are redefining traditional banking paradigms, catering to the modern consumer's need for convenience, speed, and personalized service. As we delve deeper into the nuances of neo banks, it becomes evident that they are not just another trend but a substantial evolution in the financial domain.

What Are Neo Banks?

Neo banks are fintech firms that operate exclusively online and do not have any physical branches. They offer a plethora of banking services through mobile apps and web platforms, making them highly accessible and convenient for a tech-savvy generation. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies like AI and machine learning, neo banks provide a seamless and intuitive user experience.

Features and Benefits

One of the standout features of neo banks in India is their user-centric approach. They prioritize the customer's convenience, offering services like instant account opening, real-time transactions, and 24/7 customer support. Moreover, neo banks often charge lower fees than traditional banks due to their lower operational costs, passing these savings on to their customers.

Security and Compliance

Despite their digital nature, neo banks do not compromise on security. They employ robust cybersecurity measures to protect user data and comply with regulatory standards set by financial authorities. This commitment helps build trust and ensures a safe banking environment for users.

Key Players in the Indian Market

Several neo banks have made significant inroads into the Indian market, such as Niyo, Freo, and Jupiter. These banks have differentiated themselves through innovative features like zero balance accounts, high-interest rates on savings, and easy integration with other financial services.

Challenges and Opportunities

However, the road ahead for neo banks is not devoid of challenges. Regulatory hurdles, building consumer trust, and maintaining technological superiority are constant battles. Yet, the opportunities outweigh the challenges. With India's increasing internet penetration and a young population that prefers digital services, neo banks have a substantial market to tap into.

The Future Outlook

As technology continues to evolve and consumer behavior shifts further towards digital, neo banks in India are well-positioned to lead the charge in the banking sector. They are not only enhancing the financial inclusion of underserved markets but also pushing the envelope in terms of innovation and customer satisfaction.

In conclusion, neo banks represent a pivotal shift in Indian banking, offering a glimpse into the future of financial services. As they continue to grow and adapt, they will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the financial landscape of the country.

Airtel 3g Review

2011-02-10T20:01:00.004+05:30

3g Crazy
Finally for all those guys out there, who were desperately waiting (just like me) for the launch of Bharati Airtel's 3g network, it was finally launched in January 2011 in Chennai and Bangalore. The Airtel's 3g network started to show up in my 3g Sony Ericsson phone from last November itself ! I was so crazy about 3g that everyday I tried selecting the 3g network using manual network selection mode of my phone ;) (Was anyone else there like me uh?) But it never allowed me to use the 3g and it used to kick me out and send me back to 2g network. And finally my wait was over and I am on the 3g network right now. yes... :) :)

Is it really worth the hype???
You can take a look at their 3g tariff plans here. Well their plans are not so interesting as of now. I felt disappointed looking at their tariff plans. Comparing to the 2GB for Rs.98/- in their 2G network, all of their 3g plans look terribly disappointing!!

What about 3g speeds of upto 21 Mbps?
uh? That speed of 21mbps is just on paper. Please don't expect that! But certainly its much better than that of the 2g network speed.

So what to do??
As of now only BSNL 3g tariff looks like a better option. But who wants to switch over to BSNL?? So the keyword is "wait and watch". Let the tariffs come down!!

I am back...

2011-02-09T20:36:00.006+05:30

Hello all of my dear readers... Couldn't post anything for quite a long time.( because of my new job). I apologize for not quenching your geek thirst. I am back now. I hope to post a lot of interesting and useful stuff hereafter :)

Enjoy!

New airtel GPRS plans

2009-08-12T12:53:00.002+05:30

Hello friends,
finally we have got a good news from airtel about new New GPRS Packs.... i received the following sms...
Launching New GPRS Packs on EC. 1) RC98=2GB free, 30 days Val, 2) RC23=15MB free, 15 days Val, 3) RC58=25MB free, 30 days Val. Dial 171139 for info.

Java games for sony ericsson w200i mobile phone

2009-06-04T14:35:00.003+05:30

Someone has shared his mobile phone's java games with others. His mobile phone seems to be sony ericsson w200i. That was interesting to me since i was also having the same w200 SE phone.

It was shocking to know that this nice little candy bar can even play 3D games!!! Wow, they are really cool 3D games. I would rate it as excellent, since i never expected that this little fellow can do this much. Below is the list of games shared by him (not me).

3D.Pedrosa.GP.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
3D.Planet.Riders.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Aero.Mission.3D.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
And1.Street.Basketball.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Asphalt.Urban.GT.3D.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Blades.And.Magic.128X160.J2ME.Retail_code(58060)-jadoo_iii
Bobby.Carrot.5.Forever.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Bruce.Lee.Iron.Fist.3D.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Deep.3D.Submarine.Odyssey.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Die.Hard.4.0.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
DogZ.3D.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Extreme.Air.Snowboarding.3D.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Fight.Night.Round.3.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Galaxy.On.Fire.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Gladiator.3D.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Guitar.Rock.Tour.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Heli.Strike.Advanced.Air.Combat.128x160.J2ME.Retai l-jadoo_iii
Hexic.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
LOST.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Medal.Of.Honor.Airborne.3D.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
MobiChess.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Motoraver.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
NBA.Pro.Basketball.2009.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Prince.Of.Persia.Classic.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Pro.Evolution.Soccer.2009.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Pro.Golf.2007.3D.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
QuadraPop.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Rally.Master.Pro.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Rayman.Raving.Rabbids.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Rocky.3D.Apollo's.Fall.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Stranded.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Tank.Raid.English.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Tennis.Open.2007.128X160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Text.Twist.Turbo.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Tony.Hawk's.American.Wasteland.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
Treasure.Towers.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii
V-Rally.3D.128x160.J2ME.Retail-jadoo_iii

If you had tried any of them, then let me know how is it. All of them have a resoultion of 128x160 which is the maximum resolution supported by this w200i phone.

And finally the download link is here.
Download w200i 3D Games

Note: These 3D games can be played on any mobile phone with Java and resoultion higher 128x160.

Warning: There could be some copyrighted games in it. If you find so, then dont use them. Delete them immediately.

:) Enjoy.

New Airtel Unlimited GPRS Plans

2009-05-20T14:53:00.003+05:30

Earlier we had unlimited GPRS plans from Airtel at about 20 Rs/day. It was really a very good plan. My friend told me that he uses Airtel, only because of this unlimited GPRS plan. But that plan was withdrawn weeks back (may be because of unfair usage from some users ??). But Airtel faced severe critism because of this. I know a few who started thinking of taking connection from Vodafone or AirCel because of this!!

But now there is some good news for the heavy Airtel GPRS users. It has introduced a new plan which goes this way.
Rate : Rs 20/day
Usage limit : 8 MB/day
Cost beyond free usage : 20 Paise / 50 KB

To activate this do this:
Send DP to 56789 (tollfree)

But I still doubt that this will become popular?? As 8 MB limit per day is way too low from my point of view, since Aircel is giving unlimited GPRS for rs 17/day and Vodafone is giving the same at rs 19/day.

Enjoy !!

1000 Rs LAPTOP for Indian Students

2008-08-20T16:35:00.005+05:30

Indian government has planned to provide laptops at Rs 1000 to professional-science programme students.

The government has allocated Rs 5000 Crore for this project.

There was also a news that BSNL is planning to provide free internet service (at 2 MBps!!!) for all citizens... Well India seems to be on its way to be a information super power!!

Specifications:

Internet Browsing (Yes.. This is mainly meant for browsing internetonly)
Plays audio and video.
256MB memory (RAM or HDD ??)
OS should be some flavour of Linux

I guess this might look something like this... Below is one of the cheap laptops given to African Students.

How to create fake screen shots of any websites

2008-07-21T12:41:00.004+05:30

Imagine you could open any webpage, edit any part of page like a word document and then take a screen shot of it!!

Yes. It's possible with firefox and just a bookmarklet !!

Edit Current Website is a bookmarklet that helps you change content of any web page and that too live inside the firefox browser !!

No need to install any extensions like Firebug.
No need to know HTML/Photoshop etc !!

Procedure:
In IE7 you can right click on this link and select "Add to favourites". In Firefox drag it into your bookmark bar. Go to any website which you want to edit and open this bookmarklet. You can edit it as you like. Then take a screen shot or take a printout!!

Link :
Edit current website

Warning :
Please note that any edits are temporary and will disappear when you reload. Also use it at your own risk !!

Why Bill Gates decides to Sell OFF Microsoft? (hilarious)

2008-05-22T14:32:00.006+05:30

Letter from Banta Singh of Punjab to Mr. Bill Gates of Microsoft

Subject: Problems with my new computer

Dear Mr. Bill Gates,

We have bought a computer for our home and we have found some problems, which I want to bring to your notice.

1. There is a button 'start' but there is no 'stop' button. We request you to check this.

2. We find there is 'Run' in the menu. One of my friends clicked 'run' he ran up to Amritsar ! So, we request you to change that to 'sit', so that we can click that by sitting.

3. One doubt is whether any 're-scooter' is available in system? I find only 're-cycle', but I own a scooter at my home.

4. There is 'Find' button but it is not working properly. My wife lost the door key and we tried a lot trace the key with this ' find' button, but was unable to trace. Please rectify this problem.

5. My child learnt 'Microsoft word' now he wants to learn 'Microsoft sentence', so when you will provide that?

6. I bought computer, CPU, mouse and keyboard, but there is only one icon which shows 'MY Computer': when you will provide the remaining items?

7. It is surprising that windows says 'MY Pictures' but there is not even a single photo of mine. So when will you keep my photo in that.

8. There is 'MICROSOFT OFFICE' what about 'MICROSOFT HOME' since I use the PC at home only.

9. You provided 'My Recent Documents'. When you will provide 'My Past Documents'?

10. You provide 'My Network Places'. For God sake please do not provide 'My Secret Places'. I do not want to let my wife know where I go after my office hours.

Regards,

Banta

Last one to Mr Bill Gates : Sir, how is it that your name is Gates but u are selling WINDOWS?

Note: I got this as an mail forward. Whoever wrote this has an excellent sense of humour....

iPhone in India : Poll result analysis

2008-02-06T15:41:00.000+05:30

Yes.. These are the results and statistics for the poll featured on this blog.

"iPhone in india"

Results Dump:

Will you buy the much awaited and hyped iPhone, when it is officially released in India?

Definetely, yes! (11%)

Yes, but only if the price drops further! (40%)

If someone from US gifts me! (8%)

No..It is not worth the money and the hype! (20%)

No..I would go for other alternatives... (20%)

Note:

* This statistics is applicable to the elite population who can afford computer and internet connection.

* Since this is a technology blog, i assume that most of it's readers are techie people who have good interest in Internet and Technology.

Interesting Inferences and Statistics:

* It is certain that about 10% of the techies are ready to grab a piece when its officially released in india. (must be elites who can easily afford iPhone)

* It is certain that about 60% techies in india are crazy about the iphone,

* Nearly two-third of iPhone crazy population are sestitive to the price. They are ready to grab one if the price drops to indian levels. I would not give a second thought to get one if the price comes around 12,000 Rs.

* two-fifth of the whole techie population feel either iPhone is over hyped or believe that there are better alternatives to iPhone.

Please share your thoughts in comments section.

Top 10 Free Word Processors

2007-11-14T15:09:00.000+05:30

Top 10 free Word processors (say good bye to MS office)

I have listed the best and top ten word processing tools available for free!

Pathetic Writer (PW)
http://siag.nu/pw/
An X-based word processor for UNIX. It supports various formats like M$ word, PW (it's native format), rtf, etc...

Maxwell
Motif-based word processor. Maxwell is a good WYSIWYG word processor available at zero cost. It requires the Motif library to run. (now, this is also available at no charge)

TeX
http://www.latex-project.org/
http://www.tug.org/
Basically a typesetting system based on LaTeX, considered by many to be the best tool to typeset complex mathematical formulae. It is very popular in the mathematics and physics communities.

Jarte

http://www.jarte.com/

Jarte is basically a free and powerful text editor based on the Microsoft WordPad word processing engine. It is a superset of WordPad with much more features like tabs, spell check, export to PDF, etc... But main problem is that it will run only on windows!

IBM Lotus Symphony (Documents)
http://symphony.lotus.com/software/lotus/symphony/home.jspa
Its website claims it as a "Versatile text editor or word processor" It claims that it supports .doc/.odt/.sxw/.lwp/.rtf/.txt formats. It can run on both windows and linux. Since it is from a big name company, it is definitely worth a try!!

ThinkFree
http://www.thinkfree.com/
Basically an office suite written in Java that runs on Windows, Linux, and Macintosh platforms. ThinkFree Online is a web-based version of it's office suite.
The major pros about it are:

has a look and feel similar to Microsoft Word allowing users to switch over easily.
has both desktop and web version of its office suites.
can read and write to M$ word file formats.

Zoho (Writer)
http://writer.zoho.com/
A web office suite. Since it is web-based, Zoho writer is OS independent.
It can work platform which supports Mozilla firefox browser.

Abiword
http://www.abisource.com/
An open source word processing program which can run on almost any platform. You can quickly open any M$ word documents and edit it, though it is some what reluctant to crash anytime (when editing some complex M$ word files)

Google Docs (Standard Edition)
http://docs.google.com/
I think it another free web based word processor. Though you can hardly compare it to any of the desktop word processors, its main strength is that it is a web application. You just need a good and free browser like firefox to run this! It allows you to open/edit/save the documents online. No installation/upgrades/etc...

Open Office (Writer)
http://www.openoffice.org/
It has everything you would expect from a modern, fully equipped word processor! Above all, it is multi-platform and very easy to use! Supports various formats and comes with a full office suite. It has all the required strength to rip off M$ word's monopoly. Now this gets our first prize!!!!!!!!

So can you see that there are so many options available for M$ word and its office suite. Small business should seriously evaluate these, before spending thousands of dollars on any of the commercial word processor!

Enjoy!! the free world ;)

hack to find invisible Yahoo! Messenger friends

2007-11-07T12:40:00.000+05:30

Want to surprise your Yahoo! Messenger friends who pretend to be offline using yahoo messenger's invisible feature?

Note: yahoo messenger has a stealth setting setting using which anyone online can appear to be offline using the invisible mode. it is not available in google talk though!:(

Now it is easily possible to beat that stealth mode using tools like Xeeber or VNGrabber. Just go to their site. Put your friends Yahoo id into the box and press "Check" or "Submit" button. It will clearly show whether your friend is really offline or pretending to be offline (i.e. invisible)!!

link1: VNGrabber
link2: Xeeber

Enjoy!

Where's my Gphone?

2007-11-06T22:07:00.000+05:30

Must read news about the Gphone from the Official Google Blog:

Find the article in the link below.

Where's my Gphone?

iPhone in india? Poll : Will you but it?

2007-11-05T14:36:00.000+05:30

Officially iPhone is about to come to Asia (and ofcourse India) in 2008! Ofcourse unlocked iphones are available in grey markets in India now also. I got an information that 4GB version shall cost about Rs. 19,990 and 8GB shall cost Rs.29,650
Its a kinda costly for any typical india. Even if you cannot unlock an iphone brough from US, you can use it as an ipod and a WiFi browser in india. (Caution: Wifi is not yet widely available in india though!!)

And everyone knows that India is going through a telecommunication revolution and it's having the fastest growing mobile user market!! Now let us come to the main question - Will you buy the much awaited and hyped iPhone, when it is officially released in India?

I have setup a poll for that. you can vote and also check out the results. Look, poll is on the right hand side -->>
Enjoy !!

Have you heard about the new Blogger Play?

2007-09-26T12:46:00.000+05:30

Blog Play is a new real-time slide-show of pictures which bloggers have uploaded recently onto their blogs. It's real fun to watch. It's like a random image viewer, worth wasting your few minutes on it. It shows the images from the public listed blogs. As of now there is no clean way to stop your blog's pictures from getting displayed here.

Here is a screen shot!

Enjoy!!!!

New Channels in DD Direct Plus DTH

2007-09-08T22:22:00.000+05:30

Some private channels have pulled of from DD Direct plus and new channels have been put up to replace them.

These are the channels which pulled of from the free DTH service.

Star Utsav
TV9
Akash Bangla
Aaj Tak
Headlines Today

These are the ones which have come in now.

Zee Jagran
Time tv
Enter 10
PTC News
Win TV (Tamil)
Total TV

I don't know why there is so much trouble in showing decent channels in this DD DTH service! I personally feel it is not worth the money spent (about 2500 Rs.) for this DTH service and get mostly useless channels (except a few!!)

Latest Technologies from Africa

2007-09-05T09:57:00.000+05:30

Hi-tech WATER HEATER

NEW TOYOTA MODEL

runs (sorry, walks) without petrol or diesel!!

Ultimate one:

ZIMBABWEAN IPOD

Simple Ambulance

ZAMBIAN TRAILER

Hi guys, I got these pictures as a forward from my friend. I dono who has the copyright for these pictures.Please comment if you do own them. I can give due credits to them.But it is really done well. Enjoy!!

Hacking Tips for Reliance Netconnect

2007-08-24T12:11:00.000+05:30

I am living in an area where no broadband service provider is providing broadband connection. So I had to take wireless connection such a reliance netConnect USB modem connection. I can tell you this is the only-only reason why I took this connection.

If you see that reliance netconnect advertisement on TV, you can see guy travelling in his car seeing the video of his new born baby!! Never try to do that in your car because you might be very well disappointed!!

Use only if you have a good signal. If you using a laptop, move around in your rooms and find where you get the best signal. Also, there are some antennas available in ebay for increasing signal strength. I have not tried it. But heard from others that it improves signal to some extent.

Connect the earphone to your USB modem and let it freely hang. This has worked for me!! Try various placements of that earphone cable and find out where you get the best signal.

Try and see whether you can use any nearby browsing center, if you have. The cost involved is more or less the same I think.

Use if for simple browsing/email purpose only. You should forget youtube :(

In night after 10pm you might some good speeds. So if you have freedom@night plan you can think about downloading some stuff.

If you know something about linux, then try to netConnect on easy to use Ubuntu Linux. How to configure netconnect for linux it is given here. I have found the total MBs downloaded per night is more in Ubuntu linux than it is in Windows!!

Finally note that this is no substitute to a wired broadband connection. This can be called as a good Dial-up connection. Also remember that we are living in India. :D We can expect good speed may be when we get 3G in India.

You can read my previous netconnect review here.

Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

Free Flash Games for Download

2007-08-24T12:07:00.000+05:30

Here is a huge (really huge!!) list of flash games for download.
You can see this :"Index of /games" in its title.
It is basically a listing of folder containing flash files (swf files) from the server.

http://games.lynms.edu.hk/games/

This is one more collection. It is small one but has a good collection.

http://tinyurl.com/yp6mq6

This is not yet blocked in websense under games category.
So you can also use it at office for timepass ;)
(Thanks ryankendall)

Here are some more downloadable games.
Enjoy!!

Reliance Net-connect Data Card/CDMA Modem - Review

2007-08-09T12:04:00.000+05:30

I recently took a reliance NetConnect CDMA modem Internet connection from a near by reliance web world. I am pretty much satisfied with the connection and speed, considering that this is just dial-up but a high speed dial-up connection. I had to take this since there is no other good providers in my area.

Basically your NetConnect data card's performance depends on signal strength at your place. Take any reliance CDMA phone to the place where you will be using it (like your room). See that it is having full signal inside your room. If it is having full signal, then you can have a very decent surfing speed and download speed of about 14KBps-16KBps (yes.. it is Kilo Bytes) I have full signal (5 bars) in my room and I am quite happy with my connection.

Coming to Net-Connect freedom@night plan, which I have taken, they allow free download from night 10pm to morning 6am. I just tried to download some *** (edited) stuff and I was surprised by the resuls. It had downloaded about 360MB in a night. Theoritically, you can download 420MB in 8 hours if you have a speed of 16KBps.

Remember, it is still very costly to use other than the free usage time slot. It will cost you 50paise/min that is 30Rs/hour in the non-free time period.

So take this only if there is no other good providers in your area and have good CDMA phone signal at your place.

I will post about some hacks in my next post!! Remember to check back.

UPDATE: hack's here

Overcoming Gmail Limitations

2007-08-09T11:28:00.000+05:30

I love Gmail. But it has some limitations like limited storage space, no sorting by sender name/size, etc...

Yahoo, Rediff and many others are giving unlimited storage for the mail box. So one thing you can do is you can forward all your mails to your mailbox at yahoo or rediff or what ever. So when your gmail box gets full you can delete very old mails/news letters/big attachments without worrying, since you know that you have a backup at another mailbox. This way you can continue using your Gmail.

Also you now have the option to search for mails 'with attachments' in gmail. You can forward those mails with big attachments to any other mail box by setting simple rules in your settings.

Many of us might be using Gmail drive - A virtual file system built based on gmail's free pop access.
I recommend, using a seperate gmail account for your gmail drive, coz if you use your primary account you account space will be eaten very quickly.

You can utilize the free pop access which gmail gives. That will give you the comfort of Thunderbird or M$ Outlook!!

Dont forget to give me your inputs!

Stop google from saving your search queries !!

2007-05-07T12:34:00.000+05:30

Do you want to stop google from saving your search queries and search google in a more secure manner ??

Here is a small wonder called scandoo, which allows you to search google in exactly same manner as the original google. But it also scans the individual pages in the search results and warns you if any of them contains malicious items in it!! That is its wonder !!

You have other benefits with this also:

You can hide yourself from google and stop google from saving your ip and search keywords.

You can stop opening offensive content (kinda NSFW) at office. This displays a X sign near the result, if the site contains any offensive material. Also, this sites gives you an option to select various categories which should be considered offensive.

You also have yahoo search and msn search here. (But, every search is not integerated with the other one)

Enjoy!!

How to hide or remove the navbar in blogger

2007-05-07T11:32:00.000+05:30

OK...I know many of you blogger might be already knowing this. But, many others are there who still dont know. So, this is for them...

Technique for Old Blogger:

Insert this piece of CSS code into your blogger template into the style tag which will be inside the body tag.

#b-navbar
{
visibility:hidden;
height:0px;
display:none
}

Technique for the new Blogger beta :

Again insert this piece of code into your blogger template into the style tag!

#navbar-iframe
{
visibility:hidden;
height:0px;
display:none;
}

That's it. The blogger navbar will be hidden now.
Note: This is the technique used in my blog too !!