Microsoft Persiapkan Karyawan untuk Akuisisi Yahoo

Seorang eksekutif Microsoft mengirimkan email yang secara garis besar mengatakan untuk bersiap-siap untuk pengambil-alihan Yahoo. Yahoo menolak tawaran 44.6 milyar dollar dari Microsoft tanggal 11 Februari kemarin. Namun Microsoft diberitakan akan melakukan pengambil-alihan secara paksa jika dewan direksi Yahoo tidak mengubah pikirannya.

Dalam pesan-nya kepada para karyawan, presiden divisi layanan Kevin Johnson membagikan perspektifnya mengenai bagaimana proses ini akan berjalan.

Jika Yahoo menyerah, transaksi ini akan ditutup pada semester kedua tahun ini, menurut Johnson.

Dalam usahanya untuk menghindar dari Microsoft, perusahaan internet tersebut dilaporkan tengah menjajaki kemungkinan aliansi dengan Google, Time Warner pemilik AOL, dan situs jejaring sosial seperti MySpace yang dimiliki oleh News Corp.

Beberapa pemegang saham Yahoo di California menuntut perusahaan karena menolak tawaran Microsoft awal tahun ini, saat harga saham lebih tinggi.

Microsoft saat ini menawarkan kombinasi antara kas dan saham yang dinilai $31 per lembar, namun direksi Yahoo berpendapat bahwa setidaknya perusahaan berharga $40 per lembar, sebuah harga yang membuat Microsoft harus mengeluarkan uang lebih banyak 10 milyar dollar.

Google mengutuk pengambil alihan yang dilakukan oleh Microsoft sebagai aksi yang melanggar kebebasan internet.

Walaupun tidak berjanji bahwa tidak akan ada karyawan yang diberhentikan, Johnson mengatakan bahwa Microsoft akan menahan talenta terbaik, dan besarnya ukuran gabungan ini memungkinkan mereka untuk mengalihkan tenaga kerja untuk wilayah operasi yang berbeda.

Sebagai usaha untuk menjaga karyawan Yahoo tidak keluar saat pengambilalihan, Johnson menjanjikan kompensasi yang menarik bagi karyawan.

Trik untuk Mempercepat Firefox Anda

Berikut adalah beberapa trik sederhana untuk mempercepat kinerja Firefox anda. Trik - trik ini memungkinkan Firefox untuk mengunduh halaman situs lebih cepat dengan membuka lebih dari satu koneksi agar ia dapat melakukan lebih dari satu download setiap waktu.

Harap diingat bahwa ini hanya berlaku bagi pengguna jaringan pita lebar (broadband), jadi bagi pengguna dial-up, anda dapat melupakannya untuk saat ini.

1. Ketik "about:config" pada address bar dan tekan return. Scroll ke bawah untuk mencari konfigurasi - konfigurasi ini:

"network.http.pipelining"
"network.http.proxy.pipelining"
"network.http.pipelining.maxrequests"

Biasanya browser hanya akan membuat satu permintaan terhadap sebuah situs setiap waktu. Namun dengan pipelining, anda dapat membuatnya lebih dari satu, yang membuat download halaman menjadi lebih cepat.

2. Ubah entri menjadi:

Set "network.http.pipelining" menjadi "true"
Set "network.http.proxy.pipelining" menjadi "true"
Set "network.http.pipelining.maxrequests" menjadi 30. Ini berarti ia akan melakukan 30 request dalam satu waktu.

3. Terakhir, klik kanan dimanapun dan pilih New-> Integer. Namai "nglayout.initialpaint.delay" dan set value menjadi "0".

Jika anda menggunakan koneksi broadband, maka anda akan membuka halaman dengan lebih cepat sekarang!

CodeIgniter 1.6.1 Released

Version 1.6.1 is primarily a maintenance release, but does bring a handful of nice feature additions and enhancements. After a very successful 1.6.0 release, a series of bugs have been squashed and enhancements have been made that we wanted to roll out as a formal release. Updating from 1.6.0 is as easy as simply replacing a few files in your system directory. For a list of all changes please see the Change Log. If you are currently running CodeIgniter please read the update instructions.

The Biggest Tech Disappointment of 2007

These much-ballyhooed products, sites, and services, it turned out, left much to be desired.

#1. No Wow, No How: Windows Vista

Five years in the making and this is the best Microsoft could do?

It's not that Vista is awful. The integrated security and parental controls are nice, and the Aero interface is as whizzy as it gets. Searching and wireless networking are much faster and easier than under XP.

It's just that Vista isn't all that good. Many of the innovations the operating system was supposed to bring--like more efficient file and communications systems--got tossed overboard as Microsoft struggled to get the OS out the door, some three years after it was first promised. Despite its hefty hardware requirements, Vista is slower than XP.

When it debuted last January, incompatibilities were rampant--in part because hardware and software makers didn't feel any urgency to revamp their products to work with the new OS. The user account controls that were supposed to make users feel safer just made them feel irritated. And at $399 ($299 upgrade) for Windows Ultimate, we couldn't help feeling more than a little gouged.

No wonder so many users are clinging to XP like shipwrecked sailors to a life raft, while others who made the upgrade are switching back. And when the fastest Vista notebook PC World has ever tested is an Apple MacBook Pro, there's something deeply wrong with the universe.

We have no doubt Vista will come to dominate the PC landscape, if only because it will become increasingly hard to buy a new machine that doesn't have it pre-installed. And that's disappointing in its own right.

Kapolda Jabar Irjen Pol. Susno Duadji, "Jangan Pernah setori Saya"

Pikiran Rakyat, Edisi 10 Februari 2008

RABU (30/1) lalu, Kapolda Jabar Irjen Pol. Drs. Susno Duadji, S.H., M.Sc., mengumpulkan seluruh perwira di Satuan Lalu Lintas mulai tingkat polres hingga polda. Para perwira Satlantas itu datang ke Mapolda Jabar sejak pagi karena diperintahkan demikian. Pertemuan itu baru dimulai pukul 16.00 WIB.

Dalam rapat itu, kapolda hanya berbicara tidak lebih dari 10 menit. Meski dilontarkan dengan santai, tetapi isi perintahnya "galak" dan "menyentak". Saking "galaknya", anggota Satlantas harus ditanya dua kali tentang kesiapan mereka menjalani perintah tersebut. Isi perintah itu ialah tidak ada lagi pungli di Satlantas, baik di lapangan (tilang) maupun di kantor (pelayanan SIM, STNK, BPKB, dan lainnya). "Tidak perlu ada lagi setoran-setoran. Tidak perlu ingin kaya.

Dari gaji sudah cukup. Kalau ingin kaya jangan jadi polisi, tetapi pengusaha. Ingat, kita ini pelayan masyarakat. Bukan sebaliknya, malah ingin dilayani," tutur pria kelahiran Pagaralam, Sumatera Selatan itu. Pada akhir acara, seluruh perwira Satlantas yang hadir, mulai dari pangkat AKP hingga Kombespol, diminta menandatangani pakta kesepakatan bersama. Isi kesepakatan itu pada intinya ialah meningkatkan pelayanan kepada masyarakat yang tepat waktu, tepat mutu, dan tepat biaya.

Susno memberi waktu tujuh hari bagi anggotanya untuk berbenah, menyiapkan, dan membersihkan diri dari pungli. "Kalau minggu depan masih ada yang nakal, saatnya main copot-copotan jabatan," kata suami dari Ny. Herawati itu. Pernyataan Susno itu menyiratkan, selama ini ada praktik pungli di lingkungan kepolisian. Hasil pungli, secara terorganisasi, mengalir ke pimpinan teratas. Genderang perang melawan pungli yang ditabuh Susno tidak lepas dari perjalanan hidupnya sejak lahir hingga menjabat Wakil Kepala PPATK (Pusat Pelaporan Analisis dan Transaksi Keuangan). PPATK adalah sebuah lembaga yang bekerja sama dengan KPK (Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi) menggiring para koruptor ke jeruji besi. Berikut petikan wawancara wartawan "PR" Satrya Graha dan Dedy Suhaeri dengan pria yang telah berkeliling ke-90 negara lebih untuk belajar menguak korupsi.

Apa yang membuat Anda begitu antusias memberantas pungli atau korupsi? Saya anak ke-2 dari 8 bersaudara. Ayah saya, Pak Duadji, bekerja sebagai seorang supir. Ibu saya, Siti Amah pedagang kecil-kecilan. Terbayang 'kan betapa sulitnya membiayai 8 anak dengan penghasilan yang pas-pasan. Oleh karena itu, saat lulus SMA saya memilih ke Akpol karena gratis. Nah, waktu sekolah, kira-kira SMP, saya punya banyak teman. Beberapa di antaranya dari kalangan orang kaya, seperti anak pejabat. Sepertinya, enak sekali mereka ya, bisa beli ini-itu dari uang rakyat. Sejak itulah, terpatri di benak saya, ada yang tidak benar di negara ini dengan kemakmuran yang dimiliki oleh para pejabat. Maka, saya sangat bersyukur bisa berperan memberantas korupsi saat mengabdi di PPATK. Itulah tugas saya yang paling berkesan selama ini karena bisa menjebloskan menteri, mantan menteri, dan direktur BUMN, yang memakan uang rakyat. Ada kepuasan batin.

Pengalaman di PPATK itukah yang membuat Anda menabuh genderang perang melawan pungli saat masuk ke Polda Jabar? Seperti itulah. Akan tetapi, harusnya diubah, bukan pungli. Kalau pungli, terkesan perbuatan itu ketercelaannya kecil. Yang benar adalah korupsi. Pungli adalah korupsi. Mengapa korupsi yang saya usung? Karena sejak zaman Majapahit dulu, korupsi itu salah. Apalagi, jika aparat hukum yang korup. Bagaimana kita, sebagai aparat hukum, bisa memberantas korupsi kalau kitanya sendiri korupsi.

Oleh karena itu, sebagai tahap awal, saya "bersihkan" dulu di dalam, baru membersihkan yang di luar. Bagaimana saya mau menangkap bupati, direktur, dan lain-lain kalau di dalamnya belum bersih dari korupsi. Kalau aparatnya korupsi, tamatlah republik ini. Tahap awalnya biasa saja. Umumkan, lalu periksa ke atasan tertingginya, yaitu saya, selanjutnya keluarga saya. Setelah itu pejabat-pejabat di Polda. Baru kemudian ke kapolwil, kapolres, dan seterusnya.
Kenapa harus dimulai dari saya. Karena saya pimpinan tertinggi di Polda Jabar ini. Ingat, memberantas korupsi bukan dimulai dari polisi yang bertugas di jalan raya. Kalau di pemerintah, bukan dari tukang ketik, atau petugas kecamatan yang melayani pembuatan akte kelahiran. Akan tetapi, dimulai dari pimpinan tertinggi di kantor itu. Artinya, saya sebagai pimpinan jangan korupsi. Bentuknya macam-macam, seperti mendapat setoran dari bawahan, setoran dari pengusaha-pengusaha, mengambil jatah bensin bawahan, atau mengambil anggaran anggota saya.

Oleh karena itu, saya tidak akan minta duit dari dirlantas, direskrim, atau kapolwil. Tidak juga mengambil anggaran mereka, atau uang bensin mereka.
Jadi, kalau di provinsi, misalnya, ada korupsi, yang salah bukan karyawannya, tetapi gubernurnya. Memberantasnya bagaimana? Mudah saja. Tinggal copot saja orang tertinggi di instansi itu.

Untuk program "bersih-bersih" itu, kira-kira Anda punya target sampai kapan? Secepatnya. Ya, dua-tiga bulan. Kalau tidak segera, bagaimana kita menunjukkan kinerja kepada rakyat. Kita tidak perlu malu dan takut nama kita jatuh kalau bersih-bersih dari korupsi di dalam. Kita tidak akan
jatuh merek dengan menangkap seorang kolonel polisi atau polisi berbintang yang korupsi. Kalau perlu, tulis gede-gede itu di koran. Dan, anggota saya yang ketahuan korupsi, akan saya pecat. Jika memang saya harus kehabisan anggota saya di Polda Jabar karena semuanya saya pecat gara-gara korupsi, kenapa tidak. Apa yang harus ditakutkan. Saya yakin, rakyat pasti senang kalau polisi bebas dari korupsi. Polisi itu bukan milik saya, tetapi milik rakyat. Saya justru merasa lebih tidak terhormat kalau memimpin kesatuan yang anggotanya banyak korupsi.

Berbicara soal penanganan kasus korupsi. Betulkah mengusut kasus korupsi bagaikan mengurai benang kusut. Pasalnya, para penyidik tipikor Polda Jabar mengaku kesulitan mengungkap kasus korupsi dengan alasan perlu kajian yang mendalam atas bukti-bukti sehingga memakan waktu lama? Hahaha.... (Susno tertawa lepas). Mengusut kasus korupsi itu jauh lebih mudah ketimbang mengusut kasus pencurian jemuran. Mengungkap kasus pencurian jemuran perlu polisi yang pintar karena banyak kemungkinan pelakunya, seperti orang yang iseng, orang yang lewat, dan beberapa kemungkinan lainnya.

Kalau kasus korupsi, tidak perlu polisi yang pintar-pintar amat. Misal, uang anggaran sebuah dinas ada yang tidak sesuai. Tinggal dicari ke mana uangnya lari. Orang-orang yang terlibat juga mudah ditebak. Korupsi itu paling melibatkan bosnya, bagian keuangan, kepala projek, dan rekanan. Itu saja. Jadi, kata siapa sulit? Sulit dari mananya. Tidak ada yang sulit dalam memberantas korupsi. Kuncinya hanya satu, kemauan yang kuat. Harus diakui, itu (memberantas korupsi) memang susah karena korupsi itu nikmat. Apalagi, saat memegang sebuah jabatan. Contohnya saja posisi kapolda. Siapa sih yang tidak mau jadi kapolda. Ibaratnya, tinggal batuk, apa yang kita inginkan langsung datang.

Pertanyaannya, mau atau tidak terjerumus di dalamnya (korupsi). Kalau saya, jelas tidak. Itu hanya kenikmatan duniawi sesaat saja. Untuk apa sih duit banyak-banyak hingga tidak habis tujuh turunan. Gaji saya saja sekarang sudah besar. Mobil dikasih. Bensin gratis. Ada uang tunjangan ini-itu. Sudah lebih dari cukup. Anak-anak saya juga sudah kerja semua. Bahkan, gajinya lebih besar dari saya. Lalu, langkah apa yang akan Anda buat agar Polda Jabar giat mengungkap kasus korupsi?

Seperti saya katakan tadi, bersih-bersih dulu di dalam. Jika sudah bersih di dalam, baru membersihkan di luar. Dan kasus korupsi akan menjadi salah satu target kami. Kami akan genjot pengungkapan kasus korupsi biar Jabar bergetar. Untuk itu, kami akan berkoordinasi dengan PPATK untuk mengusut kasus-kasus korupsi di Jabar yang melibatkan pejabat publik. PPATK pasti mau membantu asalkan anggota saya bersih dan bisa dipercaya. Kita juga bisa diberi kasus-kasus. Kalau tidak bersih dan tetap "bermain" bagaimana bisa dipercaya. Kalau orang sudah percaya sama kita, maka banyak kasus yang masuk. Akan tetapi, bukan karena basic saya di korupsi sehingga korupsi digenjot. Kasus lainnya juga dikerjakan. Dan, untuk itu harus tertib administrasi, salah satunya dengan membuat sistem pelaporan perkara berbasis IT yang terintegrasi dari polsek hingga ke polda. Untuk apa? Agar kita tahu setiap ada perkara yang masuk.

Jadi, alangkah bodohnya seorang kapolda jika tidak mengetahui jumlah perkara di jajarannya. Kalau jumlahnya saja tidak tahu, bagaimana tahu isi perkaranya. Dalam sistem pelaporan perkara tersebut, nantinya ada klasifikasi perkara. Perkara mana yang porsinya polda, polwil, polres, dan polsek. Untuk polda, misalnya kasus teror dan korupsi. Soal lapor boleh di mana saja. Kita juga harus mempertanggungjawabkan hal itu ke pelapor dengan mengirim surat kepada pelapor bahwa kasusnya ditangani oleh penyidik ini, ini, dan ini. Kemajuannya dilaporkan secara berkala. Ini akan menjadi standar penilaian untuk penyidik. Dan kapolda mengetahui semua ini karena sistemnya ada sehingga tidak pabaliut. Saya paling tidak suka yang pabaliut-pabaliut. Mungkin, bagi sebagian orang, pabaliut itu enak karena sesuatu yang tidak tertib administrasi itu paling enak untuk diselewengkan. Benar tidak? Langkah Anda memberantas pungli dan korupsi di tubuh Polda Jabar kemungkinan akan memberi efek pada pengungkapan kasus dengan alasan anggaran yang minim. Menurut Anda?

Kalau kita pandang minim, pasti minim terus. Kapan cukupnya. Kalau anggaran sudah habis, jangan dipaksakan memeras orang untuk menyidik. Mencari klien yang kehilangan barang di sini, memeras di tempat lain. Siapa yang suruh? Bilang saja sama rakyat, anggaran kita sudah habis untuk menyidik. Kita tidak perlu sok pahlawan.

Perilaku memeras atau menerima setoran itu zaman jahiliah. Tidak perlu ada lagi anggota setor ke kasat lantas atau kasat serse, lalu kasat serse setor ke kapolres, dan kapolres setor ke kapolwil untuk melayani kapolda. Jangan pernah setori saya. Lingkaran setan itu saya putus agar tidak ada lagi sistem setoran.

Bukan zamannya lagi seorang kapolsek, kapolres atau kapolwil bangga karena mampu membangun kantornya dengan megah. Dari mana duitnya kalau bukan dari setoran orang-orang yang takut ditangkap, seperti pengusaha judi, dan penyelundupan. Tidak mungkin dari gaji, wong gajinya hanya Rp 5-6 juta.

Menurut saya, anggota yang melakukan itu hanya satu alasannya, ingin kaya. Kalau ingin kaya, jangan jadi polisi, tetapi jadilah pengusaha. Sikap Anda tersebut kemungkinan memunculkan pro dan kontra di lingkungan kepolisian? Lho, kenapa harus jadi pro dan kontra. Peraturannya sudah jelas mana yang boleh dilakukan dan mana yang tidak boleh. Korupsi jelas-jelas dilarang dan ancamannya bisa dipecat. Jadi, tidak perlu diperdebatkan. Titik.

Bagi saya, siapa yang menjadi pemimpin harus mau mengorbankan kenikmatan dan kepuasan semu. Nikmat dengan pelayanan, dengan sanjungan, serta nikmat dengan pujian palsu. Malu dong bintang dua jalan petantang-petenteng, tetapi anak buah yang dipimpinnya korupsi dan memberikan pelayanan tidak sesuai dengan standar. Malu juga dong kita lewat seenaknya pakai nguing-nguing (pengawalan), sementara rakyat macet. Itu juga korupsi.

Polisi yang korup sama saja dengan melacurkan diri. Jadi, kalau saya korup dengan menerima setoran-setoran tidak jelas, apa bedanya saya dengan pelacur. ***

Save XP? Why bother?

I'd love to defend Microsoft Vista against Mac, Linux, or some obscure OS -- but instead, I find myself defending it against Windows XP. That's because all I hear is warring from within the Microsoft community about how unfair it is that they will one day have to stop using XP -- a sentiment perpetuated by InfoWorld's Save Windows XP campaign.

First off, no one is forcing you to do anything. The only step Microsoft is taking so far is to stop selling XP six months from now. If you want to keep using a seven-year-old OS with security holes a-plenty, go ahead. Who's stopping you? Hey, install Windows 95 too, while you're at it. But you can't expect Microsoft to indefinitely support XP when it's poured so many resources into developing its best OS to date in Vista.

The fact of the matter is, Vista is incredible. I've been working with it since Beta 3, and I won't return to that cartoon-looking XP for anything. Not only is it more secure than XP, it includes a host of invaluable new tools and applications (more on those in a bit).

Yes, Vista is more resource-intensive than XP. Yes, upgrading from XP to Vista requires putting some cash on the table. But Vista beats XP hands down, and the Save XP campaign amounts to unfairly criticizing Microsoft for adhering to a core capitalist practice: retiring an old product to sell newer, better ones.

For years, one of the biggest complaints about XP (and Windows in general) was its lackluster security. So in Vista, Microsoft created a slew of powerful security features, including User Account Control (UAC), Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR), Windows Service Hardening, Windows Integrity Control, Windows Resource Protection, and other behind-the-scenes solutions. (If you've never heard of these, read chapter four of my book "Tricks of the Microsoft Windows Masters".) Microsoft has also included Parental Controls that reside at the OS level to provide added protection for families, and Bitlocker technology to completely encrypt the data on a laptop for traveling businesspersons.

These much-anticipated security enhancements should be reason enough for Windows shops to upgrade to Vista, yet they represent just a portion of the OS's advantages over XP. There's also enhanced collaboration possibilities, improved built-in diagnostics and self-healing, and simplified networking.

Getting more granular, Vista delivers enhanced search capabilities that can save a user a tremendous amount of time. Power management with Group Policy settings allows for reduced carbon emissions and savings. Admins have greater control through Multiple Local Group Policy Objects (MLGPOs). There's also increased support for Tablet PCs, which could lower TCO by 14 percent for mobile PCs each year. Most important, of course, there's a cool new interface for solitaire! Yet despite all the advantages Vista holds over XP, customers have continued to resist, throwing up other arguments for not upgrading.

One such argument: Critics complain that some of their applications won't work properly with Vista or that drivers aren't available. Why is that Microsoft's fault? Look, XP was released in 2001, Vista in January 2007. Why aren't customers complaining to their software vendors for not doing their job of developing apps that work with Vista? We knew it was coming for years. Microsoft released the necessary info for it to happen. Some vendors jumped right on it; others were too lazy to support the people and the move to Vista. Maybe they just thought, "Oh, well, we'll wait until SP1."

Here, an enterprise customer merely has to say, "We're going to Vista -- and any software vendor that doesn't support Vista will be dropped from our company." Watch and see how fast everything will start to work with Vista.

As for complaints that Vista is too resource intensive, I've had no problems with that -- then again, I went out and bought new computers. So you know what? Go buy new computers. I'm sorry if you want to keep those dusty, five-year-old systems going a bit longer, but this industry needs cash to keep it moving forward. We get new cars every few years because we want the latest and greatest features, such as GPS, a camera in the back for safety, swivel seats, and DVD players. Do you complain that they cost more? Do you argue with the dealership for not also allowing you to buy a "new" model from 2000? But Microsoft shouldn't develop a new OS -- and charge for it? And the new OS shouldn't require anything more than what your system needed six years ago? Give me a break.

If you read a lot of the comments that people have been adding on the Save XP pages, you might note that an awful lot of people say, "Go to Linux," or "That's why I use Linux." You know, I've never heard a Mac user complain about Apple or their Mac, nor a Linux user complain about Red Hat or whatever version they are using. That's not to say they don't have problems; they just keep the discussion among themselves. But they are having a field day watching Microsoft users fight each other. Ever think they're the ones stirring up this whole Save XP campaign?

You are welcome to express your opinion by commenting to this blog post, or within InfoWorld's Save Windows XP campaign.

Microsoft responds to "Save XP" petition

A Microsoft spokesperson today acknowledged InfoWorld's petition effort asking the company to keep Windows XP for sale indefinitely rather than drop the popular OS from most sales outlets on June 30 as planned.

"We're aware of it but are listening first and foremost to feedback we hear from partners and customers about what makes sense based on their needs," a spokesperson told Computerworld Australia.

The spokesperson noted that Microsoft had already delayed XP's demise by six months from its original Dec. 31, 2007, end-of-sales date, as software vendors, customers, and others complained that the deadline was too soon, coming less than a year after Windows Vista's release. "That's what informed our decision to extend the availability of XP initially and what will continue to guide us," she said.

Microsoft has not responded to InfoWorld's several requests for a comment on the petition effort, which has gathered more than 79,000 signatures as of this morning.

Windows Vista SP1 Released to Manufacturing

All the rumor and conjecture regarding the official release date for Windows Vista's highly-anticipated first service pack can finally be put to bed: Vista SP1 was shipped today to manufacturing and will be available to individual customers in mid-March.

SP1 will initially be available via the standard Windows Update system or for separate download from Microsoft, but only if you manually visit www.update.microsoft.com with your browser. (I'll write a new post the day that the update becomes available, providing the direct link for download.)

SP1 won't begin automatic downloading via the passive Windows Update system until mid-April. So if you want it early, be sure to run a manual Windows Update on launch day.

Fair warning: Microsoft notes that SP1 will not work properly if you have one of a "small selection of device drivers," though no list of those drivers (and the devices they support) has been posted. If Windows Update determines you have one of those drivers installed, it will not offer SP1 to your system.

You can still download it manually, but be warned you may have to reinstall the driver for that product after installing SP1. Good advice for all users: Carefully check all your peripherals after installing SP1 to make sure they still work.

Early reviews and benchmarks of SP1 have previously been posted. (See links for detail.)

Exploring Popular Image Editors

No one image editor is right for every digital photographer. Different image editing programs offer different feature sets and take different approaches to manipulating digital images. The trick is to find the program (or programs) with the features and approach that most closely match your needs and working style. Image editing programs range in capabilities from extremely limited to impressively powerful. And, unsurprisingly, you find a similar range in price, from free or low-cost for programs with limited capabilities to several hundred dollars for high-end programs.

The disc that came with your digital camera probably included a simple image editor. You can find dozens of others on the shelves of local computer stores or as free downloads from the Internet. These programs are quick and easy to use for viewing your images and for producing simple prints, but they usually have quite limited capabilities. Your search for an image editing program undoubtedly will extend beyond the simple view-and-print utilities, as well as those already included in the Windows and Mac operating systems. Wanting more capabilities than what the low-end programs offer, however, doesn't necessarily mean that you should go all the way to the other end of the spectrum. An assortment of midrange programs just may fit your needs very nicely.

You can roughly group the available image editing programs into four tiers:

In the top tier, Adobe Photoshop stands alone as the de facto standard for professional image editing. If you're working with images professionally, you need to own and use Adobe Photoshop. Although you may also find one of the other editors helpful for specialized tasks, Photoshop is your meal ticket.
Highly capable image editors make up the second tier. Although they may not match Photoshop's every feature, they have the power and versatility to meet the needs of many digital photographers. The image editors in this tier often feature wizards and dialog boxes to automate common tasks, but the main focus is on direct access to the image with a variety of manual selection, retouching, and painting tools.
This tier of image editors includes the following:
• Adobe Photoshop Elements (not to be confused with Adobe Photoshop)

• Corel Paint

• Corel PhotoPaint

• Jasc Paint Shop Pro

• Macromedia Fireworks

• Ulead PhotoImpact

The third-tier image editors sacrifice some of the raw power and versatility of the first and second tier programs in favor of dramatically improved ease of use. Wizards and dialog boxes that walk you through the steps required to complete a task make most common image editing tasks more accessible. The programs in this group may also have the ability to access your image for direct manipulation with retouching and painting tools, but you get somewhat limited manual editing features. The main emphasis is on the program's automated editing tasks.
These image editors fall into the third tier:
• Apple iPhoto

• Microsoft image editing software

• Roxio PhotoSuite

The fourth tier primarily consists of the simple, view-and-print utilities, although some of the programs also have some limited image-editing capabilities. These programs often feature simple and attractive user interfaces with big graphical buttons for each task. You can use them very easily, but they offer only a very limited assortment of simple image editing options, such as cropping and overall color balance. Generally, these programs don't enable you to select and edit a portion of an image with manual retouching tools.
The programs on the bottom (or fifth) tier come and go and don't usually have the level of support needed for serious image editing. Unless you have very basic image editing needs, stick to the top four tiers.

Simple PHP & MySQL Poll

Making the Database

This tutorial will demonstrate how to make a basic poll using PHP, and store the results in MySQL. We will then display the results by making a pie chart with the GD Library.

The first thing we must do is create a database. Our example our poll will have three options, however you can modify this to fit your needs.


CREATE TABLE votes (first INTEGER, sec INTEGER, third INTEGER);
INSERT INTO votes (first, second, third) VALUES (0,0,0)


Voting Script - Part 1


// Connects to your Database
mysql_connect("your_server", "your_login", "your_pass") or die(mysql_error());
mysql_select_db("your_database") or die(mysql_error());

//Name of our cookie
$cookie = "Voted";

//A function to display our results - this refrences vote_pie.php which we will also make
function pie ()
{
$data = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM votes")
or die(mysql_error());
$result = mysql_fetch_array( $data );
$total = $result[first] + $result[sec] + $result[third];
$one = round (360 * $result[first] / $total);
$two = round (360 * $result[sec] / $total);
$per1 = round ($result[first] / $total * 100);
$per2 = round ($result[sec] / $total * 100);
$per3 = round ($result[third] / $total * 100);
echo "
";
Echo "FIRST = $result[first] votes, $per1 %

SECOND = $result[sec] votes, $per2 %

THIRD = $result[third] votes, $per3 %
";
}


We start out or script with the information we need to connect to our database.

We then name our cookie, and define a function called pie. In our pie function we retrieve the data from our database. We also preform a few calculations that help us display the results in a user friendly way, such as the percentage each vote has, and how many degrees out of 360 that percentage makes up. We reference vote_pie.php which we will create later in the tutorial.

Voting Script - Part 2


//This runs if it is in voted mode
if ( $mode=="voted")
{

//makes sure they haven't already voted
if(isset($_COOKIE[$cookie]))
{
Echo "Sorry You have already voted this month
";
}

//sets a cookie
else
{
$month = 2592000 + time();
setcookie(Voted, Voted, $month);

// adds their vote to the database
switch ($vote)
{
case 1:
mysql_query ("UPDATE votes SET first = first+1");
break;
case 2:
mysql_query ("UPDATE votes SET sec = sec+1");
break;
case 3:
mysql_query ("UPDATE votes SET third = third+1");
}

//displays the poll results
pie ();
}
}


The next section of code runs if our voting form has been submitted.

It first checks the user to see if they already have a voted cookie. If they do, it does not let them vote again and gives them an error message. However, if they do not, it sets the cookie in their browser and then adds their vote to our database. Finally, it displays the results of the poll by running our pie function.

Voting Script - Part 3


//if they are not voting, this displays the results if they have already voted
if(isset($_COOKIE[$cookie]))
{
pie ();
}

// or if they have not voted yet, they get the voting box
else
{
if(!$mode=='voted')
{
?>



Option 1
Option 2 Option 3




}
}
?>


The final part of the script runs if they are not in voting mode.

It checks to see if they have a cookie in their browser. If they do, then it knows they have already voted and displays the poll results for them. If there is no cookie, it then checks to make sure they aren't in voted mode. If they are, then nothing happen, but if they are not it displays the form that lets them vote.
It is a good idea to include this poll on your page using the include function. Then you can place the poll anywhere you want within the page, simply using one line.


INCLUDE 'http://www.yoursite.com/path/to/poll.php' ;


Using GD Library


$slide = $one + $two;
header('Content-type: image/png');
$handle = imagecreate(100, 100);
$background = imagecolorallocate($handle, 255, 255, 255);
$red = imagecolorallocate($handle, 255, 0, 0);
$green = imagecolorallocate($handle, 0, 255, 0);
$blue = imagecolorallocate($handle, 0, 0, 255);
$darkred = imagecolorallocate($handle, 150, 0, 0);
$darkblue = imagecolorallocate($handle, 0, 0, 150);
$darkgreen = imagecolorallocate($handle, 0, 150, 0);

// 3D look
for ($i = 60; $i > 50; $i--)
{
imagefilledarc($handle, 50, $i, 100, 50, 0, $one, $darkred, IMG_ARC_PIE);
imagefilledarc($handle, 50, $i, 100, 50, $one, $slide , $darkblue, IMG_ARC_PIE);
imagefilledarc($handle, 50, $i, 100, 50, $slide, 360 , $darkgreen, IMG_ARC_PIE);
}
imagefilledarc($handle, 50, 50, 100, 50, 0, $one , $red, IMG_ARC_PIE);
imagefilledarc($handle, 50, 50, 100, 50, $one, $slide , $blue, IMG_ARC_PIE);
imagefilledarc($handle, 50, 50, 100, 50, $slide, 360 , $green, IMG_ARC_PIE);
imagepng($handle);
?>


In our script we called vote_pie.php to display the pie chart of our results.

The above code should be placed in the vote_pie.php file. Basically what this does is draw arcs to create a pie. We passed the variables it needed in the link from our main script. To better understand this code, you should read our GD tutorial that covers arcs and pies.

BenQ Launches Joybook Q41 Featuring Auxiliary Display

BenQ takes enjoyment to the next level with its new class of laptops, offering design, functionality and convenience to consumers.

TAIPEI, TAIWAN, December 17, 2007 – BenQ today announces the launch of a new class of laptops—the Joybook Q41 featuring dual screen. Equipped with 14.1” UltraVivid widescreen, a 2.5” auxiliary display, Intel® Core™2 Duo processor and Microsoft Windows Vista® operating system, the Joybook Q41 is designed for forward-thinkers with exquisite tastes. The Joybook Q41 keeps your favorite music, treasured photos, fun games, and updated information available on its 2.5” auxiliary display. The Joybook Q41 is the first laptop to offer VoIP function directly from the auxiliary display. Users can dial directly from the auxiliary display to be instantly in touch with friends and colleagues. As a new class of laptops, the Joybook Q41 is designed to fulfill all of your needs conveniently.

Inspired by glass curtain walls of skyscrapers, the Joybook Q41 is designed with a glossy belt for its 2.5” auxiliary display and a red operation-key-lighting that adds a sense of fashion. The Joybook Q41 is equipped with Intel® Core™2 Duo processor and Microsoft’s Windows Vista® operating system that offers breakthrough gadgets for Windows® SideShow™, enabling users to quickly browse for the information they need on the auxiliary display and enjoy personal entertainment without opening the laptop.

The auxiliary display allows consumers to have immediate access to the Windows Media Player at the touch of a button, to the SlideShow Player to view all their photos, and to access fun games. Consumers can also stay updated by using the RSS Feed Viewer that automatically downloads breaking news or blog articles from favorite subscriptions. For the busy business person, the Joybook Q41 allows convenient access to calendar appointments, latest emails, entire contact lists and even PowerPoint presentations all on the auxiliary display.

Equipped with a 14.1” widescreen and BenQ’s exclusive UltraVivid technology with DBEFTM (Display Brilliance Enhancement Film), the Joybook Q41 increases screen brightness and sharpens details to provide consumers with a superior viewing experience. Consumers can also easily experience the convenience of wireless connections by accessing the Internet via high-speed Wi-fi networks, and connecting to Bluetooth-capable phones and peripherals. Whether at work or at play, consumers can enjoy the freedom of going online, listening to music, and linking to other devices without the constraints and hassles of cables.

Setting Up A Short URL Forward

For an easier to remember URL

Although having an automated site is great, sometimes the rather long URLs they generate for sub-pages aren't very user friendly. These long addresses are hard to put on business cards, or to pass along to friends.

To make them more friendly you could use one of the many, many short URL services, but most come with strings. Or you can setup something similar right on your own website, using a PHP forward. Here is how:

1.) Create an easy to remember file name or folder, such as http://www/yoursite.com/mylink.php or http://www.yoursite.com/link. If you are creating a folder, the file inside the folder that holds the code would should be named index.php

2.) Put this code into your file:

<?php
header( 'Location: http://www.yoursite.com/this/is/a/long/url/you/want/to/direct/to.php' ) ;
?>

Make sure you replace our long URL with the one you want to direct to.

3.) Upload the file, and share your new short URL with friends!

PayPal Support Local Bank

New! Withdraw Your Funds to Your Indonesian Bank Account

Now you can add your Indonesian bank account to your PayPal account, so you can withdraw your money directly to your bank. It saves you time and gives you faster access to your PayPal funds!

Plus, there is no charge to withdrawal amounts over IDR 1.5 million*. So go ahead and add your bank account today!