Google Translate now supports Bangla: Be a Contributor!

Yes, you read it right! Google Translate is supporting Bangla. Although it is in alpha phase, it is certainly a great initiative by Google. Being the sweetest and sixth most spoken language in all over the world, Bangla should have drawn the attention of Google Translate team much earlier. Well … better late than never … at least they’ve started it now!

I don’t know exactly when did they started the project, but Google Translate team announced it on June 21 and I’ve found it just a couple of hours ago! Then I gave it a try. It did not go for a smooth ride (it is in alpha state remember?), but I am glad that at least it works! Below is the screen shot from the Google Translate. As I said before, the translation is not perfect that much. So most of the translated portion is not accurate.
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Tag Post: My Favourites

It’s been a while I’ve been tagged! Well… it’s not entirely true though. I’ve been tagged by Faisal in one of his post a few months back. But for the extra-busy-life-with-thesis-hanging-on-my-neck I couldn’t complete the ‘tagging’ at that time. Despite of my unfinished tagging job, he has done it again! This time, he has also awarded me with a beautiful “Sunshine Award”! I don’t know what does this award stand for or whether I’ll be called Mr. Sunshine, but, after all it is an award and someone awarded me. Actually this is the first time anyone awarded me with an award as a blogger. So it is special to me! Thanks a lot Faisal. Here goes the sweet Award.
Sunshine Award
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Nerd is the new Cool!

Have you ever heard of Dr. Sheldon Cooper? Or Maurice Moss? If you know them, then probably you’re like one of them. And if you have not, well … then, never mind! What do they have in common? They both are over intellectual. They both have a ‘life’ which is, in fact, a little different from the ‘normal life’. And they both are Nerds!

Big bang theory & IT crowd

Who is Dr. Sheldon Cooper? He is a theoretical physicist, who has also an overtly intellectual personality, he exhibits a strict adherence to routine, a lack of understanding of irony, sarcasm and humor, a habit of constantly expressing admiration for his superior intellect. Who’s humor is very difficult to understand, that’s why he occasionally uses his signature catchphrase ‘Bazinga’ to notify others that he has done a joke! He is purely logical and has an IQ of 187 with an overly extensive general knowledge.

On the other hand, Maurice Moss aka “Moss” is a stereotypical computer nerd. He works in the IT department of the Reynholm Industries in central London. He is famous for his socially ignorant comments and his intricate and detailed knowledge of specialized technical subjects, including chemistry and electronic engineering.

These two nerds are the two fictional characters from the two popular tv series The Big Bang Theory and The IT Crowd respectively. The first one is an American sitcom, where as the later one is British. But both of them have enough laughing stalks to knock anyone out (both nerds and non-nerds). Sheldon and Moss are the two significant characters of those two tv shows. They have their own mannerism, their own styles of living, even they have their own fashion sense! More importantly people like them. People really like them very much! They become the icon.

It has been a long time since I found any character to like after McGyver. I was a huge fan of McGyver (and still I am), and now I am a big fan of Sheldon and Moss. I liked them a lot. The fun fact is that, I actually understand all of their ‘nerdy talks’ and I guess, that makes me a nerd as well. I hope I don’t offend any of my readers, but if you like those TV shows and understand each and every facts of super-science they are talking about, then you were probably a ‘nerdy kid’ like me when I was growing up. Way back then, the word ‘nerd’ was not found in anyone’s dictionary. But by the time I was in my high school, the word ‘cool’ has already entered a teen’s dictionary, and I obviously did not have that word in my dictionary! So may be that’s the reason, why I like Sheldon and Moss (though I was/am not a ‘super nerd’ like them). By the way, they both use UBUNTU! (Like me!)

Another popular TV show is Chuck, where Chuck – the main character is a nerd and a spy – at the same time! Pretty cool right! And recently in How I met your mother, the main character, Ted Mosby, an architectural professor, finds is interest in various architectural creation and loves to tell people the history or story behind that creation. Nerdy symptoms? I think so.

What ever it is, it seems that nerds are everywhere. The time is for the nerds. They are the new icons for the recent cult. Being a super nerd is super cool. So if you are not one of them, then at least try to be one. Nerd is the new Cool, man!

Lucid Lynx: Mockup

Well… Everybody in the Ubuntu world is pretty much excited about the new design of upcoming Lucid Lynx. Lots of discussion is going on. Some says the new design is pretty Macish, some are in opposition of putting the maximize-minimize-close buttons in the left corner, some says the button chronology should be in a way so that the close button should be in the either corners, and so on. Lots of propositions are taking places. So why shouldn’t I propose something? Who knows, may be Canonical will find something important from my design! (If they dare to choose mine 😀 )

Here goes my (insane!) proposal. Look at the following window of  newly designed Lucid Lynx.

I’ve just put the maximize-minimize-close buttons at the bottom! Well, Mac has their button at the upper left and Windows has in the upper right. So by following on of the architecture implies that Ubuntu doesn’t have anything of its own! Here goes the identity of Ubuntu. Again in case of usability, when we scroll the window, it is always in the direction of top to bottom. So When we reach at the bottom, we move our cursor again to the top to close (or maximize or minimize) the window. Isn’t it be easier to perform those tasks by not moving the cursor to a 180 degree opposite direction? I think so. And it would be a pretty easy method to perform those tasks. Though it needs some practice.

At the upper left corner a logo of the program can be placed, and the title can be placed at the centre of  title bar. May be a click on the logo will show a text menu of maximize-minimize-close-move-etc.

So what do you think? Don’t hesitate to tell me, How insane is this design! 😉

Are you an open source user? Then you are a pirate!

I’ve just read an interesting article in the Guardian, which states that a US lobby group is trying to get the US government to consider open source as the equivalent to piracy. That means, to that well suited “moron” group, the open source free community is actually a large group of pirates!

Countries like Indonesia, Brazil and India is asked to be considered for the “Special 301 watchlist” by International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA), because they use open source software. So what on earth is “Special 301“? According to Guardian’s Bobbie Johnson it is:

a report that examines the ‘adequacy and effectiveness of intellectual property rights’ around the planet – effectively the list of countries that the US government considers enemies of capitalism. It often gets wheeled out as a form of trading pressure – often around pharmaceuticals and counterfeited goods – to try and force governments to change their behaviours.

Continue reading Are you an open source user? Then you are a pirate!

These are the reasons why I am promoting Ubuntu!

Recently I am trying to inspire people to use Ubuntu; more and more. And the people often amazed why on the earth I am doing this? What is my benefit? Am I paid? Too many questions! But wait… I am here to answer them all, at least I can try!

Firstly: Canonical, the company behind this wonderful operating system, distributes Ubuntu for free, like free beer. I am using that one in my PC for free and Canonical doesn’t expect me to repay any cost. But I should repay, as Canonical gives me an wonderful opportunity to use one of the world’s best operating system for free. So I am promoting Ubuntu to others as a way of repaying.

Secondly: Lots of people in Bangladesh are using pirated software. They even have no idea what does pirated software means. Any software in Bangladesh is available for less than a dollar! And people think this is the only way to buy software. This fact turns Bangladesh into the second most pirated software using country. As a Bangladeshi I think this is my responsibility to aware people about the piracy. Bangladesh is a poor country, people can’t afford to buy the genuine software. So the alternative way for them to use Free Software. Among the Free Operating System, I found Ubuntu as a very user friendly. That’s why I am promoting Ubuntu to my country men.

Thirdly: When I see people around me dealing with Viruses, Crashes, Defragmentations, Windows Re-installations etc, I really pity for them. Everyday they are facing trouble using their PC. To some people in Bangladesh, installing Windows in every week is a routine work! To make their life smooth I suggest them to use Ubuntu, which is more stable, more secure and ofcourse ease-of-use.

Fourthly: Well… I am not completely selfless. I have my own issue in promoting Ubntu. It is difficult to be a different. Everybody around me is using Windows and I am using Ubuntu. So if I need to send any one a document, I’ve to convert that from .odt to .doc, as they are not using OpenOffice. And there are more example like that. If all were using Ubuntu then I don’t have to think about file compatibility or other issues. Also I would find lots of helping hands if I were in any problem with Ubuntu.

Yeap… that’s all.

Unicode Fonts and Bangla Newspapers!

Every one will admit that after the arrival of Unicode fonts the usage of Bangla language in internet has been increasing day by day. Just install your favourite Bangla unicode fonts and browse the Bangla unicode supported websites without any hassel. Life becomes simple. Is that really?

Nope! I didnot find it that simple. When I left my country, I used to stoop to the PC for reading online Bangla Newspapers. But for some reasons those newspapers donot use Unicode Bangla fonts in their sites, rather they use different fonts in different sites. Why? I don’t know the answer. Only site I found, that is using Unicode Fonts is Computer Jogot, which is not a daily newspaper rather a monthly magazine focusing the IT!

What kind of stupidity is that? Everytime I visited a new newspaper site, I’ve to install their different fonts for reading – isn’t it a cumbersome task? More over if  I use PC in other places (say airport PCs) instead of mine, I am not able to install those fonts, because as a user sometimes I don’t have the access to install extra fonts!

Why the hell on earth they don’t understand the advantage of using unicode fonts? Is not their anyone who’ll realize its importance??

37th Victory Day

bd_flags

It is the year 2008. And we gonna celebrate the 37Th anniversary of our victory of the liberation war of 1971.

What changes took places during these years after the freedom? Actually nothing. Our beloved (!?!) political leaders are making our country cripple. No one bother about the patriotism. Patriotism is a word that is found only in books. The Razakars (opposers of the liberation war and the culprits of genocide) were roaming the country fearlessly and without any hesitation. They don’t feel any apology for their misdeeds in 1971. Once who tried to destroy us, now we want to elect them as our leader – is that why our freedom fighters fought? Was that their dream?

37 years have been passed and we are waiting for a true leader who will guide us to the way for which our martyrs sacrificed themselves.

Waiting to see a Razakar free prosperous Bangladesh. This is the only that came to my heart in this victory day.