“Researchers at Oxford University have produced a Java-based x86 emulator that they hope will be useful in testing applications and learning about viruses without damaging the host, utilizing the robust sandboxing that Java provides. They have an online demo available that boots DOS and has some games to play. Being purely Java, this emulator should be able to run on almost anything, including cell phones.” Via /.
“MIT Press has released its book Perspectives on Free and Open Source Software as a free PDF download. The book is a collection of research essays covering topics such as open source motivation, economics, business models, software development process and tools, law, and community. Sort of like ‘Open Sources’ from academics. David Parnas, Larry Lessig, Eric von Hippel, and Clay Shirky are among the contributors.” – /.
Encrypt your sensitive data with TrueCrypt, perhaps the best tool for the job. God forbid but even if your notebook gets stolen or misplaced, then your sensitive or confidential data is secure. For the paranoid, there is a hidden chamber option and algorithm cascading! See the manual if you’re paranoid 🙂 Cross-platform, free, open-source, comprehensive and easy-to-use.
Taking client side internet browsing a step further, Adobe Apollo is a cross-OS/platform independent runtime that allows developers to leverage their existing web development skills (Flash, Flex, HTML, Ajax) to build and deploy desktop Rich Internet Applicatons (RIA’s). The applications can be run both online and offline. See potential applications in these demo videos.
Related Post: All you ever wanted to know about rich applications (and maybe more)
Why being small, simple and agile is important. It’s about “getting real”. By the Ruby-on-rails folks! Many thoughts in this mini-book resonate very well with me and I think they are applicable beyond software development, i.e. in real life too!
Getting Real: The smarter, faster, easier way to build a successful web application (pdf)
I’m surprised that Flashpaper hasn’t been all over the blogosphere! It’s looks like an amazing thing. No additional viewer to load! Flashpaper file over the network outperforms loading the viewer on my system, scrolling page is faster & neater; the overall experience is very cool! It also seems to be very closely compatible with PDF. Also see, Scribd — very elegant UI and design.
Related Post: Scribd
“we present the 10 technologies we find most exciting — and most likely to alter industries, fields of research, and even the way we live.”
Paranoid about shopping online? Disposable credit cards will be of interest to you. Use them for a single transaction, with a limit of transaction amount to ensure you are not over-charged for any reason. Neat! Launched nearly five years ago; and has shown some success.
Clayton Christensen describes how one of his friends was responsible for that choice when he commented that “those who study genetics avoid studying humans because new generations come along only every thirty years or so, it takes a long time to understand the cause and effect of any changes. Instead, they study fruit flies, because they are conceived, born, mature and die all within a single day. If you want to understand why something happens in business, study the disk drive industry. Those companies are the closest things to fruit flies that the business world will ever see”. More about Disruptive Innovation at wikipedia.
An impressive collection of the key Web 2.0 startups in India.