sandipb.net

> yours truly.

sandipb.net

Entries Tagged as 'General'

One liner to convert Maildir/ to mbox using mutt

January 7th, 2009 · Comments · General

If .news/ is the maildir that you want to convert to the mbox news, this one-liner will do the job for you.

mutt -f .news/ -e ’set confirmcreate=no; set delete=no; push “T.*<enter>;snews<enter><quit>”‘

(Gleaned from this mailing list post )

[Read more →]

Tags:····

Apple is as big a threat to FOSS as Microsoft

October 24th, 2008 · Comments · General

Many FOSS enthusiasts do not realize is that Apple is as, if not more, significant threat than Microsoft in the war for software freedom.
Most of the technical arguments that FOSS evangelists have, fall apart when you are talking about Apple and Mac Os X. Mac Os X has very less, if not none, of the [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:·····

Discussing Paul Graham’s essay on software patents

October 23rd, 2008 · Comments · General

Thanks to Saurabh’s mail on ILUGD, found out about this nice essay by Paul Graham on software patents. Not being much of a lawyer or an expert on these things, but nevertheless having a conviction that software patents are evil, I have dared to comment on parts of this essay. Of course, you are right, [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:··

Catching up with Python

October 20th, 2008 · Comments · General

Am trying to catch up with Python where I left off years ago.
<rant> What have they done to the language when I was gone? It is no longer the simple language as before. The decorator syntax looks so .. well, Perlish. List comprehensions, in some ways very inappropriately named, took a few moments to [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:·

Blog split

October 13th, 2008 · Comments · General

For some (probably conceited ) reason, I felt that my blog was getting overrun (or about to really get overrun) with non-technical babble arising from my frustration about where this country is headed. So before I turn off those three of you who read my blog, I have decided to split my blog [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:··

Using ffmpeg on Ubuntu to convert DV videos for video sharing websites

September 21st, 2008 · Comments · General

To begin with, this is the problem that I had. I had recorded a short clip using my Panasonic NV-GS330 camcorder. I had to upload it to Vimeo, my video sharing website of choice.
From the camcorder to the computer
Importing the video from the camcorder to the laptop was not much of a problem. I plugged [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:········

Not tougher but unfairer laws

September 18th, 2008 · Comments · General

For some unknown reason, I occasionally waste my time reading comments on news stories at ToI (Times of India). For all those waiting to pounce upon me for reading a virtual tabloid … I know, I know. The only reason I read ToI is because they are probably one of the fastest with breaking [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:·····

Draft of Indian Government’s policy on Open Standards in e-governance released

September 4th, 2008 · Comments · General

Thanks to Vinay Sreenivasa for letting us know on the ILUGD list:

The government has released a draft version of a Policy on Open standards for e-Governance. It is presently open for Public review.
Please find the policy at the link below-
http://egovstandards.gov.in/Policy_Open_Std_review
The policy seems to have some really good points like-
5.1) Mandatory Characteristics:
5.1.1)Selected Standard should be Royalty [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:··

A. R. Rahman on the future of music

August 18th, 2008 · Comments · General

It is indeed heartening to know that one of the finest composers in India has such a progressive outlook about the future of music. Excerpt from Hindustan Times.
Music companies must recognise the changing ground reality. Today the conventional outlets for music sales are drying up. Soon all music will be free while the performers and [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:··

Banks penalizing cash payments for credit cards

August 10th, 2008 · Comments · General

In another ridiculously anti-customer move, banks like ICICI and Standard Chartered are charging Rs. 100 for any cash payments made for credit card dues. This move is ostensibly for reducing footfalls at branches but seems like another revenue stream adding gimmik.
Actually from the look at the note attached with this month’s electronic statement, there are [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:·····