Author Archives: Arbet Bernardo

24
Jan

Impressions on Enlightenment over Ubuntu

Posted by | Categories Byte | Tagged , ,

I have been using Ubuntu (technically, more later) for the past month on an MSI VR320 K2 laptop. I have three desktop environments and one window manager installed – Gnome, KDE, Xfce, and Enlightenment (which comes as default desktop for gOS).

I first installed Ubuntu, and I experienced two problems with the default environment – GNOME. One was that nagging ad infinitum drum sounds; I had to mute the sound to get rid of it. One solution offered somewhere was to include the Gutsy backport repository and do an update, but Synaptic and apt-get always report that the repository is empty.

Second, the WiFi. I connected the laptop to a WiFi area secured by WPA. So I entered the passphrase and it connected fine on the first try. I just couldn’t connect again afterwards.

Then I tried installing gOS, which is just basically Ubuntu with another window manager. I liked the UI, but the network manager I did not. So i reverted to Ubuntu.

Enlightenment desktop
Anyway, as stated earlier, I had installed 3 environments and 1 window manager. Currently I am using Enlightenment with the default gOS theme. I was able to recreate the dock, but with several gadgets installed. I have 3 shelves on the desktop. On top contains an iBox (if you minimize a window, its icon is placed in this gadget). At the middle right is the iClock gadget. And the shelf below contains an iBar (gOS’ dock), the Pager (desktop pager), and temperature, battery, and CPU monitors.

This setup works for me, since the desktop is easy to the eyes, looks great, and is not cluttered. And I can play music without the nagging sound that I always get when I use GNOME.

I was also able to install GNOME PPP. This means I can use my 3G phone as modem, which is nice. I don’t have to use Windows just to browse the Web when I’m home. I haven’t tested the WiFi yet, but will do so when I get the chance.

I will post more impressions next time. Suffice to say that I like my Enlightenment setup now.

I will try to use KDE and Xfce in the next weeks, and will post my impressions soon. Will save GNOME for last, as I intend to savor Desktop and Rotate Cube effects. Take that, Windows!

And oh, don’t forget – unless you are very sure, do not press Shift+Backspace.

GLOSSARY:
Shelf – technically, a container where you can place gadgets
Gadget – a piece of software that can convey information (like a battery meter) and contain several icons (iBar and iBox)
Synaptic – the graphical package manager for GNOME
Repository – a central location where you can find packages
Packages – applications that you can install

23
Jan

Annoyance of the Week: Some people just don’t know how to Google

Posted by | Categories Journal | Tagged , ,

The shoutout says it all.

23
Jan

Cris Mendez: Continuing injustice at UP Malcolm Hall

Posted by | Categories Ink | Tagged

The University of the Philippines is currently celebrating its centennial, and it is a pity that behind the festivities, problems continue to hound the university. And with everyone focusing on the celebration, only a few had noticed that what was gone is back.

It has been five months since Cris Mendez was killed. Have you wondered what happened to his case? The National Bureau of Investigation’s Anti-Terrorism Task Force is the lead investigator in the case, and since November, nothing new was heard from the investigators. There’s nothing from the news. The NBI was faced by the sudden disappearance of key people, like Mico Cruz, the son of the Dr. Francisco Cruz. Dr. Cruz was the doctor who brought Mendez to Veterans Memorial Hospital; he was also the doctor who signed the release to a funeral parlor. The good doctor and his son were summoned by NBI. After delaying for certain days, the doctor’s lawyer went to the NBI. Both father and son never bothered to show up.

When the news of Mendez’s death broke out, there was widespread condemnation. Sure, it was not the first hazing-related death. But the thinking at that time (in the UP community at least) was that it should be the last. Remember all that outrage? Those candle lighting activities? It seems all of these were just for show.

I had reported before that the fraternity involved in the murder, Sigma Rho, began its gradual return to Malcolm Hall. Now, the return is full scale. Yep, they are back, as if nothing happened.

Malcolm Hall is where the College of Law is. In this building, future lawyers are being trained to uphold justice at all times. Heck, there is this thinking that law professors in Malcolm Hall are gods. I find the idea horrid, what with the continuing injustice under Malcolm’s roof.

And, if my sources are correct, the greatest injustice is this – Mico Cruz is back, haunting the corridors of Malcolm Law, making istambay at the SR tambayan at the parking lot.

Cris Mendez remains dead. Justice for Cris Mendez is dead.

And the UP Diliman community is too busy celebrating to care.

—

Previously:
“To stand by the side of any brother Sigma Rhoan right or wrong” yeah right!
Cris Anthony Mendez: Back to normal
Cris Anthony Mendez: The Search for Justice
The true barbarians of UP (UPDATED)

—

And don’t forget to vote in my poll, in case you haven’t voted yet.

22
Jan

Kitty Wars: A New Hell

Posted by | Categories Journal | Tagged ,

A not-so-long time ago, in a galaxy not so far away, cuteness ruled the land. Led by the diabolical Empress Kitty, all people under her command and rule were required to have this tattooed on their right arms:

Those who did not have the tattoo were declared rebels. They opposed Kitty’s rule, and a major rebellion was underway. And thus began the adventure of the lifetime.

(Photo taken here.)

22
Jan

Shopping for a laptop, 3 (or how getting one can screw you up)

Posted by | Categories Byte | Tagged , ,

There are several cheap Celeron-powered laptops in the market today. Most of them arrived at the Php 29,999 price point (back in 2007), but now that is about to drop due to the following reasons:

1. Some manufacturers are releasing cheap Pentium Dual Core laptops, like MSI’s VR320 P2, with SRP of Php 29,999 (lower at several shops). It has the following specs:

* Intel® Pentium® Duo Mobile Technology
* Intel Pentium® Dual Core T2130 1.86GHz 533MHz 1MB L2 Cache Processor
* ATI RC410ME Chipset
* ATI Mobility Radeon X200 Graphics 256MB Shared
* MSI Wireless 802.11G
* 1GB DDR2 Memory (Max: 2GB)
* 60GB Hard Disk Drive
* Super-Multi DVD+/-RW/Ram Dual Layer Drive
* Superb Glare 13.3″ Widescreen Display (1280×768)
* Card Reader 4-in-1 MMC/SD/MS/MSPro
* Firewire Port /10/100Lan / 56K Modem
* 3 x USB2.0, Express Card Slot
* Weight : 2.1kg; Battery life: 3Hours (6-Cell)

With cheap Pentium Dual Core laptops in the market, Celeron laptops appear to be on the way out.

2. Intel is releasing dual-core Celerons soon. While the early Celeron Dual Cores will be desktop-based, it is only a matter of time before Celeron Dual Core powered laptops appear in the market.

Stores will now be hardpressed to dispose their Celeron laptop inventories. Expect these to breach the Php 25,000 barrier (unless distributors pull them out).

I suggest you skip Celeron laptops, notwithstanding the cheap price right now. At the same price, get that MSI VR320 P2.

—

Or maybe not. I got an MSI VR320 K2 laptop last month for Php 39,999 at 12 months, 0% interest installment term. Net Essentials, MSI’s distributor in the Philippines, in its Web site (linked above) listed an MSI VR320 K2 Plus. It shares the same specs as that of K2, but with an upgraded memory (2GB) and a LOWER price, Php 34,999 (though I think the 0% installment is on a 6 months term only). And yes, I AM NOT RECOMMENDING THAT YOU GET AN MSI LAPTOP, not now that they release new models with better specs and lower prices at such (very) short gaps.

That’s the problem with technology. Get one now, and tomorrow it is already obsolete.

21
Jan

Was EDSA 2 really a conspiracy?

Posted by | Categories Ink | Tagged

There was one curious thing that Rep. Satur Ocampo had said at the recently-concluded Bloggers Kapihan 3.0. In October 2000, Bayan Muna was contacted by Gloria Arroyo’s group, seeking some working relationship with them, with a promise that GMA would support any mass movement versus Joseph Estrada.

On November 20, Bayan Muna and other sympathetic groups presented a 20-point program to Gloria Arroyo, including peace talks, agrarian reform, and rescinding WTO commitments. It seems that a working relationship was forged at that point.

Fast forward to January 2001. With the outrage triggered by the Craven 11, Mike Arroyo’s group, led by Renato de Villa and Lisandro Abadia, contacted Bayan Muna and similar groups, asking for their commitment to fill EDSA with people.

While this is already common knowledge (as written in numerous occasions by other people, like this one by MLQ3), hearing it from one of the protagonists sure beats hearsay. And it gives credence to what some people have already said: that EDSA 2 is a conspiracy that succeeded. And as they say, defeat is an orphan.

UPDATE:

Atty. Theodore Te calls EDSA 2 as “the first successful coup d’etat” in the country.

19
Jan

Paranoia, 2

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For those who still cannot accept the fact that EDSA 2 was actually a planned maneuver by Mike Arroyo and the gang, go Google for an article by Nick Joaquin for the Philippine Graphic dated March 5, 2001.

Anyway, paranoia brings the best worst in us. A paranoid person anticipates all the wrong things that could happen, plan carefully, and execute with precision. A good paranoid knows that she should not give her enemies a chance to mount an attack.

Around 6PM yesterday, I passed by EDSA Shrine on my way home. The bus took the Ortigas flyover, so my view was limited. I saw some police riot gear stacked at the Ortigas side walk of the Shrine. Some policemen were taking shelter – it was raining a bit. I saw around 20 policemen, but obviously there were more, most likely below the flyover or at the back of the shrine. I also saw a firetruck.

At the People Power monument in White Plains, I saw three police cars.

She is really prepared. There was an EDSA 2 commemoration event at La Salle Greenhills yesterday, and one of the activities was to light candles at the Shrine. They were blocked by the police, of course. EDSA 3 haunts her still.

18
Jan

OH NOEZ, Y HALO THAR KITTEH RIFLE!

Posted by | Categories Journal | Tagged

Joyfulchicken of the Chicken Mafia always claims that Hello, Kitty is evil.

Well, seeing this, I am fast becoming convinced:


(nicked from Engadget, original from here.)

And read this blog using the LOLinator!

18
Jan

Isang kandila para sa EDSA Dos

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Gustuhin ko man magsulat ukol sa EDSA People Power 2, mas mabuti pang magsindi na lang ako ng kandila.

Sa aking pagbabasa ng mga sumulat ukol sa EDSA Dos, nakakalungkot isipin na karamihan sa kanila ay nawalan ng gana. Sa wikang Ingles, they were badly burned. Iyung iba, talagang nag-isip pa pero isa lang naman ang patutunguhan ng kanilang mga sinasabi. Sa sikolohiya, meron tayong tinatawag na defense mechanisms, at sa aking palagay, sa mga nabasa ko na, nangingibabaw ang rasyonalisasyon.

Kung mabuti ang EDSA 2, bakit hindi natin ito magawa upang mapatalsik si Gloria Arroyo? Ang ilan sa iba, nagsabi na hindi ang pagpapaalis sa pinuno ng bansa ang solusyon. Ibig sabihin ba nun hindi tamang solusyon ang EDSA 2?

Ang iba naman ay nagsabi na mas mabuti na tumulong na lang sa ibang paraan upang mas mapabuti ang lipunan. At pabayaan na lang natin ang pulitika at iwan ito sa mga pulitiko? Parang nabalewala lang ang pagpunta nila sa EDSA. Para na rin nilang sinabi na hindi nakabuti ang EDSA 2. Eh bakit kailangan mo pang sabihin na tama ang EDSA 2 kung ganyan din lamang ang sasabihin mo?

Porke ba napaso tayo ng mga nangyari pagkatapos ng EDSA 2 eh susuko na tayo? Kung ganyan lahat ng pag-iisip natin, wala talagang mangyayari.

Kaya nga ayaw ko na magsulat ukol sa EDSA 2. Sasama lang ang loob ko. Dahil kahit anong gawin ko, kahit anong isulat ko upang ipaalam sa madla kung bakit dapat tayo makialam sa pulitika, wala ring mangyayari. Dahil mahirap makipag-usap sa taong nagtutulug-tulugan.

17
Jan

Poll: Opposition’s standard bearer in 2010

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It is time for a new poll.

The opposition always brags about its deep bench of presidentiables. However, this is also its biggest problem. With so many presidentiables, all with big egos unwilling to give way to anyone, a scenario worst than 2004 is in the offing.

So who do you think should be the opposition’s standard bearer? Vote in this poll.

[poll=3]

If you have another person in mind who is not on the list, please leave a name at the comments. You may also want to explain your vote, the comments are open for that.