Arkansas Driving License Test

Image via WikipediaI have been scouring internet for study guides and information on getting driving license in Arkansas. Getting a driving license involves a two step process - Written test + Driving test.

Having gone through the written test and cleared it in second attempt, i have put together list of things that might help others in passing the test in first attempt.
There are lot of unwritten rules by testing center, which you will get to hear only from the officer's mouth. These rules are not posted in the guide nor in the website clearly. I believe they should for the potential candidate to plan his tests.

For written test,
- Read the test rules and guide from the URL
- The test booklet is also available from the local driving test center free of cost
- Take the sample online test from the URL
- Take another sample test(exhaustive; focused on statistics) that i created for my preparation from the URL
- Failure in written test requires you to wait for a week before next attempt

For Vehicle driving test,
- Vehicle test can be taken 30 days from date of passing written test. I don't think the duration varies based on the number of written test attempts.

I am in the process of signing up for a driving course with a school nearby. My idea is to take few classes with the instructor beside me to get familiarized with driving and rules. I would rent a car after that till the time of test to feel more confident during the test.

Wish u all the best! Wish me the same :)

UPDATE:
Road test was a breeze and i am ready to drive a car LEGALLY!

Here is the link to questions and answers for the sample test that i prepared myself. I am not sure whether the contents are accurate. My prep notes should come handy to highlight the important sections of the DL guide, but shouldn't be used as the only prep material for tests. Wow! That's a disclaimer.

Hope this post helps someone someday.

What caused the Lehman Brothers collapse?

Image via WikipediaMust read article to know the cause of Lehman collapse. Simple and detailed in layman terms.

Shyams Column on Lehman

Looks like the run of the mill. The picture is the Lehman HQ, a company with more than a decade of wall street presence and suddenly, vanishes overnight washing away billions of dollars investor money.

Google enters browser war with Chrome.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife It was anticipated and speculated. Now, its here!

A browser from the Google stable. Google Chrome.
Officially public on Sep 1, 2008, Google has posted an awesome comic illustration of this radically different (claimed) browser. The comic strip was pretty interesting explaining the typical problems we are living(forced to live) with even modern browsers such as Firefox. Some of them are very fundamental, but very important. For eg: Current browsers are single threaded, in spite of multiple tabs. So, browsers do one operation at a time; JavaScript execution, Plug ins, HTML rendering. One at a time, while the others wait.

The other interesting problem, they claim to have solved is the sand boxing of tabs, preventing the entire browser crash or hogging. But how? Simple. Each tab is a process and therefore sand boxed from others. H mm.. doesn't it sound like back to history? Prior to multi-tabbing days, a browser window can open one website at a time. To view multiple website, we have to open multiple browser windows. So, the windows were isolated and therefore different processes. Then, the came the buzz of multi-tabbing, avoiding the need to open multiple windows. It was celebrated and accepted.

Now, in Google Chrome, each tab is a separate process, but just glued together by 'Chrome Browser'. Haa.. it sounds like a simple play of words. But, Google seems to be aspiring to a bigger dream of having its own OS or Platform on top of platforms such as Windows, Linux, Mac et al. The Google Chrome has a process manager allowing users to view the processes/tabs running within Google Chrome, giving control to users. This has a huge potential to develop into a full blown platform for web apps. After all, Google is all about web apps.

Having said that, i am curious to get a hands-on with Chrome. One quick thing to note is that, they have used Apple Webkit as the rendering engine instead of Gecko or its-own-from-scratch. Googlers have showered praise on this Webkit engine. I am also curious about the plug-ins support. Having lived with the ActiveX and Firefox add-ons flavors of plug ins, i am scared to hear about another 'X' type of plug in for Chrome. I guess, Google would have done something to support the two plug in standards for time being, at least to draw the crowd initially.

So, what happens to the Google support for Mozilla foundation and all that buzz going on around Firefox. Is Google and Firefox going to lock horns? I am curious and worried equally.

Here are some references worth reading about Chrome.

Updated: Chrome now available for download here. Go grab it. I am on it.

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• A fresh take on the browser
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Firebug for Opera

Image via Wikipedia

Firebug has become synonymous with web development. Its so popular that, there are plugins for Firebug itself. Y!Slow is a great example.

For the newbies to Firebug, learn more about it from my previous post here or the Firebug page. There are Firebug fans and evangelists all around the globe, including me.

In plain english, Firebug is a web development/debugging/design add-on for Firefox browser. The add-on has made client-side development and debugging a breeze. Its importance has grown exponentially with the wild popularity of AJAX.

At the sametime, Firebug is available only on Firefox. This limitation has and still puts many web developers craving for Firebug's incarnation on IE, Opera and Safari browsers. Yes, all of these browsers are winning on their own grounds. Nowadays, it has become a norm to make websites compatible with these browsers.

Alright. With all those background info, i have been constantly searching for Firebug for IE, Safari and Opera browsers. Maybe, its the powerful and open Mozilla platform that fosters great tools like Firebug.

With the latest version of Opera 9.5, comes the developer tool Dragonfly, which is very similar to Firebug in terms of DOM inspector, JavaScript debugging and CSS changes. This would propel compatibility of more web pages with Opera browser. More information on the Dragonfly can be found here.

Related articles

• Quick Take: Firefox 3 vs Opera 9.5
• Firebug Lite 1.2 Released

Evaluating Project Server 2007

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

I have recently started evaluating Project Server 2007 for enterprise wide deployment. The tool seems to provide lot of features on management artifacts and collaboration. But, not user friendly, atleast the first cut opinion. The most difficult part seems to be with the documentation and resources on the internet. The documentation in MS site and books from SAMS seem to throw light over the entire feature set of the product, but not good enough to get started.

We all evaluate new tools as a part of our job or out of interest. Whenever i evaluate a tool, i take the approach of identifying the jargons, identifying the actors and use cases. I walk through the jargons to get the basic understanding of the tool and then to actors and use cases to evaluate the completeness of the tool. I couldn't find any such books/resources on Project Server 2007 till now.

This approach has worked well for me in the past. Trying to find similar resources on Project Server 2007.

First big step in shunning petrol.

Image via WikipediaRead an slashdotted article about Mercedes's plans to shun petroleum engines from its line-up pretty soon.

The company is planning to go totally eco-friendly with battery, fuel cell and bio fuel vehicles starting 2014. That's just 7 years from now.

Read more here.

Amongst all these hype, there is already a car company manufacturing electric roadsters. Totally petrol free and green.

Find out more at Tesla Motors.

Social computing - the next avatar of web

Image via Wikipedia

Social networking is the buzzword on internet. Facebook, MySpace, OpenSocial and the likes attracting traffic the equivalent of google. Facebook and MySpace valuations in billions of dollars is the living example. These sites are dedicated social networking space for people to interact and socialize. But, the other avatar of social computing is the soclialization of existing websites. Allowing visitors to interact, modify or add new content to the site by means of blogs, discussion forums, photo gallery etc. Put together, Social Networking/Computing/Media as you would like to call is transforming the web.

I have explored the Social networking in its current state and the various opportunities thrown open by 1this phenomenon.

What is a Social networking site?

• Social networking sites just provide the infrastructure, tools (UI) and set of rules to operate on the SN platform (site). The vital component, Content is user generated, unlike the conventional web sites.
  


• In simple terms, its a power shift from publishers to consumers, who are now prosumers.
  


• The owners of the Content become the marketers for self and the site.
  


• Every user effectively becomes a marketing person for the site. Every user’s primary target audience would be their friends or personal network. Secondary target could be people with similar interests on/off the site.
  


• More effective target advertising is possible, as most users tend to give accurate personal details being in a network/vicinity of friends/trusted associates
  

• Eventually, the SN sites have the potential to become one-stop place for all online activities such as connecting with people, online shopping, bill payment etc.

Opportunities

• A huge repository of users to target ads, products and services

• A platform to serve quotidian user needs on the web [integrated Online shopping, Auctions, Bill payment etc]
  


• The value from user-generated content can be monetized, such as user survey, opinion polls etc. E.g.: AOL email service for biz users is a subscription/paid service.
  


• Open up the platform allowing users to create applications

Challenges

• How to review and approve user content?

• How to store and manage the content that users upload?

• How can companies capture the value from user-generated content?

• Effectively dissipating the information within and across the networks to reach the target audience on the site.

• Integration of other popular services on web [E.g.: Youtube, Flickr, Blogger, Dating, Matrimony]

• Making available on mobile devices.

• Dependence of ­Content searchability on the semantic nature of user content storage.

• Providing features across the platforms. (IE/FF, Win/*nix)?

• Ability to scale-up rapidly, as the site can become popular overnight/week with proportional traffic. [Companies like Akamai Tech help in this.]

• People are always on lookout for something new/exciting. Difficult task to keep the users interested in the site.

• How to design the site with ability to open up as a platform in the future allowing external users to develop applications?

• Content searchability is the key here. Also, the site promoting/publishing/disseminating the popular interests among other users on the site.
  

Unexplored opportunities:

• Enterprise solutions/products
  

Command line comes to web.

Image via Wikipedia I am a command line enthusiast. Inspite of the power of GUI, command line seems more easy to work, as we need to use just the keyboard. I have found it pretty fast using a keyboard than a mouse to write code. I prefer to use keyboard shortcuts than moving the mouse around. This has certainly been difficult when it comes to web pages, as they seem to be designed for mouse. I can't think of web pages providing intuitive keyboard shortcuts, except Google Docs, Outlook OWA to some extent.

Read this article in Slashdot. Probably, this is one of the most simple and innovative web site in recent times. The website goosh has brought command line to web. As a geek, i was excited to see this app. The best part is simplicity and feel of a command line environment. Its quite primitive, but certainly looks cool.

As of now, it just does google search, more of a google shell on internet. But, i see wide possibilities of this web app. I would love to see it growing. Nowadays, i am using this site to google for keywords.

Check out this site @ goosh.org

Atlast, a move towards portability across Social Computing platforms

Quite recenltly, Facebook created controversy kicking out its user who was trying to extract his friends list for use in his other Social Networking site. Basically, Facebook was so trying to protect its vital information, the user generated content. I wrote a post on this during the turn of events here. With OpenSocial on the anvil, allowing data portability across its compliant websites, Facebook has been forced to make the move, it wouldn't have otherwise. But, obviously Facebook isn't going to get OpenSocialized.

So, a new alliance has been formed to provide data portability across the prominent Social Networking platforms. If successful, this would be the next big thing after the arrival of OpenSocial and Facebook. Eventhough, the alliance is just kicking up, participation of most big names in Social Networking domain seems to make the alliance relevant. Some of the big names have already jumped in: Facebook, Google(OpenSocial), LinkedIn and Plaxo.

Its still unclear on how the portability will be provided. But, certianly a big news for Social Networking app developers and websites operating in this space.

Dataportability.org has more info on the alliance.

Toggle your web page to screen mode

Came across a web page that has an interesting way to view the page. Typically, web pages are built to automatically resize to screen width or have a fixed width immaterial of screen size. But, this allows the user to toggle between narrow and widescreen view of the web page. It may not be technically complicated thing to do, but certainly an innovative feature.

Checkout the page with the feature. Look for "Switch view:" below the page header towards the right corner of the page. Alternatively, search for "Switch view:".

Facebook - sign of growth(trouble)?

Facebook removed one of its users for trying to export his Facebook friends list to his other networking site. Facebook users shot back on hearing this news. Who the heck is Facebook to kick me out of the site? After all, its content like mine and millions of others that make up the 'Facebook' what it is today. Without users' content, its a piece of s**t. Atleast, this is how many Facebook users reacted on hearing the news.

What was the crime by the Facebook user, Scoble who got kicked out? Scoble tried to retrieve his friends list in Facebook for use in his other networking sites. Was it a crime in first place? YES. Atleast, as per the terms and conditions of Facebook usage. Hmm... i thought, it was ME, who added that contact to my friends list. And, now Facebook doesn't allow me to take it wherever i like to? Sounds unfair? Alright. Let's hear the Facebook's story. You own YOUR profile contents only. But, not others'. The contact details of your friends are certainly not yours and you don't have the right to distribute, as its deemed risky/whatever by Facebook.

As a fact, Facebook allows you to import contacts from your email address books such as Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL into Facebook and eventually, send a friend request or invite those email IDs. If Facebook doesn't mind scrape your email address book, what is wrong in someone else retrieving contacts from Facebook? Just like email address book maintains contacts, Facebook does the same. On the contrary, Facebook's only formidable competitor OpenSocial encourages users to share content/contacts across OpenSocial sites.

Unlike the past closed content model, where the contents were generated by sites and users were just consumers(Yahoo, MSN, Rediff), now is the generation of pro-sumer model, where user generates AND consumes content. Slowly but steadily, the user generated content is becoming the lifeline of successful sites. Facebook is the living proof of the model. LinkedIn, MySpace, Orkut are further proof of the power of user generated content. With OpenSocial encouraging users to share details across OpenSocial sites, how long it might take for Facebook to revert its decision?
The article that prompted me to write this post is here