Nishanth' tech rambles

If this: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060605-6987.html is true.. then lol....

Something I spend 2 days re-learning from my MCA days!! Man am i forgetfull.. dont even know if my understanding is correct now.. Generating the Hamming code parity bits First thing to understand about Hamming code is the following Step1: Convert data into bits D0, D1, D2…. Dn-1, Dn where n is divisable by 2 E.g.: N=8 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 Step2: Next thing is called grouping. Group Bits in sequence of powers of 2 – call them group index [D0] [D1]…. [Dn] is grouped on power of 0 è[G0_0],[G0_1]…[G0_n] [D0,D1] [D2, D3].. [Dn-1, Dn] is grouped on Power of 1 è[G1_0],[G1_1]…[G1_n] [D0,D1, D2, D3].. [Dn-3, Dn-2,Dn-1, Dn] is grouped on Power of 2 è[G2_0],[G2_1]…[G2_n] Max such groups possible is possible is n/2 è [D0,.., Dn/2], [Dn/2+1,.., Dn] è[Gn/2_1][Gn/2_2] E.g: Groups= Group index 0: [1], [0], [0], [1], [0], [1], [0], [0] Group index 1: [1, 0], [0, 1], [0, 1], [0, 0] Group index 2: [1, 0, 0, 1], [0, 1, 0, 0] Step 3: Each Group has parity generated for all the data bits of each [Gx_y] using XOR...

am sleepy waiting for a t-con to happen that never seems to get finalized.. so here it goes.. From what i learnt (relearnt?) in the past couple of months: Why have my modules created least issues? 1. Be clear on what u need to do - fight with requirements teams if required. I love our requirement guys - they are good! 2. Estimate within reason - dont over budget/underbudget. But *spend time* on estimates - always be prepared for unexpected hardware/tools issues-estimate for it!! - I use a 3 point estimate as of now, till i get something better at least. 3. read a lot on the subject - TRMs, functional specs, similar implementation, irc logs, mailing list archives, other OS, validation code, what ever I can lay my hands on - the idea is know how the hardware works - thoroughly before touching s/w. 4. As a driver writer I need to know my users, so i talk to them.. in person, over emails, the final user is the best teacher.. (next to the requirements blokes). meetings.. over all architectu...

http://linux.omap.com/pub/kernel/2430sdp/source/ contains the source now.. :) the 2.6.10 code contains the new audio architecture. it works on SDP2430 and H4 (2420) too.. I guess I need to spend a bit of time to put it together for h3,h2,osk before pushing for it... :( and ofcourse.. lotsa fight coming up for the new dma apis for chaining...

to get hwdep running. SND_HWDEP does not get enabled in the kernel.. the reason is sound/core/Kconfig does not have a string with the tristate option. for a hack, i put in "hw dep" that explains why the following happend when i tried to compile btsco Building modules, stage 2. MODPOST *** Warning: "snd_hwdep_new" [/root/kernel-build/btsco-0.41/kernel/snd-bt-sco.ko] undefined! CC /root/kernel-build/btsco-0.41/kernel/snd-bt-sco.mod.o LD [M] /root/kernel-build/btsco-0.41/kernel/snd-bt-sco.ko most of my drivers are modules.. dunnot if it makes sense to load them up as staticly linked drivers???? just musing..i kind of get edgy thinking of installing the kernel again (i lost track of the number of re-compiles i have done so far :D).. restarting again....

Ref: http://www.teaparty.net/technotes/blue-gprs.html I have a Dell Wireless 350 Bluetooth Module Marvin:~/kernel-build/linux-2.6.15-rc6# lsusb Bus 005 Device 001: ID 0000:0000 Bus 004 Device 001: ID 0000:0000 Bus 003 Device 001: ID 0000:0000 Bus 002 Device 004: ID 413c:8103 Dell Computer Corp. Bus 002 Device 001: ID 0000:0000 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000 bluez-utils: added: deb http://bluez.sourceforge.net/download/debian/ ./ deb-src http://bluez.sourceforge.net/download/debian/ ./ to /etc/apt/source.list, apt-get update apt-get install bluez-utils #hciconfig hci0: Type: USB BD Address: 00:10:C6:7E:4E:80 ACL MTU: 384:8 SCO MTU: 64:8 UP RUNNING PSCAN ISCAN RX bytes:522 acl:0 sco:0 events:41 errors:0 TX bytes:1156 acl:0 sco:0 commands:35 errors:0 i put my logitech into scan mode (flashing red and blue after arnd 7 sec of pressing the switch), and then ran hcitool scan Got: 00:0D:44:01:4B:6E Logitech HS01 now to figure out how to plug into this.. check this out: http://sourceforge.ne...

http://www.exploits.org/v4l/ i had to recompile the kernel (sigh again) with v4l enabled. Then i compiled spcaview-20051212( http://mxhaard.free.fr/download.html ) since i had a creative webcam live once that was done a reboot later, i ran camorama and xawtv. both worked like a charm... geee.. this is good.. now i got a couple of issues. gnomemeeting does not seem to be able to open /dev/sound/dsp since kde is already controlling it.. mebbe try to get my bluetooth working??

mouse problem: evdev was compiled as a module(CONFIG_INPUT_EVDEV=m in my .config) . add: InputDevice "ALPS Touchpad" #InputDevice "Configured Mouse" in ServerLayout and now either make "CONFIG_INPUT_EVDEV=y" and recompile kernel OR modprobe evdev needs to run before kdm ran, and for this i hacked the /etc/rc5.d/S99kdm and added (lsmodgrep evdev)(modprobe evdev) This works... http://rtr.ca/dell_i9300/ has more details on kubuntu setup. the class is this: To get the Front-Panel media buttons working, it is necessary to map them to the standard XF86-Audio button symbols on X11 startup. A script to do that is here. To have it run automatically in KDE, place it (or a symlink to it) into your ~/.kde/Autostart/ directory. The volume up, down, and mute buttons are handled internally by kmilo (which you might need to install: apt-get install kmilo). To have xmms use the play, pause, prev, next, and stop buttons, I had to download and install the appropriate packag...

Bloddy well miss semagic!! One more of the Inspiron 9300 installation stories.. installed windows xp home edition first. then started with debian.. IMPORTANT: http://fluffi.info/inspiron9300/single/ gives a lot of info.. i'd try and fill the missing links.. I got the sarge dvds (both of them ) and installed a basic install - I just got a shell prompt with *no* audio/video/anyotherthing.. here is the saga so far: hmm.. anyways.. I have my debian useable level at least.. some interesting things: apt-get commands and learnings: http://homepage.mac.com/sao1/fink/commands.html I got the nvidia drivers, the ipw2200 drivers , interestingly these are valid for 2.6 kernel and above. Debian's Sarge installation is with 2.4.27 kernel!! this is painful. so the thing i did was to download 2.6.15-rc6, applied a patch to it, here is how to compile the kernel and create a .deb package - pretty nice to do a dpkg -i and apt-get remove package_name and play around.. libata patch: http://www.kern...

Got this new fad about installing debian with winxp on my laptop. config is a Dell Inspiron 9300 with 1gig RAM, 80 Gig HDD wireless, bluetooth et.al. Kinda guess that the ubuntu version is easier to install, had already downloaded ubuntu and burnt on a dvd, but kinda thinking that it might be fun with debian.. target is : 1. all hardware systems up and running - a. including all the special keys+ b. wireless lan+ c. bluetooth so that i. i can use the bluetooth headset (logitech). hmm.. d. and also get my logitech joystick e. mousy all working and f. my creative webcam.. :) g. mah pharos GPS hardware (I got it with microsoft streets and trips.. kinda interesting to have the microsoft logoed hardware work with linux.. just for the kicks..) 2. S/w a. chat clients (basic guys I exist on) - i. yahoo-with good ol video ii. gmail - with audio iii. msn iv. skype b. voice recognition and tts (Text To speech - not adding any 'i's inbetween u sickheads... :) ) c. office s/w (dont wanna do...

guess lots of people are... here is a blog from bandicoot(LJ) on the same: http://www.livejournal.com/users/bandicoot/2005/03/23/ Why am *I* Tired of the same?of some time, I have been using sharpreader a neat feed agregator with nice simple interface.( http://www.sharpreader.net/ - another result of looking for a free opensource stuff - not quite.. but I love it KISS - Keep it Simple Stupid interface)1. I am sick of things poping up when i am trying to concentrate on something to do2. I think news reading has to do with being relaxing, and reading the terse messages kinda bogs me down3. when I do get the time, I see large chunks of news left for me to read... aieeee..... Kernel panic... ctrl+a shift delete...4. even if do read.. cnet duplicates wired duplicates el register duplicate slashdot duplicates every other darn things... arrrgghh...so i am back to good ol favourites and reading my fav http://slashdot.org/ , http://wired.com/ , ars technica.. bbc and other normal stuff...Gee.....

http://mathworld.wolfram.com/topics/MathematicalHumor.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_joke so i guess the topic is mathematics!!!

http://www.acmqueue.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=271 har har... does not speak of the times when the hardware refuses to bahave to oneself (bah...) and then in the drudgery of mistakes stamp on ur own foot and wonder why am i not moving..... then throw the mouse around and wonder why am i getting angry.... boy they never speak of those stuff in any coding books!!!!

Holla world... This article: http://news.com.com/Solectron+expands+in+Mexican+Silicon+Valley/2110-1014_3-5918326.html?part=rss&tag=5918326&subj=news set me off thinking... as to why is mexico a better place to have one's business than asia.. timezones being one... as in my nice asian friend's opinion " they cannot challenge the intellectual capability of asians". that is the biggest bull i have ever heard.. NO. they are at the very least as capable as asians - but then so are the rest of the world... keeping that factor aside.. Asia should market a 24/7 support capability - in the sense that during american daytime it is americans working and during american night it is asians working... compared to same timezone of mexicans... kinda feel if this means - asians are supplementary to American Labor Vs.. Mexicans will be complimentary to American Labor??? One wonders....till then adios amigos... bye the way... i got some amount of mexican friends.. and they are ...

Boy... i did not know Nicolas Pitre was visually challenged!! My heart felt admiration abt him... http://www.cam.org/~nico/cv.en.html .. wow!! impressed!!!check this out: http://kerneltrap.org/node/444/print http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/filter-syslog/docs.html )

Bluetooth is good... i just managed to use my Windows XP PC to download ringtones to my cellphones.. initialy thought it was gonna be a difficult process.. but it turned out to be relatively simple.. http://free.ringtonejungle.com/index.php contains the ring tones i uploaded to my cell.. there are two things that you need to download to a cellphone1. bluetooth connectivity on the cell2. bluetooth file transfer agent on the laptop.my dell inspiron 9300 comes with a toshiba bluetooth card with a toshiba s/w stack.. so used the file transfer agent in it to download my motorola v330 had settings->connectivity->bluetooth->setup->FindMe and then u have 60 seconds to detect the cell from the laptop.rest is easy.. and the transfer speads are also decent - almost serial port transfer rates..