Blogger is now in Malay

I saw this on Blogger Buzz

Here’s a quick summary of recent fixes and changes we’ve made to Blogger:

Blogger is now available in Malay! Blogger has a large base of users in Malaysia and we are excited to now bring them Blogger in their native language.

Basically all wording for each Blogger function are now replaceble into Malay language. If you ask me, this is rather useless as the minimal education here in Malaysia require you to passed the English subject even from primary or secondary school.

Autorun Your CD-ROM using Autorun.inf File

Wondering how to make a CD-ROM automatically play or execute a program from any of your "burned" program or file in your CD-ROM? Well this info is something that you should know ages ago.

The Autorun.inf file is a text file located in the root directory of the compact disc. This file contains the name of the startup application on the disc (the application that runs automatically when the disc is inserted in the CD-ROM drive), and the icon that you want to represent the AutoPlay-enabled compact disc in the Windows user interface. The Autorun.inf file also can contain optional menu commands that you want added to the shortcut menu, which is displayed when the user right-clicks the CD-ROM icon.

At a minimum, an Autorun.inf file contains three lines of text and identifies the startup application and the icon, as shown in the following example:

[autorun]
open=filename.exe
icon=filename.ico

The [autorun] section identifies the lines that follow it as AutoPlay commands. An [autorun] section is required in every Autorun.inf file. The open command specifies the path and file name of the startup application, and the icon command specifies the file that contains the icon information.

The Autorun.inf file also can contain architecture-specific sections for Windows NT 4.0 running on RISC processors. For each type of processor architecture, add a section to the Autorun.inf file that contains the file name of the startup application you want to run for that architecture. For x86 architectures, use the standard [autorun] line. Use [autorun.mips] to run an application on MIPS architecture, [autorun.alpha] for applications on the Alpha architecture, and [autorun.ppc] for the PowerPC architecture. The following example shows how to create an Autorun.inf file that runs different startup applications depending on the computer architecture:

[autorun]
open=filename.exe
icon=filename.ico

[autorun.mips]
open=filenam2.exe
icon=filename.ico

[autorun.alpha]
open=filenam3.exe
icon=filename.ico

[autorun.ppc]
open=filenam4.exe
icon=filename.ico

The shell checks for an architecture-specific section first. If it does not find one, it uses the information in the [autorun] section. After the shell finds a section, it ignores all the other sections, so make sure each section contains all the information for that architecture.

If only Autorun.inf script could automate some part of my life like driving to office in crowded highway.

Join the Streamyx Downtime

I'm having this weird but in away I thought it was funny and frustrated at the same time. My Streamyx connection were down since last Monday (21 July 2008 and today is already 24 July) but only manage to lodge some complains last night. I dialed 100 for TM customer service not once not twice but four times. That's right 4 times. Based on those experience I believe you need to dial TM more than once to rectify/troubleshoot your Streamyx connection. The following is my conversation with the technical supports (in Malay coz I live in Malaysia). It maybe useful to any of current or future Streamyx customers so that you may only need to dialed "100" once or twice.

Technical Support (TS) 1 (A fast talking woman)
TS1: TM teknikal support, apa yg boleh saya bantu.
Me: Streamyx conection saya down.
TS1: Berikan saya no report jika Encik pernah buat report sebelum ni jika belum boleh Encik beri nama user Streamyx
Me: Belum lagi, nama user saya ****
TS1: (Typing in my username on her console) Nama Encik ni Azizul ke? Saya nak confirmkan no contact encik Azizul ialah 01*-******?
Me: Ya
TS1: Ok sebentarya saya kumpulkan maklumat (Put me on hold)
TS1: Ok Encik Azizul sekarang ni encik didepan komputer ke? Modem dah dipasang?
Me: Ya
TS1: Saya dah semak, modem Encik memang tak ada connection ke tempat kami. Boleh saya tahu model modem encik.
Me: Riger.
TS1: Adakah lampu "Link" pada modem tersebut menyala atau tidak.
Me: Lampu kuning berlabel "Link" tu sedang berkelip sejak Isnin lepas.
TS1: Ok, sekarang encik guna OS apa?
Me: Windows Vista
TS1: Saya nak encik pergi ke Start>All Programs>Accessoris>Command Prompt dan taip IPCONFIG
Me: (I thought I can do it faster by typing "cmd" and "enter" at search program, but layan jelah) Ok dah
TS1: Apa IP encik skrg.
Me: (I thought does it important, I can customize my IP instead of using standard IP, but layan jelah) 192.168.1.2
TS1: Telefon talian tetap encik ada bunyi bising tak?
Me: Sekarang ni takde
TS1: Ok Encik Azizul, apa yang saya nak encik buat selepas ini cuba guna kabel pada dinding tu terus ke modem tanpa menggunakan splitter. Restart computer & modem dan cuba buat connection. Sekiranya lampu link tu masih berkelip encik boleh telefon kami semula.
Me: Oh ok
TS1: Ada lagi yang boleh saya bantu?
Me: Takde itu sahaja
TS1: Terima kasih kerana mnghubungi kami (something like this, can't really remember)
Me: sama-sama

Technical Support (TS) 2 (A fast talking but very professional and friendly guy)
TS2: TM teknikal support, apa yg boleh saya bantu.
Me: Streamyx conection saya down.
TS2: Boleh Encik beri nama user Streamyx
Me: nama user saya ****
TS2: (Typing in my username on her console) Nama Encik ni Azizul ke? Saya nak confirmkan no contact encik Azizul ialah 01*-******?
Me: Ya
TS2: Ok sebentarya saya kumpulkan maklumat (Put me on hold)
TS2: Ok Encik Azizul sekarang ni encik didepan komputer ke? Modem dah dipasang?
Me: Ya
TS2: Boleh saya tahu model modem encik.
Me: Riger.
TS2: Adakah lampu "Link" pada modem tersebut menyala atau tidak.
Me: Lampu kuning berlabel "Link" tu sedang berkelip sejak Isnin lepas.
TS2: Ok Encik Azizul, apa yang saya nak encik buat selepas ini cuba guna kabel pada dinding tu terus ke modem tanpa menggunakan splitter. Restart computer & modem dan cuba buat connection. Saya akan berikan 2 senario. Sekiranya dengan cara ini connection encik seperti biasa, bermakna splitter encik rosak. Sekiranya masih tiada connection, saya akan buat satu report dan akan menghantar teknikal kami untuk memeriksa.
Me: Oh ok, saya akan buat macam tu (Ah the same solutions again ka)
TS2: Ada lagi yang boleh saya bantu?
Me: Takde itu sahaja
TS2: Terima kasih kerana mnghubungi kami (something like this, can't really remember)

Technical Support (TS) 3 (Sounded like a tired guy on his long shift)
TS3: TM teknikal support, apa yg boleh saya bantu.
Me: Streamyx conection saya down.
TS3: Boleh Encik beri nama user Streamyx
Me: nama user saya ****
TS3: (Typing in my username on her console) Nama Encik ni Azizul ke? Saya nak confirmkan no contact encik Azizul ialah 01*-******?
Me: Ya
TS3: Ok sebentarya saya kumpulkan maklumat (Put me on hold)
TS3: Ok Encik Azizul sekarang ni encik didepan komputer ke? Modem dah dipasang?
Me: Ya, tadi saya dah call, dah try sambung kabel direct dari dinding ke modem, tapi lampu "link" tu masih berkelip
TS3: Oh berkelip ya encik, tu maknanya connection tak stabil. Boleh saya tahu model modem encik.
Me: Riger.
TS3: Ok Encik Azizul, apa yang saya nak encik buat sekarang ini cuba guna kabel yang lagi satu, bukan yg dari dinding tu, dari ADSL splitter ke modem. Saya nak pastikan bukan masalah kabel
Me: Saya kena letak telefon dulu la kalau nak buat macam tu.
TS3: Oh encik guna talian apa sekarang ni?
Me: Talian tetap TM la, saya dail 100 (duhhhhhhh blur la pulak mamat nih)
TS3: Kalau macam tu, encik cuba dulu. Kalau tak boleh jugak kamai akan open report.
Me: Ok (Arghhhhhhh tensennya akuuu, besok siap, aku tulis dalam blog)
TS3: Ada lagi yang boleh saya bantu?
Me: Takde itu sahaja
TS3: Terima kasih kerana mnghubungi kami (hung up straight)


Technical Support (TS) 4 (A guy pick up and I'm tired already)
TS4: TM teknikal support, apa yg boleh saya bantu.
Me: Streamyx conection saya down. User saya ****, Tapi saya dah buat apa kawan awak cadangkan, dari taip command IPCONFIG sampai la cabut kabel dari splitter (2 kali), tapi masih takleh jugak buat connection (straight to the point hehe).
Ts4: Sebentar ya Encik... Ok encik Azizul ye bercakap, no contact encik 01*-******, betul ke encik?
Me: Ya (berapa kali mau tanya da)
TS4: Sebentar ya encik, saya kumpulkan maklumat yang kawan saya dah masukkan. (Put me on hold)
TS4: Encik Azizul, dah buat semua tukar kabel dan sambung terus kabel dari dinding tetapi masih takde connectionkan?
Me: Ya
TS4: Saya akan buka report dan TM teknikal akan contact Encik Azizul dalam masa 2 atau 3 hari ni.
Me: Oklah
TS4: Ada lagi yang boleh saya bantu?
Me: Takde itu sahaja
TS4: Terima kasih kerana mnghubungi kami
Me: Penatnyaaaa den.

I wonder if I can claim the lost of use for this no Streamyx connection time. YO TM, It's been 4 days already. No. It's been 94 hours already (more numbers :p).

Streamyx Combo

It's been 2 months since my last post here. The reason? Simply no internet connectivity at home. I used to have the Celcom 3G but I terminate it since May due to lack of coverage here in Semenyih. Plus I'm staying here for good so there is no need for me to have the internet connection wherever I go (I do now realize I can't browse while driving :P)

While looking for ISP alternative, I decided to choose Streamyx. Despite the bad reputation that the Streamyx user stamp on this ISP, I still want to give it a try. I thought of the cable broadband is much reliable compared to mobile broadband. Well it is confirm much more reliable (compared to Celcom 3G).

While researching on Streamyx service, I decided to get the Streamyx Combo 1MB plan (I want the 4MB plan but there is no coverage here in Semenyih - greedy). I thought it would be smarter to ditch the phone line monthly rental but later it just saved up a few ringgit. But with petrol price ridiculously high, every cent counts.

The detail comparison between normal Streamyx & Streamyx Combo package as follow:

	384Kbps with modem		512Kbps with modem		1Mbps with modem		2Mbps with modem		4Mbps with modem
	Normal	Combo	Normal	Combo	Normal	Combo	Normal	Combo	Normal	Combo
Streamyx subscription fee	RM45	RM60	RM77	RM90	RM99	RM110	RM188	RM140	RM268	RM160
Phone line monthly rental	RM26	Free	RM26	Free	RM26	Free	RM26	Free	RM26	Free
Monthly bill pay to TM	RM71	RM60	RM103	RM90	RM125	RM110	RM214	RM140	RM	RM160
Monthly bill saving	RM11		RM13		RM15		RM74		RM134

Previously I don't have fixed line phone service at Semenyih but I have it at my old house, so I need to transfer the line and bare the charges:

Streamyx activation fee = RM75
Streamyx installation fee (optional) = RM88 (I simply use the self installed & collect the modem myself)
Home fixed line new wiring fee (less than 5m) = RM50

If I'm going to subscribe a new fixed line phone, I will need to add up:

Home fixed line Initial Deposit = RM75
Home fixed line activation fee = RM50
Home fixed line stamp duty = RM10

The voice call rates remain the same for all packages.

The package is good if you're a new Streamyx customer. For the existing normal Streamyx customer you still need to pay the Streamyx activation fee (RM 75) Ouch.....