Syntux the geek

One of the things that I hate most about International shipments is speed, but now with Boxoh.com it’s interesting as I get to watch the package moving on Google Maps until it gets to my door (Not precisely as it’s going to a friend who’s flying to Jordan one day after the delivery) .

One got to love the beauty of mashed up service!

Tags: Nexus One, Shipment Tracking, USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL, AirBorne, Boxoh.com, google maps

If you are a heavy Internet user and reside in Middle east – Jordan, you must be tired of the plans. I just decided to cancel my ADSL plan and go with 3G+ data line, so far I’m getting average speed of 5Mbs which is great compared to any other ADSL line I’ve ever had, add you to that you get the mobility.

With ISPs there is always a disadvantage makes you look forward for the next offer. I had a reliable 2Mbs ADSL line but with 10GB monthly cap, then I switched to another provider with 11GB cap but happy hours from midnight to dawn, the download speed was great but they don’t have more than 2Mbs for home plans. After that I decided to give WiMax a try, so I picked Kulacom out of the three WiMax providers in the Kingdom. Truth to be said, they have the best customer care in the Kingdom and I got the best WiMax readings in my neighbourhood, the price is very reasonable 120JOD for unlimited downloads but yet they got serious browsing problem, not sure what’s their issue but browsing is 512Kbs class, even though their download is at full speed almost around the clock.

So it’s the time to go with Orange 3G mobility but the high speed has disadvantages when you put a cap of 15GB/Mo. For example, you just need to hit any youtube link and it will be buffered in no time, that’s a huge bandwidth consumption specially if you don’t want to watch that particular video. Sometimes, you just navigate and jump from video into another, you receive links but you lose interest after couple of seconds or minutes.

Now I’m looking for a way to limit bandwidth on youtube and particularly any video service, not because I hate the speed but because I have a lame cap.

I’m sure there should be a lite tool to control the bandwidth. We live in ridiculous world.

Tags: bandwidth consumption, east jordan, adsl line, youtube, video service, average speed, download speed, happy hours, home plans, internet user, full speed, neighbourhood, isps, customer care, middle east, high speed, clock, orange, truth

I have been away from this blog for many reasons starting from personal decision to quit the professional programming life so I can go back to my real thing which is Politics ending with the lack of a better option; However I’m sure the years of programming life would have influence on my next step in life but not sure how yet.

I’m still interested in opening vim and coding but probably from now on it’s going to be for fun only; however I hope the theory that says if you code for fun you might end up making a profit more than you planned would work but yet I’m not going to spend lots of time on it as I decided to take a different path now.

The last straw was when I decided to resign from Dot.Jo (Which is an amazing company) to put more efforts on Ubuntu Community in the Kingdom and Arab world. Thankfully we succeed but partially due to the recession hit. It didn’t allow longer breath especially with the lack of sponsorship, we were so close to have National Open Source Office but I’d blame the recession and probably some other factors.

I’ve also decided to hand out access of communities I was handling like Jolug and specifically Ubuntu Arabic team, Ubuntu Jordan to some new blood; The good ones are taken seems to be true in communities case, all qualified people I approached were bloody busy to handle anything and right now Ubuntu Arabic and Ubuntu Jordan on idle mode.

As a amateur programmer from now on I might try to play with Django but not sure how it will go with the limited time for my hobbies but I will do my best to keep this blog updated at least with some general stuff but of course will try to stay away from iPhone VS android war; but don’t take it as a promise ;). I will also try contribute to Ubuntu Community, at least seasonally.

Until the next post.

Tags: programming life, professional programming, iphone, personal decision, last straw, different path, new blood, django, android, arab world, recession, limited time, programmer, sponsorship, jordan, hobbies, open source, blog

To all Free/Libre/Open Source Software lovers and enthusiastic in the Kingdom, we are planning for a FLOSS Ramadan Iftar day gathering for Jolug, Ubuntu Jordan and Jordan PHP.

We didn’t decide the day yet but it should take place sometime between 15-25 Ramadan/September and should cost around 20 JOD per fasting human in one of 3+ stars hotels.

If you are one of them, if you want to get to know them, if you want a prove that we eat with a GUI not CLI or if you just feel hungry and want to join bunch of geeks on Iftar, send me an email to blog (at) Syntux {dot} net including your mobile number to arrange money collection for reservation.

Ramadan Karim :-)

Tags: open source software, money collection, mobile number, jod, ramadan iftar, ramadan, floss, ubuntu, geeks, jordan, email, hotels

Wow, I just noticed that I did not blog since 14 of June, anyway here is a quick update of what I’m currently involved in and what making me really busy

1. Ubuntu Arabic Team Finally our website is up and running but our road map still have loads of todos to get in shape
2. We’re about to finalize remaining legal issues regarding National Open Source office
3. I started to hate programming or is it programmer pms?
4. A small network solutions based on Ubuntu in the Kingdom received a threat and some sort of bribe discounts to sell Microsoft products instead which means we have a task for the National Open Source Office lawyer, oh we don’t have a lawyer yet!
5. I should blog about my MOTU journey
6. I should find a way to organize my mental state with the loads of different type of works
7. Jordan LoCo is idle in summer, believe me it’s too hot out there to do any kind of activities.
8. Cycling to the lowest point on earth during summer is a bad idea!

Tags: lowest point on earth, network solutions, microsoft products, bribe, road map, bad idea, loco, programmer, lawyer, open source, journey, jordan, shape, microsoft