TechMag Weekly – Issue 2

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Issue:2 Date:30062003 TechMag Weekly By: Thejesh GN
Thankx
Thankx to Swaroop,Sandeep Patil,Sandya,Shibashis,Narayan(BTLITM) and all others for their encouragements...I will try to keep up to ur expectations..
Thankx Again,
Thejesh GN
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Simputer
What is Simputer?
The Simputer is a low cost portable alternative to PCs, by which the benefits of IT can reach the common man. It is an acronym for Simple, Inexpensive, Multilingual, People's Computer.And simputer is more capable than Palm in terms of screen size (320x240), memory capabilities (32MB RAM) and the OS (GNU/Linux).
The Simputer specs?
Mentioning only the important specs
-CPU 32-bit Strong Arm SA-1100 RISC CPU running at 200MHz
- 32 MB of DRAM
- 24 MB Flash for Permanent Storage (DOC)
- Display I/F 320x240 Monochrome LCD Display Panel
-Touch-panel Overlay on LCD Display used with a plastic stylus (Pen)
- Speaker and MIC Jacks Smartcard Connector
- RJ-11 Telephone Jack
- USB Connector

Operating System: GNU/Linux
- Soft-Modem Algorithms V.34/V.17 Data/Fax Modem Technology
- Perl/Tk scripting environment
and - Internet access (Browser, Email, etc.)-MySQL Server and Client - Dhvani: Text-to-Speech Software - MP3 Player-----------
in addition The Simputer is a full-fledged Linux machine, and hence can run standard commands. what else u need?
So what is there for us engineers?
Developeing your own applications to simputer will be a great Learning experience and it can help somebody too.
Application development for the simputer can be done on any platform: linux, windows, solaris, MacOS. This is because any simputer application can be viewed as a blackbox that reads in IML (Information Markup language) and outputs IML. Thus you do not need to own a Simputer to create applications for it. The basic Simputer itself is poorly suited for application development, since it does not have a keyboard or a large display.
Further, IML browsers can run on any linux machine or Windows machine at this time, and can be written easily for other platforms. If you hav such a browser, the application development can proceed without consideration of the underlying hardware.
In addition, any X application that restricts the display to 240x320 will directly run on the Simputer. For example, we have xclock, rxvt, xeyes and other standard applications already running.
Again USB interface gives u a lot of chances. Products like the M-Systems Disk-on-Key Flash Disk are now available on USB. They can provide reliable storage ranging from 16MB to 1GB in capacity.You can attach a key board or mouse to the usb port................everything is left to your imagination now........You can have your own customized Simputer
For detailed specifications, and for other details visit: www.picopeta.com and www.simputer.org
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What is evolutionary computing?
Evolutionary computing harnesses the power of natural selection to turn computers into automatic optimisation and design tools.
The three mechanisms that drive evolution forward are reproduction, mutation and the Darwinian principle of survival of the fittest. In the biological world these mechanisms enable lifeforms to adapt to a particular environment over successive generations. The camel's hump, the eagle's eye, the dolphin's sonar, the crafty human brain itself; all these solutions to environmental problems were generated by evolution. All bear witness to its power as a universal optimiser
Like evolution in nature, evolutionary computing also breeds progressively better solutions to a wide variety of complex problems.
Despite their superficial differences, the four main approaches to evolutionary computing share the same basic template. Whether you favour genetic algorithms, evolutionary programming, evolution strategies or genetic programming, you will have to start with a random or semi random population of candidate solutions and you will have to devise a 'fitness function'
1. Genetic algorithms.
2. Genetic programming.
3. Evolutionary programming
4. evolution strategies.
Where can u use these algorithms?
1. Engineering Design.
2. Routing Algorithms designs.
3. Machine Learning & AI
4. Optimization
Interested Visit:http://evonet.dcs.napier.ac.uk
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where to get Indian Linux?
If u want Linux in indian language. And you expect it to support Indian Languages from a GUI/Application level as well as Kernel level. Then you will be interested to know IndLinux Hindi - Milan Demo CD 0.5 beta has been already released .
you can also support on going project of indianizing the linux by Involving in IndLinux project. The task of localization has several pieces that need domain expertise. Some examples are I/O modules, development of fonts, kernel enablement, word translation etc. The project is looking for experts and volunteers to champion the cause of Indian language computing.
Interested ? www.IndLinux.org

Contacts:[email protected] or [email protected]
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DISCLAIMER:The ideas expressed in this newsletter are soley mine.While stating this i do not represent anybody.