Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Why it is so painful to cancel an account in a Social Media-This time Hi5

Why it is so painful to cancel an account in a Social Media-This time Hi5
 

I still wonder why social media are behaving like leeches.
They are hell bent on increasing their share in the open but dirty market


1. They start by offering you a free account.
That is the final bait.
In this consumerist world who will offer a free lunch?

2. Then they get every bit of your personnel data which even (probably) government agencies are not interested in.
The governments want to know you are security risk and or a xenophobic.
If you are an average criminal, they are not worried about.

It is a civil matter.
They only want big fish.
In this country of ours, some government agencies actually promote average tricksters and they take them into their fold, get the dirty work done and dispose them unceremoniously like a pulp when it is a liability (we have a police ex-chief and a Sanganayaka involved in plundering archaeological artefacts) to the beholders.

Guys / Girls include those who steal our ballot paper for election rigging.
Some of them steal even the vote of old people in "Incarcerated Homes''
 

They (the criminals) are a wanted commodity come elections.

3. These social media know that the governments steal their data whenever and wherever possible.
Earlier it was done at the airport.
Now they scan you in your kitchen doing daily chores.
They do not have to be on the beat but remain in air conditioned cubicles.
 

What a luxury?

4. This government paranoia for no reason to remain in absolute power has now infiltrated the social media.
They fear a bubble like in the credit crunch.

They fear the  credit crisis.
 

Their profit margin that come free due to technology and that infiltrates into every nook and corner (luckily we have only 10% Internet penetration in spite of the massive drive) one does not have to sweat for one's tasks.
 

These guys also live in air-conditioned living rooms and sit in front of the computer and do not have to travel like the ordinary guys and girls who toil, every day of the week.
 

They have cushy IT jobs.
The network of computers and various search engines do the talk.
They talk tall!

5. Invariable they become the worst pests of this century and of any country
So they fear when a old guy like me want to opt out of their site for an ornamental coffin for the eternal peace six feet under.
 

They make de-registration, the most difficult job on this planet.
Why?
I do not know.
As a doctor, I can say it is an early sign of serious pathological entity not yet defined by the medical fraternity.

I coin the word digital Mafia that metamorphoses to Digital Morphea
 

Getting out of Hi5 was as difficult as with FaceBook.

The details are hidden in the Full Site out of reach of the folks.
 

You have to contact them by email and tag with another entity and a token obtained for one to see the Full Site.
Even after getting there they will ask you various (FUD, Fear Uncertainty, and Doubt) silly questions.


Now they try to keep the data in their server and promote a reactivation scheme.
 

I don't think I can reactivate it from my coffin unless, I take a Tablet with Wireless connection to my final resting (rite's) site, the TOMB.
 

Rest in Piece Social Media.

I have raised this many moons ago.
What happen to my emails when I am DEAD and Disposed?


What happen to it when I am disposed or dispossessed?

Have I got to declare a Dying Dispossession?
 

In spite the technology they are unable to device a full proof method.
That is the case in point.
 

I tell old people please do not use Internet.
 

Visit your friends in person and enjoy a cup of Tea/Coffee or a pint of Larger.

That is more user friendly than social media.


Real people (not digital) need personnel touch.

I now practice digital zeroing when I am on holidays.


I really enjoy my privacy and holiday but enjoy every bit of flavor of food and drinks, I used to enjoy as a young guy (but going up in price for an average citizen).
I practice bit of Moment Meditation, too.
Life is to live.
Not to sit in front of an idiot box.
Creativity comes naturally, then.

See you next time.
I am trying to devise a method to opt out not log out. 
Hope, I will have a Brain Wave when on digital holiday.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

SuSe 12.3 Update with LXDE


SuSe 12.3 Update with LXDE
Yes it is a revelation.
In good old days when one installs SuSe one had several Desktops to choose with several window managers to run in the system.
With Gnome and KDE having their own packages bundle with, lately one has only one or two desktops (second one is Icewarm good enough for trouble shooting in bash shell, probably) in one system.
I am one who always used KDE.
So I never tried installing other window managers.
Thanks to Peppermint, I tried LXDE on SuSe and in one hour of downloading, I got 400 MiB worth of LXDE.
Beauty is, I can use packages that are in Gnome with KDE and KDE packages in in LXDE (basically Gnome packages, I love, for example Brasero) in one go.

However one must install KDE first instead of LXDE to get the best hardware compatibility.

Since PCLinux destroyed one of my old 128 graphic cards trying Plasma on it without my implied (automatically) consent , I had to retrograde myself to 64 GiB card (I had a spare AGP card, thankfully) since it is hard to find even secondhand 128 or 256 cards now.

Of course KDE in SuSE lets you chose Plasma desktop (not as default), if you have a higher grade graphic card in the system.
I have retired PCLinux for good and now using SuSe and Korora (Fedora based with a new anaconda installation, one has to get used to).

Korora also lets you use LXDE.

I now use LXDE to save energy and resources and use KDE only if I have to do a particular job.

Mind you install KDE (not LXDE) first and later LXDE to make it easier for one to use YAST, the configuration utility.

If one has a good and speedy internet connection one does not have to wait for one hour.

One must always install SuSe it with internet running, otherwise configuring (SuSe does it automatically) the repository becomes a big hassle.

One can install Gnome too if one has left enough space in the root partition.
Good luck with your experiments.

Friday, August 16, 2013

Peppermint Update-with LXDE

Peppermint Update-with LXDE
This just to tell you few things one can do having installed Peppermint IV.
As one would realized Peppermint is Cloud Enhanced Light Weight desktop environment and it does not have many utilities.
I added another light weight word processor, Abiword, Xounal, SciTE (Text Editor which allows scientific functions), Brasero (burner utility), Gparted and was not happy with the Peppermint maroon coloured desktop (I like the LXDE, the desktop Knoppix uses) and wanted another desktop.
Yes Peppermint lets you choose LXDE and installed it.
Now I have three light weight desktops.
Peppermint, LXDE and Openbox (Debian) desktops to choose.
LXDE (is a desktop Environment which uses Openbox window manager) uses Openbox and has added blue instead of gray (Openbox desktop) background which is visually pleasing.
One does not need to install Openbox if LXDE is selected.
I love these light weight desktops which boots up quickly if one needs to open the email and browse the news and quickly exit.
These desktops are going to be vital for mobile phones and since FireFox is selling mobile phones with a light weight browser (no application as at present), I downloaded and installed Heavy Weight Browser, FireFox, too.




I still have not found a way to write my Updated Peppermint System to a iso in a DVD.
I wish, they have a utility to do that (not a script) in a graphic mode, like UnetBootIn.
 

I am still wondering what KDE distribution I am going to use for my workloads.
I have temporarily suspended using PCLinux.
I am going to try Korora 19, since it is Fedora based and supports Sinhala Unicode (which PCLinux cannot) and report to you soon.
I got everything right except getting it to type in Sinhala on LibreOffice.
It was installed all in Sinhala instructions and the LibreOffice work front has all Sinhala words for English (si package was installed) but refuse to use Sinhala fonts.
Why I do not know.
Many years ago Fedora let one use Sinhala fonts in OpenOffice but LibreOffice (coming from France) has to fix the last bit of obstacle in using Sinhala in an US keyboard.
I got all the Sinhala fonts but still I cannot type in a US Keyboard.
Linux guys (developers) wake up there is a little handicap in the libraries that integrate with  Unicode and fonts.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Managing Passwords

Managing Passwords
I think Ubuntu One and few others give concern for good password management.
Naming others would be improper since they are not Open Source based.


What goes behind them and whether they share them with the NSA or a corrupt regimes is open for debate.


I have personnel reason to believe they do and my own experience with institutions specially corrupt or vested interests, is on the affirmative.


They are hell bent to breach any privacy one may have.
The reason being that they do not want to be exposed of their sordid acts.
They are paranoid and it is a disease.


Fact that this blog post exists is due to the interference with my blog post elsewhere and a site that lacked good security protocol.


They were dysfunctional over more than a year and I do not use the site anymore.
My writings were very docile innocent and not politically involved.
They were bit humorous and the basic ingredients were satire.


Unfortunately for me, out of the top ten, my writings (I was involved in initial setup) filled the top eight and the administrator got paranoid and blocked my name.
I still continued to write (very little traffic) in spite of noticing the administrators handiwork, since my idea was not to reach the top ten.

They used my birthday as a discriminator.
Who says there is no discrimination in web hosting and social media.
But my writings were there for anybody to read in spite of blocking the rating.
 

I have collated them and recently deleted 75% of the original writings from that site.
Some of them are now in digital output for posterity, in a book form.


This preamble is necessary since when one opens one’s heart and not the mind in the web, one has to be prepared for insults and discrimination.

Sadly now governments and secret agencies are doing things that one would not suspect 30 years ago.
Technocrats and not the real hard working guys who fill these posts and operating from air conditioned cubicles and are scared to be on the beat and foot.
 

Invariably paranoia develops.

So I think it is necessary to have a bit of paranoia when one enters the web with email to begin with.


How does one have a good password?

 
How one can remember a password with 14 to 16 characters (what banks employ now for an account, with the help of computers)?


To begin with one has to train the brain to remember.
I have a suggestion elsewhere (under web etiquette) that  I do not want to repeat here.


Beginning,


Step 1
One has to remember in blocks of three or four.
To train your mind try to remember your VISA card number.
Front four are almost specific and easy.
The last four should be your next attempt.
Do this every time when you go to the bank or to the till.
Do not worry if you forget.

When you can remember the first and the last lot of four numbers, try the other two lot not in specific way.
Suddenly part of the brain not utilized before get a rush of blood and new neurone networks.
Person with any age with firm resolve can do that.
This subconscious repetitive acts can be easily extended to one's password.

I used to remember all the telephone numbers of my friends by heart in good old days and friends are the ones, one frequently ring and (telephone charges were relatively expensive, then) the brain stores them for good.
 

I stop doing that when cell phones came into existence.
 

One has to have one’s own trick for remembering blocks of three or four.

Try to associate them with pictures, names, pets etc.
 

Your pet fish or dog or cat would have a secret code attached.
Every time you feed them repeat the code (in mind) mentally in no time it get fixed as a long term permanent memory.

Step 2
 

Come with a phrase to include all the 10 to 16 characters in one’s password.
This is the hard part but it can be done.

Step 3
Use elements that one never forgets (unless one has Dementia).
Birthday is an easy one to remember.
 

Use only two numbers from it, not all.

Step 4
Unfortunately this cannot be used if one is English but I will give some hint for them too.
For Sinhala U Mata Banna, or Muta Mata Gahanna Hithenawa or Even Puke Ariya are good enough relatively used rephrases one can remember in trans-literate content, which the English Search engine might have trouble in figuring out.
From that phrase  one can choose four characters (even more if the phrase is carefully constructed) easily.
For English user, one good example is to go to alchemy and remember few Elements from the Tables.
Elements like Argon, Neon, Nitrogen,Bromine could be used at lib.

Or even one can use pentagon, hexagon, octagon or any other scientific or mathematical elements.
 

Again one only remembers four characters.

Step 5
If one has ever used a password before which one has remembered with repeated usage, use the same in the middle or rearrange it and put it in the middle.
 

Which will easily give you at least six characters.

You already got 12 characters now.
 

Step 5
Use two capital letters easy to access from the keyboard as the leader or the end of the password or leader and end, depending one is right or left handed.


Step 6.
If the web site requires you to use an alphanumeric pick an alpha numeral to satisfy them.
You got 16 in all and 14 probably is adequate.


Step 7
Do not tell your method to anybody.
Do not share your password even with your spouse.
One day you me be divorced!
That is real and if you have time read my book on “Myths, Miracles and Marriage”.
Usually perfectly normal people become paranoid after getting married.
That is my medical experience.
It is often the people who are near and dear (sometimes, so called friends) who steal your password, not a rouge who breaks in for quick takeaway and getaway.


Keep the record of the method in a secret hiding place that you only have access.
In case one day you forget.
The best place to HIDe t is your brain.
Not even a brain surgeon would not have any access.



When resetting the password.
When you change the password, drop two and take two from your birthday.
Pick four alternative block of four from your catch phrase.
Jumble your original password or add a new one.
Follow the rest as required and one may be able to go on till eighty to ninety since you practised your own method and is almost specific to YOUR BRAIN which a hacker may not be able to penetrate or crack.


Unless you are one of twins there are no two people alike.
Even in them their are subtle differences not due to genetics but the brain behaves differently, even in twins.


Foot Note
But beware your doctor with a short memory or who is cash strapped who might steal your birth day or the catch phrase that you utter to him every time you visit.
Remember doctors forget their passwords more often than their patients.
They will never tell you.
That is why they record every word you utter and then get the vital diagnosis

wrong.
In this computer age doctors have become robots (unlike good old days) and not real humans.
If they ask you do you forget your passwords
Straight away say NO.


The stupid guy will ask you to state the password and put it in his computer memory which is not protected from hackers.
Even the nurse can steal it, if she/he is inclined.


I trust my doctor does not apply to passwords when you do visit him/her, next time, round.
That includes me too.
I might do that, catch your password, certainly not to steal but because my brain is getting absent minded I might put that in my computer, easily accessed even by a little kid.
Do not worry, I do not practice now by choice not by design anyway.
You are safe with me, my dear.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

How to Delete your FaceBook Account?

How to Delete your FaceBook Account?

After lot of trial an error, I managed to delete my FaceBook account.

However,  I have to wait for another 14 days to take that into effect.

If you are old and visually handicapped, I tell you that you will not be able to do that.

They have made it awfully difficult and if you are old you must do that two weeks before your death.

In the first instance I could not find the logout menu.
After I posted a blog report on FaceBook it appeared faintly.

One reason (out of many) for my decision is that they are sharing my information with people I wish not to be associated with.

Friday, August 9, 2013

Ubuntu, Emma Bantu and Mobile Platform

Ubuntu, Emma Bantu and Mobile Platform
We forget what Ubuntu has done to Africa.
Emma Bantu which is Xubuntu derivative is platform for mobile communication.
It is a known fact Mobile Technology has contributed immensely to African hinterland.
Emma Bantu in addition to all the Linux Utilities has a mobile platform for telecommunication for African communities including bushman if they are any left.
It has a wonderful educational utilities separated according to ages which is a very good idea implemented with lot of thought to universal approach to computing.
In addition it has support for French language.


In that sense Ubuntu Edge and Mobile platform was the right decision as far as the African continent is concerned.
The music supplement is an added bonus and Africans love music.


It was unfortunate that Ubuntu did not catch up in Africa in spite of its origin in South Africa.


I hope the new platform of Ubuntu would invigorate the African base.


Emma Bantu which is Ubuntu derivative has taken the lead as far as the old PC are concerned.


My only worry is who is going to keep the repositories of Ubuntu 12-04 running for it to be used for another decade.
Simply because Linux is moving fast for any guy or girl to keep pace.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Synchronizing Peppermint with Ubuntu One

Synchronizing Peppermint with Ubuntu One
I decided to use my spare computer (not my Netbook) as a Cloud Enhanced Computer and was using Peppermint IV as a base since it has Google Drive.
I download Dropbox first and and it was easy and it sits in the bottom panel.
I was annoyed that Ubuntu One was not there.
Mind you I used Dropbox as my first Cloud Utility to share Linux images with my friends and then joined Google.
I added Ubuntu One last of all even though I did not use use Ubuntu (I have changed now and test all the Ubuntu Distributions and Ubuntu as and when they are ready for use) as my first distribution.
Thee was no problem with Ubuntu One for its credit anybody including Microsoft and Mac users can use it just like JoliOs (Joil OS, JoliCloud came into the scene later and I am supposed to be a founder member and it is also Ubuntu based) without Ubuntu running.
Ubuntu one is there as a default in Ubuntu but many other Linux distributions (especially KDE based have not embraced the good idea, until of course, they have their own Cloud Package to boast about).
Puppy Linux started it briefly and gave it up probably due to practical reasons.
I went into synaptic package manager and typed Ubuntu One and got a heap of packages and clicked the packages that I thought would be enough and dowloaded them.
One first run I could not get Ubuntu One on my menu.
I restarted the computer thinking it might configure on ts own but did not.
Went back to package manager and added few synchronization packages and on the second attempt also I did not have Ubuntu One icon to click.
Annoyed I ran Ubuntu One on Run but it said No Ubuntu One.
I thought there is a dependency problem and wanted to Un-Install all Ubuntu One, but when I tried that, the package manager resisted me doing so since if I did that lot of other GTK and Lib Peppermint uses may be lost.
Then I searched again the preferences (I must tell you I checked all the menu items before, un-installing) menu to see Ubuntu One sitting there for me to click it.
I logged in and made the  Ubuntu One synchronization, similar to Dropbox (but bit more than Dropbox).
I have now Google Drive, Ubuntu One with six months free music (which I am not entitled since my registration with them is over three years) and Dropbox do the file sharing in the cloud.

One can have Joli Cloud and do the same but it does not give the option of having Ubuntu One (bit naughty of them coming from Ubuntu base).
One does not have to have all but mind you I am testing them for your use and reporting my adventures, all the same.
Whatever you do make sure you have a password as long as 14 plus characters to be sure that your data is safe from hackers.
I changed my password before attempting all this since recently hacker had broken into Ubuntu Forum and little over one year ago, www.linuxtracker.og and if I remember right Linux Question Forum were compromised.


Whatever, you do in the web is your own responsibility and it is adult domain and not kids’ playground.
Beware.
In my case I do not have any critical or adult content since my blog pieces are meant for all ages.
If I am hacked, I would go for them using Kali Linux or DEFT or similar Linux distribution, all the same but one need not be paranoid to be on the web or in a swimming pool.
Take care when you are in the deep end.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

NetBook Booting and Cloud Computing

NetBook Booting and Cloud Computing
NetBook  (Tablet in due course) is probably the best utility for Cloud Computing and a mobile alternative.
For some reason it did not catch the imagination of many since there were many types of laptops and other market hype.
I bought a NetBook with SuSe enterprise edition (old version) and quickly erased it to install thinking that there are many Linux distributions dedicated to NetBooks.
After weeks of trying I found only two to my satisfaction.
Both were Ubuntu based.
Knoppix did not support it.
The two were EasyPeasy (11.04 version)which had minimal of software.
Only Pinguy Eee had enough software for me to use as my base distribution.
Thank you Pinguy Developer team that come from UK.
Net Runner Kubuntu derivative, I could boot up with a flash card (SD Card) but could not install since the installer crashed.
I played with it for few weeks and but it back to rest for prolonged period.
The when Peppermint IV came I tried it on my spare computer and found it light weight and very flexible.
Subsequently I loaded it up to 10 GiB with latest GIMP 2.8, Libre Office 4.0,Firefox in addition to Google Chrome and all are working to high standard.
I wanted to give it a try erased my netbook hard, repartitioned re-installed Pinguy Eee with the SD card and then peppermint with SD Card.
This is to avoid using the external USB DVD driver and downloaded all the software that I did not have on Pinguy Eee.
Pinguy repository did not downloading updated software.
It is working fine.
The bottom line was that Linux did not take advantage of its light wight capability and the global trend in cloud computing.
In cloud computing every thing has to be paper thin to get efficiency and functionality.
That is what is Linux is capable and Peppermint has shown the way.
Light weight desktop to start with.
All the Linux distribution except perhaps SuSe (Mind you KDE is resource draining desktop) were obsessed with bloated their image but forgot about efficiency and functionality.
This is why Linux is under represented globally just over 1%.
If not for Google and its Android clones and Ubuntu Linux would have been taking final gasping breaths.
It is not Linux Mint but Peppermint that will energize the Linux enthusiasm.
Even Debian and Fedrora have failed us.
I hope Linux magazine do a follow up and I do not mind them using this preamble to show a glimmer of hope for Linux.

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Peppermint-IV-Update-It can be booted with a USB

Peppermint-IV-Update

I am booted with Peppermint on a Live USB prepared from Pinguy 11.04 on my HP Netbook.
I am sorry I reported that Peppermint cannot be booted using UnetBootIn.

It was again the fault of PCLinux default UnetBootin utility.
It had some missing files, in this case it did not copy the image (which was very small) of Peppermint properly.

The fault was with PClinux and its USB creator is no better, anyway.

If sorry especially to Peppermint guys/girl (developers); 
In future release you should include UnetbootIn as a default for using as a USB creator.
I have in fact downloaded UnetBootIn which a tiny useful utility.
It works well with Peppermint.

Until now, I could use only Pinguy 11.04 and Ububtu based EeePeasy on my HP NetBook.
Now  can proudly say Peppermint IV boots well in my netbook and in addition to the USB stick, I have a 8 GiB SD card (Camera storage) that boots peppermint.
Again using UnetBootIn.
Peppermint needs at least 5 GiB of capacity installation.

I will be using Peppermint on daily basis now.
Problem with Pinguy (old 11.10 Ubuntu) is that it does not support a software repository for this version.
I hope Pinguy Linux follow the Peppermint example and produce a Light Weight Cloud based utility with ability to download current software (for example LibreOffice 4.0).

Mind you my Netbook has both Pinguy and Peppermint.
Pinguy 12.04 is large and cannot be intalled on my netbbook.

This is true of NetRunner (Kubuntu based-KDE) and cannot be used on a Netbbook.

I think Puppy Linux or Knoppix should rise up to the challenge by producing a cloud utility that fits into 4 GiB SD Cad.
There was a Puppy Linux with (?Slako) cloud support but it never took off the ground for some unknown reason.
I hope Puppy supporters enter the fray to fit in with the needs.
Small is beautiful and fast.





Friday, August 2, 2013

Why I hate Face-Book?

Why I hate Face-Book?
About three years ago unwittingly  I joined the Facebook and there is noway I can opt out.
I am one who spent lot of time on the web promoting Linux, Cloud Computing and Blogging for fun.
I have many connections including Dropbox, JoliOs-JoliDrive, Ubuntu One and Wordpress in addition to Google.
None of the above providers insist that I use them obsessively and neurotically.
In fact I have not used Dropbox for a long time and my password had expired but they did not remind me of that fact.
Just as good to illustrate the difference between a service of a professional cloud server (dropbox) and a social media (facebook) with very little relevance to my day to day work.
To illustrate the point I get an invitation from some unknown baby (under two years) Deelip Kalum to join his page (these parents do not understand principle of privacy and little child’s rights).
I stop writing a stinker bud did the same to two of my friends to get the message across to all and sundry.
 

The Message went like this,
I rarely use Facebook.
Fortunately, I have given very little information about me on the page.

In fact, I hate it since I cannot opt out or log out.


It is like the a “Pissige Pala Malla”-literally means the “mad woman’s belongings"-life jacket of survival of the illiterate- and I just keep it running by default for my friends to realize that I do EXIST in the sea of JUNK world.


After hour an half of searching I could not sign off or opt out.
I am really hooked to my grave with Facebook.
Will you be sending some “Flowers or Wreath"?
Thanks a lot social media.
What are going to do when I am dead?


Will you be willing to join me in Hell (or Apaya).
At the moment I am in connection with the Apaya Computer Administrator sort this out before my departure..


His administration of my Facebook from Hell will be Handy with Gory pictures.

Please note that individuals are not allowed to communicate in Apaya by email.
I have already figured out a way to deal with my email (dead email) after my death but not FACEBOOK.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Stuck on the Keyboard-We have to get out of it!

Stuck on the Keyboard-We have to get out of it!
 
I often wondered why they have made the English Keyboard so difficult to remember and type.
Except for the numbers all the  letters are arranged in a haphazard order.


In a computer keyboard F1 to F12 function keys are programed in a such a way to do many functions in Linux.

Shift Control, Alternate and Del and combination of these keys do have a special utility value.
Rest of the keys are reserved for letters which has no meaning if one wants to type in Chinese or Sinhala.
To type a Sinhala document one has to make many adjustments to fit into over (56) fifty six phonome/s.


So I never bothered to remember the shortcuts or learn typing in Sinhala.
Doing things in the mother tongue should be a natural thing but the English keyboard has made it such a hassle.
Because of the computers Sinhala keyboard has long been retired to the attic.
I am not saying that the Sinhala keyboard was a good type front or typeface.
It is even worse than the English keyboard.
It was designed to suit printing industry of the time with nothing in relationship to computers, their functions or memory.
It is as an old design as English keyboard.


I did a little research on the design of the original of the typewriter and found that it was designed to be difficult and very slow from the very beginning.
The reason being that in the original design if one typed fast the keys used to get jammed.
The design was anti-human (as far as the speed of the fingers and hands are concerned) and anti-computers by default.


I think we need to revisit this issue and redesign the keyboard with user friendly typeface.
This can be done now with the touch sensitive screen and tablets are on the market.
One does not have to redesign a hardware (Keyboard) typeface.
 If we take the screen it is a blank sheet or blank slate.
The slate was the one we used when learning to write with fingers when computers were not heard of.
That skill was useful when I started surgical skills and suturing techniques.
Hand is much versatile than a computer.
At a time when educators in USA are lurking to abandon the hand writing skills of young ones, a serious thought should be given to the redesigning of the virtual keyboard of the tablet.


We have to abandon the present keyboard to begin with.
We have to reinvent the wheel of success taking into consideration, the skills of both hands, speed of the computer and its adaptability to new way of doing things.


I do not think this will evolve in USA but most likely in Japan and China.
 

The tablet would add insult to injury unless we design a virtual keyboard on the tablet face with use of all the fingers and both hands.

My suggestions for the future.
Give up the old keyboard in a staggered basis.
I have a few design suggestions until the new features get established.
Have two typefaces, one old typeface, the other taking into consideration of the alphabet of a given language with may keys as the screen can accommodate.
I am pretty sure young ones will opt for the latter and will abandon the old keyboard in no time.


For the hardware, I have many innovative suggestions, taking tablet as the future digital slate of education.
1. Both sides of the tablet should have screens and the battery and computer circuit sandwiched between the two.
One face should be the typeface.
Right and left hand sides be used for well designed functions and a guide what is in store of a very simple tablet.
Just like in Ubuntu Unity but I like the overall design of the Pinguy face.
The virtual keyboard should be accessed from the corners and it should stay in the middle in a lengthwise orientation.
The other side should be made into an eReader.


If one types a paragraph and turn around the tablet, the content should be visible like a newsreader or a book face on the other side.


One side is the work face, the other side is the output or the proofreader side.
The reverse side could be used as a photo-editor, camera and many more functions.
There is no limit given the capability of the processor.


For more robust design it should be made like a clam shell (like a laptop) with four input and output faces.
The two functions mentioned above as the bare bone architecture and additional faces for more advanced work like video editing which needs lot of memory and graphic functions.


If we get out of the box and the current keyboard restriction altogether the versatility of the tablet is limitless and enormous.

We must get out of, on the tabletop design of the PC and all waterproof new design should work even underwater.
Even if you drop it on the pool by accident it should work provided the batteries and circuits are well insulated deep inside, in its core.


Yes, we have redesign the wheel and come out of the Box mentality.
The design capabilities and options are limited by only the imagination of the mind.
Instead of thinking of star wars we must make the most versatile tablet on this planet.


There is also one more important ingredient for success.
It should be cheap enough and affordable.
It should not look like an ipad a nice gadget but out f the reach of many.


I am pretty sure this will not happen in Sri-Lanka with a politically frozen nation.
Not in USA too.


But it will come from China and will rule the world in another 10 to 15 years time.