Sunday, December 29, 2024
Sinister Program to Destroy Buddhism / Dhamma
Saturday, December 28, 2024
Understanding Linux’s Origins
Understanding Linux’s Origins
In 1991, as is also true today, computers were classified by their sizes and capabilities. Computers could belong to any of a handful of categories, ranging from desktop personal computers (PCs) to supercomputers. x-86-based computers, which are the direct ancestors of today’s PCs, dominated the PC marketplace of 1991; however, other types of PCs were available, including Macs. Such computers generally used different C.P.Us and ran their own custom OSs.
In 1991, most PCs ran Microsoft’s Disk Operating System (MS-DOS, PC-DOS, or DOS).
DOS was extremely limited by today’s standards; this single-tasking OS (capable of running only one application at a time) didn’t even take full advantage of the memory of the C.P.Us available at the time.
The versions of Microsoft Windows available in 1991 ran on top of DOS. Although the initial versions of Windows helped to work around some of DOS’s limitations, they didn’t fundamentally fix any of them.
These early versions of Windows employed cooperative multitasking, for instance, in which programs could voluntarily give up CPU up time to other processes. The DOS kernel could not wrest control from a program that hogged CPU time.
Above the PC level, Unix was a common OS in 1991.
Compared to DOS and the version of Windows of that time, Unix was a sophisticated OS.
Unix supported multiple accounts and provided true preemptive multitasking, in which the kernel could schedule CPU time for programs, even if the programs didn’t voluntarily give up control. These features were practical necessities for many servers and for multi-user computers such as minicomputers and mainframes.
As time progressed, the capabilities of each class of computer have grown.
By most measures, today’s PCs have the power of the minicomputers or even the mainframes of 1991.
The OSs used on the PCs of 1991 didn’t scale well to more powerful hardware. Just having more computing power itself, however, didn’t remove the limitations of DOS.
For this reason, DOS and its small-computer contemporaries have been largely abandoned in favour of Unix and other alternatives.
In 1991, Linus Torvalds was a student at the University of Helsinki, studying computer science. He was interested in learning about both Unix and the capabilities of the new x-86 computer he’d just purchased. Torvalds began the program that would become the Linux kernel as a low-level terminal emulator—a program to connect to his university’s larger computers. As his program grew, he began adding features that turned his terminal program into something that could be better described as an OS kernel.
Eventually, he began what computers today can be classified in much the same way as in1991, although some details have changed.
A notable addition are embedded computers, as in smartphones.
Unix was not the only multi-user, multitasking OS in 1991.
Others, such as Virtual Memory System (VMS), were available.
Unix is most relevant to Linux’s history, though.
Today’s versions of Windows are not derived from DOS.
Instead, they use a new kernel that shares many design features with VMS.
Unix’s history, in turn, stretched back two more decades, to its origin at AT&T in 1969. Because AT&T was a telephone monopoly in the United States at that time, it was legally forbidden from selling software.
Therefore, when its employees created Unix, AT&T basically gave the OS away.
Universities were particularly enthusiastic about adopting Unix, and some began modifying it, because AT&T made the source code available.
Thus Unix had a two-decade history of open software development to start.
Most Unix programs were distributed as source code, because Unix ran on a wide variety of hardware platforms—binary programs made for one machine would seldom run on a different machine.
Early on, Linux began to tap into this reservoir of available software.
Linux developers were particularly keen on the GNU project’s software, so Linux quickly accumulated a collection of GNU utilities.
Much of this software had been written with workstations and more-powerful computers in mind, but because computer hardware kept improving, it ran fine on the x-86 PCs of the early 1990s.
Linux quickly acquired a devoted following of developers who saw its potential to bring workstation-class software to the PC. These people worked to improve the Linux kernel, to make the necessary changes in existing Unix programs so that they would work on Linux, and to write Linux Specific support programs.
By the mid-1990s, several Linux distributions existed, including some that survive today.
Slackware was released in 1993 and Red Hat in 1995, for example.
Friday, December 27, 2024
Vulgar Talks for Monks
Vulgar Talks for Monks
Buddha states 28 of his qualifications of vulgar talk to monks.
Numerically in order as was said by the Lord Buddha are as follows.
Manifold vulgar talks are
What a Buddhist monk as a journalist should talk about are about greedlessness, hatelessness and undeludedness (wisdom) and any other talk is senseless and does not lead to liberation or salvation.
Vulgar Deeds of Monks
Vulgar Deeds of Monks
One should read this in tandem with “Vulgar Talks for Monks”.
I never thought that I might have to use this phrase to describe some of the deeds of Monks with political power.
This has nothing to do with Vinaya (Set of rules passed down by oral tradition) which outlines 300 odd major and 1000 odd minor strictures.
I will list a few below.
1. Possession of more than two robes.
2. Possession of money more than what is required of travel (this was a concession when public transport came into existence).
They are meant to be walking spreading Dhamma and no two monks should take the same path having come to a four way intersection.
3. Possession of vehicle for transport.
4. Possession of land.
5. Possession of books other than Thripitaka, which is colossal.
6. Possession of Televisions.
7. Possession of Elephants.
The sole purpose of this is to highlight the number 7.
I think very soon our monks will ascend to Nibbana on the back of a poor elephant.
I am sure once they ascend there the poor animal is dispensed for good to rot probably in hell.
I am not sure how the modern articles like mobiles, laptops, digital texts and multimedia applications would apply in the context of Vinaya.
A modern Sangayana is necessary to validate them in posterity as essential items ‘On the road to Nibbana’.
I am also not sure of Television Displays in the trend of TV stars.
I sometime incline to think when the Thripitaka is fully digitalized and translated to many languages as possible (this is not happening now) the existence of Monks may become redundant except for the SOLE practice of meditation for ultimate goal SEEKING of TRUE salvation or Nibbana.
The way the things are developing there may be monasteries dishing out Nibbana certificates at four levels, Sovan, Sukrudhagami, Anagami, and Arhath.
I hope, I should kick the bucket before that eventuality of having to register for salvation and it is open for all, in the World Wide Web.
I am ambivalent about the right of the monks to become politicians and a member of the parliament.
As a true democrat, I say YES for an individual’s right to exercise political right, if not the Wisdom or the better judgment.
Having said that I am uneasy if they continue to done the robe after being duly elected.
The point is conflict of interest, priesthood or the legislative functions (law of the land).
Suppose the legislature agrees for capital punishment would they vote YES or NO.
I feel very uneasy to see any person (whatever the religion that does not matter) in official capacity especially in the parliament (sometimes in civil capacity, too) display their identity in dress code, hair style, facial hair decoration or by any other mean.
It is a hindrance in the name of fair judgment and a Universal dress code for the assembly is mandatory.
I hope this fact is taken into consideration when drafting the new constitution.
I have no problem with any form of national dress (in the form of kilt in Scotland) however ugly and cumbersome for it to be worn.
I prefer the loin cloth for those without any educational qualifications and the dress should indicate their educational level but not their professional status (Army, Navy, Air Force, Doctor, Lawyer, Accountant, professor or University cloak).
The NEW dress, with neutral colour (not the party colour) should be very simple and no civilian should be permitted to wear this dress for any civilian function.
It should be smart and should not look like a school UNIFORM or Police, Army or Navy.
The idea is, the moment they wear this dress they are in a different mould and feel proud (whether in power or in opposition).
This stricture like VINAYA for monks is only inside the assembly to discipline the present unruly Guys / Girls trained by MA Ra and the CLAN in our legislature.
In other words if a monk wears a particular robe they are expected to behave as such upholding the VINAYA and not like The BBS THUGS.
Under Ma Ra their status was steam rolled like RATS and this new TREND would harbinger good behaviour in parliament and uplift their status in the legislature as TRUE DEMOCRATS (listen to the alternative views).
Equally, the politician should not wear this dress for civilian functions other than the official duties in the assembly.
They are free to wear any other dress including PARTY dress and colour in public so that they can freely mix with their electorate or supporters.
If the speaker wears a particular dress why not MPs?
I never EXPECT this proposal could see the day light.
It is only a wishful thinking.
Vulgar talk to Monks
Buddha states 28 of his qualifications of vulgar talk to monks.
Numerically in order as was said by the Lord Buddha are as follows.
Manifold vulgar talks are
28. Talk about loss (stock exchange)
4. Self mortification
What a Buddhist monk as a journalist should talk about are about greedlessness, hatelessness and undeludedness (wisdom) and any other talk is senseless and does not lead to liberation or salvation.
Ranil Wickramasinghe is out to Destroy Free Education and Buddhism
Thursday, December 26, 2024
NPP is Trapped in 3 Certain Deaths
Survival in Late 1960s and Early 1970s
Wednesday, December 25, 2024
Quantum Flow Logic
Quantum Flow Logic
Quantum Flow Logic should open up new dimensions in a seamless way, without the hindrance of numbers and values of a physical system.
Quanta should exist and at the same time should not exist in a linear time dimension.
One quantum should vanish when another is discovered, making it an illusive endeavor.
I wake up at 5AM Sharp
Cocoa Tree, The Wisdom Tree
Cocoa Tree, The Wisdom Tree
Happy Christmas to begin with.
Tuesday, December 24, 2024
Jack Fruit Seller
Jack Fruit Seller
He is the craftiest of all and worse than an average politician.
My Favorite Fruit Seller
My Favorite Fruit Seller
This guy I knew him from my University days.
Elephant Bath
Elephant Bath
Elephant bath, it was where everybody who visits Kandy go to see elephant when it is not the Perehara season.
Botanical garden and Elephant bath were two landmarks of visit to the city.
Now no more thanks to development projects like Polgolla dam to divert water to the dry zone.
I must address an issue that this dam caused after its opening. I must retell this story for the present engineers to understand the need to release water downstream regularly to avoid similar episodes.
The downstream water spilled over the dam was not enough to cover the river bed. Soon water pools begin to form and the mosquitoes started breading in them. For the first time we started detecting Malaria in Kandy.
Any place under 4500 feet Malaria mosquito can breed. Then water samples collected with mosquito larvae confirmed that Malaria mosquito was breeding in Kandy for the first time.
Now the remedy was to spray DDT on the river bed. This was actually the consolidation phase of Malaria campaign and we prematurely relaxed spraying with the recommendation of the WHO.
Story circulating at that time was that the resident Malaria Campaign Officer who was a foreigner, fearing his job would be axed, if we successfully completed the campaign gave wrong signal to withdraw spraying prematurely.
In any case by the time of the opening of the Polgolla Dam in 1976, the malaria had spread all over and Kandy was relatively immune.
Now spraying the river bed was no feasible with people using it for bathing.
Our public officers gave the Mahaweli an order to intermittently release the water giving them correct instruction considering the life cycle of the Malaria larvae, so that the larvae get destroyed before they become mature mosquitoes. This was a simple remedy but was very effective to arrest malaria spread in Kandy.
I do not think they still practice this simple remedy. One visit to Earl’s Reagent Hotel is enough to witness whether they are practising common sense.
Now it was only yesterday I went to Kandy to buy something double sided sticker to stick the Telephone box to the wall. I was going from one corner of the city to the other corner to find the same without any success. At one point the cross road and the main were blocked and people were getting ready (some Bank organising the thing) a procession.
Very young elephant with soaring sun beating down was covered with a decorated overcoat and was kept waiting till the men and the retinue got ready. This poor animal while baking himself in the sun was trying to lift foot/feet in rotation, giving some respite to the burning feet (it was like the restless feet of old people who suffer from a similar burning but less distressful to the owner).
It was a pathetic sight to watch and mahout was nonetheless not bothered about the young animals welfare. They are only exhibits without real life away from the jungle habitat. Mind you, I am one who is totally against domesticating these majestic creatures.
Ill treatment is totally unacceptable.
Not only they have lost a place for bathing they have lost all sense of well being under human care in this Buddhist country. These majestic animals love water and water is a sport for them and that is how they keep them cool under a thick skin. With global warming and even in Kandy temperature going above 95 degrees Fahrenheit, they have no comfort zone.
It is criminal.
Not only humans even animals need water for survival and that water has to be good for drinking.
Which is not true today.