My Final Year Project Questioner

Hi,

I'm sorry I haven't posted a blog in a quite a while now. Well, now I'm in my final year of my B.Sc Degree in Software Engineering @ IIT which is affiliated with the university of westminster, UK. As for my final year project I have selected to do a project, which will enable the users to identify a lichen by just inserting an image of it on to the software tool. The once the image is processed by the software, the user will be informed about the name of the lichen and some small description about it. It will also have the feature, where users can input data like where the lichen was found and some basic information so that the user can keep track of the lichens that he has identified.

As for the current methods of lichen methods consume a lot of time and effort in identifying a lichen I have thought of automating this process. As at present I'm in the phase where I have to gather user requirements for the project. As there are not many lichenologists here in Sri Lanka, I have already made an online survey. I've already posted this link in a forum called the UBC Botanical Garden and center for plant research where people have started threads where they have posted images of lichens and asking experts in helping them to identify them.

As at now I'm not getting great many responses from it. So I thought of getting your help in this matter.

If you are a lichenologist, a student who is working on lichens, or person who is interested in identifying lichens please take 2 minutes in filling this questioner and help me in making this project a success. Please feel free to forward this link to any person who is interested in lichens so that they also can give feedback to improve this project.

Link to take the survey

I also thought of having a separate blog to keep log of my Final Year Project. I will be posting the link to that once I've created it.

Thanks.

8 Months have gone!

It’s the month of April and the date is 12th Sunday. Yes, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year is around the corner and I’m bored. So I thought of making this time a little productive by writing a status on how my placement @ IFS is going so far.

It’s like yesterday that I joined IFS as a total newbie to the co-operate world. Since that day I have done what I can for the foundation 1 JSF team. I tried my best to utilize every minute that I have for the betterment of the team. I can’t believe myself that it’s almost time to go back to IIT and study for the final year of my degree. 

And recently Nawavi a friend of mine who joined IFS as an employee @ the same time as me said that he patched a bug that I did to a German customer. I hope that particular customer will not send back a mail scolding him that the bug patch doesn’t work. 

It can sometimes be a bore doing the same thing over and over each day. Morning go to work, Work, and then come back home and eat sleep. And when that routine is being broken like today, it gets really bored doing almost nothing @ home. 

I just realized what I’ve just written…. Seems like I’m bored each day of the week! *confused smile* 

Well, these days work a bit hectic since I have come across a problem that is proving hard to solve. And on top of that I have 2 bugs to correct, which I have already corrected but I need to put them in to the code repository. Other than that I’m free as a bird. :)

Working in IFS is very enjoying because there is little or almost no stress (At least for me). And the lunch and tea time gives me the opportunity to ponder about the future and chit chat with friends. :O I'm gonna miss the free lunch! :)

Well, all in all life is going on fine here. Hope yours is too… 

Wishing you all a Happy Sinhala and Tamil New Year,

Mayura “podiman” Wijeyaratne.

Six months have passed @ IFS

I can’t believe that I have already worked for six months @ IFS. It seems like yesterday that I started my placement. I think that I feel like that because I have been working and working and if there isn’t any work I nudge them until they give me work and that maybe why I feel this way.

            Well, to be honest, at the moment I have nothing to do. The bug queue is almost empty and there are a couple cases but all waiting for answers from the customer. I’m in the 7^th floor and in the middle of the floor but a really good place (if you get what I mean ;) ). I have a couple of friends from the training days in my floor so I’m not all lonely J.

            My work isn’t much hard any more, since I know where to look for the files now. I’m working on some GUI enhancement of an installer and waiting for it to get approved by the high ranked people. This is a really negligible little enhancement when you consider the product that we already have but I feel that I have done a good job on it.

            Prof. Alfred is supposed to come to IFS to see if I’m filling in the “log book” properly and to see how good is my work but he has still not come (good that he is late coming cuz if he comes and see me doing nothing and writing this, I might not get the degree ;) ).

            An assignment came today from IIT telling to write an essay on how well I’m following the PDP (personal development plan) I gave before coming for placement! Ya right…. I have followed that to the dot! I can’t even remember the stuff I had written in it! Will have to find it ASAP it should be some where in my comp or one of my pen drives (I have soo many pen drives. xD )

            Good that I bring ayya’s Zune to work because if not I’d be bored to death! Listening to TNL at the moment! TNL rox!

            Well, I dunno what else that I should be including into this note so I’ll stop here.

 Caio.

The Tales of the Beedle Bard

The author of the famous fantasy book series “Harry Potter” (J.K. Rowling) will be releasing a book that is mentioned in the last book in her series “The Deathly Hallows” called “The Tales of the Beedle Bard” to the general public.

This is a fictious book mentioned in the book was used as a plot device; it was given to Hermione Granger by Albus Dumbledore. This book is described as a popular book among the wizarding children, therefore Harry Potter and Hermione Granger didn’t know about the book but Ron Weasley knew about the tales since he was brought up by a wizarding family.

J.K. Rowling has included 5 short stories into this book but the only tale that was mentioned in the book “The Deathly Hallows” is the “Tale of the Three Brothers”. The other tales included in the book are

• The Wizard and the Hopping Pot
  
• The Fountain of Fair Fortune
  
• The Warlock's Hairy Heart
  
• Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump
  

First it was said that J.K Rowling will only be publishing 7 hand written books but later have decided to release it to the general public but all the earnings from it's sales will go towards charity.

From the 7 hand written books, one book (moonstone edition) was auctioned and was bought by Amazon.com for a whooping 1.95 million pounds ($ 3.98 million). The money earned by this auction was donated to The Children's Voice charity campaign. The other copies were handed out as a way of thanking to the people who were greatly involved in making the harry potter series a success.

Here are some pictures of the hand written book purchased by Amazon.com

Now for the great news for all the harry potter fans out there. The general public edition of the story book will be launched on the 4th of December 2008. Many of the news articles state the realease of this new book as “Christmas comes early for Harry Potter fans!” which is very true. I know that I will be very much longing until this is released world wide.

Sources: -
Pictures: - Amazon.com
Information: - Various sources in the internet.

Heroes Vol. 3:- 2 hour Premier

After like a life time, another season of Heroes started. It was a 2 hour special with 2 episodes being broadcasted back to back. Even though I’m bit disappointed about where the story line is headed I was really happy that a long standing question was answered brilliantly. That question was 

Does Sylar eat his victim’s brains to gain their power?

            This question was seen in every forum and because of that even in the TV series they did put this question. But as most of the people thought he does not eat the brains. He just sees how their brains work and learn the power from what he learns from the victim’s brain. 

Even though this big question was answered several other questions popped up in my mind. 

How did that Lindeman guy come into play again? He is just an image for Nathan? Is he actually alive? Was he the one that cured Nathan? 

            This actually reminded me of “Beautiful Mind” where only Dr. Nash can see his imaginary people (Obviously). 

Who is the Nikki Sanders’s double? Is she actually Nikki or somebody else? And if she is her other self how can she have the power to freeze people? 

            This might explained as the story goes on (I hope) 

What happened to the plague stricken future? Did it change due to Peter coming from the future and shooting Nathan? 

            I think he did change that future. (Butterfly effect that Peter’s mum was talking about) 

And oh the big surprise!

How on Earth, Sylar be a brother or may be even a half brother to Nathan and Peter???

Shocker! Hope they will clear this big question in the next few episodes! :)

For me this story is getting bad to worse… There are too many people with powers at the moment and also they brought back Clare’s biological mother back in to the picture (I was wondering what happened to her). And top of that Mohinder Suresh has got a power of his own now, but with some side effects. If he gets that formula right, there will be people with power popping up like mushrooms.

Anyways hope that the story writers won’t do that. I will be watching and waiting how the story is developed. 

Thanks for reading this post. 

Biggest LAN party held in Sri Lanka!

My dear readers!

It is with great pride and joy that I announce the biggest ever LAN party in Sri Lanka is happening on the 26th and 27th of April 2008 at
Capital Mall Banquet Hall,
No.531, Capital Mall Building,
Madiwela Road, Thalawathugoda.


33 hours of non-stop, action packed gaming will be happening with close to 150 gamers from all over Sri Lanka. This LAN party is organized by "Death Company" the first ever organized and multi-gaming clan in Sri Lanka. I'm proud to say that I'm also a part of this great clan.
Sri Lanka is in the infant stage when it comes to hosting big LAN parties attracting large number of gamers. Sri Lanka's gaming industry is also at an very infant stage when you compared to other countries such as India, China or Singapore.
This is a big stride in creating a environment where LAN parties are held for gamers to come out and show their talents to others in the country.
If you guys are also interested in participating in this groundbreaking LAN party please go to www.deathcompany.org/lan and register yourself. You don't have pay anything to register because this LAN party is absolutely FREE!
You can also check out our Death Company website.
Come and Enjoy playing for non stop 33 hours of fun filled gaming!

Demonoid.com is BACK!

There is a good news for all the people using torrents. Demonoid.com is back. YAY!

It was a major disappointment for all the torrents users when Demonoid.com site was closed! That was several months back. All had to use different site and trackers to get their torrents.
But now it seems that everything will get back to normal. Once everyone who was using demonoid come to know that the site is being reopened it'll be back in business.

All my friends who is reading this post!
BE HAPPY! DEMONOID IS BACK! Happy downloading everybody!