MICROSOFT’S LATEST OPERATING SYSTEM IS BASED ON LINUX

hi guys,Microsoft has developed its own Linux distribution. Described as “a cross-platform modular operating system for data center networking built on Linux,” Microsoft’s says Azure Cloud Switch is its own “foray into building [its] own software for running network devices like switches.”

“At Microsoft,” penned Kamala Subramanian, lead architect on the Azure project. “We believe there are many excellent switch hardware platforms available on the market, with healthy competition between many vendors driving innovation, speed increases, and cost reductions.”

However, in the same passage, she goes on to say that cloud and enterprise networks alike find it challenging “integrating the radically different software running on each different type of switch into a cloud-wide network management platform.”

Essentially, while Microsoft likes the idea of software-defined networking, it couldn’t find the right SDN code to suit its demands. That said, Azure Cloud Switch does just that by allowing Redmond to patch out software bugs much more stealthily. It also, Microsoft says, allows the company to scale the software down, enabling it to work on features for its data center, along with other networking needs.

Azure Cloud Switch, or ACS as it’s abbreviated, was conceived with the Switch Abstraction Interface (SAI) in mind, i.e., an OpenCompute project bearing the API required to program action-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) within network devices.

Though Microsoft’s post says a lot about ACS and its accompanying features, its ties with Linux remain unclear. Maybe the world’s switching ecosystem was getting a bit too complex for Microsoft. It did say that it demoed ACS to four ASIC vendors, namely Mellanox, Broadcom, Cavium, and the Barefoot software switch. It also showed off six implementations of SAI with Broadcom, Dell, Mellanox, Cavium, Barefoot, and Metaswitch, with three application stacks being exhibited to Microsoft, Dell, and Metaswitch.

Subramaniam concludes, “We’re talking about ACS publicly as we believe this approach of disaggregating the switch software from the switch hardware will continue to be a growing trend in the networking industry and we would like to contribute our insights and experiences of this journey starting here.”

Clearly this journey is absent Windows, a surprising piece of information for anyone familiar with Microsoft’s historically antagonistic relationship with Linux. On the other hand, there’s something to be said about this new Microsoft, run by Satya Nadella, which is boldly willing to work outside its own proprietary ecosystems if it means being more efficient.

ONLINE CHEATING CASES ON THE RISE IN KOZHIKODE

        HI frds, Online cheating has become a serious concern for the city dwellers. The city police have registered 11 cases of credit/debit card chea

 

 

The number of cases registered in 2015 is almost double compare to a total of 11 cases registered in 2014.

 

 

REASONS:

Ignorance of public about the safety measures to be ensured while using credit and debit cards and before engaging in online purchase is considered the key reason for high number of such cases being reported. Many of the fraudsters siphon off money by collecting the ATM pin, security code and other details of the customers by contacting them over the phone.

 "We are receiving a number of complaints of credit card cheating recently," said district police chief PA Valsan. "Many persons easily reveal their password and pin numbers to people who call them over the phone in the guise of bank employees," he added.

 The number of cases registered in 2015 is almost double compare to a total of 11 cases registered in 2014. The numbers were only six in 2013 and seven in 2013.

 In many of the cases registered with the city police, the complainants lose money as the fraudsters use their account for purchasing goods online. A few other cases of withdrawal of money also were reported in the city in 2015.

Fraud is committed by stealing information contained on the debit card by different means, including the use of card-reading device to collect electronic date from the magnetic stripe on cards. This electronic data will be misused after collecting the password of the card either using hidden cameras or by other means.

 

 

SOLUTION:.
As the One Time Password(OTP) used while online purchase and other transactions are sent only to the registered mobile phone number, many of the fraudsters commit the offence even after contacting the customers and collecting the OTP. Most of such crimes, reported were committed by the fraudsters by collecting the debit card number, pin number, CVV (card verification value) number, date of birth of the customer and date of expiry of the card from the customers, said an official.

 Taking into account, the situation, the city police have started alerting the people of the possible frauds involved. In an alert message, the city police have warned public not to provide any person, who contacts them in the guise of bank employees, with pin number, CVV, and other details on debit cards. Enabling SMS alert for all transactions also is a method to protect accounts.

 The city police also alert bank customers about not giving copies of debit and credit cards to others as it would help the persons avail information including CVV, expiry date and other information which can be misused for online cheating.

 After registering the complaints with local police stations, such cases are shifted to the cyber cell, said the district police chief. An increase in the number of debit/credit card cheating cases is a worrisome situation, he added.

 

 

 

FACEBOOK HITS A NEW MILESTONE WITH A MILLION USERS ACCESSING THE SITE ON A SINGLE DAY

     hi facebook users,The biggest social networking platform Facebook has just gotten even bigger. Company CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook had one billion people logged on to the site on a single day, marking the first time in company history to reach this milestone.

 

 

     According to a Facebook post by the CEO, “On Monday, 1 in 7 people on Earth used Facebook to connect with their friends and family.” He stated that the company uses average numbers but this instance was different! “This was the first time we reached this milestone, and it’s just the beginning of connecting the whole world,” he added.


      Facebook has also released a special video to commemorate the milestone.


      The CEO went to say how proud he was of their community and the progress which has been made. He states, “A more open and connected world is a better world. It brings stronger relationships with those you love, a stronger economy with more opportunities, and a stronger society that reflects all of our values.”


      However, no information was provided from which source the new users came from but the company definitely had a reason to celebrate, along with the advertisers too. In the end, the young CEO thanked its users for being a part of his community and for everything they have done to help Facebook reach this milestone.


      Facebook Co-Founder and Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg is also the wealthiest individual under the age of 35, with a personal fortune of $41.6 billion (roughly Rs 2,72,667 crores). According to a previous report, Facebook aims to bring 4.5 billion users online with Internet.org.


       In a blogpost released to mark the first year of the initiative, Facebook said it will open a portal allowing any mobile operator to offer the service under its Internet.org platform. Facebook currently partners with specific operators to launch the service in different countries.

INDIA TO LAUNCH A HEAVIER US SATELLITE WITH GSLV ROCKET

hi frds,Today India to launch a heavier US Satellite with GSLV Rocket
SRIHARIKOTA: The Indian space agency has already lined for putting US NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite into orbit using its GSLV-Mk II rocket, its chief said today.

"As a part of cooperation with the US space agency NASA, we will be launching a satellite using GSLV-Mk II in 2021," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar told reporters

.

According to him, there is good international market for launching two tonne satellites which ISRO would be targeting

.

He said ISRO has to repeat its launch success of its GSLV Mk II rocket to gain the confidence of satellite owners.

ISRO will also be launching four nano-satellites from US as a piggy back luggage for its Astrosat to be launched next month using its another rocket polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV).

ISRO successfully launched its communication satellite GSAT-6 using its GSLV Mk II rocket today.

"The launch proves that the successful launch of communication satellite GSAT-14 last January was not a flash in the pan," said Mr Kumar.

ISRO officials told IANS that around 10 satellites have been identified for launch using GSLV-Mk II.

Queried about the status of testing a reusable launch vehicle, Mr Kumar said the plan is to test fly a scaled down model (1/6th size of real size model) later this year

 

Watch the lift-off live:

Launch of GSLV-D6 / GSAT-6 live on YouTube: https://t.co/qjiULDsYsw

— ISRO (@isro) August 27, 2015

 

This launch is important for India as it will reduce the cost of launching satellites and take ISRO one step closer to increasing the frequency of launches in a year.

GATE 2016 REGISTRATIONS TO BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER 1

GATE 2016 REGISTRATIONS

       hi Students, The registrations for the Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineering (GATE) are
about to open in a week's time, on September 1.



       The GATE 2016 is expected to be held between January 30 and February 7






           GATE is an all-India examination and will be conducted in 2016 by the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and Indian Institute of Science.

 

 

        It mainly evaluates the comprehensive understanding of candidates in undergraduate subjects like Engineering/Technology/Architecture and post-graduate level subjects in Science.Candidates applying for GATE 2016 will need to complete the application process online. They would not be required to send printouts of either the application form or supporting documents

 

 

 

 

Candidates wishing to apply for GATE 2016 mush have qualified in any of the following:

• B.E./B.Tech./B.Pharm.
• B.Arch.
• B.Sc.(Research)/B.S.
• M.Sc./M.A./MCA or equivalent
• Int. M.E/M.Tech(Post-B.Sc.)
• Int. M.E./ M.Tech or Dual Degree (after Diploma or 10+2)
• Int. M.Sc/Int. B.S.-M.S.
• Professional Society Examinations (equivalent to B.E./B.Tech./B.Arch.)

 

Key dates:

Online applications can be made starting - September 1

Last date to apply online - October 1

Last date for request for change in choice of examination city - November 20

Admit card can be downloaded beginning - December 17

GATE 2016 online examination - January 30 to February 7

Results to be announced on - March 19

 

 

For more details, candidates can log on to www.gate.iisc.ernet.in



 

NEW SMARTPHONE APP MEASURES MOOD, BRAIN

HELLO FRDS,A NEW smartphone app that measures mood and brain power can show if you are a lark or an owl.


       PSYCHOLOGISTS in the UK have launched the moo-Q app to help people discover what time of day their brain is working best.

       "If you notice ... your brain test scores are highest early in the day, you might be well advised to undertake important tasks that require a bit more brainpower first thing in the morning," said Dr Sophie von Stumm, from Goldsmiths, University of London.

 

 

   "Our app will also help alert you to changes in your brain over time, in memory or processing

speed, and it can even help you to exercise your brain - something everyone should do."

 

 

     Moo-Q asks users how positive or negative they're feeling - for instance whether they are awake, nervous, or happy - and then records how well they perform in mental tests that measure processing speed and memory.

 

 

      After undergoing the assessment five times a personalised moo-Q chart can be unlocked, which displays a colour-coded graph showing mood and brainpower across hours, days and weeks.

 

 

      Dr von Stumm and her team developed moo-Q to study the relationship between mood and brainpower over time.

 

 

       "It is an old question in psychology if our brains work better when we are in high spirits, or being a little miserable helps push our brains to maximum performance," she said.

 

 

       "So far, we have no conclusive evidence for either hypothesis - something we hope moo-Q will change."

 

 

Moo-Q can be downloaded free from Apple's App Store

 

HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY, MICROSOFT WINDOWS 95

Hi frds,Today 20th birthday for windows 95
     That was the reaction of one of many who lined up for blocks, attended midnight madness promotions and shelled out $210 for a boxed copy of Windows 95 on August 24, 1995 -- 20 years ago today.

 

 

 

   A month ago this year, Microsoft launched its latest Windows release in a far more subdued fashion, making no references to its blow-out Windows 95 launch. On July 29, Microsoft began making Windows 10 available to Windows 7 and 8 users as a free upgrade, no around-the-block lines required.

 

 

   Today, the tech world is a different place, and Microsoft, a very different company, compared to 20 years ago.

  Microsoft was substantially smaller -- with $5.9 billion in sales and 17,800 employees -- in 1995. Today, Microsoft is a $93.6 billion company with 117,354 employees. But 20 years ago, Microsoft was already well on its way to dominating the PC industry

.
  "Computer use has become so widespread, and Microsoft's grip on the industry so powerful, that the introduction of Windows 95 took on the decibel level of a national event, almost a new August holiday that might be dubbed Bill Gates Day after Microsoft's billionaire president," said The New York Times in its Windows 95 launch story.


   Even just five years ago, Microsoft and its Windows business unit were in different positions compared to where they are today.


   Steve Ballmer was CEO. Steven Sinofsky was running Windows, and Microsoft's corporate strategy revolved around protecting the Windows franchise at all costs. The company was in the midst of developing Windows 8 and IE 9. Secrecy and less public involvement of external testers were key to Microsoft's Windows plans.


   Not so long ago, some of us were wondering whether Microsoft might time the Windows 10 launch so that it would coincide with the 20th anniversary of the launch of Windows 95. In hindsight, I see why Microsoft opted against this.


    No Windows launch will ever live up to the spendy and symbolic Windows 95 one. And Satya Nadella's Microsoft is looking ahead, distancing itself from the old Microsoft products and processes.
"Our industry does not respect tradition -- it only respects innovation," said Nadella in an email to employees, shortly after he was named CEO in February 2014