Using Other's Article On Your Blog or Writing Reference

Using Other's Article On Your Blog or Writing Reference 

Sometime we just copy and pest other's article which might be license under someone else. Sometime we do it as the Internet is not stable and nobody can assure that the article URL will be there in future.

Mr. Shahriar Tariq, Volunteer, Bangladesh Linux Users Alliance (http://linux.org.bd/ check our forum:http://forum.linux.org.bd/) wrote some nice word regarding this topic.

Bellow is his writings: (Copy & Pest)

If you are using someone else article as a reference

1) Check the license, most open source related articles are licensed under open license (such as Creative commons)

2) if the article is not licensed it won't hurt to politly ask the author whether you can use it. most author won't mind giving permission since they wrote it to let people know the content in the first place

3) be sure to give due credit to the original author. If you are not aware who is the author at least mention where you have collected the article

If you find that someone else is using your article without proper credit

1) don't jump on and attack the person, keep your tone checked all the time, if you start heated argument its more probable other person is also gonna reply angrily

2) It may be the case that the person who is using your article without credit are actually not aware of licensing issue. Its not uncommon in Bangladesh, most people don't understand piracy then how come they will understand licensing issue? Make him/her understand licensing issue

3) if reminding them properly does not work then take it up to the concerned team, in case of forum talk to the moderators, in case of community website, the owner is the person you need to talk to, if its personal blog take it up to the hosting company (given they are reputed hosting company).

Simple solution is not it?

--
Thanking you
Shahriar Tariq

Founding Member, Amigos Clothing
http://amigosclothing.com/

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2011

iPhone Knows Where Were You Last Night?

The things we do and say online leave behind ever-growing trails of personal information.

This was dramatically demonstrated last week when security researchers revealed that Apple's iPhone tracks users' locations and saves them to a secret file on the device — and onto users' computers when the two are synced. Apple has promised to fix the problem, but things like this happen all too often.

Tell the companies you use that it's time to protect your privacy! 

With every click, we entrust our conversations, emails, photos, location information and much more to companies like Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google. But what happens when the government asks these companies to hand over their users' private information?

We must demand respect for our privacy from companies with access to our conversations, emails, photos, search histories, location information and more.

If we don't act to protect our personal privacy, no one will.

Bangladesh: Mobile Phones Create Opportunities for Villagers in Bangladesh

Bangladesh: Private Sector Development: Mobile Phones Create Opportunities for Villagers in Bangladesh

Challenge

At the time of appraisal in 2000, Bangladesh had one of the lowest teledensity rates in the world: 0.26 telephones per 100 inhabitants. The fixed line incumbent, the Bangladesh Telephone and Telegraph Board (BTTB) had only 350,000 lines in service for a population of 125 million. The waiting list for a fixed line totaled 200,000 subscribers with a waiting time of over 10 years. The challenge was to (i) increase access to telecommunications services and improve the quality of service being offered; (ii) increase connectivity to rural areas, which, in turn, would promote the economic development of rural Bangladesh.

Approach

Promoting private sector development was essential to improve basic infrastructure which, in turn, is key to private sector development. GrameenPhone Limited's strategy was to effectively become the second national operator in Bangladesh. Instead of focusing on a high-end, niche market, it pursued a low tariff strategy designed to compete directly with BTTB. Contiguous investments have assisted in the expansion of GrameenPhone's digital cellular network since 2000. The project supported the company's leading position in the cellular market of Bangladesh and helped increase not only the existing network capacity, but also expanded coverage to a larger part of the population.

Results

GrameenPhone has become the leading wireless operator in Bangladesh, with a network covering over 90 percent of the population. The Village Phone Program has had a significant impact especially on the rural population of this low-teledensity country.

Highlights:
- The Village Phone Program, operated by GrameenPhone, currently provides mobile phone services to approximately 50 million people in villages across the country. It leverages micro-loans from the GrameenBank, providing women with credit to buy cell phones from GrameenPhone. The women then provide mobile pay phone service in their shops, the local market, and elsewhere, charging a markup agreed on with GrameenPhone. Extended cell-phone coverage in poorer areas has had a tremendous social and economic impact on the operators -- mostly rural, poor women for whom income-generating opportunities are rare.
- GrameenPhone has also established 500 Community Information Centers (CIC) where citizens in rural areas have access to the internet and information services.
- GrameenPhone currently has 6,000 sites in all 64 Districts, covering approximately 95 percent of the total population and 80 percent of the country. (Coverage= access to the network signal.)
- Prices have fallen considerably. A prepaid minute of call from a mobile phone cost 5 Taka in 2004 (Exchange rate: US$1 = approx 70 Taka). The rates for the same call have fallen to Taka 1.50 per minute today, due to increased competition and improved interconnection arrangements between operators. With the entry of a fifth operator into the market on May 10, 2007 prices are expected to fall further and more innovative service offerings will be available to customers.
- The TeleCommons Development Group (“TDG”) of Canada found that the consumer surplus from a single phone call to Dhaka, which replaces a physical trip to the city, ranges from 2.64 percent to 9.8 percent of the mean monthly household income. The cost of a trip to the capital ranges from 2 to 8 times the cost of a single phone call.
- Further, a 2006 Ovum study found that almost a quarter of a million Bangladeshi depend on the mobile industry, directly and indirectly, and that mobile services contribute US$650 million to the economy every year.

Contribution

- Drawing on its experience in other countries, IDA support and policy dialogue focused on establishing a regulatory framework that allows competitive private wireless operators to flourish and provide rapid services.
- Through the Telecommunications Technical Assistance Project IDA is helping the government of Bangladesh to (i) separate the policy and operational roles of the government by restructuring the state-owned carrier, BTTB, to operate as an independent commercial entity; (ii) strengthen the policy function of the ministry, MOPT; and (iii) strengthen the regulatory capacity of the Regulatory Commission BTRC, including its spectrum management function.
- The work of the World Bank in all of these important areas reduced the regulatory risk faced by GrameenPhone and gave all parties far greater confidence in investing in Bangladesh telecoms market.

Partners

In 2000, the International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank Group, provided a loan of US$16.7 million and made an equity investment of US$1.57 million in exchange for 3 percent of the company's shares (GrameenPhone I). This investment funded the initial installation and operation of the company's GSM 900 network. In December 2003, IFC sold its equity stake to the shareholders for TK466 million (US$8 million). In 2004, IFC provided the company with a second loan (GrameenPhone II) of US$30 million, the proceeds of which were partly applied to repay IFC's first loan. In 2006 a third loan of US$70 million was approved and should be finalized in 2007 (GrameenPhone III).

Source: Bangladesh: Private Sector Development: Mobile Phones Create Opportunities for Villagers in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Low-cost Private Power Generation To Increase Electricity Supply

Bangladesh: Low-cost Private Power Generation in Bangladesh

Challenge

Bangladesh is a poor, densely populated country of about 162 million people. A longstanding impediment to economic growth and poverty reduction has been an inadequate and unreliable power supply. In the late 1990s, fewer than 30 percent of residents had access to electricity. The weak finances and limited capacity of the two main energy companies—Bangladesh Power Development Board and Dhaka Electricity Supply Authority—prevented them from filling the growing gap in power generation, suggesting that involvement by privately financed independent producers might be required. Unfortunately, the country had no experience building a major power plant with private funding, and prevailing constraints in the Bangladesh infrastructure market suggested that such an innovation was unlikely to happen anytime soon.

Approach

To address these challenges, the IDA-financed Haripur Power Project was launched in 2000 to increase electricity supply through low-cost generation. IDA crafted a framework for attracting private investments to the sector by offering partial guarantees to commercial lenders that offset certain risks related to government policy and regulatory regimes. At the same time, the Private Sector Infrastructure Development Fund worked to alleviate financial market constraints in Bangladesh by making long-term, dollar-denominated debt available for infrastructure projects with private participation. In addition to establishment of a financing facility, the project also assisted Bangladesh with the crafting of transparent procurement procedures, regulatory frameworks, and risk-sharing mechanisms for private sector infrastructure promotion and operation. The outcome was development of two cost-effective independent producers—the 360 megawatt Haripur and 450 megawatt Meghnaghat power plants sponsored by the U.S.-based AES Corporation.

Results

Two new, well-maintained and reliable electricity plants in Bangladesh now generate 30 percent of the country's power, serving tens of millions of people every minute of every day. The plants at Haripur and Meghnaghat have dramatically altered the country’s energy profile, helping stoke economic growth and resolving the power crisis of the 1990s.

Highlights:
-Power that can be counted on. Haripur was online more than 96 percent of the time in 2008. Both plants are by far the best-operating, best-maintained and most reliable generating facilities in the country, operating nearly flawlessly since start-up.

-Power that costs less. In 2008, Haripur and Meghnaghat had unit costs of 1.93 cents per kilowatt hour and 2.47 cents per kilowatt hour, respectively, compared to the average cost of 3.4 cents per kilowatt hour for all independent power producers in the country and 3.8 cents per kilowatt hour for the Bangladesh Power Development Board. The two plants register the least expensive unit-cost performance by far, even when compared to older depreciated plants.

-Cutting-edge technology that is environmentally friendly. The two plants introduced state-of-the-art, gas-fired, combined-cycle technology for the first time in Bangladesh. Their environmental record is spotless, and they have received the highest level of ISO certification, having passed a rigorous onsite review of environmental, safety and health procedures.

-Maximum impact beyond installed capacity. Haripur began commercial operation in December 2001 and Meghnaghat in November 2002, adding a total of 810 megawatts of generating capacity to the power grid. Although accounting for 20 percent of Bangladesh's installed capacity, the two facilities are so reliable and efficient that they provide 30 percent of all generated power.

-A model for the sector. Private operation of the plants has become a paradigm for the Bangladesh Power Development Board as it restructures and corporatizes its generation entities. -A model for the sector. Private operation of the plants has become a paradigm for the Bangladesh Power Development Board as it restructures and corporatizes its generation entities. -A model for the sector. Private operation of the plants has become a paradigm for the Bangladesh Power Development Board as it restructures and corporatizes its generation entities.

Contribution

IDA support for large-scale private generation projects in Bangladesh totals US$141 million, and an additional US$331 million has been leveraged. Of the US$183 million total cost for the Haripur Power Project, IDA provided US$60.9 million of support for commercial debt financing. IDA investment strategy in Bangladesh’s power sector targets specific service improvements by leveraging public and private investment in distribution, transmission and generation, by building institutional capacity and by enhancing the commercial operating environment.

Partners

AES Corporation, USA, a global independent power producer that owns and operates a large number of generation plants worldwide, was the original project sponsor. Initial plans called for the project to be financed by sponsor’s equity, the International Finance Corporation (of the World Bank Group) and commercial banks, with IDA providing partial risk guarantees. However, the deal with IFC and the original commercial banks fell through when the parties could not agree on certain terms and conditions of the loan facilities. AES later arranged for a US$60.9 million commercial loan syndicated by ANZ Banking Group with partial risk guarantees from IDA, scheduling the remaining debt as a Shareholders Loan (subordinated) and Senior Sponsor Facility (SSF). The outstanding SSF balance of US$32.7 million was later refinanced by the Dutch development bank FMO.

To view this complete profile on the web, visit original source: Bangladesh: Low-cost Private Power Generation in Bangladesh.

SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2011

Under The Dominance of Internet - What Bangladeshi Can Do

Dominance of Internet is inevitable either for capitalistic or humanistic purposes. If we want to survive in a densely populated country, we do not have any other way than setting up a well-built cyber society.

Cyber society was mere imagination of a few sci-fi writers in the middle of the last century. Cynics, even some scientists, said the concept of hi-tech based society is possible only in the theoretical papers. The reality on Earth is contrary to hi-tech application and applied science cannot follow the imagination of sci-fi writers. Even after the Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA) of the US Department of Defence planted the seed of Internet in 1969 for connecting computers at some universities, nobody thought the network would end up here. The networking mission calledARPANET was set up for creating a large computer network with multiple paths. Computer scientists of the military and secret services wove their networking formula to save data and information from nuclear attacks and other disasters. It had a safeguard mechanism so that if one side of the network were to be destroyed by attack or damaged by something, the information would be saved and then passed on to the undamaged part of the network.

However, internet broke the military surrounding and gradually it is regarded as one of the basic infrastructures of a city and even a country. So Dhaka city must have more cyber network along with other facilities like electricity, water, gas, road etc. Besides religious teaching of Romzan month here we learned too how to be very patience with traffic jam. Every day Dhaka city was almost paralysed, shoppers and office goers didn’t reach at home for Iftar after staying at road for three hours. City dwellers every year have to undergo the hassle and risk of boarding transport at exorbitant cost and often undesirable troubles. One of the duties of urban planners, road and highway engineers is to concentrate on the problem of traffic jam. Minimal cosy transportation for middle and low income commuters could be ensured, if transport authorities take all of the advantages provided byutilisation of hi-tech.

Internet connection throughout the City can be the finest substitute for not having to go outside of the home almost every day. To some extent, it is becoming needless to attend government offices and business places when you are connected by your home computer with the World Wide Web. If people are to come from suburb areas to KamlapurRailway Station just for booking a ticket, they run into traffic jam as well as waste valuable time. Booking a ticket at a website is an easy task. Now your mobile phone is enough to book a train ticket.

Manufacturing cost of computers started reducing and the concept of a super computer had been changed; therefore, the present super-computer will soon take place of your personal computer. Data storing capacity of a computer is rising day by day, once the information space of a huge computer of the big research labs was only 5 to 10 GB (gigabyte). But for you now in Dhaka City, it will be hard to collect a new hard disc that is less than 40 GB!

Now computer is no more expensive item. Most of companies and hi-tech manufacturing industries in the competitive market depend on making computers affordable for everybody.

Several instances of computerisation in backward societies will be seen during even a cursory reading of IT journals. Many remote areas of the developing countries have been connected to the Web; even a few aboriginal people are provided computers for clicking on icons of online. A latest phenomenon in the field is to use the computer as a tool for poverty alleviation. Scientific discovery is the result of individual imagination and it cannot be universal until appreciation comes from the public. Its development is dependent on wide spread application. Therefore, dropping of the price of hi-tech commodities is a matter of time.

One of the obstacles faced by developing countries to manufacture hardware is lack of investment facility in the field and that they cannot copy their improved products on a mass scale. Already hi-tech giants like IBM, Apple, Dell etcetera have occupied the market. Although making components of computer is possible in the developing countries ifhardware makers manage huge investment.

There is no specific survey on how many people every day come to bus/railway/launch stations for booking tickets and paying for phone-electric-water-gas bills, drawing money from banks and getting information from government and private offices. What will be happening, if they do not need to come to such busy places? If we can bring the city’s works into computerisation, certainly our traffic jam will be reduced and citizens can save valuable time.

Some of the government officials (depending on the nature of the work), research persons, teachers, editors of newspapers etcetera do not need to attend offices every day if they have computer with Internet at home. One can even operate one’s office computer by using one’s home computer; especially if it is paper-based works that require presence neither in the office, nor at home, but only a computer with Internet. A teacher can deliver a class lecture from the home computer. Online exam papers can be examined online. Moreover, a computer can give marks to exam papers that have objective type answers of questions.

The editorial page of a newspaper can be made up in the server. Online blank paper will be available. Editorial writers will host their "editorials" from home computer; "letter to the editor" can come from the letter editor. Main articles of the page can be hosted by the editor who is in-charge of editing the write-ups. Finally, page designer will give aestheticalfinishing touch on the page.

E-governance or computerisation can be a blessing in solving traffic jam. A cyber society can be maintained in a huge-spaced server where all of professionals will have password to enter. Professionals will carry out their assigned responsibilities from their own PCs. The administration or management need to understand that attending office every day for some especial kind of employment duties is not profitable because such presence is not needed to get the work done.

We need to develop some especial kind of software, according to the nature of the official duties carried out by city dwellers. Initiating the best utilisation of computer science from home and cyber café will not only save the city from virtually unmanageable traffic jam, it will contribute to the progress of local software engineers, programmers, IT educationists, computer firms and cyber cafés. We should bring the country under the omnipotence of e-governance. Our legislators need to negate traditional thinking that is against sci-tech advancement.

The Independent

24 September

* Shahidul K K Shuvra

Editor of IT and Science pages

The Independent

01715245459