Setup of TOR relay on Raspberry PI succeeded !

---< Begin of log >---

Oct 07 18:17:21.000 [notice] Your Tor server's identity key fingerprint is 'JollyRoger xxx'

Oct 07 18:17:21.000 [notice] Bootstrapped 0%: Starting

Oct 07 18:17:39.000 [notice] We now have enough directory information to build circuits.

Oct 07 18:17:39.000 [notice] Bootstrapped 80%: Connecting to the Tor network

Oct 07 18:17:41.000 [notice] Tor has successfully opened a circuit. Looks like client functionality is working.

Oct 07 18:17:41.000 [notice] Bootstrapped 100%: Done

Oct 07 18:17:41.000 [notice] Now checking whether ORPort xx.xxx.xxx.xxx:xxxx and DirPort xx.xxx.xxx.xxx:xxxx are reachable... (this may take up to 20 minutes 

-- look for log messages indicating success)

Oct 07 18:17:43.000 [notice] Self-testing indicates your DirPort is reachable from the outside. Excellent.

Oct 07 18:17:43.000 [notice] Self-testing indicates your ORPort is reachable from the outside. Excellent. Publishing server descriptor.

Oct 07 18:17:44.000 [notice] Performing bandwidth self-test...done.

---< End of log >---

It looks like my TOR relay is now up and running on my Raspberry PI !!!

Synapteek slide deck

A slide deck for architecture activities

I had this in mind for a long time now. I observe that in my activities, I am often requested to provide the same kind of communication deck, including pros & cons, SWOT analysis and so on...

In order to streamline it, I propose you a slide deck providing this kind of master.

Synapteek slide deck

Feel free to comment, propose and ask for additional layouts...

Working on Javascript... from end to end

It has been a long time now that I didn't post anything to this blog...
My last discoveries are around Javascript and how to use it with Node.js + Express + Mongoose + MongoDB.

Quite impressing to be able to do a REST API in some minutes which opens great capabilities.
My next step will be to call this API from a Javascript Client based on DurandalJS.
So a full Javascript stack, from end to end.

I think I will begin to like this language by the way...

Once my code will be a bit advanced, I will put it on GitHub for those interrested. Keep in touch, then !

Internet of thing : use of data to analyze earthquakes effect

In the following article from Postcapes, you have a preview of what could be the use of big bunch of data uploaded from Jawbone connected devices .

This gave me a fool idea. Imagine that we use such connected devices massively on wild animals. This may allow to track their moves, which could be quite useful to study wildlife evolution and potential disorders.

There is a well-known urban legend that animals have the ability to anticipate earthquakes or tsunami (see article from National Geographic). Such devices may potentially confirm or infirm this theory. In any case, it could be interesting to check...

A new partnership between iOS and IBM targeting enterprises

This is a brilliant evidence that Apple now has taken seriously the professional market which was not the case before.

This partnership with IBM is a way to marry with a company which is not a direct concurrent so far, but has a very good and long reputation with professionals.

For more details, see 9to5mac

Google glass is a small step for man, MindRDR is a giant leap for mankind

With MindRDR, You can command directly your Google glasses from ... your brain.

The product is rather simple, and let say it, not very discrete, but using both Google glasses and ThinkGear EEG sensor from NeuroSky, it allows you to command your Google glasses using your mind to capture pictures and share them to social networks (Twitter and Facebook).

More than this simple feature, it also provides an open source app for Google glasses in order to enhance the device capabilities in the future. First feature I am thinking about is a way to exchange small messages between device wearers, and this already has a name : telepathy.

What is interesting there is that MindRDR did innovation, not by creating an hardware device, but by mixing two existing ones and providing a way for more promising innovations in the future.

Of course, this also raised a lot of questions about the potential bad use of such devices but in any case, this is a part of current technical revolution.

Un laptop à un euro pour bientôt?

Un modèle initié par les opérateurs téléphoniques

Mon premier téléphone portable (un sorte de grosse brique grise signée Bouygues Telecom) était onéreux à l'achat et s'accompagnait d'un forfait non moins onéreux.

Puis les opérateurs téléphoniques, sans doute soumis à un marché de plus en plus compétitif, firent progressivement évoluer leur modèle vers une approche où le coût du périphérique était absorbé par le prix de l'accès au service. On vit alors surgir des offres où, sous réserve d'engagement longue durée, on offrait un mobile d'entrée de gamme pour un euro symbolique.

La déclinaison sur les smartphones

Le marché des smart phones semble connaître aujourd'hui le même type de mutation avec des périphériques "low-cost" toujours plus puissants associés à des offres longue durée (24 mois en règle générale).

Le "cloud", nouveau champ de bataille

Bref, ce n'est plus le plus le matériel que l'on vent, mais le service et l'accès à celui-ci. Les grands acteurs - Apple, Google, Microsoft et bien d'autres - l'ont bien compris et ont déjà déplacé la ligne de front vers le "cloud".

Google et même allé plus loin, en proposant le ChromeBook, laptop "low-cost" nativement connecté et entièrement conçu autour de son offre de service.

Alors, à quand un laptop à 1€?

A short history of smartphones - in video...

A short history of smartphones...

... in video on <link> 

An end to end JavaScript application with Parse and Durandal

A little test of Parse Cloud code (see Parse documentation) along with DurandalJS framework (see website), i.e. jQuery, requireJS, KnockoutJS, SamyJS and so on...
So a full Javascript solution from back to front end with a little HTML5 / CSS (Bootstrap) on top.

First glance about Parse makes it very promising. It seems that Facebook and more recently Apple already understood it.

To be continued...

Countries visited by my 10 years old daughter

Map can not be displayed

It has been a long time since last post... I had recently a discussion with my ten y.o. daughter and we imagined to colorized on a map every country she already visited. We could do it of course on a classical map with pencils, but this was also a good opportunity to use google chart API. And here we are...

Surface Pro 3 : le nouveau vaisseau amiral des tablettes Microsoft

Une tablette ciblée pro, par Microsoft

Avec cette nouvelle tablette, Microsoft peut envisager de se tailler la part du lion dans le domaine pro. C'est là sans doute un formidable gisement en terme de parts de marché et l'occasion de (re)venir dans la course. D'autant plus que l'écosystème de développement (Windows / .NET) est mature et la stratégie d'infrastructure (Azure), claire et dûment assumée.

À voir ici en vidéo

Cloud computing : Microsoft is in da house

I recently played with Microsoft Azure and it clearly was impressive. Here below are some thoughts about it

Waouh effect

I tried the platform for almost 24 hours. During these three days, I was able to implement a small cloud infrastructure with:

- on network (Burgundy) with its own DNS and Active Directory server (Vougeot)

- a SQL Server 2008 R2 server (Pommard)

- a Sharepoint 2013 server (Gevrey)

Tested infrastructure

I am clearly not an OS nor a network engineer, but I did it quite easily using standard virtual machines provisioned on Azure.

Why three days? mainly because I passed half of my time configuring my SharePoint site and browse trough the different pages offered by Azure administration tool to discover the platform capacities.

By the way, what about the administration tool? I would say that it took me 1 hour, no more, to discover it by myself and understand the main principles of it. A great work has been done here to simplify the administration and make it as simple as possible.

I used Google App engine some months ago, and clearly, it was not as mature as Azure is, proposing a set of services to host application in an PaaS approach, but having impact on produced code.

I use a bit iCloud from Apple but it is mainly a SaaS approach with a continuous approach between device software and cloud storage.

Microsoft on its side propose a global approach, with provision of hardware and software, on a transparent and global approach.

So yes, Azure clearly does the "Waouh effect". If you want to check, just do it. It's free.

Free, you said?

Yes, the trial is free. You get 150€ of service credit and a 30-days limit to use it. Mine was used in 3 days, due to the SQL Server resource that was costing a lot.

Cost repartition

As you can see above, SQL server service represent around 70% of global cost. This is mainly due to the fact that SharePoint is particularly greedy in SQL transactions and as I played a lot with it in order to obtain the configuration I wanted, it costed me a big part of my credit.

Having seen that, a proper alternative may be SharePoint online, but I didn't had the opportunity to test it yet.

Waiting for web 3.0

Waiting for web 3.0

We all know that the first release of a software is to avoid. Few or bugged functionalities. Only usable by early adopters.

The second one is better, but still need some maturation.

The third one, is obviously the mature one and a good basis for future releases.

So wait for Web 3.0...

Apple is going green and claim it

Some months (years?) ago, Apple was bashed due to the use of non environmental safe components in their device. It seems that this time has changed and that now, Apple is putting its ecological policy as a strong selling point.

First with a little anecdotic green leave for the well-known apple logo as a reference to the earth day (today) but also by many other initiatives:

• A clear reference to Samsung in commercial ads with the slogan "There are some things we want every company to copy" promoting green energy by showing solar panels,
• A Tim Cook's video about Apple's efforts for environment (see video on YouTube),
• An article on Lisa Jackson on Wired (see article on Wired),
• A selection of ecological apps on AppStore.

Clearly, Apple took some measures to avoid a new ecological bashing and make it become a commercial advantage in the future.

A good news for the planet, obviously...

Grams, le frère jumeau obscur de Google

Pour toutes les personnes à la recherche d'un produit licite, il y a Google. Et pour les autres, il y'a Grams...

Avec un look & feel en tout point ressemblant à Google, Grams propose de manière à l'utilisateur l'accès à des produits illicites (drogues, armes, faux papiers... - ça y est je suis repéré par la NSA) en toute discrétion.

Là ou l'affaire prend toute sa saveur, c'est que la condition sine qua non pour acceder à Grams est de passer par le réseau TOR (The Onion Ring) dont l'objectif est de transmettre de façon anonyme les flux internet.

Or ce réseau alternatif est financé pour 3/5ème par le gouvernement américain, pour 1/5ème par des bénévoles et pour le reste par des fondations et donateurs divers dont... Google.

Je me fais alors la reflexion suivante : en creant Internet, l'homme a donné vie à un monde parallèle, virtuel mais néanmoins en interaction avec son réel. Avait-il alors conscience que l'Abel ainsi engendré aurait un jour son Caïn? Que nous réserve ce "Shadow Internet" dont les buts libertaires éminemment louables permettent d'engendrer de tels dérives?

Androïd 4.1.1 affected by Heartbleed...

So if you have such an OS on your device, you may wish to upgrade to a newer version. Would it be sufficient?

No, it won't.

Google has issued a fix, and it is now up to its partners to implement it. In the meantime, if you want to check your device, Lookout issued a specific app for this : Heart Bleed Detector

So, now you know...

Security Update

Did you receive such articles from your internet services provider? I did from IFTTT and it confirmed to me that they are a very serious team

Put the internet to work for you.

Hello champommier, A major vulnerability in the technology that powers encryption across much of the internet was discovered this week. Like many other teams, we took immediate action to patch the vulnerability in our infrastructure. IFTTT is no longer vulnerable. Though we have no evidence of malicious behavior, we've taken the extra precaution of logging you out of IFTTT on the web and mobile. We encourage you to change your password not only on IFTTT, but everywhere, as many of the services you love were affected. If you have any questions or concerns, please email security@ifttt.com. —The IFTTT Team For more information on this vulnerability, also known as "Heartbleed," visit: http://heartbleed.com/

So Microsoft is delivering Office on iPad. Pretty cool! But what is behind?

This was a rumour for a long time now, but Microsoft finally did it and this is not a little announce that Satya Naddala, new Microsoft CEO did there. Office is now available on iPad. And for free... or almost.

Office or Office 365 by the way?

My first reaction was "what does MS want to do on iPad" as they are doing so much effort on the other side to promote their mobile platform through Windows 8. I see two objectives there:

1. Apple is losing more and more market shares this last months, facing Androïd aggressive strategy. Nevertheless, iPad is still a credible mobile device in business market on which it address executives and commercial population. In a strategy consisting to still being a market leader in business market, this does have a sense for Microsoft to provide tools continuity between desktop tools and mobile ones on its leading suite. Helping Apple to keep its leader position in this market today is another way to avoid facing a potential massive Androïd competitor in the next year. This is not the first time that Microsoft deploy such a strategy with Apple, for those who remember 1997's Apple keynote.
2. Here, Microsoft does not promote iPad, nor even Office. If you read the little lines at the bottom of the contract, you'll see that free provided features are read-only ones. For a complete set of features, you have to buy an Office 365 license, which clearly echoes on the recent Microsoft strategy to target the cloud market that I recently observed during the french MS TechDays. What a big stone in iCloud garden by the way... and a clear response to Apple to provide a continuous suite between MacOS and iOS.

There may be several other reason for which deploying MS Office on iPad would not be a strategic mistake from Microsoft. But these two first ones seems sufficient for me. Microsoft strategy is now clearly heading cloud services and mobile devices are only one way among others to access these services. As a major actor in business market, Apple is a mandatory partner and competitor on it.

Apple lance iOS in the Car avec Ferrari, Mercedes et Volvo

Ca y est, c'est officiel, Apple lance "iOS in the car". Pas de chance pour les marques françaises qui ratent le coche. Tout comme les marques américaines d'ailleurs, ce qui est plus étonnant.

Google, lui, s'est associé à Audi, Honda, General Motors et d'autres pour former l'Open Automotive Alliance.

De son côté, Microsoft vient de présenter un pré-version de "Windows in the car" dont les fonctionnalités semblent équivalentes mais qui nécessite encore de petits coups de tournevis pour être fiable...

Toujours est-il que le créneau de la voiture "intelligente" semble bel et bien devenir un enjeu majeur de la compétition entre les grands noms du secteur.

• iOS in the car sur iGen : iOS in the car
• Windows in the car sur iGen : Windows in the car
• Open Automotive Alliance sur TheVerge : Google open automotive alliance

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