I am using Ubuntu 9.10 but steps should be similar for other distributions too.

Video Tearing with Compiz

Ubuntu’s NVidia drivers are okay for this card. I tried playing 1080p video and it works well if you don’t have compiz turned on. When compiz is on, the video tearing is noticeable. This is what I did to solve it:

1. In CompizConfig Settings Manager (installable via Ubuntu Software Cemter), go to General Options > Display Settings. Set Refresh Rate to 60 and check “Sync to VBlank.”
2. Enable “Sync to VBlank” under nvidia-settings. To do this, go to System > Administration > NVIDIA X Server Settings. Then, choose OpenGL Settings, and check the “Sync to VBlank” box.

This stopped the tearing I guess, but the 1080p became very choppy, probably because the driver is old. Once I installed the latest drivers, the problem was no more.

Update NVidia Drivers

The drivers in the Ubuntu repositories are almost always old. To install the latest version, go to the NVidia site and download the latest version. As of Feb. 22, 2010, the latest version is 190.53. Set the .run as executable by right clicking the file > Properties > Permissions and then checking “Allowing executing file as program.”

Before installing, close X by typing into a terminal:

sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop

Then run the installer:

sudo ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-190.53-pkg2.run

Choose “Yes” for every dialog.

After installation, start X again:

sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start

And the new drivers should be loaded.

Wheel:

The basic mouse functions will work in Linux but to get the mouse wheel customized, download Revoco 0.5. Extract the contents to some folder, go to that folder in the terminal and compile it by typing “make”.

Run revoco without any parameters to see the usage. Remember to run it as root! I personally prefer setting it to auto so I’ll run something like this:

sudo ./revoco auto=18

Where the number indicates the sensitivity. 0 = free scroll, 50 = clicky scroll.

The neat thing about revoco is that, unlike Logitech’s SetPoint, you only need to run this once and the settings stay regardless of whether the next computer you plug it in has SetPoint or revoco. Handy if you need it to function the way you like on a work computer

Extra Functions:

Download btnx and you can set functions to the mouse wheel/buttons. Remember to detect the mouse buttons first before assigning features.

Note that while btnx has a tab for revoco, it may not work if revoco is removed from the build of btnx due to a licensing issue.

In Windows, there is no simple and obvious way to move the entire user folder to another location so we’ll need to make some modifications in the registry. This method may not be optimal, but it works for me. I am using Windows 7 Professional and I’m not sure if it works for Vista or XP. This method will move the entire user profile, including the standard folders like Documents, Pictures, and Music in addition to the hidden AppData folder where applications store their settings.

Before starting, I recommend that this is done very early after installing Windows 7 since poorly written programs reference a static path instead of looking up a system variable. This means that the program will try to access the old user folder instead of the new location after the user folder has been moved. I’ll assume that the next steps are done immediately after a clean Windows 7 install and the Windows install partition is in C:\ and the partition to move the user folder is D:\. So, in the end I want to move C:\Users to D:\Users.

After install, Windows 7 creates the first user account. Because we haven’t messed with the registry just yet, it will create the account in C:\Users\. Nothing can be done about this right now, so just create the account with a throwaway name.

The Folder Options Dialog

First, change folder options to show hidden files and folders by opening an explorer window, press Alt, then from the menu bar choose Tools > Folder Options. Click the View tab and choose “Show hidden files, folders, and drives.”

Next, go to C:\Users\ and copy the Public and Default folders to D:\Users\.

Open up the registry editor by typing “regedit” in the Start Menu search box and press Enter. Navigate to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

After changing the values.

Change the Default, ProfilesDirectory, and Public strings to the location that you want them to be. For example, I changed them from %SystemDrive%\Users\Default, %SystemDrive%\Users, and %SystemDrive%\Users\Public to D:\Users\Default, D:\Users, and D:\Users\Public, respectfully.

From now on, the Default and Public profiles are located in the new path and all new user profiles will be created in the ProfilesDirectory path.

Now, use the control panel to create a new account and it should be created in D:\Users\.

Log out and log in to the new account to make sure that it is, in fact, located in D:\Users\. If you have an existing user profile that you wish to use, just copy everything into the newly created user profile and overwrite everything and log back in to the new account. Once everything works, you may delete the throwaway account.

• ASUS P5P43TD Motherboard
• Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33GHz
• 8GB DDR3
• Windows 7 Professional 64-bit

Seagate Barracuda HDD

• 7200RPM
• 500GB
• SATA2
• 3.5″
• 16MB Cache

OCZ Vertex SSD

• 60GB
• SATA2
• 2.5″
• 64MB Cache
• Firmware 1.4

So you have a Linux desktop or server and want to share files and/or printers to your Windows PCs or Macs. Luckily, all three operating systems support SMB so let’s use that. With Samba you can share files and printers on your home network and protect your shares with a username and password.

Install

First, fire up a terminal window and install the Samba server and GUI Configuration Tool:

sudo apt-get install samba system-config-samba

Once finished the configuration tool can be found under System > Administration > Samba

Settings

Adding a new user.

Make sure the workgroup matches that of your Windows PCs by going to Preferences > Server Settings. If you are using Windows 7 or Vista, it’s “workgroup” (and Samba should already be set to that). If XP, it’s usually “mshome”.

Create a username and password to secure the shares by going to Preferences > Samba Users and click on “Add User.” Add as many users as you need.

Unix Username: Pick the linux user account
Windows Username / Samba Password: The Windows username and samba password will be used for authentication when accessing the share.

Shares

Time to add a share. Click the “+” button.

Adding a new share.

Directory: This is the directory which you want to share.
Share Name: The share name will be the name that will appear when you browse the server.
Description: This will not be shown over the network and is just for organization.
Writable: Check if you want to be able to write to the folder.
Visible: When checked, the share will be visible to users who browse the server. If unchecked, it will not be visible but is still accessible explicitly.

In the Access tab, set permissions by checking the users who may access this share.

Accessing the Share

Back in Windows, access the samba server by opening an Explorer window and entering in the address bar:

\\[ip address of the samba server]

To access a hidden share:

\\[ip address of the samba server]\[hidden share name]

When opening a share for the first time, Windows may prompt for a username and password. Just enter the username and password created earlier.

And now you have a fully functioning Samba server.

Note: The GUI config tool is pretty basic. More advanced options can be set in the /etc/samba/smb.conf file. If this is edited, you can restart Samba server without rebooting:

sudo /etc/init.d/samba restart

Let’s be frank: the iPhone 3G has the worst battery life out of all the iPhones. Add to that the fact that I use my iPhone like a laptop and the battery can die in less than one day. The Monoprice backup battery is only $15 from Monoprice.com and does the job very well. The battery pack should work with all iPods too.

Let’s take a look…

Form

The battery comes in black to match the black iPhones. It has a standard iPod port so just use your iPod or iPhone cable to recharge the pack.

The battery is thicker than the iPhone.

Its width is about the same as the iPhone but it’s quite a bit thicker so you won’t be able to put it flatly down on a table. The actual dimensions, if you are interested, are 6.2cm x 6.8cm x 1.6cm and it weighs 68g.

The raised plug.

The plug is slightly raised from the battery so it can be plugged in even if there is a case on the phone. The downside to this design is that when the battery is plugged in, there is a gap between the battery and the bottom of the phone. The battery’s plug doesn’t feel very secure and it seems like it can snap off but I haven’t had any real issues with it. The top is almost level with the phone’s screen, but the battery is slightly higher.

Charging

The lights flash when charging.

You can check the charge level of the battery by pressing the small, hidden area just to the right of the LEDs. When it’s plugged into your phone or being charged, its LEDs light up but if you’re like me who finds it annoying, just press the hidden button to turn the LEDs off. On a full charge, it can charge my iPhone 3G about 1.5 times so it’ll definitely be your iPhone’s best friend.

Charging the battery takes some time – about 3.5 hours according to Monoprice. Charging the phone is about as fast as charging via your computer or wall adapter.

In conclusion, this battery is simple, it works, is of high capacity, and it’s very inexpensive. Typically, backup batteries like this cost around $30 or more so $15 is a great deal. I’d recommend it to anyone who frequently has a dead iPhone or iPod. If this battery is too bulky, Monoprice also has a smaller (1900mAh) version in black, white, and red.

This is a Sudoku solver that uses arc consistency and domain splitting. Also able to tell if a board has no or many solutions.

Download SudokuSolver

I’ll just list out a few of the apps I have right this moment. If an app costs money, I’ll try to list out some free alternatives. Hopefully you’ll find that they’re useful!

Instant Messaging:

IM+ ($) [iTunes Link]

IM+ supports Live/MSN, Facebook, GTalk, Yahoo, and many more. Also supports push notifications. It’s a little pricey for an IM client at $10 but it’s one of those apps that will stay with you.
Free alternatives: IM+ Lite or eBuddy

Social Networking

Facebook [iTunes Link]

This is the best way to browse Facebook on your iPhone or iPod Touch.

Entertainment

Flixster [iTunes Link]

This is a great app that lets you watch trailers for new and upcoming movies and releases, view the Rotten Tomatoes or Flixster rating, and even finds the nearest theatres and movie play times. Facebook and Netflix integration is also supported.

Midomi SoundHound ($) [iTunes Link]

Identifies songs recording a short clip or listening to you sing or hum!
Free Alternative: Shazam

News

iReddit ($) [iTunes Link]

The iReddit app lets you view Reddit articles, upvote and downvote, post replies, and subscribe to different subreddits. The free version is ad-supported.
Free alternative: iReddit Lite

Navigation

AroundMe [iTunes Link]

AroundMe finds points of interest around you. Browse by type such as Banks, Gas Stations, Hotels, Movie Theatres, Restaurants, etc. and it’ll show you the distance from your current location. Great when you’re in an unfamiliar area trying to find something.

Shopping

eBay Mobile [iTunes Link]

The eBay mobile app lets you search, bid, and pay for items.

Utilities

Photoshop.com Mobile [iTunes Link]

A good free offering that lets you edit and apply effects to your photos.

Wikipanion [iTunes Link]

A light Wikipedia reader.

Dictionary.com [iTunes Link]

The best dictionary I’ve seen. It stores the definitions on your phone or iPod so you can search even when there is no internet connection. Dictionary.com can also play the pronunciation (internet connection required) and does Thesaurus.com.

ConvertBot ($) [iTunes Link]

There are many free unit converters on the app store, but I think this has one of the nicest interfaces. It’s similar to a classic iPod with a scroll wheel to select your unit type. Complete with animations and sound. I’ve had the most fun converting units ever.
Free Alternative:  Convert Units for Free

Delivery Status Touch ($) [iTunes Link]

Expecting a lot of packages? Deliveries lets you track each item and displays them in a very pretty view. It supports Amazon, Apple, Canada Post, DHL, UPS, USPS, and many more. (Full list)

iSSH ($) [iTunes Link]

iSSH lets your SSH into some server and also supports VNC. Very useful if you need to remotely administrate something.

Dropbox [iTunes Link]

Dropbox (for Windows/Mac/Linux) is a service that lets you store files and lets you sync them across several computers. With this app, you can access files such as photos and documents that are in your Dropbox as well as upload photos from your iPhone.

Backgrounds [iTunes Link]

An app that lets you easily browse and download backgrounds that fit for your iPhone.

Games

Implode! ($) [iTunes Link]

Try to blow buildings up by strategically placing different bombs.

Tap Tap Revenge 3 ($) [iTunes Link]

Music game with free and paid tracks.
Free Alternative: Tap Tap Revenge 2

Jailbreak

These apps are available in the Cydia store for jailbroken iPhone or iPod Touch users.

Backgrounder

Lets you run apps in the background. Hold the Home button while an app is running and you will enable backgrounding for that app. Hold it again while the app is running to disable backgrounding. This is useful if you need to switch to another app for a little bit and need to go back quickly. There is an indicator on the backgrounding app’s icon to show that it is still running. Remember that leaving too many apps running in the background will reduce battery life and memory.

SBSettings

An extremely convenient way to change settings without going into Preferences.app. Just swipe the top bar and you can enable or disable 3G, EDGE, Bluetooth, WiFi, kill processes, and change brightness – all without leaving your current app.

3G Unrestrictor ($)

Tricks apps into thinking that you are connected via WiFi. Useful if you want to download large files from the App Store over 3G, view higher quality YouTube video, or use VoIP apps. Includes an SBSettings toggle.

Rotation Inhibitor

An SBSettings toggle which lets you enable or disable rotation for apps like iPod and Safari.

Get your PS3 controller to work on your PC with MotionInJoy drivers for 32 and 64-bit Windows. This guide will show you how to connect your PS3 controller via USB.

Get the MotionInJoy Drivers

Download and install the the MotionInJoy drivers. These drivers support connecting the PS3 controller via USB and Bluetooth. I’ve successfully managed to get the USB method working properly. Feel free to experiment with Bluetooth but it seems to be hit-and-miss.

Load Unsigned Drivers

The 64-bit version of Windows 7 requires that all drivers are signed but the MotionInJoy drivers are not. Therefore, to load the unsigned drivers you will either need to disable driver signature enforcement or enable test mode. Those who use 32-bit Windows should skip this section.

Option A (Disable Driver Signature Enforcement on every boot):

Get to the Advanced Boot Options screen by pressing F8 right after your BIOS screen and before the Windows loading screen. Choose “Disable Driver Signature Enforcement” and now you should be able to load the MotionInJoy drivers.

Remember that every time you boot you will need to do this if you want to use the controller (or another unsigned driver). If you use the controller often then consider enabling test mode (option B).

Option B (Enabling Test Mode):

Download the Driver Signature Enforcement Overrider (DSEO) and use this to turn on Test Mode.  Remember that when test mode is enabled you may install any unsigned driver, including malicious ones.

NOTE: Some antivirus software may be triggered by DSEO. Don’t worry; it’s legit.

You’ll know you’re in test mode the next time you start Windows because there will be a string at the bottom right indicating that test mode is enabled. If you want to keep test mode on you’ll probably want to remove the string. To do that, choose “Remove Watermark” in the DSEO or just go here.

Configuration

Once you have started Windows with driver signature enforcement off, plug in your PS3 controller and wait as Windows tries to install drivers which don’t work. Once that is done, open your start menu and right click “Installer USB Driver” (or something similar) under MotionInJoy. During the driver install process, Windows will complain that it can’t verify the publisher. Click “Install this driver software anyway.”

Once completed, restart your computer (with driver signature enforcement off) and launch DS3 Tool. It should recognize your controller. Pick a mode and click Enable. You can see it working and calibrate it by going to Control Panel > Devices and Printers, right click PLAYSTATION(R) 3 Controller, click Game Controller Settings, choose MotioninJoy USB Game Controller, and click Properties. If Windows recognizes your button presses then you’re done!

Conclusion

If everything went according to plan, your controller should now work just like any other. With many PC games, you can plug in an Xbox 360 controller and have it just work. MotionInJoy 0.4.00 beta  is supposed emulate the 360 controller but it installs both the USB and bluetooth driver at once. The problem for me is that the bluetooth driver doesn’t seem to like my dongle so I get a BSOD. Hopefully others won’t have this problem.

This is an implementation of linear time selection by Blum, Floyd, Pratt, Rivest, and Tarjon in Java.

Pseudocode:

BSelect(A,k):
    If |A| == 1 return A[1]
    p = GoodPivot(A)
    S = { A[i] | A[i] < p }
    L = { A[i] | A[i] > p }
    If |S| >= k return BSelect(S,k)
    else if |S| == k-1 return p
    else return BSelect(L, k-|S|-1)

GoodPivot(A):
    Divide A into n/5 groups of 5 elements each
    Find the median of each group
    Use BSelect to find the median, p, of the n/5 medians
    Return p

View implementation