How to install Python of required version using PowerShell

by Dmitry Kirsanov 26. February 2023 11:46

 

One of the software packages I’m using, namely Stable Diffusion, requires a particular version of Python to work… Stable. Hence I made a little PowerShell script that would ensure that if there is a Python of lower version or it’s not installed, then it would be downloaded and installed automatically. Here it is: More...

Software Architects are endangered species now. But not juniors.

by Dmitry Kirsanov 16. February 2023 16:18

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a buzzword in the tech industry for the past decade. The advancements in AI have transformed the way we live and work, but it has also caused a lot of anxiety among developers who fear that AI may take over their jobs. However, the truth is that AI is not a threat to junior software developers, but rather… software architects. More...

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Analytics

The Hidden Gem of Computing: Windows 10 LTSC 1998 - The Secret OS that Revolutionized Gaming

by Dmitry Kirsanov 1. April 2022 18:38

When we think of classic operating systems, Windows 95 and 98 come to mind. However, few people know about the hidden gem that was secretly developed by Bill Gates himself - Windows 10 LTSC 1998. This elusive OS has remained under wraps for decades, but now its incredible story can finally be told. With its remarkable features and unparalleled gaming capabilities, Windows 10 LTSC 1998 has become the holy grail for tech enthusiasts and gamers alike.

The Secret Origin of Windows 10 LTSC 1998:

It all began in the late 1990s when Bill Gates, the visionary founder of Microsoft, was working on an ambitious project. He wanted to create an operating system that would revolutionize the world of computing and gaming. With the help of a select group of Microsoft's top engineers, Bill Gates personally oversaw the development of Windows 10 LTSC 1998.

The team behind this secret project were instructed to think outside the box and push the boundaries of technology. What they created was a revolutionary OS that was light years ahead of its time, so much so that it would be incomprehensible to the average user of that era.

Unparalleled Gaming Performance:

Windows 10 LTSC 1998 was designed with gaming in mind. Bill Gates, a visionary who understood the potential of gaming as a mainstream form of entertainment, ensured that the OS had features that would maximize the performance of games. As a result, this operating system provides an astounding 50 to 80% increase in frames per second (FPS) compared to contemporary systems of the time.

The secret to this performance boost lies in the polished code that Bill Gates personally fine-tuned. By eliminating unnecessary bloatware and optimizing the OS for gaming, Gates was able to create an operating system that ran like a well-oiled machine, delivering unparalleled performance even on hardware of the time.

The Treasured Rarity:

Despite its incredible capabilities, Windows 10 LTSC 1998 was never released to the public. It was deemed too advanced for the market at the time, and Microsoft feared that such a release would alienate their user base. As a result, Windows 10 LTSC 1998 was shelved, and only a handful of copies were ever produced.

Over time, rumors of this mythical operating system began to circulate within the tech community. Some claimed to have seen it in action, while others dismissed it as an urban legend. Those who were fortunate enough to obtain a copy of Windows 10 LTSC 1998, however, became part of an exclusive club, with their prized possession becoming the envy of gamers and tech enthusiasts alike.

Conclusion:

The story of Windows 10 LTSC 1998 serves as a testament to the genius of Bill Gates and the innovative spirit that has driven the tech industry for decades. While it may never be released to the public, its legacy lives on in the hearts of those lucky enough to experience its unrivaled performance. As the world of technology continues to evolve, one can only wonder what other hidden gems are waiting to be discovered.

How to remember everything during online meeting

by Dmitry Kirsanov 25. October 2021 08:01

Pandemic brought one thing that changed the way we go through our daily office lives. And that’s – endless online meetings. At some companies you may be lucky to have just one per day, personally I’ve got the worst possible experience, as far as online meetings go (or, at least, my imagination refuses to show how it could be any worse) – non-stop 9 to 5.

Yes, such experience would be a 100% fault of your employer, and it’s not what you should be going through. A day of such experience draws all energy out of you, and often you may remember only as much as there was written in your calendar and notes. But there is a light at the end of this tunnel. More...

What to do when your phone is lost or stolen

by Dmitry Kirsanov 8. April 2021 19:51

Mobile phones are siblings of old day PDAs, but store vast amount of data. With smart cards up to 1Tb, access to cloud storage, e-mails, messengers and social networks, possessing your phone could potentially have consequences far beyond the obvious financial loss.

In this post I will attempt to address the risks and provide the way to create your own, personal emergency protocol for cases of your phone being lost or stolen.

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Security

Leaving Google, a comprehensive checklist

by Dmitry Kirsanov 8. February 2021 19:56

 

If, like many other people, you are playing with the idea of leaving all the Google services behind, and switching to better alternatives, this guide is for you. It’s relatively easy to assemble a walk-through for ditching old accounts and setting up new ones, but if you aren’t actually in process of doing it, and have your very own reasons for it, that guide won’t do much good to anyone. Hence I am doing it, going through the whole process, and documenting it as I do. I hope it will help you to migrate as well.

In short, we’ll go into full Zero-Trust mode with Google, the way they should have been treated from the start.

The Why

For the sake of leaving the argument on not-very-relevant topic behind, I’ll say that every one of us has his own reason. When speaking about the reasons to migrate from, Google is a gift that doesn’t stop giving. Security, privacy, usability, even politics – there are plenty of reasons to choose someone else.  I’ll describe my reasons simply to illustrate my case, you don’t have to have any of these problems with the company to migrate.

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Two Generals problem

by Dmitry Kirsanov 27. July 2020 20:00

There is a logical problem, a thought experiment for emulating the communication over an unreliable link, called “the Two Generals’ Problem”. In case if, like most people, you never heard of it, here is the definition:

Two armies, each led by a different general, are preparing to attack a fortified city. The armies are encamped near the city, each in its own valley. A third valley separates the two hills, and the only way for the two generals to communicate is by sending messengers through the valley. Unfortunately, the valley is occupied by the city's defenders and there's a chance that any given messenger sent through the valley will be captured.

While the two generals have agreed that they will attack, they haven't agreed upon a time for attack. It is required that the two generals have their armies attack the city at the same time in order to succeed, else the lone attacker army will die trying. They must thus communicate with each other to decide on a time to attack and to agree to attack at that time, and each general must know that the other general knows that they have agreed to the attack plan. Because acknowledgement of message receipt can be lost as easily as the original message, a potentially infinite series of messages is required to come to consensus.

The thought experiment involves considering how they might go about coming to consensus. In its simplest form one general is known to be the leader, decides on the time of attack, and must communicate this time to the other general. The problem is to come up with algorithms that the generals can use, including sending messages and processing received messages, that can allow them to correctly conclude:

Yes, we will both attack at the agreed-upon time.

Allowing that it is quite simple for the generals to come to an agreement on the time to attack (i.e. one successful message with a successful acknowledgement), the subtlety of the Two Generals' Problem is in the impossibility of designing algorithms for the generals to use to safely agree to the above statement.

It’s even called a “paradox” for “inability to find a logical solution” to this problem. Because the proposed solution is to send confirmation for confirmation, and messenger could disappear.

If so many people are saying, that there is no solution, then perhaps there isn’t one, right? More...

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Other

Making Chrome great again. Or, at least, bearable

by Dmitry Kirsanov 7. February 2019 11:27

One of the most hated parts of Google Chrome is it's Software Reporter Tool. This executable file is started by Chrome and supposedly is providing Google with logs from your computer. Either way, it's the fastest way to drain your laptop battery, make computer stutter and noisy. People often ask about the way to get rid of this software reporter tool, but the best advice they get is to modify the security permissions on executable file. Basically, the most common advice is to open the file settings, go to Security tab, ensure the security settings are not propagated from parent (in this case - directory) and then remove all access rights, making this file non-readable. Well, it only works till the next time Google Chrome updates.

A bit better way to lock this (or any other annoying) executable file is by using your Windows Group Policies. More...

Windows Azure Storage performance benchmark and options

by Dmitry Kirsanov 9. April 2017 02:55

cstJust recently I had to assign a new virtual machine for yet another project, and this presented a perfect opportunity to try the recently introduced feature of Azure storage – the SSD drives.

As you know (and if you don’t – you can read about it here), the type of memory used in SSD drives provides not only faster way to write and read data, but more importantly – to read non-sequential data, hence promising a better performance for database and web caching. But, of course, I had to test it before putting any eggs into that basket.

One thing that raised some suspicion was the IOPS limit mentioned in each virtual machine “size” chart. The “size” of virtual machine, in Azure jargon, is the specs. Usually the name of the “size” consists of the literal and a cipher. The first tells us about the purpose of the machine and the second – how powerful and expensive it is.

I’ve selected the virtual machine that had “SSD 7Gb” on it, wondering what it means. Turned out that it means that you’ll get the temporary drive (the one with contents wiped time after time) with total size of 7Gb, but part of it will be taken by the virtual memory file. Still, you’ll get over 5Gb left and I never needed even that much on a temporary drive. More...

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How Google Stole My App

by Dmitry Kirsanov 9. April 2017 00:16

ipt2A lesson for mobile developers.

When you steal from IT corporation, it’s a theft. When corporation steals from you – it’s a progress.

You may live through an event in your life, when stars align and you discover a new niche, where you would be a pioneer. Get the moment of enlightenment, hectically lookup the Internet for solutions and be amazed that no one else did that. You would actually be the first. And there is no guarantee, that it will be success – in a heap of millions of apps and websites and info-noise of events, things are missed. In Android alone, there are 2.8 millions of apps today, and it’s still growing.

Indie projects are akin to live creatures – born in a coincidence that looks like a miracle, they start small and weak, just like most creatures on our planet – and they don’t look like what they will in a few months from now. At that time they are easiest to snatch by all sorts of predators and the nature.

How much it costs to make an app

I calculated, that getting one new user for a mobile app will cost you around More...

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