Tuesday, April 15, 2008

A quick update on JPA Boolean Magic Converter

Some update on changes:
  • Fixed the bug of Null pointer exception, when JPA return null on the annotated field.
  • Introduce a new properties call ifNull, which allows user to configure what to return if JPA returns null, it expect enum of org.jbpcc.util.jpa.ReturnType, which have values of ReturnType.True, ReturnType.FALSE, and ReturnType.Null,. The default value of ifNull is ReturnType.Null
Thus as an example, assuming we have model class define as below:

package org.jbpcc.domain.model;

import javax.persistence.Entity;
import javax.persistence.Id;
import org.jbpcc.util.jpa.BooleanMagic;
import org.jbpcc.util.jpa.BooleanMagic.ReturnType;

@Entity
public class SomeVO {
@Id
private Integer id;
@BooleanMagic(trueValue = "Yes", falseValue = "No",
columnName = "OVERDUED", ifNull = ReturnType.FALSE)
private transient Boolean overdued;

public Boolean isOverdued() {
return overdued;
}

public void setOverdued(Boolean overdued) {
this.overdued = overdued;
}
}

Java APT with JPABooleanMagicConverter factory, code above will be converted to:

@Entity
public class SomeVO {
@Id
private Integer id;
private transient Boolean overdued;
//--- Lines below are generated by JBPCC BooleanMagicConvertor PROCESSOR
//--- START :

@Column(name="OVERDUED")
private String magicBooleanOverdued;


public Boolean isOverdued() {
if (this.magicBooleanOverdued == null)
return false;
return this.magicBooleanOverdued.equals("Yes") ? Boolean.TRUE : Boolean.FALSE;
}

public Boolean getOverdued() {
if (this.magicBooleanOverdued == null)
return false;
return this.magicBooleanOverdued.equals("Yes") ? Boolean.TRUE : Boolean.FALSE;
}

public void setOverdued(Boolean trueFlag) {
this.magicBooleanOverdued = trueFlag ? "Yes" : "No";
}
//--- END
//--- GENERATED BY JBPCC BooleanMagicConvertor PROCESSOR

}


That's all, as usual, you could find the JPABooleanMagicConverter binary at http://code.google.com/p/jbpcc/downloads/list.

Do share me your thoughts and comments, happy coding

Sunday, April 13, 2008

A portable JPA Boolean Magic Converter

While doing some small POC with JPA, I am surprise to find out that the current Java Persistence API (JPA) standard does not mandate JPA provider to support data type conversion via annotation, not even a with simple boolean field. For reader who unfamiliar with JPa, what I means is, to persist and "JPA" manage a boolean field, JPA expect the database data type to be integer, where value of "1" means true, and value of "0" means false.

You got to be joking, right? Every "real life" programmer knows that, there are many existing database use different combination of char or string on a table boolean field, such as "True/False", "T/F", "Yes/No", "Y/N", "-1/0", and etc. Thus, as a "real life" programmer, I kind expect the JPA should allows me specific a boolean field via Annotation, such as example below:

@booleanField(trueValue="Yes", falseValue="No")
private Boolean enabled;

And to my surprise, the answer is nope!!!..So far only Hibernate JPA provider provide data type conversation. Daniel Pfeifer, have explain the problem in details, he also discuss some solutions to work around this stupid limitation at his blog, title "Type Conversation with JPA", do check it out.

Daniel's "manual mapping" idea, do solve the limitation. However, maybe it's just me, I just don't like the idea to temporary change a Boolean field to map with database data type (either char, string) in order to resolve the limitation, even we make the field private, this is just me. And I am stubborn, and old . :-)

Anywhere, after some research (Also, a good excuse to my manager to research how difficult to come out our own custom Java 5 annotation with custom Java APT process factory), I come out our own compile time annotation, called @BooleanMagic with our own BooleanMagicProcessorFactory, which I hope, shall temporary resolve the problem.

@BooleanMagic comprise of three attributes:
  • trueValue, specified the table boolean field true value here, such as "True", "T", "Yes"
  • falseValue, specified the table boolean field false value here, such as "False", "F","N"
  • columnName, tableColumn name;
Also please note that BooleanMagicProcessorFactory mandate any field annotated with @BooleanMagic annotation, must either annotated with @Transient annotation or with modifier transient.

Thus, as an example, assuming we have a boolean field called "enabled", which map to table "ENABLED" field, with boolean value of "True"/"false", we will specified our VO as below:

@Entity
public class SomeVO {
@Id
Integer id;
@BooleanMagic(trueValue="True", falseValue="false", columnName="ENABLED")
private transient Boolean enabled;

public Boolean isEnabled() {
return enabled;
}

public void setEnabled(Boolean enabled) {
this.enabled = enabled;
}
}

Using Java "APT" tool with JPABooleanMagicConverter factory, code above will be converted to:


@Entity
public class SomeVO {
@Id
Integer id;

private transient Boolean enabled;
//---
//--- Lines below are generated by JBPCC BooleanMagicConvertor PROCESSOR
//--- START :

@Column(name="ENABLED")
private String magicBooleanEnabled;

public Boolean isEnabled() {
return this.magicBooleanEnabled.equals("True") ? Boolean.TRUE : Boolean.FALSE;
}

public Boolean getEnabled() {
return this.magicBooleanEnabled.equals("True") ? Boolean.TRUE : Boolean.FALSE;
}

public void setEnabled(Boolean trueFlag) {
this.magicBooleanEnabled = trueFlag ? "True" : "false";
}

//--- END
//--- GENERATED BY JBPCC BooleanMagicConvertor PROCESSOR
}


Now, isn't that cool (haha, sorry, I am bit biased here). Btw, BooleanMagicConvertor is portable across JPA protable, and IMHO, this is a better interim solution till JPA make data conversation standard.

I decided to contribute my BooleanMagicConverter back to open source community, it's currently park under my open source project Java Batch Process Control Center, at http://code.google.com/p/jbpcc, you could either build from the source, or get the "BooleanMagicProcessorFactory.jar" from here.

Here an example of how to use the BooleanMagicConvertor using Ant 1.7 apt tasks, assuming all your entity class is declare at ${src.dir}/org/abc/domain/model directory, and you wants to output all generated call to ${basedir}/target directory
 <target name="preProcessJPABoolean" depends="buildJPABoolenProcessorFactory">
<apt srcdir="${src.dir}/org/abc/domain/model"
destdir="${build.classes.dir}"
classpath="./dist/BooleanMagicProcessorFactory.jar:./lib/Model_Dependent_thirdparty.jar"
debug="on"
compile="false"
factory="org.jbpcc.util.jpa.BooleanMagicProcessorFactory"
preprocessdir="${basedir}/target">
</apt>
</target>

That's all, do share me your thoughts and comments, cheers!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

I started yet another open source project



I decided to start another open source project name Java Batch Process Control Center (JBPCC). "What, another open source project again!, what happen to your suduko project?", some of u may ask. Well, the project still hosted at sourceforge, we just not going to maintain the project any more. Reason being, I am tired of suduko already, and there are far too many variance of suduko open source project exists. Sorry!

Anywhere, the idea of Java Batch Process Control Center is somehow continue from my original idea on "Automatic Remote Logging Management via JMX". by using Java 5 instrument API, developer able to "wrap" any Java base process, and automatically offer JMX monitoring and remote logging management functionalities, and the idea of JBPCC, is to deliver end user an AJAX web application to manage, monitor and schedule any those "wrap" processes.

Proposed Features:
  • An in-memory module for remote servers to register, execute, and manage batch processes.
  • Time-based and duration-based scheduling of any configured or registered batch process for execution.
  • Monitoring currently running processes, including resources used and logs.
  • Server management for configuration of servers that hold remote batch processes.
  • A simple rights-based user management module.

Our project is hosted at http://code.google.com/p/jbpcc , Please note that, as this is still a fairly new project, there isn't much user could download from our project repository. But, rest assure that, we will post project news, progress report, tutorial, even web cast here. So, stay tune..

Wish me luck!

Monday, December 31, 2007

A Relaxing Weekend at Eco Friendly resort



As 2007 comes to the end, we decided to go for a short weekend break at a highly recommended Eco Friendly Resort - Rumah Rehat Adeline in Gopeng, Perak. This 'Resort' which we discovered over the Internet looked just like what we are looking for ... a cheap and idyllic place to spend the holiday. This place is in a natural setting, offers only basic amenities and is a 2 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur. At first, I was quite skeptical about staying in a small hut constructed by Orang Asli (local aborigine people) in the deep jungle. Questions such as will there be mosquitoes? Is it safe to sleep in a hut without door and lock? Will I feel too hot since there is no attached air-con? and I was worried that I actually have to share a toilet with others !!!!. (Usual typical City Boy who's been spoiled by 3 - 5 stars hotel).

Anyway, all worries was gone once we reached the front entrance of Adeline's Rest House. The owner Adeline greeted us and quickly made us feel at home. Maybe we were lucky because there were not many groups (only 1) so we had a choice of a nice hut above a stream.


Our hut was on top of small stream with sounds of flowing water 24/7.


After resting for a while, Adeline invited us for a lunch -buffet style. She cooked all the dishes herself with helpers, of course.

My Yummy Lunch

Thoughts of lazing and doing nothing for the afternoon quickly disappeared when Adeline organised activities for us - caving, trekking, waterfalls, body rafting or water rafting ? She asked us excitedly during lunch and because we did not want to look like boring city folks we joined a group going for caving and the waterfalls. Unexpectedly for us, it was a "near death experience" cos we did not know that the trek was going to be an introduction giude to Survivor ! Though the 2 hours of trekking and climbing was difficult but the experience - priceless.




Me trying body rafting

After the afternoon activities, we headed back to the resort with tired body, a twisted ankle and a very hungry stomach. Auntie Adeline once again performed her magic and prepared us a very yummy dinner and BBQ in buffet style.


DSC_0160
yum yum..

After dinner, we all adjourned back to our small hut. Surprisingly the surrounding air is cool and with continuous water flowing sound, wind blowing, we quickly fell a sleep at around 10.00pm.

Next morning, we were greeted with this "poster picture of morning sunshine" below, right outside our hut windows:


DSC_0185


After our breakfast, we relax a bit around the resort, before we back to our sweet home. Overall I rate this trip 4/5 stars, and we will be back again to this lovely resort.

CIMG0538



PS: Throughout our stay on the resort, we are eying this durian (show at picture below), and hope that it will fall, well, our wish was granted, just minutes before we depart, the durain drop, Auntie Adeline quickly takes the durian, and prepare us yummy durain pancake as our farewell gift. Thanks Auntie Adeline.

DSC_0252

Friday, December 14, 2007

Glass Fish Installation from Hell, really?

I like Sun's open source application server, GlassFish, thus when I feels a bit offended when Jevgeni Kabanov wrote an article about how difficult to install GlassFish, and comments that the documentation is suck, and not friendly..

Hm, ok, to give Jevgeni Kabanov benefits of doubts, I decided to do a fresh installation of GlassFish version 2, and observe the manual installation process myself..maybe he is right, as my GlassFish always pre-bundle with Netbeans, and so far, I haven't try to install GlassFish maually myself.


So.here it go..
a) I visit GlassFish's web site at https://glassfish.dev.java.net/

b) I click on "download GlassFish v2 now" icon, and directed to this page https://glassfish.dev.java.net/downloads/v2-b58g.html
, which I presented a step by step instruction on how to install GlassFish, follows by links to download GlassFish binary for various platform

c) I choose to download GlassFish build for Linux platform, as I am running on Ubuntu Gusty. Once download, I follows the documented instruction to install GlassFish, i.e
-> java -Xmx256m -jar "downloaded.jar"
-> cd glassfish
-> chmod -R +x lib/ant/bin
-> lib/ant/bin/ant -f setup.xml

d) Once setup, I follows the quick start guide to start the application server, i.e.
->Add the install-dir/bin directory as PATH env variable
-> Start the server "asadmin start-domain domain1"

e) To verify, I open my browser, and points the URL to http://localhost:8080, which I presented a welcome page, and messages stated my server is up and running running..BTW, port 8080 is default installation port, and u could change the default port by editing the setup.xml

f) To manage the server, I point my browser at http://localhost:4848 to access GlassFish admin console, I entered my given admin user id and password (ie admin, password, adminadmin) to login to the console. I presented a very nice GUI to manage my server, and deploy my application (WAR, EAR, and etc).

g) To deploy one of my application, I click "Deploy web application(.war)", select my war file, and click deploy, and just like that, my application is up and running..

That's it, the whole process takes less then 20 minutes (depends on how fast ur internet connection is to download the installation jar), and all the steps above are well documented at GlassFish's installation and quick start guide. I admit the installation process is "out of norm" and could be improve, but to go to the extends and claim it is installation from hell is bit too extreme, isn't?

Peace!

Monday, November 19, 2007

Beautiful Krabi

Do u ever read your cable TV guide?

Do u? If not, do yourself a favor and call ur Cable TV provider to cancel your TV guide subscribtion. By doing that, you'll be a part of making our earth greener.

Thanks!

Monday, November 05, 2007

Automatic Remote Logging Management via JMX.

Wow, the post title definitely sound “very technical”, and I do hope that it will attract more readers here. :-)

It all started a weeks ago, where I have accidentally discovered a “hidden JDK 5 treasure” (from Daniel Fuch, blogs http://blogs.sun.com/jmxetc/) , called java.lang.instrument, a Java package that provides services that allowing Java language agents to instrument programs running on the JVM. Most people use it for profiling, or pre-instrument purpose.


But I have a idea, why don't we create a logging management wrapper, which allows us to wrap any Java application, and provide us some logging management functionalities without any modification on our application source code. The logging agent will offer the following:

  • Abilities to change log level (debug, info, warning, error) on any configured logger dynamically without restart.
  • Abilities to locate any configured log output files.
  • Abilities to browse (either head, or tail) any configured log files.
Base on requirements above, I come out JMXMBean interface below:


public interface RemoteLoggingMBean {
  public void activateDebug(String loggerName);
public void activateInfo(String loggerName);
public void activateWarning(String loggerName);
public void activateError(String loggerName);
/**
* Retrieve current configured log output files base on given logger.
* The system will only return log files with the following appender
* org.apache.log4j.DailyRollingFileAppender, org.apache.log4j.FileAppender
* org.apache.log4j.RollingFileAppender;
* @param loggerName
* @return Array of file name with relataive file path points to current running directory.
*/
public String[] retrieveCurrentConfiguredLogFiles(String loggerName);
/**
* Similar to Unix head command, read a text file forward from the beggining
* of the file till it reaches line limit, or EOF
* @param fileName the logFileName.
* @param linesToRead, Number of line to be read.
* @return JMX CompositeData with the structure of StartFilePointer (SimpleType.Long),
* EndFilePointer(SimpleType.Long), LogMessages(SimpleType.String)
* @throws java.io.IOException
*/
public CompositeData headLog(String fileName, int linesToRead) throws OpenDataException, IOException;
public CompositeData headLog(String fileName, int linesToRead, long fromFilePointer) throws OpenDataException, IOException;
public CompositeData tailLog(String fileName, int linesToRead) throws OpenDataException, IOException;
public CompositeData tailLog(String fileName, int linesToRead, long fromFilePointer) throws OpenDataException, IOException;
}

The rest of code is delivered by using various JMX and Apache Log 4J API, which I am not going to discuss here, as this is obviously not JMX nor Java Logging tutorial.

If u interest, u could download the whole project source from here. Is not under any copy write protection. U are welcome to download it, modify it, change the author name, use it or distribute it to anyone. IMHO, The IT have to many unfair patents, or copy protection law, which in a way, have stop us on moving forward.

Anywhere, back to topic. To use the wrapper on any Java application that use Apache Log4J for logging, follows steps below:

  1. Either download the binary RemoteJMXLoggingAgent.jar, or build it from the source
  2. Put the binary to your application class path, make sure it sit together with log4j.jar
  3. Append the line at your Java Application startup script
"-javaagent:(deploy directory)/RemoteJMXLoggingAgent.jar
-Drmi.agent.port=AnyRMIPort (optional, default=3000)"


That's it, u application is now able to offer above Remote Logging management functionalities via JMX. To test this, open jconsole from any PC, and connect your remote application via the JMX URL below:
service:jmx:rmi:///jndi/rmi://hostname:rmi_port/remoteLoggerAgent

The Mbean on managing your application logger is called "org.coolboy.RemoteLoggingManager", have fun!


Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Before upgrade to Windows Vista..

Seriously, think twice before u upgrade, o consider open, secure and free alternative Linux OS. Out of so many Linux distribution, I strongly recommends Ubuntu Gusty.
Here why:
  • Needs goods reasons why Linux is better OS compare with Windows> looks here.
  • It just work - Upon installed, ubuntu detected my all my devices, and install drivers correctly, this include my media card, wireless network, video, usb, and etc.
  • Dell start selling PC/notebook with Ubuntu pre-installed, other vendor like Lenovo will follows soon.
  • If u impressed Windows Vista offer "Wowo wow"3D desktop effect, well, looks what Ubuntu Gusty + Compiz offer:


  • Linux could run Windows applications such as MS Outlook, PhotoShop, IE, even MSOffice (If u really really have to, but do consider use open office..) either via Wine (A windows emulator), or via Windows XP vmware image. User could create an empty OS image using VMware server (Free), and install Windows XP (Using legal Windows XP licenses, off course), and install applications on the vm image created.


Seriously, do u really have to upgrade to Windows Vista, post your doubts on my comments page, I am more happy to help here

Thursday, October 18, 2007

[Blog Action Day] - Watch Planet Earth

Ops, I suppose to post a blog on saving our planet earth at 15-Oct-2007 for Blog Action day, and I forgot about it.. , shit...I am getting old...:-(

Anywhere, since I am not very good about environment statistic, political issues on green effort, and how we could really help, I link up few environmentalist's blog for ur reading:

For me, my suggestion is simple. Go and get Planet Earth Series from BBC, (rent it, purchase it, or steal it from ur friend), spend a weekend, and watch it together with your family. I personal guarantee u will amaze and appreciate how beautiful our planet earth is.


Then, just think that, most of beautiful scenes or animals we seen from the series will probably disappear in 1-2 years time...shouldn't we all do somethings to preserve our beautiful lands...

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

[Google Idea] SMS Protect Me

Last month, a 8 years old girl was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and murdered. Till now, our police still trying their very best to looks for the monster. Almost every month, there always a news about a girl being kidnapped, rapped, or worst being killed. I am shocked when and where the accident happen, it happen while the victims taking late bus home, jogging early morning at public park, waiting to be pick up by friend, or taking car from shopping mall car park, and normal routine u and me are doing every day. I feels sick and upset when reading this kind of news.. What is going wrong with our world? what have happen to our soul? I am constantly thinking how technology could help to prevent his kind of situation, and this is how I come out the idea of SMS protect me service.


Here how it work.

  1. First, user needs to register themselves via a portal, given their contact detail, and group of 5 emergency contact numbers (User relative and friend).

  2. Upon registration, user are given a pair of PIN number, one number is use for protect me event registration (see below), one PIN number is use for emergency.

  3. When user feels unsafe at any place at any time, he/she could register a protect me event via SMS, with the format of [user pin] [event's detail] [event duration]. Here are few examples:

    • I waiting my friend to pick me up at office building A, and my pin code is “1234”, I will key in “1234, waiting friend at Office Bulding A, Gate 2, 20 minutes”

    • I am taking a cab back home at late night, “1234, taking cab number WEB1023 home, 30 minutes”

    • I am going to take my car from public car park, “1234, taking my car at Shopping Mall Apple, car park at floor B2, bay 92, 10 minutes”

  4. User send in the protect me event to a local service center number, system will registered the event

  5. When event expired, system will sends user confirmation SMS to end the protect me event

  6. To reply, user have to key in their pin number, follow by “yes” to end the protect me event, or “extend 10 minutes” to extend the event.

  7. If system didn't received user's confirmation after certain retry, system will send alert SMS message to his/her configured emergency contact numbers, if user's Telco provider provide Location base services, system will find user location, and alert his/her friend about user location.

  8. The emergency number is use when user are in danger, thus is in short and easy to send, user are just require to key in the emergency pin number, with any detail if needed, and send to the local service center number, system will straight away notify user friend and family.

  9. The emergency number is also useful when user force to terminate a protect me SMS event, thus, instead of using user given pin to end the event, user could always use their emergency pin to indicate they are in real danger.


Some possible options on extending the services

  • Integrate with local police patrolling system.

  • Partner with insurance company, user are charge per protect me SMS event, in case on any unwanted incident happen, user are insured.

  • Integrate with Phone GPS syetem.
So, what do u think? do share me your thoughts on the comments page, stay tune for my next idea.

PS: As always, if anyone (perhaps Yahoo Inc.) find these ideas interesting and wants to further build up those ideas, do drop me an email.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

[Survey] Are we depends on MSN/Yahoo Messganger too much?

I just discovered that many of my team members like to communicate with each other over MSN, even they just sit beside with others!
Out of curiosity, I pull one of them in my office, and ask them why, and here are their "official" reasons:
a) Keep it low - They don't wants to bother other people, and prefer quiet conversation.
b) Audit log - They could record the conversation
c) Is the "in" things, and I belong to older generations..

Wow, the third point actually hurt me..but I tend to not agree with the first two points.
First, I believe verbal communication is far more effective than typing words in the chat windows, one can't simply shows his/her emotion or body languages over MSN (Although some will argue of using Smiley icons is as effective as our body language). And two, we are team mates, why we like to record our conversation? To protect ourself?

I am lost here, can't imagine what will happen 5-10 years later? Do I have to SMS my Son for dinner, even he is just upstairs playing computer game?

Monday, October 01, 2007

We are living on a very unfriendly world..

My post about Car Pool idea created a lot of heated discussion. Couple of my friends commented that although, in general, they like my idea. they do concern about security, question like "what if car pool partner is a crazy person, or a rapist", or "how could I trust my Car Pool Partner if we never meet before", and etc.

This has strike me a lot of thinking, and wonder what's happening to our world?
I still remember when I was young, I always go out and play with my neighbor's kid for hours before dinner time, and most of time, out of our parent's vision. We always go back on time for dinner, and Mom/Dad seldom question us where we went, how's our school, as long as we finished our homework before bed time.

I remember back then, where there 's not Astro (Our Boardband TV provider), we always pass our rental Hong Kong TV series video tape to each other, and returned our tape just before the due date. My mom always exchanges food with my neighbor, and we always "pijam" (i.e borrow) things from each other. When there is new people move into our area, we always go and help, and that always ends with a welcome tea party.

I can't recall there is many crimes back then as compare today. Now, kids always closely monitor by their parent. I hardly know my neighbor, and people in general, just don't open their heart easily as compare to the pass. What's has change?

It's is due to all the media (TV, news paper, radio, internet) like to cover bad news then good news? Or people in generally poorer as compare to past, and hence the increase of crime rate?

I have no idea...could anyone enlighten me?

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Ideas to Google (Part III) - Google CarPool Portal

This is the third part of my series of articles published with the intention of "selling" my ideas to Google and subsequently to be recruited by Google. By the way did anyone from Google notice my blog .... ?

My third idea is the Google CarPool Portal, my contribution to make our earth greener. I admit this idea is not new as there already many CarPool portals on the web. I visited some of portals, and have yet to come across a portal that I consider a successful one. Most of portals I visited have been inactive for a long time, and for those still consider active, I only see an average one or two posts of interested looking for carpool partner per week. In my opinions, some of the reasons why such portals fail.

1) Lack of big marketing push - Success of this kind of portal is pretty much depends on users participation, the more user participate, the better. Most of the portals I visited are run by personal or community, and usually only have limited funds for Marketing.

2) Poor Location Selection - Most of CarPool portal offers only limited origin/destination selection, and often limited to zip code selection, which in my opinion, it's not comprehensive and customizable enough.

3) Poor user interface - Due to budget problem, most portal offer very basic UI for user to locate CarPool Partner.

4) Lack of incentive to do so, let's admit that, people are motivated when awarded by something.


So how can Google help?
Well, if Google do roll out a CarPool Portal, we already iron out our first problem, and if Google adopt my second idea, we solve our fourth problems. Thus, we only needs to deliver a fairly easy to use CarPool Portal to solve problems 2 and 3.

Here's my vision of Google CarPool Portal:
1. Upon login to Google CarPool Portal, user could post one or many CarPool adv, specifying travel origin, and destination using Google Earth/Google Map, where user could specify the location up to street address, or select buildings (such as office building) from Google Earth/Map. User could also entered their prefer travel time slot (e.g From 7-7.30am), and repeat of the travel (e.g Everyday excepts Weekends, once only).

2. Google will attempt to find closer match per CarPool adv, and will present user a list of adv that matches user's CarPool criteria. User could sort the list by origin, destination and travel time slot. User will get notify via Gmail on every new match found when they are not online.

3. While browsing the CarPool match list, if the match adv owner is online, user could chat (via Google Chat) to the owner to seal the deal. Else, user will have to send a private message to the adv owner, and schedule a time to discuss the CarPool adv

4. User and adv owner identity are protected throughout the conversation. The only way for user to communicate with adv owner is via private messages, and online chat from CarPool portal. Is up to the user, and adv owner when is best time to reveal their identity.

5. Once both parties agree to seal to deal, the adv will close. User and adv owner have the option to claim Google Earth points from the Car portal. Also, for security reason, user could opt on telling the portal when the CarPool going to start, who is driving, the Car Plate number, identity of both parties. This is to protect user in case of any unwanted accidents.

6. There is a forum for users to post FAQ, success stories, experiences, and etc.

7. There is also a running counter from Google CarPool Portal main page showing how many Carpools adv being seals, how many petrol has been save, and most importantly, how many CO2 is save from emitted to the air.

So, what do u think? do share me your thoughts on the comments page, stay tune for my next idea.

PS: As always, if anyone (perhaps Yahoo Inc.) find these ideas interesting and wants to further build up those ideas, do drop me an email.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Introducing Mimi, my new Pug

I just realized that a lot of people are still not aware that we have brought back a new pug call Mimi few weeks ago. Mimi is a female black pug, which is rare in Malaysia, and like her brother, she is very naughty and always begging me to play with her.

Here is Mimi's Picture:

DSC_0111

As always, we will constantly update Mimi's journal at , do drop by to visit Mimi and leave a comment.

Cheers.