NB: This was my first post from the WordPress iPhone App, yay …

dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:

Creates and returns a dictionary using the keys and values found in a file specified by a given path.

+ (id)dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:(NSString *)path

Parameters

path

A full or relative pathname. The file identified by path must contain a string representation of a property list whose root object is a dictionary. The dictionary must contain only property list objects (instances of NSData, NSDate, NSNumber, NSString, NSArray, or NSDictionary). For more details, see Property List Programming Guide.

Return Value

A new dictionary that contains the dictionary at path, or nil if there is a file error or if the contents of the file are an invalid representation of a dictionary.

Availability

• Available in iPhone OS 2.0 and later.

 

Hence, iPhone SDK has direct support for reading in plist files into a dictionary or an array.

Example:

NSString *propertiesPath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@”properties” ofType:@”plist”];

NSDictionary *dictionary = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:propertiesPath];

properties.plist file:

<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>

<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC “-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN” “http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd”>

<plist version=”1.0″>

<dict>

<key>Name</key>

<string>Basit</string>

<key>Array_item</key>

<array>

<string>1</string>

<string>2</string>

</array>

</dict>

</plist>

That would result in a dictionary with two key-value pairs

“Array_item” =     (

1,

2

);

Name = Basit;

May Allah bless us all.

FreeMat is a free environment for rapid engineering and scientific prototyping and data processing. It is similar to commercial systems such as MATLAB from Mathworks, and IDL from Research Systems, but is Open Source. FreeMat is available under the GPL license.

Tried running a couple of tasks I have previously programmed and voila all of them worked . It stood at only under 10mb, is fast and suited perfect for the small algorithm implementations we are working on in the university.

URL: http://freemat.sourceforge.net/

Screenshot:

FreeMat on Ubuntu

Other classmates of mine had given presentations on the basics of Semantic Web, what is RDF/XML, ontologies, how we design ontologies on Protégé etc. Was also told by the teacher that would need to work on the Jena API on Java to accomplish my task of developing a sample Semantic Web Application on JSP.

Difficulties in the project:

1. Not enough idea on why and what was Semantic Web.
2. From where would I get an ontology and if I were to develop one, what are the things I need to keep in mind while I develop it.
3. JSP :S

Areas of my interest:

1. Java
2. HTML

Though experienced several hiccups on my way to completion but in the end the project was highly appreciated by the teacher . Now I can add on my CV that I have knowledge of working on JSP and Semantic Web …

Edit: I am not sure if anyone still needs them but here is the Report and Project Workspace for anyone that is interested. Do comment if you find them useful .

My next target towards a Silverlight App would definitely be a data driven application not a game, though I did want to create a multiplayer sort of game but uhh lets see what happens.

Comments are welcome and much needed. Ohh and yes the game can be reached here.

The application is only client based and all information it saves resides on your own pc. Nothing is shared with the world or me . Also the application is not feature complete. Will use this application as the base for my future projects as I have implemented many cool features of Silverlight like Visual State Manager, Templates, Data Binding, Observable Collection etc.

Link to myAddressBook

References:

• Silverlight Unleashed by Laurent Bugnion
• Accelerated Silverlight 2 by Jeff Scanlon
• Video Tutorials by Mike Taulty
• Free Icons Web

PS: Am not that good at graphics so bare with any glitches (but do notify me so that I may not make the same error again) in the User Interface.

Edit: Looks like Microsoft has ended the Live Streaming Service therefore the app is now not accessible. However the source are available from http://basitali.wordpress.com/projects/myaddressbook/.

A web desktop or webtop is a desktop environment embedded in a web browser or similar client application. A webtop integrates web applications, web services, client-server applications, application servers, and applications on the local client into a desktop environment using the desktop metaphor. Web desktops provide an environment similar to that of Windows, Mac, or a graphical user interface on Unix and Linux systems. It is a virtual desktop running in a web browser. In a webtop the applications, data, files, configuration, settings, and access privileges reside remotely over the network. Much of the computing takes place remotely. The browser is primarily used for display and input purposes.

There are a number of webtops available freely but only a few allow guest login and therefore you need to sign up (though it takes only a few minutes but you don’t want useless accounts on the sites you probably won’t use) before you can test the desktop. So here comes the list,

1. eyeOS (http://eyeos.org/en/)

An Open Source AJAX based Desktop with its own set of applications including office suites, games, basic accessories and even a process manager. Provide an API for developers for integrating there own services into eyeOS. You can check out the demo here http://demo.eyeos.org/?lang=en.

eyeOS is a new kind of Operating System, where everything resides on a web browser. With eyeOS, you will have your desktop, applications and files always with you, from your home, your college, your office or your neighbor’s house.

2. Global Hosted Operating System (http://www.g.ho.st/)

G.ho.st provides every person in the world with a free Virtual Computer (VC). Like a Windows PC, or Mac, the VC is a personal computing environment which includes your desktop, your personal settings, your files and your choice of software applications. But unlike a PC, your VC is not installed on one physical computer – instead it is stored in professional data centers across the Internet cloud, and is accessed from any Internet browser in the world.

Flash based and pretty much solid desktop. Works together with 3rd party web applications like Zoho, Google Docs etc. which makes it even powerful as the apps work seamlessly within the desktop.

3. GlideOS (http://www.glideos.com)

No demo account. No briefing on the project. User Comments makes this desktop sound the best of all. Comes with its own web applications which also are very much praised.

4. DesktopTwo (http://www.desktoptwo.com/)

Desktoptwo is your home in the cloud with all of your personal information, files, programs, applications and more in one user friendly location. All you need is a simple web device and your browser instantly becomes your private desktop.

5. WidgeTop http://www.widgetop.com/mobile.html

Lots of widgets. Different from all above desktops as it relies totally on widgets. So its only useful when you need to keep you system as a showcase .

Is that all ? I want more… If thats your case then google is your friend.

PS

• The numbering above is not supposed to be the ranking of the desktops.
• Don’t forget to turn on the fullscreen mode of your browser (F11).