Osama’s Blog

Upgrading Ubuntu is extremely simple, click, click …

I have been playing with imified, it’s an IM bot platform that allows integration with many online apps, I’m using it right now to post to this blog.

I just added my books to librarything, I already had a CSV file created with a barcode scanner, so I Just imported it…

Larry Cannell says “I Hate Files“, and I agree with almost every point.

Files are a major nuisance, and until another practical solution is universally accepted, we will have to live with them.

Online-only solutions cannot work until connectivity is not an issue, until it becomes an extremely cheap commodity.

Until then, maybe a hybrid solution that uses client-side software with network-based distributed storage that does not rely on folder structures and filenames could be acceptable.

Amateurs do incredible things, I think that people who don’t know what they’re doing are better innovators, they don’t have the baggage of knowing the official way to do it.

When Linus Torvalds started working on Linux, he was a student who knew nothing about operating systems.

When Sergey Brin and Larry Page started Google, they created a computer cluster like no other, based on cheap PC motherboards, and built expecting and embracing hardware failure.

I just posted a few photos from this trip on flickr…

still sorting and tagging them…

I have noticed that some companies do not put the telephone numbers that the customers need to call.

Regency

For example, when I wanted to reserve a ticket (before the electronic ticket problems) I wanted to call Regency Travel, Q-Tel’s information directory at 180 usually takes a long time to respond so I visited their website, clicked on Contact Us, where it lists many numbers:

• The General Manager’s Office Number.
• Four Mobile phone numbers of Managers and Supervisors.

The problem here is that I was at the office, and my mobile’s battery was dead (my office phone does not call mobiles).

I called the General Manager’s office, got an answering machine and hung up, I remember they used to have an easy to remember number, so I called directory assistance. The number they gave me 4344444 is not listed on the website!

Qatar Airways

I wanted to reconfirm my return flight to Doha, I had a ticket on Qatar Airways and visited their website,

I scrolled to the bottom of the page, clicked on the tiny Contact us link at the page footer, then clicked I want to contact a local Qatar Airways office:  click here, then chose Egypt from the list. then clicked the almost invisible link Cairo, then I get 7 different phone/fax numbers sales? cargo? airport? and some cryptic information about check in closing time (yes I know what it means but the average traveler would not).

That’s 4 clicks from the homepage.

Qatar Airways has a 5 digit short number in Cairo 19950, this number is not on their website, and there are no numbers labeled confirmations or reservations, you can only see it on billboards in Cairo.

I just called their main number in Doha.

I went to Chilli’s the other day for lunch/dinner (it’s a meal I try to have once a day), it was packed and no tables were available, I agreed to sit at the bar.

I ordered a Quesadilla Explosion Salad, and a diet coke, the server asked me if I wanted it Kenz or Normal.

The word Kenz is Arabic for treasure, and I gave him an expression full of question marks, so he repeated the question.. ???? and then he repeated again … kanz (also gestured with his hands) or from the machine… he meant do you want the diet coke as a Can or from the Draft machine….

I told him to forgive me, my English is not that good … and I could not understand him…. Give me Kenz!

The people here in Egypt always use fancy names, I don’t know what they tell people who speak English (do they just say Sir?), but in Arabic,it’s more complicated your Sirness, your Excellency, your Excellency the Pacha … and many elaborate titles… I’m sure someday, someone will call me your majesty…

A funny thing happens in cinemas here in egypt, something I have never seen in cinemas in Qatar, Dubai, Bahrain, France, USA (where I’ve been to a movie theatre)…

In the middle of the movie, while your concentrating on the story, the screen says “We now pause for a break” and the lights turn ON!

Some people go out, and when they return they smell like smoke.

The movie continues like nothing had ever happened.

This is bizarre!