I tried twice or thrice and got the same error which terminated the SQL Server 2008 Installation Wizard. When I searched through forums I came to know that this error occurs when you change the installation path on x64 OS systems. Ovbiously I encountered the error as I was using Windows 7 Ultimate (x64). Then tried installing SQL Server 2008 on the default path and that was a success.But that didn’t satisfied me as I did not like to have the SQL Server installed on the System Drive.

I tried to peek the command line tool to see if I could set the parameter somewhere. And after an hour of struggle I found that there was so such parameter named “INSTANCESHAREDWOWDIR”. It was “INSTALLSHAREDWOWDIR” instead.

The microsoft guys had mistake on writing the error message where they have written INSTANCESHAREDWOWDIR instead of INSTALLSHAREDWOWDIR. Having known of the issue I tried to setup the SQL Server once again from the command line as -

>setup.exe /action=install /installsharedwowdir=”x:/program files/microsoft sql server/”

and waited for the result. This time again I changed the install directory to see that the wizard accepted the parameter and the SQL Server 2008 was installed successfully at my desired location.

Probably this has to be some minor bug at the installer and it became more pronounced due to the “wrong” error message thrown. Hopefully, I expect that the microsoft guys will have a fix for it ASAP.

What is NIRC Number?

NRIC is the abbreviated form for the National Registration Identity Card, which is the identity document in use in Singapore. It is compulsory for all Singaporean citizens and permanent residents who are fifteen years of age and older to have their NRICs. It is not compulsory for bearers to hold the card at all times, nor are they compelled by law to show their cards to police officers conducting regular screening while on patrol, for instance. But it is a required document for some government procedures, commercial transactions such as the opening of a bank account, or to gain entry to premises by surrendering or exchanging for an entry pass. Failure to produce the card may result in denied access to these premises or attainment of goods and services.

Structure Of NRIC Number

The NRIC number consists of total 9 characters in the pattern #0000000@, where

#

• This is a letter that can be “S”, “F”, “T” or “G” depending on the status of the holder.
• For Singapore citizens and permanent residents, this is the century prefix.
• The NRIC number for citizens and permanent residents born before the year 2000 is assigned the letter “S”. “S” is the 19th letter in the English Alphabet, denoting that the NRIC number was issued in the 20th century (1900-1999). It was commonly believed before 2000 that the “S” stands for Singapore, especially since the letter “F” was used for foreigners. It is unknown, however, if that was ever the intended meaning.
• Singapore citizens and permanent residents born in 2000 and beyond are assigned the letter “T”. “T” is the 20th letter in the English Alphabet, denoting that the NRIC number was issued in the 21st century (2000-2099)
• Foreigners holding employment or student passes issued before 2000 are assigned the letter “F”.
• Foreigners holding employment or student passes issued in and after 2000 are assigned the letter “G”.

0000000

• This is a 7 digit serial number assigned to the document holder
• For Singapore citizens and permanent residents born in 1968 and after, their NRIC number will start with their year of birth e.g. 71xxxxx#. For those born in 1967 and earlier, the NRIC number does not relate to year of birth, and commonly begins with 0 or 1. Non-native Singaporeans who were born before 1965 are assigned the heading numbers 2 or 3 upon conversion of permanent residency (PR) or citizenship.

@

• This is the checksum letter calculated based on # and 0000000.

How to Validate the NRIC Number?

The algorithm to calculate the checkdigit of the NRIC is not publicly available; as of 1999, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore only sold the algorithm to Singapore-based organizations demonstrating a” legitimate need” for it. Nevertheless, the simple mathematics involved in checking the validity of the NRIC number is summerized as mentioned below:

The Singapore NRIC number consists of SEVEN (7) digits with a UIN/FIN letter prepended and checksum letter appended. This checksum letter is calculated from the first SEVEN (7) digits using the MODULUS ELEVEN (11) method. This system is the most commonly used since it provides a high degree of security.

The steps involved in the computation are as follows:

1. Multiply each digit in the NRIC number by its weight i.e. 2 7 6 5 4 3 2 in order.
2. Add together the above products.
3. If the first letter i.e. UIN of the NRIC starts with T or G, add 4 to the total.
4. Find the remainder of (sum calculated above) mod 11.
5. If the IC starts with S or T: 0=J, 1=Z, 2=I, 3=H, 4=G, 5=F, 6=E, 7=D, 8=C, 9=B, 10=A
   If the IC starts with F or G: 0=X, 1=W, 2=U, 3=T, 4=R, 5=Q, 6=P, 7=N, 8=M, 9=L, 10=K

For example I want to test the NRIC number S1234567D.

Here the 7 digits are 1234567.

So the sum of  product of digits with weightage is, 1×2+2×7+3×6+4×5+5×4+6×3+7×2=106.

Now, 106 mod 11= 7

From the table above as listed in item 5 on the list above, 7=D (Since IC is S).

A CAPTCHA or Captcha (pronounced /ˈkæptʃə/) is a type of challenge-response test used in computing to ensure that the response is not generated by a computer. The process usually involves one computer (a server) asking a user to complete a simple test which the computer is able to generate and grade. Because other computers are unable to solve the CAPTCHA, any user entering a correct solution is presumed to be human. Thus, it is sometimes described as a reverse Turing test, because it is administered by a machine and targeted to a human, in contrast to the standard Turing test that is typically administered by a human and targeted to a machine. A common type of CAPTCHA requires that the user type letters or digits from a distorted image that appears on the screen.

Applications of CAPTCHAs

CAPTCHAs have several applications for practical security, including (but not limited to):

• Preventing Comment Spam in Blogs.
• Protecting Website Registration.
• Online Polls.
• Preventing Dictionary Attacks.
• Search Engine Bots.
• Worms and Spam.

The general purpose of Captcha’s are to prevent the automation of form submission. For example, to protect a guestbook from filling up with spam-entries or to prevent hundreds of bogus users registering to a forum.

The ANIT-CAPTCHA Challange

Until recently, image-based Captcha’s have been a reasonable solution to combat this problem. However, with Object Character Recognition techniques getting better and better, Captcha’s too have to continuously increase in complexity.

Ironically, it’s come to the point that computers are better at deciphering Captcha’s than humans are, simply because computers have infinite patience.

To illustrate: evildoers trying to beat your Captcha are probably satisfied with a success ratio of 1/100 – because in just a few hours of repetition this can add up to hundreds of successful passes. A typical human user on the other hand probably throws in the towel after three consecutive failed attempts – at which point they’ll most likely leave your website altogether.

Who can blame them? The average user doesn’t understand why they should enter a random string of letters in the first place. It’s not their problem and they do not care what it is for. For them it’s some sort of annoying puzzle that stands in the way of doing what they want to do. Not being able to pass it, makes them feel inadequate and frustrated.

So to avoid repelling your visitors from your website, the new technique “Anti-Captcha” has rised.

The basic idea behind it is simple-“Create a captcha solution which does not require any end-user interaction”

How it works

Basically it is a manipulation of obfuscated javascript together with checksum validation of session. Ihe process includes-

1. Generation a random token
2. Store a checksum of this token in session
3. Generate some obfuscated javascript code which (when interpreted) adds a hidden input-field to every form element on the webpage using the token as a value
4. Verify the submitted checksum and the checksum stored in session.

As a bonus, this technique should also provide adequate protection against XSRF.

Requirements
The technique involves javascript and hence requires javascript enabled on the browser to successfully implement the anti-captcha technique. But the user does need to have javascript enabled for form submission to succeed.

Caveats
Obviously this technique isn’t perfect, at some point bots might gain the ability to interpret javascript or simply read-out the obfuscated code instead. At that time a different approach, with a similar concept, would be needed.

It should also be possible to fool the Anti-Captcha with the use of “automated mouse-clicking software”. However this should be very hard to combine with botnets – thus making additional security layers (for example: maximizing form-submission on a per-ip basis) more feasible.

Another major drawback is the need for javascript to allow form-submissions, which is something you should ponder over yourself. Personally I feel it outweighs the disadvantages image-based Captcha’s bring in, but this probably depends on the project at hand.

Then I worked on self and finally overcome the problem. I edited the .htaccess file in the root directory and here is the solution that worked for me:

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /path/to/root/folder/
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . index.php [L]
</IfModule>

I tried the same with few other folders and it worked for all.

Note:

• Windows doesn’t allow to create a file starting the file name with a . (period). So either an existing .htaccess file has to be copied and edited OR the file has to be created from within other editors like dreamweaver or notepad++.
• Make sure to include the line: RewriteEngine On , if rewrite engine is not turned on in the .conf file.
• RewriteBase has to be identified properly
• Define a proper rewrite rule.

Hope this will be helpful for all, if you are trying to make use of friendly url.

Please visit back after a while…

Thank you.

One way I feel lucky, that only a few people get this sort of opportunity to choose a career of interest.  Other way I’m also afraid if I would just make a simple mistake to ruin my career.

I have an opportunity to get tied up with an organization of international reputation. I also have an opportunity to establish myself as a young entrepreneur or just continue to live happy and contented with what I have.  Definitely I choose to move ahead for greater achievement.

Both the options seem equally potential, challenging and lustrous. And both have same degree of risk too.  I don’t want to refrain of the risk. I’d take up the challenge to survive. The only factor that swings me is the confusion what would I want to see myself 5 years from now.. an entrepreneur or an associate..

Would you suggest me?

God gave a gift to the world when you were born—
A person who loves, who cares,
Who sees a person’s need and fills it,
Who encourages and lifts people up,
Someone who touches each life she enters,
and makes a difference in the world,
Because you are a special treasure
for all that you’ve done.
May the love you have shown to others
return to you, multiplied.
I wish you the happiest of birthdays,
And many, many more
On your birthday, I want to say
Something you don’t want from me.
Things didn’t go so well when I last said it,
And so I’ll keep it silent in my heart.
But how the words reverberate within me!
A song that I must struggle not to sing,
A music I must dance to without motion,
A poem that I must never read aloud.
Your wishes are a wall I would not scale,
Yet won’t abandon, loathe to leave behind.
I cannot have, and cannot bear to lose you,
And so I send you this in my despair.
Happy birthday my dear!
A song of joy for you!
Perhaps these words will touch the heart.

Nevertheless, I was excited to gather a whole new experience of getting an employement oppertunity through and recruitment agent. In the course, I was introduced to a lady named Preeti, who would be my commnunicator throught the process. Preeti, a quite young girl, though smart enough and appreciable, called me up one mid day asking me to attend an interview next day.

It was a sort of fun to me and I was really enjoying the play. The next day I was talking to a man, with Indian accent. He told me that he would forward my CV to few employeers and will arrange for the interview. We had some little chit-chat on subject of interests, experiences, and so on…

Therafter, the days were usual. Three four days passed by and there was nothing eventful until one hot day when Preeti called me up once again about half past twelve during the day and asked me to attend the meeting an hour later the same day. This was another surprise to me. I had to get ready for an interview within an hour. Interesting! I thought. I reached the guided location for interview. After an waiting period of about an hour I was made to sit on a half an hour skill test which followed by an interview of a  five member jury panel. The interview was sort of classic one. Monotype questions and monotype answers. Then on the the jury member, who was a lady, Prachee and I guess must be someone from HR department, going through my CV remarked that my CV is real scary one! “What is so scary about it?” was the question in my mind. And she, as if, could read my mind, said, a CV that mentions five employeers list within a period of  two years is realy scary for new employers to face. Ah! that was it. Possibly she was right. It would represent unstability in common sense but the case was little different here. I explained it to them. They were convinced. This was the end of the story that day. It all happend yesterday.

Today I was returning home from a visit to my friend. I got a call on my cell. It was Preeti again. She said I required to go for a second round of interview at half past four and it would be held on a new place. She guided me the location and I was there. There was Prachee again. Here I came to know that Prachee was a HR consultant and the place I where I was with Prachee was an another recruitment office. My journey of getting employed through the recruitment office was quite differnt here. Different in the sense I was sent to from a recrutiment office to another. Possibly this was because Prachee and her organization is taking care of the HR issues where I was going to get employeed.

It was really awful situation. Things were getting surprisingly favourable towards me and even the things that I had said which would turn me away had failed to make the impact and I got the amazing news that the organiztion where I was interviewed decided to hire me! Prachee briefed me the regulations of the organization and their employement terms. Most of them modified to suit my intake. She didn’t forget to mention that my intake is an exceptional one and also wished me a better luck for exceptional performance.

Now, I was really in ackward situation whether or not to take this job. And I made the bold decision to take it. I immediately accepted the conditions. I am hired. Then I was moving out of Prachee’s office on a bewildered state of mind while she once again remarked “….But your CV is really a scary one…”