TechnoGremlin

GizmoProject AutoAnswer Bot

Fri, 23 Sep 2005 16:48:13 CEST

Someone on the GizmoProject forums asked for the possibility to have Gizmo automatically accept an incoming call. Nothing fancy, just to open the connection so you can use Gizmo to listen in on the kids at home or things like that. So I hacked a little script together with AutoIt3 (a GREAT little scripting tool for Windows) that does just that. I thought it would be handy to have it logging date and time as well, just to see if someone else has accidentally called in to the same account.

For those interested in this little tool, a compiled version is available in the download section. No installer or documentation. Sorry for that but it's just a small hack for fun, not a serious project. Also, the script itself can be found in my Information Section for those that like to hack it further.

Technorati Tags: Software GizmoProject Gadgets VoIP SIPphone

Is there VoIP life after Skype

Sun, 18 Sep 2005 15:50:08 CEST

I'm using Skype on a daily basis for over a year now and I actually do like what it offers. It works flawlessly most of the time, delivers the functionality that I need and most important, I got it installed at most of my friends and people I work with regularly. I must say that I've been very vocal in suggesting Skype to many people around me.

However, for quite some time now I have this nagging feeling that Skype is going places that I don't want to go. Even more so, it's development seems to be avoiding functionality that I think of as being crucial for the future of VoIP. The fact that Skype recently got bought by Ebay is actually of minor interest to me although I think it will strengthen some of the concerns I have with Skype.

First and foremost, Skype is lacking seriously in the area of interoperability. When Skype surfaced I thought that their combined focus of VoIP and IM would lead soon to the ability to log into other IM-accounts like ICQ, MSN and AIM. As of late I think we can see that Skype's focus on IM seems more important then VoIP for all the wrong reasons. It seems they think they already dominate the VoIP market. Besides the fact that Skype won't play with other IM-networks, it also seems to be totally ignoring the existance of other VoIP networks. Currently, after two years of Skype development, there is no way to connect to Skype with other VoIP networks. It seems clear to me that they where trying to dominate the software-VoIP market into total control. However, it looks that this is not going to happen. Not even with Ebay behind it.

I think Skype went wrong when they decided that they would dominate the software-VoIP market and in addition thought they could get all these MSN, AIM, YM and ICQ users to drop their software, buddylists of years and so on, and move them to Skype. Sure, Skype delivers something the others don't: crisp internet telephony for free. But they where forgetting one important thing. IM-users don't want to use their software for telephony. In the IM-world telephony is just a nice gimmick. These people want an IM-client that connects them to their buddies, not 'in time when their buddies switch to Skype' but NOW !

If you are interested in VoIP then you want software that delivers on THAT platform. Not only 'crisp sound quality' but also functionality to hook the software into other networks, other software (CRM anyone) and preferably into certain hardware. Skype won't deliver this but there is something that will and it's called SIP.

SIP is not a software program and it's neither a company. And that's a good thing. SIP is an Open Standards protocol for sending information like VoIP over the Internet. It's in use for years by many telecom providers like Vonage and Cingular to send telephony over the Internet and to cut cost that way.

Just a week ago I stumbled onto GizmoProject while searching for VoIP alternatives for Skype. GizmoProject is a softphone. A software application that turns your computer into a phone, much like Skype does. But GizmoProject is different. It does not use a closed network like Skype, but uses the open SIP-protocol instead. This means there's already an impressive list of networks you can connect to from GizmoProject.

GizmoProject is actually just the software-part. The company that operates the SIP-network behind it is SIPphone. They also have paid-for services that are simmilar to Skype but voicemail is free, in comparison with Skype where you have to pay for it. Also, calling to your GizmoProject software from a landline is possible without buying any commercial services. Because the SIP-protocol is widely used already there are several services that deliver SIP-based functionality. Because of this you can call into a SIP-gateway from a landline and connect to a GizmoProject user. It´s even possible to get your own free Call-in number so your friends and family can call you without the need to go through a SIP-gateway themselves.

It's clear that SIPphone and GizmoProject are heading the right way, where Skype lost it's direction quite a while ago. And with Google stepping into the VoIP arena, with SIP-support and GizmoProject interoperability I think I can see the future... well, at least I got a glimpse of it.

Technorati Tags: Gadgets Software VoIP Skype GizmoProject SIPphone Google

Small update

Mon, 12 Sep 2005 00:19:52 CEST

Starting today, all blogposts here wil have Technorati tags added to them. This will make my articles more easy to find with the Technorati blog searchengine. I also send an update-ping to Technorati whenever I post to the blog.

Xoops, the platform I use to run this website, does not have native support for tags and also no support for auto-pinging any blog-service. So I use a few simple tricks to get things done. I generate the update-ping by using a special URL that is linked to Technorati.

For the tags I use a small program that can send text-commands like a macro to the blog edit-screen in my browser. Because each tag consists of quite some HTML code it is almost undoable to type this stuff in by hand. However, with this little macro-program it becomes easy to add several tags under a blogpost. This program is capable of much more so I will definitely use it for other things as well.

Technorati Tags: Webdesign Software Gadgets Technorati Blogging

Thunderbird Tools & Tips 1: Auto-show graphics

Thu, 8 Sep 2005 21:03:41 CEST

OK, I was already thinking about writing a series of articles on handy stuff that you can do with Tunderbird, the Mozilla email-client. I just stumbled across this option and it's a great one to start the series

So here's the thing: if you are as vigilant as I am in regard to your internet safety, you have auto-loading of images switched off. When you get a HTML-mail from a trusted party you hit the 'show images' button so they only show up when you want them to. But if you are subscribed to several mailinglists (or 'loads of em', as I do), it becomes cumbersome to hit that button every time. It would be great if it was possible to tell Thunderbird when to load images and when not to do it.

Well, today I stumbled across the option to do just that. When you go to your 'options' in Thunderbird you will see under 'Privacy' the option to 'allow remote images if the sender is in my...' combined with a selection where you can choose one of your address books. So if you set up a dedicated address book to hold the addresses of trusted mailinglists, and select that particullar address book here, images for those messages will automatically display.

I choose my 'whitelist' address book (that I also use in the anti-spam settings) so it's easy to maintain. Note that you can add an address directly from a message (right-click on the address of the sender) into this or any other address book. So if you receive a message that you want the images to show directly, just add the sender to this address book and next time it works.

Technorati Tags: Gadgets Mozilla Thunderbird Tips Software

Adjusted layout

Mon, 5 Sep 2005 17:11:19 CEST

Over the last weekend I did some serious tweaking to the website. The graphical layout, installed not so long ago, was clearly to my satisfaction, but the homepage was containing too much small blocks of unrelated information. In an attempt to make the site more accesseable I removed all the info-blocks (new links, etc.) and configured the site like a real blog-site.

All other parts of the site are still available through the navigation menu, but now also with the use of context-blocks in the right sidebar on the pages. And if I add new information to the site I will just write about it in my blog

Technorati Tags: Webdesign Xoops Layout

Me versus the Saab: I lost

Fri, 2 Sep 2005 17:15:00 CEST

Today I had a painfull close encounter with my Saab. During the loading of my grosseries I bumped into one of the hinges of the hatchback door. I felt instantly that something was wrong, and after putting my hand on my head it was covered in blood. The mounting of the actuator that holds up the door had made a cut in my head and the blood started running over my forehead.

Fact is that I always have a big roll of cleaning-paper in my trunk so I made a big lump out of paper and held it to my head. We where quite close to the hospital so I drove to the hospital while holding the paper on my head. My girlfriend suggested to drive, but as she isn\'t fammiliar with the directions there I decided that driving myself would be better.

In the hospital the wound was stitched. With the correct needle after trying it with one that was much to thick. I can tell you: anaesthetic doesn\'t help with that

Technorati Tags: Personal Saab

New pictures on the website

Fri, 12 Aug 2005 12:25:32 CEST

I have just added two picture-series to the website. Both available in the PhotoAlbum: One series under Landscapes about the dunes around Neeltje Jans and a second one under Castles regarding my visit to Doornik and therefor about the historical objects in that town.

Technorati Tags: Photography History Castle Landscape

First castle on the website

Sun, 31 Jul 2005 19:52:14 CEST

Today I added the first information and pictures about a castle (ruin) that I've visited and photographed, to the website. It is César Castle in Belgium, that I've visited in january of this year.

I have visited and photographed quite a few castles and ruins over the past two years and I'm going to put all these pictures on this website. However, in addition to the pictures I want to add some relevant information about each object, so before posting pictures about a castle on the site I have to do some research. But I've made a start

Technorati Tags: Photography History Castle

Saab manuals have arrived

Wed, 27 Jul 2005 20:16:30 CEST

After having done a nice job yesterday on the Saab (exchanging the cooling pump), I got my technical manuals delivered today. Now I'm all geared up to get at it completely

For a moment it looked like the (to me) most important manual, known as the 'Bentley' manual (after the writer), was no longer available for my model (8-valve), but this proved to be wrong. So now I have available two technical manuals (the 'Bentley' and the 'Haynes') to aid me in doing whatever is needed for maintaining my Saab 900 T8.

Technorati Tags: Saab

One day of Saab-driving

Sun, 24 Jul 2005 15:18:02 CEST

Saturday (yesterday) I've been driving my 900 almost all day. I did close to 700 Kilometers

First stop was Goes to fill up my fueltank. It's best to start a day like this with a full tank. Then I drove to Renkum to pick up some parts from a fellow Saabforum user. I got myself a backside seatbelt (one's missing), an ashtray for the middle console (mine's broken) and a set of handle-caps for the doors (as mine are a bit cracked). While I was there we took a quick peek under the bonnet and it became clear why I was thinking that I smelled cooling fluid while driving: there is a small crack somewhere in my radiator. So I picket up another radiator too. I also got another bumper-cover for my front bumper, as mine has some nasty folds in it.

After that the journey continued to Raalte to get my rims and tyres that I bought from Ferry Haarman.

Unfortunately Ferry was not home (this was expected when we made the appointment) so I only got a peek through the windows. He has an incredible amount of Saab parts. Well, I loaded up my goods and started the journey back home.

On the way back I was passed by an aggresively driven 9-3, pushingon the outer lane above 140 Km per hour. I couldn't get behind him right away because of the traffic, but after 10 minutes I got him. I followed him for a short while when he got aside to 'let me pass'. After that he started chasing me, but after I put my pedal to the metal he gave up and also instantly lost his aggresive behaviour

Back in Zeeland I drove to Goes to refill my fuel. I did 11 Km to the litre during this trip. Not bad taking into account that I didn't drive slowly this day

Technorati Tags: Saab