kingsley's Blog

"A thread is defined as the execution part of a program. Each thread defines a unique flow of control. If your application involves complicated and time consuming operations then it is often helpful to set different execution paths or threads, with each thread performing a particular job.", says the smart guys behind Tutorials Point.Well, our program is not going to be complicated and we are not going to be performing any time consuming task, we are rather going be creating a camouflage application that gives us the effect similar to what you get when you ping a site or an IP address with the "-t" option in cmd or the effect you see in movies like Blacklist, 24, Person Of Interest and the likes.Now let's stop the ranting and get started.We are going be building this application upon our existing code, one we started in the previous article "How to grammatically Change the background and foreground color of a console Application".Now open up the code in...

I recently got a job of which my responsibility was to maintain a c++ based code. The first day I resumed, my task was to trim the code i.e. making the code shorter with the same functionality and a better performance. Everything was going well, methods or functions with 50 to 60 lines of codes were trimmed to be 20 or 30 lines. Just then I stumble over this class file and was amazed at what I saw, what was it? it was a function containing containing about 3000 lines of codes with no documentary comment. Yeah!, whoever wrote this is a genius, but wait..., was he? I didn't think so because about 90% of this 3000 lines was made up of a very looooooooooong IF-ELSE statement, then I asked myself, what was this guy trying to build, Artificial Intelligence System? This was just a Hotel Management code. Please my friends, basic programming knowledge is very important, if you are the kind of a programmer that does this, go back to your language and  learn it to the bone also learn to ...

I am not really an Operating System expert so I can't just tell you the reason why you should use Linux OS instead of Windows. I have come to realize that there are two Operating Systems I can't do without, these are Linux and Windows. Sometimes, I want to choose one out of these two Operating Systems and I often find that there is a feature present in one which is not in the other. I have been a Windows user all my computer life, now one would ask why Linux?. In Windows, there are things I'd want to do that are not allowed or not available and as a Windows user, you are always a prey to Linux users. Windows is a great OS for me because I do all my programming tasks on it and there are many good software development tools available for Windows, in addition, it has the largest user base, as a developer that means I have more people to run my programs as soon as they are developed. Linux is an Open Source Operating System for everybody, but people seem to shy away from it b...

As a programmer, there are things you should get used to or carry out in your day to day life which makes you very productive, efficient and updated in your area of expertise. In this post, I am going to list and explain just 10 of them. Read and follow technology trends: Reading is to a programmer what training is to a soccer player. I do not know about you but  all the programmers I have ever come accross are good readers, they are always hungry for information and always at alart about the new technologies coming to the market. Windows 10 is coming and guess what, I have been preparing to develop apps that runs on it. I just have the strong believe that developing for it would buy me my first car, Hahaha! Be a writer: Some say programmers can't make good writers and just like one publisher said, I know many programmers who write good articles. Write about the problem you solve so that other people who face similar problems would easily solve it. The idea is creating a datab...

Microsoft has given out offers only a mad men would reject with its new Operating System "Windows 10". Microsoft has always been known as a money making company and now it seems to be changing direction with Windows 10 OS. Because of the popular saying which says "Nothing goes for nothing", smart people are beginning to ask what Microsoft wants this time. While all this is going on, people are already familiarizing themselves with Linux OS in preparation to move from Windows to Linux should Microsoft "elf up". Not long ago, there was a misunderstanding about the keyword or phrase Microsoft used while announcing Windows 10. What keyword was that?, you have guessed it, it's Windows-As-A-Service. From the way it was used, to majority of educated people who studied the English language very well, this would at first mean you have to subscribe to Windows just as you would subscribe to a TV service, electricity, etc. and once your subscription is out, you...

Microsoft virtual assistant "Cortana" is going be made available as a standalone app to other platforms like android and Apple IOS. Could this mean that Siri is fired? Because according to reports and rumors, Cortana is everything Siri should have been. Well, guess I might not have to purchase a Windows phone before I can experience this virtual assistant.

Being a computer genius involves doing some amazing things on a computer system one of which is knowing everything that happens on your computer when you are not around. you must have seen someone or some SysAdmins do this. The secret behind this is checking your event log regularly because everything that happens on your computer get logged into the event log. If you are ever going to catch your hacker, this might be your only hope, but some hackers are smart because they clear the event log when they are done, the only thing you see in the event log is an event informing you that the event log has been cleared. How to view your event log Because Windows Operating System is widely used, am going to show you how to do this in Windows using Powershell command line tool. To view your event logs and perform other event log related operation, open up Windows Powershell (Windows Powershell is available in 7 and above, I can't say about older Windows Operating Systems) and type the f...

You will agree with me that it's not everybody who designs or creates software is a programmer, now you will ask, why is anybody who has managed to design a software call him or herself a programmer? The fact is that the title "programmer" comes with respect (Please correct me if am wrong), because everybody thinks you are a genius. My concern is that anybody can now design a software, enter forums like stark exchange and comments on coding problems, the worst part is that they publish articles on the internet telling you that writing codes and making software isn't hard at all that the only thing you need to excel as a programmer is a marketing skill. Yes, marketing skill is important if you plan to market your software yourself, but in my opinion, to excel as a programmer, you need to be superb at writing life changing codes. If you focus only on marketing like this naive publisher advised, you will make a lot of crapwares (guess that's why we have so many junks...

Hacking is in computer world what black magic is in the Kingdom of Camelot, a Kingdom where anybody who possesses magical power is burnt at stake. Irrespective of the way sorcerers were being executed, magic still remained the strength, hope and future of  Camelot through a young lad called Merlin (a role played by Colin Morgan in the movie "Merlin"). If you have seen this movie, you would have seen that there were times when it seemed the whole hope was gone like the times of war, times when King Ulther and Prince Auther who later became the King were about to die and times when the people of Camelot would suffer and die of a plague. Merlin was always there to Abracadabra these situations into good with his secret talent. There were even times when King Ulther would meet Guis off the record begging and persuading him to do everything possible including using magic to save a situation. Just like magic, hacking can be used for good too. Here is a short story about my experie...

Microsoft's latest Operating System has been trending for a while now, while some are still contemplating on who gets a free upgrade from the two previous Microsoft's Operating Systems just like the company promised and who wouldn't, Microsoft has announced that the upgrade to Windows 10 would be free for genuine Windows 7 or 8 users and there is a good news for pirated Windows 7 or 8 users, they too might go to the Promised Land for free or pay a little fee.Hmmm..., with this in place, you can see how determined Microsoft is to pull everyone into its Windows 10 ecosystem. You know, when Windows 10 Technical Preview was first announced along with how it's going to operate (Windows as a Service), I thought Microsoft is finally kicking Windows Pirates out of business, but it seems Microsoft is giving them one more chance to own a genuine Windows, maybe Windows 10  is going to be "un-piratable" (let's just hope MS gets it right).Hahaha!...., before I forget, ...

Securing your system with passwords and pin codes could prevent kids and computer-inexperience people from gaining unauthorized access to your system (any system, ranging from mobile phones, laptop computers, etc.), but it will only slow down a hacker. About four 4 years ago, I discovered this operating system called BackTrack a distro of Linux Operating Systems of which the latest version is now Linux Kali, specifically for hacking. While figuring out how this witch of the night works, I realized I have been very stupid trying to secure my system from hackers by setting a password. I understand that many people secure their computers with password so that their children or someone who is less technically savvy would not access their computers and tamper with something or an important file. If you are securing your computer from your Wife, Kid, Aunt, etc. so that they don't ruin your important file, then "passwording" is great, but if you  think you are securing your co...

Computers are multi-purpose machines that aids both the good and the bad guys in getting their work done easily. And today, we rely so much on them in performing tasks like: Sending and recieving mails,Browsing the internet, Keeping business and personal records, Performing banking transactions, Scheduling meetings, Planning events Fighting crimes, Communicating with people, the list is endless. There is nearly nothing we do these days without computers, most people in the developed countries takes notes with tablets computers and smart phones, this has been adopted as a standard. If this is it, you don't need a technical person to tell you that a computer hacker can even take your life or aid in taking it. A hacker can break into your system and access every information on your system's hard disk. A hacker can send your to jail by impersonating you and using your information or your system's information such as: IP Address, MAC Address, etc. to perform a bad job mak...

It is Windows 10! of course prizes will be won. Microsoft has announced a new contest for those of you signed up for the Windows Insider program, where you can win a trip to the company’s main Redmond campus. And meet the team behind the upcoming operating system, Windows 10. Up for what promises to be a tech-filled event? Details are now available on the Insider Hub. The company announced the trip on Twitter, and although a full blog post is still not up, a few more pointers have also been posted on the official Microsoft Facebook page

Yeah, downloading update from Microsoft Server could be waste of data bandwidth and time especially for those of us with limited and slow internet connection. Well, the good news is we might not have to when Windows 10 arrives. There has been a leaked version of the OS that lets us grab updates from other computers, whether they're on your local network or online -- yes, it's a peer-to-peer network for patches. Besides speeding up the upgrade process, the option could save precious bandwidth. There's no telling when this feature will show up in a Windows 10 build we can try, assuming Microsoft doesn't get cold feet. A new public test release is reportedly coming soon, though, so we probably won't have to wait very long.

In my previous article "Password won't secure your system from hackers", I wrote that passwords cannot prevent someone from breaking into your computer and stealing file or something very important. Now what can? The hacking fight is not with you, it is with the provider or vendor of your Operating System. The developers of the these Operating Systems are working hard to map out vulnerability and patching holes through which hackers can break in. When a company like Microsoft releases an Operating System, there are always vulnerabilities, so the company doesn't stop there, they continue working to patch up these holes; in fact I  think Microsoft have its own hackers that attack the OS and find vulnerabilities before the bad minded hackers do. This process is referred to as Penetration Testing, so when these guys make their research and pent-test their Systems to map out holes and patch them up accordingly, all that is required of you is to update your system so th...

There are many companies that specializes on giving loan to people; they make their profits by collecting interest on any money they lend out, and before a loan can be given to any customer, the customer must provide a collateral and some details such as:  contact details and a reference/guarantor. When the loan is finally given to the customer, they charge interest based on the the amount given to the customer for a given period of time which could be daily, weekly, monthly or yearly.  For example, a company could be collecting interest based on a particular amount for a given period of time like: $200,000 loan would have an interest tag of $2,000  per month until the money is returned, and $100,000 would have an interest of $1,000 per month until the money is returned.  In  addition, the customers need to know when the time for them to pay their interest comes e.g.  at the end of the month or the timing model with which the calculation is being made. Usua...

Windows 10 will be "one application platform" for all the devices that run Windows, Microsoft Windows head Terry Myerson declared during the September 30, 2014 reveal, with one store to rule them all. While on stage at the event, Microsoft showed images of the new operating system running on everything from desktop PCs to smartphones. In fact, Myerson confirmed that Windows 10 will be the driving OS behind its smartphone platform as well. Myerson was mum on the naming conventions (e.g. whether Windows 10 on phones would be known as Windows Phone 10, et. al). But what matters is this: Windows 10 will be behind every device that Microsoft has a hand in. Source: Techradar.com

The return of the Start menu that Microsoft teased during its Build 2014 conference earlier in 2014 was shown off in full force at the September 30, 2014 event. Replete with a merging of the traditional Windows 7-style interface and Windows 8 Live Tiles, the new Start menu is designed to please both camps: touch and mouse users. "They don't have to learn any new way to drive," Belfiore said, referring to Windows 7 business users. That said, customization will also be featured throughout, first with the ability to re-sizing the Start menu itself along with the Live Tiles within. The Start menu features empowered search capabilities as well, able to crawl your entire machine, not to mention web results. (Through Bing and not Google. we'd imagine.) Source: Techradar.com Not having this start menu on Windows 8 was actually one of the reasons why I never upgraded to Windows 8.

Microsoft's Xbox lead Phil Spencer took the stage during Microsoft's big January 21 event, detailing the Xbox app on Windows 10. The app collects all games played on any Xbox or Windows 10 device, a universal friends list and an activity feed. Every Windows 10 device will have the Xbox app pre-loaded. Users will be able to record game sessions through the Game DVR tool and share them across the Xbox network. Essentially, Windows 10 will bring the automated recording featured in Xbox One to games played on Windows 10 – even those launched through other apps, like Steam. Spencer also briefly showed off Microsoft's next collection of graphics and gaming APIs, DirectX 12. Namely, support for the platform expanded to the Unity game engine, and DX12 enables low-power graphics processing for Windows 10 mobile devices. Plus, Spencer and a Lionhead Studios representative demoed what it's like to play the same game through a Windows 10 PC and an Xbox One with friends at...

During its January 21 reveal event, Microsoft's Joe Belfiore revealed exactly what the company meant by "Universal apps" when it first showed off Windows 10. Basically, the company is developing special versions of its key apps, like Office, for Windows 10 phones and tablets under 8 inches. Apps like Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook will look and feel nearly identical to their desktop counterparts, but be optimized for touch and screen size. And through Microsoft's cloud infrastructure, all of your files will be accessible through those devices regardless of where it was created. Belfiore also detailed a brand new photos app accessible from any Windows 10 device, pulling down images from the company's OneDrive storage cloud service. The new app aggregates images from both local and cloud storage, eliminating duplicates and enhancing photos automatically. Finally, the universal photos app will also automatically create photo albums based on not only when a...

The co-founder and long-time former CEO of Microsoft has been working on a secret project for Microsoft known internally as the "Personal Agent," Bill Gates revealed in his third Ask Me Anything on Reddit recently. This Personal Agent is a piece of software designed to remember everything a user do on a PC and provide guidance for how to prioritize and assist in interacting with those apps and files. In his words, Gates said "One project I am working on with Microsoft is the Personal Agent which will remember everything and help you go back and find things and help you pick what things to pay attention to. The idea that you have to find applications and pick them and they each are trying to tell you what is new is just not the efficient model - the agent will help solve this. It will work across all your devices." Source: Techradar.com Now the question is, could this Personal Agent be the trending Cortana; Microsoft Personal Assistant?

Confirming recent reports, Microsoft's Terry Myerson announced that Windows 10 will be free for Windows 8.1 users for its first year. While there's no word on pricing for users still running Windows 7 or an older version, Microsoft confirmed that the two most recent Windows versions will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 directly. Microsoft's chief blogger Brandon LeBlanc also confirmed that Microsoft will support those who scored a free upgrade to Windows 10 with security and system updates for the lifetime of the devices.  Most recently, Neowin cited sources claiming that Windows 10 will start appearing on consumer hardware this coming June. Simultaneously, news that Microsoft has trademarked the term "Microsoft 365" with the intent of it being a service has folks buzzing about the possibility of a subscription-based Windows to come, though that's not likely to be Windows 10. lets just hope its not. Source: Techradar.com

A designer for Microsoft's HoloLens augmented reality headset was the victim in a fatal car accident in Redmond, Washington. 30-year-old Mike Ey was  reportedly  rear-ended on the highway by a car traveling at over 100 miles per hour. Robert Malsch, the driver of the speeding car, attempted to run from the scene but was later tracked down with dogs and apprehended by Redmond Police. Malsch currently faces vehicular manslaughter and felony hit and run charges. He is being held on $100,000 bail. Ey worked as a software engineer for Microsoft and was most recently working on the  HoloLens technology  revealed earlier this year. IGN extends condolences to his friends and family in the wake of this tragedy.   Microsoft's HoloLens Is Actually Amazing 08:32

Belfiore give details on Project Spartan, the company's revamp of Internet Explorer, during the January 21 reveal event. He detailed unique features, like the ability to mark up webpages before sharing them with others, and to comment on those same pages at the software level. Once pages are marked up with drawings and comments, that page is frozen in time with live links and open for sharing through Windows 10's built-in sharing features. Spartan will also support built-in offline reading and PDF support, not to mention Cortana. Microsoft's virtual assistant will be baked into Spartan and pop in with recommendations and help based on your browser behavior. Belfiore in particular demoed a scenario in which a user is en route to a flight. Upon opening the browser to find flight data, Cortana will pop in with that info before the user even needs to look it up. Since the big reveal, Microsoft's Group Program Manager for Internet Explorer, Jason Weber, confirmed ...