The Jrf

Enabling Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) Debugging With Visual Studio 2005

admin — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:57 +0000

Many of the web developers or BHO, toolbar, ActiveX developers new to Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) encountered this issue, so did I. After Googling for sometime I eventually found the solution and liked to share it with you.

IE8 uses multiple processes for multiple tabs, automatic tab crash recovery, per-site ActiveX controls and protected mode. This disables Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 to attach to an IE8 process and debug and doesn’t stop on break points. Here is the solution:

Modify the registry as described below;

Open RegEdit (Go to start menu search, type regedit, once found run it)

Browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SOFTWARE -> Microsoft -> Internet Explorer -> Main

Add a DWORD value called TabProcGrowth with a value of 0

Note that If you are using a 64-bit computer, you want to edit the 32-bit registry.

This will restrict IE8 to one process per instance and protection mode will automatically turn off, if you are running Windows Vista / Windows 7 or newer.

In addition to this, IE’s installer will re-disable script debugging. So you will need to re-enable it:

- Open Internet Explorer
- Go to Tools->Internet Options
- Switch to the Advanced tab
- Uncheck ‘Disable script debugging (internet explorer)’

I don’t know if this is a problem with Visual Studio 2008, but can give it a try if the problem occurs on VS 2008.

Note: Make sure you turn on the protection mode for real-time testing environment by make the assigning a value greater than 0 to TabProcGrowth.

Thailand Broadband Internet Comparisons – AIS – TOT – 3BB

admin — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:56 +0000

I will compare Internet speed tests for three different Internet broadband connections I’ve had the opportunity to use in Thailand. If you are going to be in Thailand, hopefully this comparison will help you to make a decision on which Internet broadband provider to choose. Of the three services tested, one utilizes a mobile wireless system that uses GSM Edge to connect to the Internet. The other two are standard ADSL services from competing companies in Thailand. All of the tests were performed using the same laptop, at approximately the same time of day. Tests were performed withing 5 KM of each other in Chiang Rai Thailand.

The first broadband type I tested was the AIS wireless Edge solution. I purchased a USB Edge card from 7-11 convenience store which are everywhere Thailand. The USB card cost me 1200 Baht (around $37 USD). The price included 20 hours of wireless time.

You can purchase additional hours to the card. Adding 20 hours of time is 150 Baht (around $4.50 USD) The USB card itself houses a SIM card just like the SIM card that goes into your phone. In fact, you can swap AIS SIM cards between your phone and USB card if you want. The USB card has software built-in and I successfully Installed it on Windows XP and Windows 7 laptops. I was not able to get the card to work with Mac OS X. The software works just like any other dial-up/3G/4G modem where you click a button to connect and disconnect from the Internet.

Why test Edge and not 3G? Well, Thailand is currently caught up in legal problems with wireless carriers about allocating 3G frequencies so the current 3G offerings are very limited. Edge is the best option for nationwide coverage unfortunately. In fact, Thailand might be better off leapfrogging 3G and going straight to a 4G technology such as WiMAX or LTE. I wrote an article for Network World magazine in 2009 regarding a Cisco pilot program testing WiMAX at a University in Northern Thailand. I’ve had the opportunity to see 4G in action both in Thailand and In the United States and in both locations, I came away very impressed…much more of a true competitor to DSL than 3G wireless.

That being said, if you travel frequently, the AIS Edge is not a bad option…as long as you do not require much bandwidth. AIS claims a maximum download speed of 512 Kbps, in my tests I received 115 Kbps download and 63 Kbps upload speeds. Not very impressive but it does the job when just browsing the Internet. I even was able to do a Skype video call using this card although the video quality was pretty bad. Audio calls worked fine.

The second speed test I attempted is a DSL connection from TOT in Thailand. Most people that have DSL opt for the lowest offering which is 4000 Kbps download and 512 Kbps upload. Currently, the monthly cost for this service is 590 Baht ($18 USD) a month which includes a DSL modem/router The speed test showed a much lower download number receiving approximately 1779Kbps down and 371Kbps up.

Lastly, I tested a second popular DSL carrier in Thailand called 3BB. The ADSL tested is identical to the TOT offerings being 4000 Kbps download and 512 Kbps upload speeds. The monthly price for the service with an included DSL modem router is also the same as TOT at 590 Baht per month. Unlike the TOT service test, the 3BB download speeds were spot on. In terms of upload speeds, 3BB was a little bit lower than the TOT ADSL connection that was tested. The 3BB speed test found speeds of 4060 Kbps down and 310 Kbps up.

Please keep in mind that this is just one persons test. Your results might vary depending on location and time of day. Based on these tests, if I were to choose a DSL provider, I would go with 3BB for the far superior download test. If I really relied on frequent uploads, I would choose the TOT DSL connection. Lastly, if I needed a mobile Internet solution, I would have to go with AIS’s Edge…although 3BB’s upload speeds were fairly close and seem to burst at higher speeds.

Internet Television

admin — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:16 +0000

The Internet offers a wide range of content for your consumption; Internet television is one of the more recent additions. Whether it’s in the form of a download and view or streaming content you can now access shows and information that are tailored to your schedule and your interests. Internet television provides content from a vast range of sources; find shows in your language that are grounded in your culture, or news from nearly any part of the world.

Niche Markets Find Themselves

There are shows available on the Internet that you’ll never see on television, either because the audience is too small or because you’re not living in the right region. Television, broadly stated, is restricted by economics of scale; once you factor in the accessibility of the Internet, television becomes something much more interesting. Viewers can customize their viewing, in a way that only DVRs and extensive cable packages can otherwise make possible. Producers of niche content can deliver on-line and find their audience, regardless of geography. These two benefits come together to provide an avenue of communication and community.

There are sites that pull offerings together so you can easily navigate to content you’re interested in viewing. You can look for content from specific countries, from specific sources, or in specific languages. Some sites provide listings and access to a variety of shows from a country or region; this creates the opportunity for individuals to follow the news and culture of home from anywhere on the globe. Some television networks also provide access to segments from their own line-up, making it possible for you to see shows at the time that works for you. Language markets are no longer restricted to a locale; the Internet provides a doorway for members of a community to stay in touch and share their culture and heritage.

Getting Internet Television

The two modes of delivery are download and streaming. Downloading the shows you want to watch is relatively easy and does not require the same bandwidth as streaming. There are numerous free viewers available for watching this content. You can, in some cases, subscribe to a show and be notified of new episodes, much like subscribing to a news feed or a podcast. In fact, you can view some of these shows on portable devices as well as your computer. These options extend your viewing choices.

Streaming brings you the program as it is delivered over the Internet. This is not much different than watching television, shows are scheduled and you can tune in when they’re shown. Some of the larger ISP can produce their own offerings of IPTV (Internet Protocol Television); these offerings are generally made by the people you buy your Internet service from. Streaming requires more computer power and Internet speeds sufficient to handle a lot of data at a good speed. Lower end computers or Internet connections without the speed result in choppy viewing at your end.