Google supports tamil now :)

Its great to know google now supports tamil language.
More details here: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/google-in-tamil.html

Steps to deploy redmine application in ubuntu 8.04 using mod_rails(passenger).

Redmine is my favourite project management tool written in ruby on rails. Recently I deployed this i a Ubuntu 8.04 machine using Apache2 + mod_rails. Mod_rails is a apache module which has made rails deployment as easy as php deployment. You can find more details about mod_rails here: http://www.modrails.com
I was able to install mod_rails and deploy redmine after doing some googling and trial & Errors

Here are the steps for deploying redmine using modrails in ubuntu 8.04:

1. Intalled Ruby language, build essential(to build gems later) and related dependent components using apt-get.

$ sudo apt-get install ruby irb ri rdoc ruby1.8-dev libzlib-ruby libyaml-ruby libreadline-ruby libncurses-ruby libcurses-ruby libruby libruby-extras libfcgi-ruby1.8 build-essential libopenssl-ruby libdbm-ruby libdbi-ruby libdbd-sqlite3-ruby sqlite3 libsqlite3-dev libsqlite3-ruby libxml-ruby libxml2-dev


2. Downloaded ruby gems:
$ wget http://rubyforge.org/frs/download.php/38646/rubygems-1.2.0.tgz

3. untared the rubygems-1.2.0.tgz package and installed rubygems.
$ tar -xvf rubygems-1.2.0.tgz
$ cd rubygems-1.2.0/
$ ruby setup.rb
$ sudo ln -s /usr/bin/gem1.8 /usr/bin/gem (use this if /usr/bin/gem link is not created)

4. Installed rails version 2.0.2 using gems. As of now Redmine works only on rails version 2.0.2 (it wont work in rails 2.1.x)
$ gem install rails --version 2.0.2

5. Install mod_rails(passenger). mod_rails is called as Phusion Passenger and the gem package name is passenger. Lets refer to it as passenger hereafter.
Mod_rails requires apache2-threaded-dev apache module to be installed.
$ apt-get install apache2-threaded-dev

$ gem install passenger

6. Install passenger as apache module
$ passenger-install-apache2-module


7.Deploy redmine application
Download redmine and copy redmine folder inside web folders /var/www/
else there will be problem in showing css files and images.
redmine should be in this folder /var/www/redmine
create the database and modify the config files as mentioned in the redmine install document.

8.Apache2 configuration changes:
$ cd /etc/apache2/sites-available/
$ sudo mv default default.bkp

Create a new default file with the following contents.
------------------------------------------------
NameVirtualHost *



ServerName
ServerAlias

DocumentRoot /var/www/redmine/public


Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews
AllowOverride None
Order allow,deny
allow from all


ErrorLog /var/log/apache2/error.log

LogLevel warn

CustomLog /var/log/apache2/access.log combined
ServerSignature On


-----------------------------------------------------------------


9. Restart apache
$ sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 restart


10. Browse http://localhost , redmine should show up in the browser.

Reference:
http://www.rubyhead.com/2008/04/25/installing-ruby-rails-on-ubuntu-804-hardy-heron/

TamilNadu govt school textbooks available online

Got to know this news from Tamilulagam discussion list.

Tamil Nadu Government has published its school texts books online(its has been mentioned as for viewing purpose only).
Its available at this URL: http://www.textbooksonline.tn.nic.in/

It might be helpful in many ways to students and parents(who are computer savvy). And more importantly it provides open access to the content thats being taught in Tamil Nadu schools.

I dont think any other state in India has done this yet.

Good move by Tamil Nadu Govt.

Verdict within 110 hrs of commiting crime in India!

Gone are the days in India where courts deliver judgement after ages...

A court in Namakkal (my native place), India has delivered verdict in a murder case within 110 hours of the crime.