I am GitHub

I am finally on GitHub. Here is the link to my account: https://github.com/miketihonchik Follow me there to see what I am up to in developer's world. 

HDR HH-65 Dolphin US Coast Guard

Camera: Canon Rebel T1i

Lens: Sigma DG f/2.8-4.0

ISO: 400

f-Stop: 15

Exposure Bracketing: single shot

Annoying 'Maven Dependency Management' error in Eclipse

I had this come up several times in Eclipse. When I try to convert an existing project to Maven project (going through Right Click on Project -> Configure -> Convert to Maven Project), every once in a while I get this error:

The solution is actually quite simple. Right Click on Project -> Maven -> Disable Maven Nature. Now, open up a command line in the folder with your .pom file for the project and run the following command:

mvn eclipse:clean

After it finishes, go back and repeat steps for converting project to Maven.

Maven update interval for local repository

Today, while setting up new repository and moving artifacts, I ran into the following Maven (maven 3.0.4) error:

Failure to find oracle:oracle-jdbc-thin:jar:10.2.0.3 in http://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2 was cached in the local repository, resolution will not be reattempted until the update interval of central has elapsed or updates are forced -> [Help 1]

The solution turned out to be quite simple: run install command with the update flag

mvn clean install -U

HDR old town Dubrovnik, Croatia

I took this picture in 2005, when I was visiting a friend in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Of course, that time I had no clue about the HDR or photography in general, so my camera was a simple 8MP Fuji. Recently, I was going through my old photos, and given my fascination with HDR photography, I thought this shot would be pretty good to make and HDR out of...

HDR Bugatti Veyron

Camera: Canon Rebel T1i
Lens: Sigma DG f/2.8-4.0
ISO: 800
f-Stop: 4.0
Exposure Bracketing: single shot

HDR Golden Gate Bridge

Camera: Canon Rebel T1i
Lens: Sigma DG f/2.8-4.0
ISO: Auto
f-Stop: 9.0
Exposure Bracketing: single shot

HDR Ferrari 430

Camera: Canon Rebel T1i
Lens: Sigma DG f/2.8-4.0
ISO: 1600
f-Stop: 4.5
Exposure Bracketing: single shot


Ferrari 430
Vehicle Type: Mid engine, rear wheel drive, two door coupe
Engine Layout: V8, aluminum block and heads
Displacement: 4.3L (263 ci)
Valves: 32
Compression: 12.5:1
Induction: Normally aspirated
Max. Engine Speed: 7500rpm
Horsepower: 483
Torque: 343 lb.-ft.
Wheelbase: 102.4"
Base Weight: 2850 lbs.
Wheel Size (F-R): 11x18" - 12x18"
Tire Size (F-R): 305/645/18 - 315/675/18
Forward Gears: 6
Differential: 4.3:1

LINUX: Setting permissions for user on directory

To give a user full read and write access to the directory, its sub-directories and all files under that directory, there are two useful commands:

chown -R username directory
chmod -R u+rX directory

First command makes specified user owner of the directory, second command allows user full read and write access. The r in the command allows read access, X gives "execute" right to the directories. In order to give "execute" right to all the files, x should be used (case sensitivity); however, the later option is commonly not recommended.

HDR Saint Patrick's Church, NYC

Saint Patrick's Church, New York City, taken from the 70th floor of the Rockefeller building

Camera: Canon Rebel T1i
Lens: Cannon EF-S55-250mm
ISO: Auto
f-Stop: 4.5
Exposure Bracketing: single shot