# M Asif Rahman — profile, projects, notes and writing Source: https://ar.bd/ Documents: 235 Generated at build time from Git content and the imported archive. ## Profile I’m M Asif Rahman. Most people call me Asif. I started building for the web from Bangladesh in 2004, and I’ve been following my curiosity ever since.That curiosity has taken me through WordPress, SaaS, Shopify, investing, and now AI agents. The tools keep changing. I still care about the same thing: making something useful, with people who care about it.It started with ARCom. ARCom was my first company. Building for the web from Bangladesh taught me to learn by doing, keep trying, and pay attention to the problems people actually have.A platform became a whole world. WordPress started as a curiosity in 2004. It became the platform I built on and a community that took me around the world. Meetups, WordCamps, and conversations with other builders shaped much of what came next.Learning to build together. Through WPDeveloper, Startise, xCloud and Storeware, the work grew into products and teams. Different platforms, different customers, and the ongoing responsibility of making things people rely on.Still a beginner at something. These days I spend a lot of time exploring what AI agents can do. I’m building agent infrastructure at xCloud, experimenting with new tools, and sharing useful pieces as open-source projects.Founder & CEO, xCloud. Infrastructure for websites, applications and AI agents.Founder, WPDeveloper. Products that help people build and grow with WordPress.Chairman, Startise. The group connecting our companies and the teams behind them.Owner, Storeware. Shopify apps for merchants building their own businesses.Founder · Since 2004, ARCom. Where my journey as an entrepreneur began.Some of the best parts of this journey happened away from my desk: meeting the WordPress community, sharing what I’ve learned on stage, and helping bring people together through JCI Dhaka Founders.I enjoy travel, cricket, and the conversations that happen when people from different places meet. Bangladesh is where this story began; curiosity keeps taking it somewhere new. About: https://ar.bd/about/ Writing: https://ar.bd/writing/ Projects: https://ar.bd/work/ Notes: https://ar.bd/notes/ ## Projects (43; 20 AI-related) - [WPDeveloper](https://wpdeveloper.com): WordPress software company building plugins for site design, documentation, publishing and marketing. Its products include Essential Addons, BetterDocs, Essential Blocks, SchedulePress, NotificationX, EmbedPress and BetterLinks. [wordpress] Audience: WordPress site owners, web creators and agencies. M Asif Rahman's role: Founder. Source: https://ar.bd/about/ Related: [Essential Addons](https://essential-addons.com), [BetterDocs](https://betterdocs.co), [Essential Blocks](https://essential-blocks.com), [SchedulePress](https://schedulepress.com), [NotificationX](https://notificationx.com), [EmbedPress](https://embedpress.com), [BetterLinks](https://betterlinks.io). Sources: https://startise.com, https://ar.com.bd - [ARCom](https://ar.com.bd): A.R. Communications (ARCom), founded in 2004, is where M Asif Rahman began building web businesses. Its public portfolio includes software, web infrastructure and investments, including Startise, WPDeveloper, Storeware and xCloud. [bangladesh] Audience: Businesses building digital products and web services. M Asif Rahman's role: Founder · Since 2004. Source: https://ar.bd/about/ Related: [Startise](https://startise.com), [WPDeveloper](https://wpdeveloper.com), [Storeware](https://storeware.io), [xCloud](https://xcloud.host). Sources: https://ar.com.bd - [Startise](https://startise.com): Technology group connecting software companies and product teams across WordPress, Shopify, cloud hosting and hiring. Its public brand portfolio includes WPDeveloper, Storeware, Templately, easy.jobs and xCloud. [saas] Audience: Website builders, merchants and business teams. M Asif Rahman's role: Chairman. Source: https://ar.bd/about/ Related: [WPDeveloper](https://wpdeveloper.com), [Storeware](https://storeware.io), [Templately](https://templately.com), [easy.jobs](https://easy.jobs), [xCloud](https://xcloud.host). Sources: https://startise.com - [Storeware](https://storeware.io): Shopify app company helping merchants improve store discovery, customer support and shopping experiences. Its apps include StoreSEO and BetterDocs for Shopify. [shopify, saas] Audience: Shopify merchants and ecommerce teams. M Asif Rahman's role: Owner. Source: https://ar.bd/about/ Related: [StoreSEO](https://storeseo.com), [BetterDocs](https://betterdocs.co). Sources: https://storeware.io - [xCloud](https://xcloud.host): Hosting and server-management platform for websites, applications and AI agents, with managed hosting, deployments, SSL and backups. Its MCP tools and agent skills let AI assistants work with servers and sites. [wordpress, saas, ai] Audience: Developers, agencies, website owners and AI-agent operators. M Asif Rahman's role: Founder & CEO. Source: https://ar.bd/about/ Related: [xCloud Agent Skills](https://clawhub.ai/asif2bd/xcloud), [xCloud Docker Deploy](https://clawhub.ai/asif2bd/xcloud-docker-deploy), [MissionDeck](https://missiondeck.ai). Sources: https://xcloud.host - [StoreSEO](https://storeseo.com): AI-powered SEO app for Shopify merchants, with store optimization tools, MCP access and an AI Toolkit for agents. [shopify, ai] Audience: Shopify merchants improving search discovery. Related: [Storeware](https://storeware.io). Sources: https://storeseo.com, https://storeware.io - [AIscan](https://aiscan.site): Can AI actually read your website? Find out what it sees—and what it misses. [ai] - [xSpeed Cache](https://xspeedcache.com): Faster WordPress, with caching and performance tools you can put to work with an AI agent. [wordpress, ai] - [Instapect](https://instapect.com): Instagram profile analytics with an AI summary and a prioritised action plan. [ai] - [Essential Addons](https://essential-addons.com): WordPress plugin extending Elementor with widgets and design features for building sites and WooCommerce stores. [wordpress] Audience: Elementor designers and WordPress agencies. Related: [WPDeveloper](https://wpdeveloper.com). Sources: https://essential-addons.com - [BetterDocs](https://betterdocs.co): Documentation and knowledge-base software for organizing searchable self-service help. Available for WordPress and Shopify. [wordpress, shopify] Audience: Support teams, website owners and Shopify merchants. Related: [WPDeveloper](https://wpdeveloper.com), [Storeware](https://storeware.io). Sources: https://betterdocs.co, https://storeware.io - [Templately](https://templately.com): WordPress template library for Elementor and Gutenberg, with cloud storage and a shared workspace for saving and reusing website designs. [wordpress] Audience: Web designers, agencies and teams building WordPress sites. Related: [Startise](https://startise.com). Sources: https://templately.com - [SchedulePress](https://schedulepress.com): WordPress editorial scheduling and social-sharing plugin for planning posts and distributing published content. [saas] Audience: Bloggers and editorial teams. Related: [WPDeveloper](https://wpdeveloper.com). Sources: https://startise.com - [Essential Blocks](https://essential-blocks.com): WordPress block collection for building and styling pages in the Gutenberg editor. [wordpress] Audience: WordPress site builders using the block editor. Related: [WPDeveloper](https://wpdeveloper.com). Sources: https://startise.com - [NotificationX](https://notificationx.com): WordPress social-proof and notification plugin for displaying activity and announcements on a website. [wordpress] Audience: Website owners and marketers. Related: [WPDeveloper](https://wpdeveloper.com). Sources: https://startise.com - [EmbedPress](https://embedpress.com): WordPress embedding plugin for adding documents, videos and other external media to site content. [wordpress] Audience: WordPress publishers and site builders. Related: [WPDeveloper](https://wpdeveloper.com). Sources: https://startise.com - [BetterLinks](https://betterlinks.io): WordPress link-management plugin for creating branded short links and tracking their use. [wordpress] Audience: Publishers and marketers managing shared links. Related: [WPDeveloper](https://wpdeveloper.com). Sources: https://startise.com - [easy.jobs](https://easy.jobs): Recruitment software for managing candidates and hiring workflows in one place. [saas] Audience: Recruiters and growing business teams. Related: [Startise](https://startise.com). Sources: https://startise.com - [Umami MCP](https://github.com/Asif2BD/umami-mcp): Ask questions about your Umami analytics from an agent. [ai] - [JARVIS Mission Control](https://github.com/Asif2BD/JARVIS-Mission-Control-OpenClaw): A git-based command centre for running a team of AI agents, and the humans reviewing them. [ai] - [Token Optimizer](https://clawhub.ai/asif2bd/openclaw-token-optimizer): Tools for managing agent context and token usage. [ai] - [Skill Lazy Loader](https://clawhub.ai/asif2bd/skills/openclaw-skill-lazy-loader): Load the skills a task needs, when it needs them. [ai] - [WordPress Publisher](https://clawhub.ai/asif2bd/wordpress-publishing-skill-for-claude): A workflow for publishing WordPress content with an agent. [ai, wordpress] - [Tour Planner](https://clawhub.ai/asif2bd/skills/openclaw-tour-planner): Plan trips and itineraries with an OpenClaw agent. [ai] - [xCloud Docker Deploy](https://clawhub.ai/asif2bd/xcloud-docker-deploy): Help an agent prepare applications for deployment on xCloud. [ai] - [VoiceClaw](https://github.com/Asif2BD/voiceclaw): Explore voice as a way to interact with OpenClaw. [ai] - [FuelBD](https://fuelbd.asif.dev/): A Bangla and English demonstration of citizen fuel quotas, pump-station workflows and transparent subsidy calculations. [bangladesh] - [Qurbani Guide](https://qurbani.askquran.chat/): A simple guide to understanding Qurbani eligibility, with Bangla support and country-specific calculations. [bangladesh] - [ZakatCal](https://zakatcal.com/): A guided Zakat calculator for salaried people, business owners and families with different kinds of assets. [bangladesh] - [Fitra Calculator](https://fitra.askquran.chat/): Calculate Zakat al-Fitr for your household, with country, language and school-of-thought options. [bangladesh] - [TIN Audit Lookup](https://check-tin.asif.dev/): Check whether a TIN appears in the published audit selection for assessment year 2023–24. [bangladesh] - [VoiceClone AI](https://voice.asif.dev/): Record a short sample, pick a script, and hear it back in your own voice. [ai] - [CardScan](https://card.asif.dev/): Business cards to digital contacts. [] - [AmarIP](https://amarip.com/): A quick look at your IP and network. [] - [Visa4.Travel](https://visa4.travel/): Explore where your passport can take you. [] - [DubaiCabs](https://dubaicabs.com/): Dubai taxi and transport information guide covering airport transfers, electric taxis and autonomous taxi services. [] Audience: Dubai visitors and residents researching transport. Sources: https://dubaicabs.com/ - [Adda With Asif](https://ar.bd/adda-with-asif/): Conversations with people who build. [] - [MissionDeck](https://missiondeck.ai): Mission-control workspace with a Kanban board, agent CLI and deployment tools for OpenClaw and Hermes multi-agent teams. An xCloud project by M Asif Rahman. [ai] Audience: People and teams operating AI agents. Related: [xCloud](https://xcloud.host). Sources: https://missiondeck.ai - [ProSkills.md](https://proskills.md): Curated directory of skills for Claude Code, Claude and OpenClaw agents, built by M Asif Rahman. Helps people discover reusable agent capabilities. [ai] Audience: AI-agent users and developers looking for skills. Sources: https://proskills.md - [AICarValue](https://aicarvalue.ae): A car valuation project for the UAE. [ai] - [xCloud Agent Skills](https://clawhub.ai/asif2bd/xcloud): Manage servers, sites, WordPress and SSL through an AI agent. [ai, wordpress] - [AI Coding Token Optimizer](https://proskills.md/skills/coding/ai-coding-token-optimizer): I built this to help coding agents spend less context finding their way around a project. It measures instruction files, creates concise task maps and preserves the rules that matter. Available on ProSkills and ClawHub. [ai] - [Analytics MCP Server](https://analyticsmcpserver.com): Hosted remote MCP server and dashboard that lets AI assistants such as Claude read Google Analytics 4 and Search Console data together, with read-only Google access, AI referral reports, index status and team workspaces. Built by M Asif Rahman for his own sites first. [ai, saas] Audience: Founders, marketers and SEOs who want AI answers from their own analytics. Sources: https://analyticsmcpserver.com, https://ar.bd/blog/google-analytics-mcp/ ## Published notes ### Personal AI agents, seen from Dhaka. Date: 2026-09-30T18:11:41.518Z URL: https://ar.bd/notes/#note-7511125635709239296 Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/asif2bd_aiagents-bangladesh-anthropic-activity-7511125635709239296-krsG Content: Also shared on LinkedIn Four personal AI agents launched within a month. Anthropic is the only frontier lab still quiet. Here is the scoreboard as of today, seen from Dhaka. Four personal AI agents launched within a month. Anthropic is the only frontier lab still quiet. Here is the scoreboard as of today, seen from Dhaka: → 𝗚𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸 (Google, May): $20 AI Pro plan, 160+ countries since July. Reportedly works here. → 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝗸 𝗕𝗼𝘁 (SpaceXAI, Aug 11): cheapest route is Cursor Pro at $20, SuperGrok at $30. No country lock published. Works here. → 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗲 (Meta, Sep 8): Free, $20 Power, $100 Maximum. US and Canada only. → 𝗗𝗼𝘁𝘀 (OpenAI, Sep 29): Pro at $200 or Business Premium. Plus users: "launch date unannounced." Even EU Pro subscribers are excluded. Two patterns I cannot unsee: 1/ The names went soft. ↳ Spark, Muse, Dots. Nobody shipped "Agent Pro Max." Every lab wants a character you would name, not a tool you would configure. OpenAI's own line: "give it a name, and make it your own." 2/ The entry price went up while the map got smaller. ↳ The $20 chatbot era reached almost every country within months. The always-on agent era is launching to a two-country list, or behind a $200 tier, first. For a founder in Bangladesh, the two agents you can actually run today come from Google and Elon Musk's company. Neither is the one with the loudest launch. Which leaves the open question. Anthropic already has a Claude that uses your computer and a Cowork mode that runs tasks for you. It has no named personal agent. Yet. My guesses, in order: → ClaudeBot (safe, on brand, slightly boring) → Sidekick (Shopify already owns that one, so no) → One syllable like the others: Kin? Echo? Halo? Drop your name in the comments. Bonus points if you also tell me which of these four you have actually got running from South Asia. I want a real map, not a press-release map. #AIAgents #Bangladesh #Anthropic #OpenAI ### Your storefront was built for browsers. The next layer is for agents. Date: 2026-09-16T10:29:11.000Z URL: https://ar.bd/notes/#note-7505935811549233152 Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/asif2bd_shopify-agent-readable-checklist-by-storeseo-activity-7505935811549233152-NmFw Content: Summary of my LinkedIn post Meta's new shopping agent, Muse, had Shopify stores inside it on day one. That only helps if the agent can read your store. Here is the checklist we built around what kept breaking. Meta launched Muse, an AI agent that shops on people's behalf, and Shopify stores were inside it from day one with no setup. That sounds like free distribution, but it only works if the agent can read your store. Muse never sees your photos, your theme or your brand story, and neither does ChatGPT. They read data. Over the last six weeks, merchants kept showing our StoreSEO team how fragile that data is. One stray space made "in stock" invalid to Google. Product images went out as 115px thumbnails and failed Merchant Center. A review app's stray comma broke the entire product markup. Shipping and return policies were on the site but never reached Merchant Center. None of it is visible on the storefront, and all of it makes a product invisible to a machine. A large part of our last seven StoreSEO releases went into fixing exactly this. The result is an agent-readable product checklist: availability that validates, full-size images rather than thumbnails, barcode (GTIN) and product condition, a Google product category, shipping and return policy in structured data, sale dates so agents can see the discount, and revenue tracking for traffic from ChatGPT and other AI assistants. Your storefront was built for people who browse. The next layer is for agents that decide. ### AR.bd is live. Made for people and their AI. Date: 2026-09-14T14:17:50.000Z URL: https://ar.bd/notes/#note-7505268577428500480 Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/asif2bd_buildinpublic-ai-activity-7505268577428500480-FIWx Content: Summary of my LinkedIn post My new personal site is live at ar.bd. I built it with AI, and built it so AI agents can read it too: a project map, my notes, and an MCP endpoint. Having my initials on a two-character .bd domain is part of the appeal, I admit. The bigger reason for the rebuild was another chance to work closely with AI. I used it throughout: design, code, content structure, SEO, testing and deployment. I stayed in the decisions, we went through revisions, checked the live results, and simplified whenever the design got more complicated than it needed to be. The site brings together my companies, my writing and the AI projects I am working on. You can explore the project map, read my notes, or ask my AI about my work. There is also a layer built for AI agents: structured public content and an MCP endpoint for finding projects, searching my writing and reading published notes. That felt right for a personal website at this point in my journey, a place people can explore, with information their AI tools can reach as well. masifrahman.com and asif.im now bring you to the same site. ### One scanner. Seven ways in. Date: 2026-09-13T13:48:24.000Z URL: https://ar.bd/notes/#note-7504898782531321857 Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/asif2bd_aiscan-has-now-run-more-than-3400-scans-activity-7504898782531321857-xeST Content: Summary of my LinkedIn post AIScan has passed 3,400 scans, and most of them never came through the website. That shaped how I think about where a tool should live. When AIScan crossed 3,400 scans, the number that interested me was not the total. It was where the scans came from. Most arrived through the API, the MCP server and the command line rather than the website. I had built one scanner and then kept adding ways to reach it, because the people who care about this problem do not all work in the same place. Today there are seven ways in: the website, a CLI that runs with npx in about 20 seconds, an MCP server with 13 tools so Claude or Cursor can scan a site and act on the failing checks, a Telegram bot, a REST API, a Chrome extension and a Claude Code skill. The same engine sits behind all of them. The reason this matters is that an AI agent reads a website nothing like a person does. It never sees the design or the hero image. It looks for a handful of small files, and most sites have never shipped a single one of them. That is how a good website ends up invisible to ChatGPT. The free scan stays free; I only charge for daily monitoring, because that is the part that costs money to run. ### Hundreds of problems. One tool at a time. Date: 2026-09-08T17:19:26.229Z URL: https://ar.bd/notes/#note-7503139952315170816 Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/asif2bd_vibecoding-ai-buildinpublic-activity-7503139952315170816-PRol Content: Summary of my LinkedIn post I started vibe coding in 2024. Hundreds of small tools later, the useful part is still solving a problem from my own work or life—and making the result available to others. I noticed a Level 5 Master Builder badge on my Replit profile, placing me in the top 1% of Replit Agent users. The description focused on deployed applications serving real people. That was the part that mattered to me. Across Replit, Claude Code and Lovable, I’ve built hundreds of small tools and apps. Most started with something in my own work or life that needed fixing. Visa4.Travel is one example: I wanted an easier way to check visa eligibility before a trip, so I built it and made it available to others. I don’t build at that pace anymore, but many of those tools are still running. My advice is simple: take one problem of your own to AI and try making something useful. ### A small missing piece. Now open to everyone. Date: 2026-08-26T11:13:03.036Z URL: https://ar.bd/notes/#note-7498336706170032129 Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/asif2bd_i-needed-a-tool-that-didnt-exist-so-i-activity-7498336706170032129-DrFL Content: Summary of my LinkedIn post I wanted to ask questions about my website analytics without opening another dashboard. That led me to build an MCP server for Umami. The community tools I tried were built for an older Umami API. They could return plausible answers while pointing at the wrong data. That was a good reason to build something I could check myself. I released the result as an open-source tool. It connects agents to Umami reports, keeps reads as the default, and makes writes an explicit choice. The useful part is being able to follow a question beyond the dashboard. ### Site health belongs in the hosting dashboard. Date: 2026-08-10T19:14:15.034Z URL: https://ar.bd/notes/#note-7492659598093488129 Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/asif2bd_wordpress-managedhosting-xcloud-activity-7492659598093488129-uixk Content: Summary of my LinkedIn post When a client finds a broken link before their agency does, a small technical problem becomes a trust problem. We built monitoring into xCloud to help catch it earlier. The usual response was another plugin to install, scan and maintain. Our team wanted the hosting platform to handle more of that work, with the site, server and DNS already in view. In this release, we brought broken-link scans, scheduled checks, redirects and exportable reports into the dashboard. It reflects a direction I care about: making everyday site maintenance simpler for the people responsible for it. ### Take Bangladesh into the world. Date: 2026-08-10T08:01:17.475Z URL: https://ar.bd/notes/#note-7492490242290089984 Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/asif2bd_%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%96%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%99%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%96-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%A4-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%A4-activity-7492490242290089984-wmcS Content: English summary · original post in Bangla Going global starts with skills. I shared a practical playbook for Bangladeshis who want to build careers, businesses and communities across borders. The ideas start with investing in a strong skill and choosing a market deliberately. A first job can become a starting point for building a business, a trading relationship or a community. My central question is how success abroad can create more opportunity at home: connections between makers and buyers, stronger communities, and a wider horizon for the next generation. ### Good judgment still does the hard part. Date: 2026-06-19T07:38:47.203Z URL: https://ar.bd/notes/#note-7473640409794134016 Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/asif2bd_how-ai-lets-one-engineer-build-an-entire-activity-7473640409794134016-aphL Content: Summary of my LinkedIn post Speaking to engineers at IUB, I heard a familiar worry: does learning to code still matter? My answer was that strong fundamentals become more valuable when building gets easier. AI can help draft code, tests and documentation. The engineer still has to decide what is worth making, check whether the output is correct, and understand what happens when real users arrive. A convincing demo is only a beginning. Product sense and engineering fundamentals help turn it into something people can rely on. I wanted the next generation of builders in Bangladesh to see that opportunity clearly. ### Clear thinking is a skill we can build. Date: 2026-05-10T18:18:02.315Z URL: https://ar.bd/notes/#note-7459305768190734336 Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/asif2bd_aisummitrajshahi-aiadoption-futureofwork-activity-7459305768190734336-nvUz Content: Summary of my LinkedIn post At AI Summit Rajshahi, a student asked which skill matters most. My answer started with learning to explain a problem clearly. Using AI is becoming part of everyday work. But two people with the same tools can produce very different results. The ability to structure a thought, describe a problem and explain what you want still matters. I encouraged the students to develop a practical skill, use AI regularly, and keep practising writing and speaking. The summit was also a reminder of the talent and energy that exists beyond Dhaka. ### What could better fuel distribution look like? Date: 2026-04-07T03:46:38.437Z URL: https://ar.bd/notes/#note-7447127674168340480 Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/asif2bd_fuelbd-smartbangladesh-govtech-activity-7447127674168340480-pw6_ Content: Summary of my LinkedIn post FuelBD started as a proof of concept: a way to make fuel quotas, subsidy calculations and the citizen experience easier to understand. The demo brings together a citizen portal, a pump-station terminal and an administration view. I added Bangla and English, vehicle-verification flows, quota tracking and digital receipts as the idea developed. It is an independent demonstration of what could be built, not an operating government service. The feedback is part of the work: it helps make the next version more useful. ### An office for a team of AI agents. Date: 2026-02-19T14:08:23.706Z URL: https://ar.bd/notes/#note-7430251914094735360 Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/asif2bd_openclaw-aiagents-buildinpublic-activity-7430251914094735360-8-38 Content: Summary of my LinkedIn post Running several AI agents creates a new problem: seeing what each one is doing. That was the starting point for MissionDeck. I described agents handling different parts of a founder’s work, from research and analytics to drafting content. As the number of agents grows, keeping track of their tasks and costs becomes a job of its own. We built MissionDeck around a shared task board, agent conversations, coordination and cost visibility. My suggestion was to start with one agent doing one useful thing, understand the work, and build from there. ### A better workflow, with fewer tabs. Date: 2025-10-09T14:40:15.620Z URL: https://ar.bd/notes/#note-7382062347156238336 Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/asif2bd_shopify-storeware-storeseo-activity-7382062347156238336-vE0k Content: Summary of my LinkedIn post Our StoreSEO team brought Shopify Admin Intents into the app within a week. The useful change for merchants was being able to stay in the flow of their work. With the StoreSEO 3.9.8 release, merchants could open product-editing screens within the app and act on SEO recommendations without repeatedly switching back to Shopify Admin. We also added Loox review-schema integration and made improvements informed by Microsoft Clarity. I was proud of how quickly the team turned a platform capability into a more convenient everyday experience. ### Mentorship starts with better starting points. Date: 2025-09-19T13:35:58.621Z URL: https://ar.bd/notes/#note-7374798412443148288 Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/asif2bd_leadership-futureofwork-generations-activity-7374798412443148288-ezOK Content: Summary of my LinkedIn post People entering the workforce are learning through communities, videos and AI tools—and often building before anyone gives them permission. That changes how I think about mentorship. In this reflection on different generations at work, I was especially interested in people who learn by making a first project: a store, a prototype or a small business. For founders and leaders, guidance includes showing people where useful tools, resources and communities live. Onboarding should help them take that first practical step, as well as explain what the job requires. --- ## Google Analytics MCP in 2026: The Official Server, Hosted Options and Which One to Use URL: https://ar.bd/blog/google-analytics-mcp/ Date: 2026-10-17 TL;DR: A Google Analytics MCP server lets an AI assistant such as Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini or Cursor read your GA4 reports and answer questions in plain language. If you're a developer happy with Python, gcloud and a local client, start with Google's official Google Analytics MCP server. It's free, open source and read-only. If you want it in a web chat client without installing anything, or you need GA4 and Search Console answered together, use a hosted remote MCP server. If you… Start with Why Are a developer using Gemini CLI or Claude Code Official Google Analytics MCP Free, open source, runs on your machine, GA4 only Want one-click OAuth and nothing to install A hosted server: Stape, Coupler.io, Manifold or Analytics MCP Server Remote URL plus Google sign-in Need GA4 and Search Console in one answer Analytics MCP Server, Manifold or Coupler.io The official server has no Search Console tools Need to change GA4 settings or send events Composio's toolkit Most GA4 MCP servers are read-only on purpose Have a team sharing several sites A hosted option with workspaces Local servers use one person's credentials Why I'm writing this I run a lot of websites: company sites, product sites, and this one. Every week I wanted to ask my AI assistant the same simple questions. What changed? Which pages are growing? Is AI sending us anyone? Each time, the answer meant opening GA4 in one tab and Search Console in another and stitching them together myself. Google's official Google Analytics MCP server was a good start, but it lives on a developer's laptop and only speaks GA4. I wanted something I could use from Claude in a browser, with Search Console in the same answer, for all my sites at once. I couldn't find it, so I built it for myself first. That became Analytics MCP Server. So, full disclosure: I built one of the options in this guide. I've tried to give the others a fair hearing, and to be blunt about where mine still falls short. What is a Google Analytics MCP server? MCP, the Model Context Protocol, is an open standard for connecting AI assistants to tools and data. A Google Analytics MCP server sits between an AI client and the Google Analytics Data and Admin APIs. When you ask "which channels drove sessions last month?", the model calls a tool on the server, the server runs a real GA4 report, and the model answers from those rows instead of guessing. That last part is the whole point. Without an MCP connection, an assistant can only talk about GA4 in general. With one, it can read your property, compare periods, follow a drop down to a page, and tell you what changed. There are two ways to run one: Local (stdio) server Hosted (remote) server Where it runs A process on your computer Someone's server, reached by URL Who holds your Google credentials You (Application Default Credentials or a service account) The provider, after you sign in with Google Works in claude.ai or ChatGPT on the web Not without a tunnel Yes, if the client supports custom connectors Setup Python or Node, a Google Cloud project, enabled APIs Paste a URL, sign in, approve Cost Free Free tiers, then paid plans Trust model Nothing leaves your machine except API calls You trust the provider's token storage and policies Neither model is "better". It depends on who is asking the questions and where they ask them. The official Google Analytics MCP server, explained Google released its Google Analytics MCP server in July 2025. It lives at googleanalytics/google-analytics-mcp, is Apache-2.0 licensed, and the repository still labels it experimental. It exposes seven read-only tools: Tool What it does get_account_summaries Lists the accounts and properties you can see get_property_details Returns one property's settings list_google_ads_links Lists linked Google Ads accounts run_report Runs a standard GA4 Data API report run_funnel_report Runs a funnel report get_custom_dimensions_and_metrics Lists a property's custom definitions run_realtime_report Runs a realtime report How to set up the official server - Install Python 3.10+ and pipx, plus the gcloud CLI. - In a Google Cloud project, enable the Google Analytics Admin API and Google Analytics Data API. - Create credentials. The documented route is Application Default Credentials: gcloud auth application-default login with the analytics.readonly and cloud-platform scopes, using an OAuth client you created. A service account also works. - Add the server to your client's config (for example ~/.gemini/settings.json for Gemini CLI) so it launches pipx run analytics-mcp, with your project ID and credentials path in the environment. - Restart the client and ask a question. Where the official server is strong, and where it isn't Good: it's free and maintained by Google's Analytics team. Your credentials never leave your machine. It's strictly read-only, and run_funnel_report is something most hosted servers don't offer. Not so good: - Setup is the real cost. Python versions, pipx, an outdated gcloud CLI and file paths with spaces trip people up. Two Octobers' walkthrough shows how many steps there are, even for analysts. - It's local only. It speaks to desktop and terminal clients. To use it from claude.ai or ChatGPT on the web you need your own hosting or a tunnel. - GA4 only. No Search Console, so "which queries brought this page its traffic?" needs a second server. - One person's credentials. Fine for you; awkward when an agency wants five teammates asking about twelve client sites. Five problems people hit with GA4 MCP, and what solves each While building an MCP server for my own sites, I kept running into the same five problems, and the GA4 community discussions describe the same ones. Here they are, with the options that solve each one. Problem 1: "I just want it in Claude or ChatGPT, not a terminal" Most people who search "Google Analytics MCP" aren't developers. They're founders, marketers and SEOs who live in a chat window. A remote MCP server with OAuth is the answer: you paste a URL into the client's connector settings and sign in with Google. Option Hosting How you connect Free to start Stape GA4 MCP Hosted remote URL Google OAuth in the browser Yes, per Stape's solutions page Coupler.io Fully managed cloud Guided OAuth Free plan; paid plans from $32/month, check which include MCP Manifold Hosted Google sign-in 250 free credits a month; analytics tools cost 0 credits Analytics MCP Server (mine) Hosted remote URL OAuth 2.1, dynamic registration, project-level consent One free project My take: Stape's is the quickest if you only need GA4 in Claude Desktop. Coupler.io makes sense if you already use Coupler for reporting. Manifold covers the most ground in one connector. Problem 2: "My AI can see GA4 but not Search Console" This is the gap I care most about. GA4 tells you what happened on the site. Search Console tells you what happened on Google before the visit. Most real questions ("why did this page drop?") need both. Google has no official Search Console MCP server. The google/mcp catalogue lists Analytics but not Search Console. Community servers such as ahonn/mcp-server-gsc work, but you run them yourself with a service account added to the property. Option GA4 Search Console Joined in one answer Official Google Analytics MCP ✅ ❌ ❌ Stape GA4 MCP ✅ Not mentioned ❌ Coupler.io ✅ ✅ (separate connector) Possible through blending Manifold ✅ ✅ (plus Bing) Separate tools Analytics MCP Server ✅ ✅ ✅ Pages and queries joined per project This is where my bias shows, so judge for yourself. This exact gap is why I built Analytics MCP Server, around one idea: a project pairs one GA4 property with one Search Console site, and the tools join them. get_site_snapshot returns GA4 totals, Search Console totals, top pages with both sources side by side, top queries, channel mix and rising or falling queries, in one call. get_page_detail answers "why does this page get traffic?" with the page's channels and the queries it ranks for. The Analytics MCP Server homepage. The demo card on the right is labelled illustrative and uses fictional numbers.Problem 3: "Can I trust the numbers the AI gives me?" This is the honest problem, and no server fully solves it. The most-repeated advice in the GA4 community's own discussions is that MCP is for quick insights and exploration, and a built report is for anything you need to be exact. I agree. What goes wrong: - Thresholding and small samples. GA4 withholds or thresholds small segments. The model doesn't always say so. - Fresh data moves. GA4's last day or two settles later. Search Console lags 2–3 days and revises recent rows. - Different ranges look like one range. If GA4 is read "through today" and Search Console "through three days ago", a naive answer compares mismatched windows. - Model arithmetic. Asking the model to compute ratios across several tool calls invites mistakes. - "Zero" versus "unavailable". A disconnected or failing source must not read as zero traffic. Safeguard Why it matters Who handles it Separate date ranges per source, stated in the result Stops GA4 and Search Console windows being silently mixed Analytics MCP Server reports both ranges and Search Console's last day with data Completeness and warning fields Tells the model when queries are anonymised or data is partial Analytics MCP Server returns completeness and warnings; the official server returns raw API responses Unavailable is never zero Prevents invented drops Analytics MCP Server's documented rule Precomputed comparisons Fewer model calculations Hosted servers that return change versus the previous period Your own judgement Nothing replaces it Everyone When I asked Claude about this site, ar.bd, through my server this week, the answer came with this warning attached, word for word: GA4 totals and channels cover 2026-09-20 to 2026-10-17 (through today in America/New_York; today's numbers are partial). Search Console totals, top pages, top queries and trends cover 2026-09-17 to 2026-10-14, because Search Console data lags 2–3 days (it currently has data through 2026-10-14). That's dull, and that's the point. An assistant that has to read that sentence is much less likely to tell you traffic "fell 20% yesterday". Problem 4: "I don't want an AI anywhere near write access" Read-only matters more for analytics than people expect. One wrong "create custom dimension" call won't break a business, but nobody wants an agent quietly editing property settings or sending events. Option Google scopes Can it change your GA4? Official Google Analytics MCP analytics.readonly (plus cloud-platform for ADC) No Stape, Manifold, Coupler.io Read access for reporting No, as documented Composio Google Analytics toolkit Broader Yes. Its 67 tools include Create Custom Dimension and Send Events Analytics MCP Server analytics.readonly, webmasters.readonly No. One opt-in write: the workspace owner can separately allow sitemap submission Composio is the right choice if you actually want an agent to administer GA4. For reporting, prefer read-only scopes. Problem 5: "I manage many sites and a team" Agencies and companies with several brands hit this fast. A local server is one person's credentials and one config file. Hosted servers can separate who signs in, which Google account supplies data and which AI client can read which site. In my own case, about twenty projects sit behind one Claude connection: company sites, product sites and this blog. That's why I built the permission model the way I did: Permission What it controls Revoked separately? Google sign-in Who you are (Google account ID, not email) Yes Google data consent Read-only GA4 and Search Console access Yes, and disconnecting clears cached reports AI client grant Which client can read which projects Yes, per client, immediately Team members read through the owner's read-only connection and connect their own AI clients. Removing someone revokes their clients in the same step. The master comparison Official Google Stape Coupler.io Manifold Composio Analytics MCP Server Hosting Local Hosted Hosted Hosted Hosted Hosted Setup High Low Low Low Medium (developer SDK) Low GA4 reports ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ Funnel reports ✅ Not listed Not listed ❌ ✅ ❌ Realtime ✅ ✅ Not listed ❌ Not listed ✅ Search Console ❌ Not mentioned ✅ ✅ ❌ ✅ joined with GA4 AI referral report ❌ ❌ ❌ Not listed ❌ ✅ URL inspection / index status ❌ ❌ Not listed Not listed ❌ ✅ Writes to Google ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅ Opt-in sitemap submit only Team workspaces ❌ Not listed ✅ Not listed Developer-managed ✅ Open source ✅ Apache-2.0 Not stated ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ Price to start Free Free Free plan 250 free credits/month Free hobby plan One free project "Not listed" means I couldn't find it in the provider's own documentation on 17 October 2026, not that it doesn't exist. Check their pages before deciding. Analytics MCP Server: why I built it and what I keep adding It started as a tool for my own sites. Once it worked for me, I kept going: every week I hit another question my AI couldn't answer, and that became the next feature. AI traffic was the obvious one. I wanted to know how many visitors ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Claude actually send, and to which pages. It went live on our own stack on 6 October 2026. Twenty-four releases followed in the next eleven days. The highlights: 2026 What I added 6 Oct Launch: Google sign-in and one aligned GA4 and Search Console report. Teammates and content analytics the same day 7 Oct One-call site snapshots, AI referrals, page detail, query detail, ranking opportunities, realtime, honest date ranges and index status 9 Oct Find your sources by domain: type a website and the matching GA4 property and Search Console site are filled in 13 Oct A 30-day dashboard across every project, AI attribution across the workspace, and a dark "command view" 15 Oct One project, many sites: a hub and all its subdomains, answered together or one at a time 16 Oct Indexing and sitemaps: what you submitted, whether Google indexed it and why not 17 Oct Optional sitemap submission, the one write, off until the owner turns it on The full release history is in the public changelog. It's helping me, and it's open to everyone. You can start with one project for free, no card. If you run more sites, send a short request from the Pro page saying how many and which AI clients you use. I read those requests myself. The more people find it useful, the more energy I'll put into it, alongside everything else I'm building. Here's the honest version, negatives first. Where it falls short - It's new and moving fast. It launched in October 2026. It doesn't have years of edge cases behind it, and with releases this frequent, the documentation sometimes trails the code. - ChatGPT isn't verified yet. I use it from Claude myself. The public docs still say ChatGPT and Claude compatibility has not been certified in real-client tests, and ChatGPT's connector mode needs developer mode on Pro, Business, Enterprise or Edu. - The free plan is one project. More projects need a request that I review by hand. There's no checkout, so you can't just pay and upgrade today, and I can't promise to approve every request. - You're trusting my server with a Google refresh token. It's encrypted at rest and limited to read-only scopes, but if your policy is "credentials never leave our machines", use the official server. - No funnel reports, no Google Ads links. The official server has both. - AI referral numbers are a floor, not a total. Assistants that strip the referrer show up as Direct, and the report says so. - Request budget. The free plan allows 3,000 Google API requests a day per workspace. Heavy agent loops can hit it, although cached reports don't count again. What it does well - GA4 and Search Console joined per project, with ranges, freshness and warnings in every result. - 24 tools, including get_site_snapshot as a start-here call, get_ai_referrals for ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude and Copilot traffic, get_opportunities for queries ranked 5–20 with weak CTR, get_query_detail with cannibalisation flags, and get_index_status backed by Google's URL Inspection API. - One URL for Claude, Claude Code, Codex, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf and Gemini CLI. OAuth 2.1 with PKCE, no API key to paste anywhere. - A dashboard with the same numbers, so you can check the AI's answer against a screen. Part of the public tool catalog.How to connect it - Sign in with Google at analyticsmcpserver.com and approve the two read-only permissions. - Type your domain. It suggests the matching GA4 property and Search Console site, and explains each match. Nothing is created in Google. - Copy your MCP URL from Connect AI. In Claude: Customize → Connectors → Add custom connector. In Claude Code: claude mcp add --transport http analytics , then /mcp. - Approve the client and choose its projects. - Ask: "Give me a snapshot of the last 28 days and tell me what changed." The connection guide on analyticsmcpserver.com.When to choose something else instead I'd rather you pick the right tool than mine. - Choose Google's official server if you're a developer, you only need GA4, and you want everything on your machine. It's free and it's Google's. - Choose Stape if you want hosted GA4 in Claude Desktop in five minutes and don't need Search Console. - Choose Coupler.io if you already report with Coupler or need many marketing sources beyond Google. - Choose Manifold if you want Google and Bing search data in one connector. - Choose Composio if you're building an agent that must manage GA4, not just read it. - Choose Analytics MCP Server if you want GA4 and Search Console answered together, care about AI referral traffic, or need team workspaces with per-client revocation. Good questions to ask once you're connected Goal Prompt Weekly check-in "Snapshot the last 7 days versus the previous 7. What changed and why?" Traffic drop "Which pages lost the most clicks this month, and which queries did they lose?" AI visibility "Which AI assistants sent visitors in the last 90 days, and to which pages?" Quick wins "Show queries where I rank 5–20 with below-normal CTR." Cannibalisation "Do any two pages compete for the same query?" Indexing "Are my newest sitemap URLs indexed? If not, why?" FAQ What is Google Analytics MCP? It's a Model Context Protocol server that lets AI assistants run read-only GA4 reports. Google publishes an official open-source one, and several companies offer hosted versions. Is there an official Google Analytics MCP server? Yes. Google's is at github.com/googleanalytics/google-analytics-mcp. It's free, Apache-2.0, local-only, labelled experimental, and has seven read-only tools. Is the Google Analytics MCP free? The official server is free. Hosted options have free tiers: Stape says its GA4 MCP is free, Manifold gives free monthly credits, and Analytics MCP Server includes one free project. Does Google Analytics MCP work with ChatGPT? Not the official server directly, because it runs locally. Hosted remote servers can be added in ChatGPT's developer mode (Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu, web only). Check each provider's own compatibility notes. How do I connect Google Analytics to Claude? For the official server, add it to Claude Desktop or Claude Code's MCP config. For a hosted server, add its URL as a custom connector in Claude (Customize → Connectors) and sign in with Google. Can a Google Analytics MCP server change my GA4 settings? The official server can't: it's read-only. Composio's toolkit includes write actions. Analytics MCP Server can't change GA4; its one optional write is sitemap submission, which the owner must switch on separately. Is there a Google Search Console MCP server? Google hasn't released an official one. Community servers exist, and hosted options such as Analytics MCP Server, Manifold and Coupler.io include Search Console. Is it safe to connect GA4 to an AI assistant? Use read-only scopes, prefer clients that let you choose which properties they see, and know where your refresh token is stored. Revoke clients you no longer use. Why don't the AI's numbers match the GA4 interface? Usually it's date ranges, timezones, thresholding or data that hasn't settled. Ask the assistant which range and timezone it used. Summary - Developers who only need GA4: Google's official Google Analytics MCP server. - GA4 and Search Console together, AI referrals and teams: Analytics MCP Server (my own, with the caveats above). - Fast hosted GA4 in Claude Desktop: Stape. - Many marketing sources: Coupler.io. - Google plus Bing search data: Manifold. - Agents that administer GA4: Composio. Whatever you choose, treat the AI's answer as the start of an investigation, not the final report. Related reading - WordPress in the Age of AI Agents: The $100B Opportunity Why open ecosystems give builders a head start with agents. - Projects I'm building The products, tools and open-source projects behind this guide. - Notes on AI agents and building Shorter thoughts, shared as I work. - Analytics MCP Server documentation Setup, the full tool catalog and limits. - Google's Google Analytics MCP announcement The official server and its setup guide. - All writing Essays, conversations and notes since 2006. --- ## WordPress in the Age of AI Agents: The $100B Opportunity URL: https://ar.bd/14852/wordpress-in-the-age-of-ai-agents-the-100b-opportunity/ Date: 2025-09-04 Introduction: The next $100B opportunity? It’s already here. And it’s called AI agents. I recently had the honor of delivering a talk in Dubai at the inaugural WordPress Meetup—a gathering that felt like the spark of a new movement. My talk, “WordPress in the Age of AI Agents: The $100B Opportunity,” landed on fertile ground. With WordPress’s openness, influence, and massive reach, we’re uniquely positioned to lead the digital evolution ahead. A massive shout-out to Alexander Gilmanov, Ph.D.—the visionary behind the meetup. He didn’t just organize an event; he ignited energy, vision, and action. In Dubai, a city that thrives on diversity and ambition, that’s no small feat. Though I wasn’t at my physical 100%, the presence of my incredible team and friends—some flew in just to support—transformed the moment into a milestone I’ll always treasure. It reaffirmed my deep belief: AI isn’t a threat to creators. It’s a partner. We need to stay ahead, build smarter, and lead boldly. Why AI Agents Matter (and Fast) - At Microsoft Build 2025, AI agent usage more than doubled in just one year—agents are evolving from code helpers to true collaborators. - Microsoft revealed that up to 30% of their code is now written by AI, with tools like GitHub Copilot working more as peers than tools. - Globally, AI-generated code is on the rise—30.1% of Python functions in the U.S., and climbing worldwide. The shift isn’t optional—it’s urgent. Key Lessons from the Meetup (and Beyond) - Don’t just keep up—get ahead. The AI wave isn’t coming. It’s here. WordPress must lead the charge. - Master orchestration, not just tools. It’s not about finding the right plugin—it’s about guiding AI agents, prompting them wisely, and leveraging your data. - Automate wisely, lead always. AI handles the routine—but your vision, judgment, and leadership remain irreplaceable. - Think in decades, not trends. What we build today will define digital infrastructure for the next ten years. 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Make those work for you. --- ## বেসিস নির্বাচনে প্রার্থী হিসেবে আমি এবং আমার খুব কাছের বন্ধু এবং ছোটভাই আব্দুল্লাহ জায়েদ মনোনয়নপত্র জমা দিলাম URL: https://ar.bd/14070/submitted-nomination-letter-for-basis-election/ Date: 2024-05-02 Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) নির্বাচনে প্রার্থী হিসেবে আমি এবং আমার খুব কাছের বন্ধু এবং ছোটভাই ‘আব্দুল্লাহ জায়েদ(Abdullah Jayed)’ মনোনয়নপত্র জমা দিলাম। আমি ‘জেনারেল ক্যাটাগরিতে’ এবার নির্বাচনে অংশগ্রহণ করছি এবং জায়েদ অংশগ্রহন করবে ‘এসোসিয়েট ক্যাটাগরিতে’। বিগত কয়েকদিনে আমার চারিপাশের সকল বন্ধু, আমাদের আইসিটি ইন্ডাস্ট্রির দীর্ঘদিনের কলিগরা যেভাবে আমাকে উৎসাহ দিলেন এবং যেভাবে আমার পাশে ছিলেন তাতে আমি যেমন আনন্দিত এবং একই সাথে কিছুটা বিব্রত- কারন এত স্নেহ – ভালোবাসা এবং এক্সপেকটেশন এর যে ভাড় যেটি বহনের জন্য নিজেকে প্রস্তুত করার এবং নিজেকে সবার সাথে এক তালে সামনে এগিয়ে নেয়ার এক তীব্র প্রত্যয় অনুভব করছি। আমাদের আইসিটি ইন্ডাস্ট্রি অনেক দূর এগিয়ে গিয়েছে, এখন কিন্ত আর পিছনে ফিরে দেখার সুযোগ নেই। এখন সবাইকে নিয়ে সামনে এগিয়ে যাবার পালা, সবাইকে নিয়ে পজেটিভ পরিবর্তনের পথে যাত্রা করাই আমাদের লক্ষ। দীর্ঘ ২০ বছর এই ইন্ডাস্ট্রিতে কাজ করে যাচ্ছি, নিজের একাধিক কোম্পানীকে বিশ্বদরবারে সম্মানের কাতারে নিয়ে যেতে সক্ষম হয়েছি সবার দোয়া আর ভালোবাসায়। কাজ করেছি দেশের স্টার্টআপ ইকোসিস্টেম তৈরীতে এবং তরুন আইসিটি উদ্যোক্তাদের নিয়ে কাজ করেছি সেই প্রথম দিন থেকেই। আমার এই কাজের পরিধিকে আরো বৃহত্তর ক্ষেত্রে ছড়িয়ে দেয়ার লক্ষেই এবার আমার বেসিস নির্বাচনে অংশগ্রহন। বেসিস মেম্বারদের সংগঠন, তাই মেম্বারদের প্রতি আমার কিছু প্রচেষ্টা পরিকল্পনা শেয়ার করলাম – – অনেক বেশি এক্সটেন্সিভ টেকনোলজিতে সাপোর্ট দেয়া, মেম্বারদের কোম্পানীর ব্রান্ড বিল্ডিং, ব্যবসায় পরিচালনাতে আমার এই দুই যুগের অভিজ্ঞতা শেয়ার করা যেন তারা তাদের বিজনেসে পজেটিভ চেঞ্জ নিয়ে আসতে পারেন। – আমি প্রথম থেকেই কাজ করি এক্সপোর্ট মার্কেটে। আমি আমাদের মেম্বারদেরকে গ্লোবাল মার্কেটে কাজ করার জন্য সকল রকম সহযোগী সাপোর্ট দেয়ার আপ্রান চেষ্টা করব। – আমি কোলাবোরেটিভ গ্রোথে বিস্বাসী। আমি সবাইকে।নিয়ে এক জোটে গ্লোবাল মার্কেটে কাজ করতে চাই। সবার ক্ষুদ্রতম সমস্যাতেও ইনপুট দিতে চাই। – মেম্বারদের সুবিধার্তে বেসিস থেকে গ্লোবাল মার্কেটে কাজ করার জন্য আলাদা সার্ভিস ডেস্ক নিশ্চিত করতে চাই। বেসিস নির্বাচন শুধুমাত্র নিছক একটি নির্বাচনই নয় আমার কাছে। আমি মনে করি – এই সুযোগে আমি অনেক বেসিস মেম্বারদের সাথে আরো ঘনিষ্ঠভাবে মিশতে পারব, আমি নিজেও তাদের কাছ থেকে অনেক কিছু শিখতে চাই। নির্বাচনের জয়-পরাজয় অনেক পরের আলোচনা, আপাতত সবার সাথে পরিচয় হওয়া, আমাদের প্রিয় এই ইন্ডাস্ট্রিকে সবাই মিলে কিভাবে আরো এক ধাপ এগিয়ে নেয়া যায় তার পরিকল্পনা করা – এটা নিয়েই আমি বেশি এক্সাইটেড। এতদিন সবার কাছ থেকে যেমন স্নেহ- ভালোবাসা পেয়েছি, সেটির মূল্য যেন রাখতে পারি তার জন্য সবার কাছে দোয়া চাচ্ছি। সবার সাথে দেখা হবে, অনেক প্রোডাক্টিভ গল্প হবে। ধন্যবাদ! --- ## ডিজিটাল সেবার কর অব্যাহতি নিয়ে আমার ব্যক্তিগত ভাবনা URL: https://ar.bd/14069/my-thoughts-on-digital-service-tax-exemption/ Date: 2024-05-02 বেসিসের সাথে আমার সম্পর্কটা কিন্ত অনেকদিনের। বিভিন্নভাবে বেসিস এর অতীত ইসি বোর্ডের কাছে ইন্ডাস্ট্রির জন্য বিভিন্ন দরকারী ইস্যুগুলো সুপারিশ করেছি, এক্টিভ ছিলাম বিভিন্ন স্টান্ডিং কমিটিতেও, একবার কিন্ত নির্বাচনও করেছিলাম। বরাবরই আমাদের ইন্ডাস্ট্রির জন্য বেসিস যে কত গুরুত্বপূর্ণ সেটা আমি অনুধাবন করেছি এবং নিজের মত ইনপুট দেয়ার চেষ্টা করেছি। ২৭ টি ডিজিটাল সেবায় কর অব্যাহতির যে বিষয়টা এখন সামনে চলে আসছে তা নিয়ে এ ইন্ডাস্ট্রির সবার মত আমিও যারপরনাই আতংকিত। আমাদের আইসিটি ইন্ডাস্ট্রি কিন্ত কলেবরে অত বড় নয়, অনেক কোম্পানিই কিন্ত কিছুটা বুটিক মডেলে চলে যেখানে মালিককেই প্রোডাক্ট ডেভলপ করতে হয়, মার্কেটিং করতে হয় এবং আরো কত কি!! বিগত ১ যুগে আমাদের এই ইন্ডাস্ট্রির আমুল পরিবর্তনের পিছনে কিন্ত অন্যতম অবদান এই ‘কর অব্যাহতি’র বিষয়টি। কোম্পানীগুলো তাদের প্রোডাক্ট, সেবা এবং মানবসম্পদ তৈরীতে মনোযোগও দিতে পেরেছে এই কর অব্যাহতি সেবার কারনে। এখন যদি বস্তুগতভাবেই ইয়ারলি ২৭.৫% হারে কর্পোরেট ট্যক্স দিতে হয় এই কোম্পানীগুলোকে তাহলে কিন্তু এই শিল্পের বিকাশ চরম বাধাগ্রস্ত হবে। কোম্পানিগুলো খরচ বাচাতে তখন নিজেদের প্রোডাক্ট, মানবসম্পদ উন্নয়নে বরাদ্দ রাখতে পারবেনা যেটার প্রভাব কিন্ত শুধুমাত্র এই ইন্ডাস্ট্রিতে হয়- দেশের সামগ্রিক আর্থসামাজিক উন্নয়নের উপরেই প্রভাব পরবে বলে আমি মনে করি। এই ব্যপারে আমি আমার তিনটি প্রস্তাবনা শেয়ার করছি – ১) কর অব্যাহতির সময়সীমা বাড়ানো হোক- অবশ্যই আইসিটি কোম্পানীগুলোর ক্ষেত্রে কর অব্যাহতির সুযোগটি অন্তত ২০৩১ অব্দি বর্ধিত করা হোক, যেন কোম্পানীগুলো যথেষ্ট পরিমান সময় পায় নিজেদের গ্রোথ নিশ্চিত করতে। ২) ক্রমান্বয়ে ট্যক্স বাড়ানোর প্রস্তাবনা- ২০৩১ এর পরে যদি এই সুযোগটি আর দেয়া সম্ভবও না হয়, তাহলে তখন যেন ৫% এর উপরে কর্পোরেট ট্যক্স না হয়। কারন এই ইন্ডাস্ট্রিতে সবসময়েই নতুন আইডিয়া নিয়ে কাজ করতে হবে, নতুন দক্ষতা নিয়ে কাজ করতে হয় – যা কিনা অনেক খরচ স্বাপেক্ষ। অন্য ইন্ডাস্ট্রির সাথে এর তুলনা কখনই হবেনা। ট্যাক্স রেট একবারে না বাড়িয়ে ক্রমান্বয়ে বাড়ানোর প্রস্তাবনা করছি ভবিষ্যতে। ৩) আইসিটি কোম্পানীগুলো অনেক ক্ষেত্রেই ট্যক্স ভ্যাটের ক্ষেত্রে বিভিন্নভাবে হয়রানীর শিকার হয়, সেখত্রে NRB থেকে আইসিটি কোম্পানীগুলোর জন্য আলাদা হেল্প ডেস্ক থাকা দরকার বলে আমি মনে করি। ঠিক যে সময়টায় আমরা ডিজিটাল বাংলাদেশ থেকে স্মার্ট বাংলাদেশ গড়ার স্বপ্ন দেখছি, তখনি বাস্তবতায় চলে আসল এই কর অব্যাহতি বন্ধ হবার বিষয়টি। আমাদের এগুতে হবে অনেক দূর, সেজন্য সবার সহযোগিতা দরকার- সেটা আমাদের সরকার, নীতি নির্ধারকদের এবং সর্বোপরি আমাদের সকল ইন্ডাস্ট্রির সহযোদ্ধাদের। আগামি বেসিস নির্বাচন কিন্ত আমার কাছে একটি আনন্দ, সবাই মিলে একসাথে দাবী আদায়ে কাজ করার, এই ইন্ডাস্ট্রির বিকাশে কাজ করার – একটি উপলক্ষ্য। --- ## চট্রগ্রামে দারুন এক অভিজ্ঞতাময় দিন URL: https://ar.bd/14061/an-amazing-day-in-chattogram/ Date: 2024-05-02 চট্রগ্রাম আমার সবসময়েই প্রিয় শহর। আর সবচেয়ে প্রিয় এখানের মানুষ, তাদের ভাষা এবং মজার সব খাবার। আজকে একদম ভিন্ন এক কারনে প্রিয় এই শহরে আসলাম। কারনটা হচ্ছে – এই শহরের আইটি উদ্যোক্তাদের সাথে কথা বলা, তাদেরকে আরো ভালো করে জানার চেষ্টা করা। শুধু আমি একাই না, #OneTeam এর পক্ষ থেকে আরো উপস্থিত ছিলেন আমার অন্যান্য টিমমেটরাও। সারাদিন অনেকের সাথে নতুন পরিচয়, আগের বন্ধুদের সাথে আড্ডা, ক্রাইসিস নিয়ে আলোচনা এবং সম্ভাবনা নিয়ে উচ্চাশা – সবকিছু মিলিয়েই দারুন এক অভিজ্ঞতাময় দিন। বেসিস নির্বাচন ২০২৪ – আমার কাছে সত্যিকার অর্থেই এক আনন্দ উৎসব। প্রতিদিন এত উতসাহ পাচ্ছি সবার কাছ থেকে, জানতে পারছি ইন্ডাস্ট্রির ভেতর – বাহিরের অনেক কিছু – এসব কিছুই আমাকে, ওয়ান টিমকে এই ইন্ডাস্ট্রির জন্য নতুনভাবে কিছু করার জন্য উদ্দীপনা দিচ্ছে। ওয়ান টিম বিশ্বাস করে বেসিসের সব মেম্বাররাই সমান গুরুত্বপূর্ণ, এবং আমরা কাজ করতে চাই প্রতিটি মেম্বারদের জন্য। একারনে সবার সহযোগিতা চাই, চাই সবার সমর্থন। --- ## My Recommendation For Achieving A Market Share Of Billions Of Dollars URL: https://ar.bd/14052/achieving-market-share-of-billions-of-dollars/ Date: 2024-05-02 Shameem Bhaiya asked, “What’s your recommendation for achieving a market share of billions of dollars? I answered this way – If you look at what Me and our type of founders have done in the past 15 years, it is building products for evolving sectors, from WordPress to Joomla, Shopify to Big Commerce, and at the same time also the service industry globally. I do see we are just a few steps back from the tipping point. We need a few things to grow 10X – 1) Start Leadership training for the Founders 2) Create opportunities for the Entrepreneurs to explore and mix with global communities, which goes with their area of business 3) BITM gets involved in creating and nurturing mid-management 4) Start soft-skill training for the entire industry, use govt funds like SEIP to conduct those, BITM should play a pivoting role not only facilitate those, but also handle the train the trainers part too. 5. Directly connect with the University and coordinate mainly to create awareness and motivate 1-3 year students about the future billion-dollar prospect of the Software Industry and how our local company is ready to welcome them. 6. ⁠BASIS should play a major role in promoting local companies that are extremely successful so do not seek funds (so less coverage, as we only cover companies who do not earn enough, lack funds, and are still unsustainable) 7. ⁠We need to find a way to promote our Star Founders, Star Engineers, and people from all spectrums in IT in a grand way so people recognize them as national stars if we want our kids to continue to keep building this country for the Dream 2041, we need to inspire them. Otherwise, leaving the country is the easiest thing to do, and it will become widespread, almost like what happened to Malta or all European Countries just after they joined the EU and embraced the open border philosophy. --- ## আইটি ব্যবসায়ীদের জন্য যাকাত নির্ধারণ পদ্ধতি URL: https://ar.bd/14074/determining-zakat-for-it-entrepreneurs/ Date: 2024-05-02 একদম অনাকাঙ্ক্ষিত এক সড়ক দুর্ঘটনার কবলে পরলাম ২ দিন আগে এবং আল্লাহ’র বিশেষ রহমতে খুব বড় ধরনের কোনো ক্ষতির সম্মুখীন ছাড়াই ঘরে ফিরতে পারলাম। সবাইকে ধন্যবাদ যারা আপন মনে করে খোজ নিয়েছেন এবং আমার জন্য দোয়া করেছেন। আজকে একটি ইন্টারেস্টিং কিন্তু জরুরী ব্যাপারে ছোট্ট একটি আলোচনা করতে যাচ্ছি। বিষয়টি হচ্ছে ‘যাকাত’ এবং আরো বিস্তারিত বলতে গেলে ‘আইটি ব্যবসায়ীদের জন্য যাকাত নির্ধারণ পদ্ধতি’। যাকাতের প্রয়োজনীয়তা নিয়ে আসলে নতুন করে বলার কিছু নেই। সামাজিক সমতা আনার জন্য – এটি ইসলামের অনেক সুন্দর এবং পরিক্ষীত একটি পদ্ধতি। অনেকের মাঝেই যাকাত না দেয়ার একটি প্রবণতা থাকে, কিন্ত যাকাত কিন্তু দিতে হয় আমাদের উচ্ছিষ্ট সম্পদের মাত্র ২.৫%, বাকি ৯৭.৫% কিন্তু আমাদের কাছেই থাকে। প্রথমেই বলে নিচ্ছি – আমি যেহেতু কোনো আলেম নই, তাই আমার দেয়া যে কোনো বক্তব্য সাদরে গ্রহন এবং বর্জন করার শতভাগ অধিকার সবার রয়েছে। আমি এখানে শুধুমাত্র আমার নিজের প্রসেস শেয়ার করছি, যদি তাতে কারো কোনো হেল্প হয় – তাতেই আনন্দ। কারো যদি কোনো ইনপুট থাকে, কোনো সংকোচ ছাড়াই জানাতে অনুরোধ করছি। আমরা যারা আইটি ব্যবসা করি তাদের জন্য যাকাত ক্যালকুলেশন করা কিন্তু অন্য সব ব্যবসায়ের মত নয়। অন্য ব্যবসায়ের যাকাত ক্যালকুলেশনের সময় যেমন মুলধন সহ আরো অন্যান্য রিলেটেড ব্যাপারগুলো কাউন্ট করা হয় যেটা কিনা আমাদের মত সফটওয়্যার ব্যবসায়ের যাকাত নির্ধারণের জন্য একদমই প্রাসংগিক নয় (ক্ষেত্রবিশেষ ছাড়া)। আমি নরমালি ব্যংকে যে এমাউন্টটা সেভ করে রাখা আছে, যা যা রিসিভেবল আছে এবং কিছু ইনভেস্টমেন্ট যা রিকভার করার মত – এসব যোগ করে সেখান থেকে যা যা পেএবল সেগুলো বাদ দিয়ে যা থাকে তার ২.৫% যাকাত হিসেবে কোম্পানীর একাউন্ট থেকেই দিয়ে থাকি অথবা পার্টনারদের সাথে শেয়ার করি টোটাল যাকাতযোগ্য এমাউন্ট, তারপর সবাই সবার অংশীদারত্বের অনুপাতে সেটা দিয়ে দেই। এই পোষ্টের প্রথম কমেন্টসে আমি আমার যাকাত নির্ধারণের একটি টেম্পলেট শেয়ার করলাম, যেটা কপি করে নিয়ে নিজেরা নিজেদের ব্যবসায়ের যাকাত ক্যালকুলেশন করে নিতে পারেন সহজেই। অবশ্যই কোনো প্রশ্ন থাকলে বা সংকোচ থাকলে পরিচিত কোনো বিজ্ঞ আলেমদের সাথে আলোচনা করে সঠিক সিদ্ধান্ত নেয়াটাই বাঞ্চনীয়। আমি এবং আমার সকল ব্যবসায়ী পার্টনাররা তুমুল আগ্রহ এবং আনন্দ নিয়ে যাকাত দিয়ে থাকি এবং ব্যক্তিগতভাবে আমি এতে যে শুধু ধর্মীয় প্রশান্তি অনুভব করি, তাই-ই না, একই সাথে মনে করি মানুষ হিসেবে, ব্যবসায়ী হিসেবে এই সমাজের প্রতি মিনিমাম দায়িত্ব এই প্রসেসে আমি পালন করতে পেরেছি। সবার জন্য শুভ কামনা এবং ধন্যবাদ জানাচ্ছি। --- ## অফিসে পহেলা বৈশাখ আয়োজন যেভাবে কোম্পানি কালচার তৈরিতে সাহায্য করে! URL: https://ar.bd/14068/pohela-boishakh-celebration-in-office/ Date: 2024-05-02 অফিসে পহেলা বৈশাখ আয়োজন যেভাবে কোম্পানি কালচার তৈরিতে সাহায্য করে! আসসালামু আলাইকুম! শুভ নববর্ষ! আমাদের জাতীয় সংস্কৃতির একটি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ আয়োজন হচ্ছে- বাংলা বছরের প্রথম দিন : ‘পহেলা বৈশাখ’- এতো হলো পুরোনো কথা; নতুন কথা হচ্ছে – আমাদের অফিস কালচারেরও খুব গুরুত্বপূর্ণ ব্যাপার হচ্ছে – এই পহেলা বৈশাখ আয়োজনসহ এই ধরনের আরো অনেক আনন্দ আয়োজন। আমার নিজের কোম্পানীগুলোতে আমি বরাবরি এ ধরনের উৎসব আয়োজন করে থাকি যেখানে সব কিছুর দ্বায়িত্তে থাকেন আমার টিমমেটরাই এবং এর ফলাফলও কিন্ত দারুন । এ ধরনের আনন্দ আয়োজন করার ধরন এবং এ থেকে কি ধরনের বহুমুখী উপকার পাই, তা একটু আলোচনা করছি এখানে- - অফিসে পহেলা বৈশাখের মত আয়োজন করাটা কিন্ত খুব সহজ কাজ না৷ এ আয়োজনটি করতে অনে্কগুলো টিম তৈরী করা হয়। একেক টিম/কমিটি একেকটা কাজ করে থাকে, কিছুটা প্রোজেক্ট ম্যানেজমেন্ট এর মত করে, হ্যা আমরা কিন্ত প্রোজেক্ট ম্যানেজমেন্ট টুলসও ইউজ করে থাকি এ ধরনের আয়োজন সফল্ভাবে করার জন্য। কোনো টিমের দ্বায়িত্ত থাকে অফিস ডেকোরশন করা, কোনো টিম থাকে ফুড ম্যানেজমেন্টে, কোনো টিম থাকে ইভেন্ট ম্যানেজমেন্টে আর কোনো টিম থাকে পুরো ব্যাপারটি তদারকিতে। বিভিন্ন ডিপার্টমেন্টের বিভিন্ন টিমমেটদের ভেতর এমন আয়োজনের মাধ্যমে একটি ভালো বোঝাপড়ার সম্পর্ক তৈরী হয় যা কিনা প্রতিষ্ঠানের সামগ্রিক সম্পৃতি তৈরীতে ভীষণ কার্যকরী। - লিডারশিপ এমন একটি রোল যেটার অভাব কিন্ত আমরা সবসময়েই আমাদের কোম্পানিগুলোতে বোধ করি। অফিসে বিভিন্ন রকম আনন্দ আয়োজন করার মাধ্যমে টিমমেটদের মাঝে এই লিডারশিপ কোয়ালিটি ডেভ্লপ করার স্কোপ থাকে। - প্রোজেক্ট ম্যনেজমেন্ট স্কিল গ্রো করার একটি অনানুষ্ঠানিক পদ্ধতি হচ্ছে – অফিসে এমন সব আনন্দ আয়োজন করা এবং পুরো আয়োজনের দ্বায়িত্ত টিমের উপরে দিয়ে দেয়া। এতে করে খুব সহজেই একটি টিম হিসেবে কিভাবে কাজ করা সম্ভব সেটি যেমন শেখা সম্ভব একই রকমভাবে প্রোজেক্ট ম্যানেজমেন্ট স্কিলের হাতে খড়িও সম্ভব এখান থেকেই। মজার ব্যাপার হচ্ছে – এ ধরনের প্রোগ্রাম করতে করতে আমার টিম এতটাই দক্ষ হয়ে গেছে যে – কিছুদিন আগে আমার কোম্পানী স্টার্টাইজ এর উদ্বোধনী অনুষ্টান এবং প্রতিবছর পুরো টিম নিয়ে দেশের বাইরে যে টুর দেই, সেটাও কিন্তু টিমমেটরাই এরেঞ্জ করেছে। - আমরা যারা ফাউন্ডার তাদের অন্যতম প্রধান চ্যালেঞ্জ হচ্ছে – টিমের ভেতরে ওনারশিপ তৈরী করা। পহেলা বৈশাখ, ঈদ পুনঃমিলনী অনুষ্ঠান, ওয়ান ডিশ পার্টি, ইংরেজী নতুন বছরের প্রোগ্রামসহ এমন আয়োজনে পুরো টিমকে এনগেইজড করে একদিকে যেমন আমি আমার এইচ আর ক্যাপাসিটির পুরোটা ইউজ করতে পেরেছি, একই রকমভাবে এর মাধ্যমে তারা কোম্পানির কালচার এবং কোম্পানীকে ওন করার ব্যাপারটিও স্বতস্ফুর্তভাবে ধারন করে যা কিন্তু কোম্পানীর গ্রোথে বহুমাত্রিক ভূমিকা পালন করে। নতুন বছরে যেন আমরা আমাদের ইন্ড্রাস্টিকে আরো নতুন কিছু দিতে পারি, নিজেদের বিজনেসে আরো অনেক ধরনের মাইলস্টোন পাড় করতে পারি – এই শুভ কামনা করছি। সবাইকে বাংলা নববর্ষ ১৪৩১ এর শুভেচ্ছা। --- ## পুরো দেশে থাকবে বেসিসের অনেকগুলো কো-ওয়ার্কিং অফিস URL: https://ar.bd/14193/basis-coworking-space/ Date: 2024-05-02 কেমন হত যদি বেসিস পুরো দেশে অনেকগুলো কো ওয়ার্কিং স্পেস তৈরী করত যেখানে বেসিস মেম্বারগন তাদের অফিস দিতে পারতেন স্বল্প আয়োজনেই। কল্পনা করুন- পুরো একটি ভবনজুরে শুধু আমাদের আইটি কোম্পানোগুলো। একেক ফ্লোরে একেকটা অফিস কিন্ত তারা ডাইনিং করছে একসাথে, বিভিন্ন আয়োজন করছে মিলেমিশে, নিজেদের টেস্টিং ল্যাব রয়েছে, রয়েছে কমন ট্রেইনিং ফেসিলাইটিস, রয়েছে সকল আধুনিক সুযোগ সুবিধে। আমি ত মনে করি, দারুন হত!!! আরো ভাবুন, যদি এ সব ম্যনেজ করার দ্বায়িত্ত বেসিস নিজেই নিয়ে নিত, তাহলে?! ব্যপারটি এখন অব্দি শুধু যদিও স্বপ্ন, তবে এটির বাস্তবতা কিন্ত শুধুমাত্র ছোট কিছু সিদ্ধান্তের ব্যাপার। বেসিসের এত ফান্ডিং নাই, বেসিস কিভাবে ইনভেস্ট করে এগুলো বানাবে? বেসিস নিজের ফান্ড থেকে অল্প ইনভেস্টমেন্ট করবে এবং বাকি ইনভেস্টমেন্ট আগ্রহী মেম্বারদের কাছ থেকে তুলবে এবং তাদেরকে ইয়ার্লি প্রফিট শেয়ার করবে। এতে করে বেসিস যেমন একদম টপ ক্লাস অফিস এনভারনমেন্ট দিতে পারবে মেম্বারদের একই সাথে বেসিসের নিজেরও কিন্ত একটি বাড়তি আয়ের একটা সোর্স তৈরী হয়ে যাবে। আইসিটি ইনকিউবেটর নিয়ে অনেকেরই বিভিন্ন মতামত রয়েছে, এ নিয়ে বিভিন্ন মন খারাপের ইস্যুও তৈরী হয়েছে ইতিমধ্যে অনেকের মাঝে। সবই হচ্ছে কিন্ত যে উদ্দেশ্যে এই ইনকিউবেটর তৈরী হয়েছিল সেটি আর সাধন হচ্ছেনা বলেই আমার সাদা চোখে মনে হয়। কিন্ত একই রকমভাবে তরুন আইটি উদ্যোক্তাদের অবশ্যই এমন একটি কো অফিস স্পেসের অভাববোধ রয়েছে। এটি যেমন তাদের একটি ভালো কাজের পরিবেশ দিবে, একই রকম ভাবে পাশের রুমের ইন্ডাস্ট্রি কলিগের সাথেও একটি কোলাবোরেটিভ সম্পর্ক তৈরী হবার সুযোগ তৈরী হবে- যেটিই হচ্ছে আমাদের আসল সম্পদ। আমার কাছে বেসিস একটি দারুন প্লাটফর্ম। বিগত আড়াই দশকে, সকল মেম্বার এবং ইসিদের আপ্রান প্রচেস্টায় এটি আজকের এমন একটি অবস্থানে আছে যে এটি নিয়ে আমি এমন সব সহজ এবং সরল স্বপ্ন দেখার সাহস করতে পারি। আমি মনে প্রানে বিশ্বাস করি – আমাদের আইসিটি ইন্ডাস্ট্রির বেশিরভাগ সমস্যাই আমরা নিজেরাই সমাধান করতে পারি, শুধুমাত্র দরকার সবার হাতগুলো এক করা, মত পার্থক্য থাকবে – এটাই কিন্ত সবচেয়ে বড় বিউটি, কিন্ত উদ্দেশ্য সবার এক থাকতে হবে, -যেটি হচ্ছে- এই ইন্ডাস্টির গ্রোথ, নিজেদের গ্রোথ। --- ## কেমন হবে যদি বেসিসের সিনিয়র মেম্বাররা নতুন মেম্বার এবং তরুন উদ্যোক্তাদের মেন্টর হন? URL: https://ar.bd/14072/basis-mentorship-service/ Date: 2024-05-02 অনেকেই হয়ত জানেন আমি JCI Bangladesh এর বর্তমান ন্যাশনাল ভাইস প্রেসিডেন্ট। আমরা অনেকটা এমন কাজ করি যেটার নাম Host The Founders! এ ক্ষেত্রে কোম্পানী আমন্ত্রন জানায় সমমনা বিজনেস করে এমন ইন্ডাস্ট্রি কলিগদের, শেয়ার করে তাদের জার্নি, তাদের সমস্যা এবং সেখান থেকে সম্ভাব্য উত্তরনের উপায় আলোচনা করা সবাই মিলে। আমি এমন একটি প্রোগ্রাম ভিন্ন মডেলে বেসিসের জন্যও শুরু করার প্লান করেছি। প্রতি মাসে ২০ টি কোম্পানী তাদের রিলেটেড বিজনেস মেন্টরদের সাথে অন্তত ১ ঘন্টা করে বসে তাদের সমস্যা এবং সমস্যা থেকে উত্তরনের উপায় নিয়েন যেন আলোচনা করার স্কোপ পায় – সেটার ব্যবস্থা করে দিব। এভাবে মাত্র দু বছরে মিনিমাম ৫০০ কোম্পানী সরাসরি এই মেন্টরশিপ সেবা নিতে পারবেন বেসিস থেকে। আমরা আমাদের দিক থেকে এই শুরুর দিকের এই ম্যাচমেকিংটা করে দিব যেন ব্যাপারটি আরো সহজতর হয়। আমি ব্যক্তিগতভাবে বরাবরি মনে করি – সব সমস্যা নিজেদের সমাধান করতে হয়না, আমাদের সবসময়েই মেন্টরের দরকার। আমি নিশ্চিত করে বলতে পারি – এই ব্যবস্থার মাধ্যমে তুলনামুলক নতুন কোম্পানীগুলো তাদের বিজনেসকে নতুনভাবে দেখার এবং বুঝার সুযোগ পাবে যা তাদের বিজনেস গ্রোথে অনেক হেল্প করবে। আমি বিশ্বাস করি- আমাদের বড় হতে হলে একটি কোলাবোরেটিভ ইফোর্ড দরকার, সবাইকে সবার হাত ধরে একসাথে এগিয়ে যাওয়া দরকার। বেসিস কিন্ত শুধুমাত্র একটি ব্যবসায় এসোসিয়েশন না, একই সাথে এটি আমাদের দেশের আইসিটি ব্যবসায়ীদের একটি আশার জায়গা, ভরসার জায়গা। একা একা আগালে কিন্ত পথটা আনন্দের হয়না, আসুন সবাই মিলে একসাথে গ্রো করার চেষ্টা করি। নিজদের ব্যবসায়কে তুলে ধরি পৃথিবীর সামনে সমান উচ্চতায়। --- ## বেসিস নির্বাচন ২০২৪-২৬ এর প্রার্থী পরিচিতি পর্ব URL: https://ar.bd/14067/basis-election-2024-26-candidate-introduction/ Date: 2024-05-02 আজকে সন্ধায় হয়ে গেল বেসিস নির্বাচন ২০২৪-২৬ এর প্রার্থী পরিচিতি পর্ব। এবারের নির্বাচনের সব প্রার্থীদের এক মঞ্চে নিয়ে আসার এই আয়োজনের জন্য বেসিস ইলেকশন কমিটির একটা ধন্যবাদ কিন্ত অবশ্যই প্রাপ্য। আর সব ক্যন্ডিডেটের মত আমিও আমার নিজের গল্প শেয়ার করলাম সবাইকে, বেসিস নিয়ে আমার এবং আমার ONE Team—এর প্লান তুলে ধরলাম। সবার সহযোগিতায় আমি যদি নির্বাচিত হয়ে আসি, তাহলে আমি বেসিস প্লাটফর্ম থেকে যা কিছু করার চেষ্টা করব তা হচ্ছে – ১) আইসিটি এক্সপোর্ট মার্কেটে মেম্বারদের সহযোগিতা করার জন্য বেসিস থেকে আলাদা হেল্পডেস্ক নিশ্চিত করব। ২) প্রোডাক্ট মার্কেট এবং SaaS মার্কেটের যথাযথ বিকাশের জন্য বহুবিধ ব্যবস্থা গ্রহন করব বেসিস থেকে যেন মেম্বার কোম্পানীরা এই মার্কেট সম্পর্কে জানেন এবং নিজেদের বিজনেস গ্রো করতে পারেন। ৩) SME, StartUps বেসিস সদস্যদের গ্রোথের জন্য পলিসি লেভেলে সর্বোচ্চ কাজ করব। ৪) বেসিস আইসিটি হাব তৈরী করার চেষ্টা করব সবাইকে সাথে নিয়ে এবং সবাইকে নিয়ে দেশের সফটওয়্যার খাতের উন্নয়নে একসাথে কাজ করব। আবারো সবার সহযোগিতা এবং দোয়া চাই। আমি বিশ্বাস করি, সবাই মিলেই আমরা আমাদের আইসিটি খাতকে আরো কয়েক ধাপ এগিয়ে নিয়ে যেতে পারব। --- ## IT/IT Services রপ্তানী আয় দেশে প্রত্যাবাসন প্রক্রিয়া এবং রপ্তানীকারকের রপ্তানী প্রনোদনা পাওয়ার ডকুমেন্টসন প্রক্রিয়া সহজীকরন বিষয়ে URL: https://ar.bd/14011/special-meeting-with-bangladesh-bank/ Date: 2024-05-02 বাংলাদেশ ব্যংকের আয়জনে ‘IT/IT Services রপ্তানী আয় দেশে প্রত্যাবাসন প্রক্রিয়া এবং রপ্তানীকারকের রপ্তানী প্রনোদনা পাওয়ার ডকুমেন্টসন প্রক্রিয়া সহজীকরন বিষয়ে‘ গঠিত কমিটির একটি বিশেষ মিটিং অনুষ্টিত হয় ৩০ এপ্রিল, ২০২৪। বাংলাদেশ ব্যংকের উর্ধতন কর্মকর্তারা ছাড়াও এ কমিটিতে মেম্বার হিসেবে উপস্থিত ছিলেন বেসিসের পক্ষ থেকে সভাপতি Russell T Ahmed (রাসেল টি আহমেদ), রপ্তানীকারকদের প্রতিনিধি হিসেবে ছিলেন ব্রেইন স্টেশন ২৩ এর Raisul Kabir (রাইসুল) ভাই এবং আমি এম আসিফ রহমান। এছাড়াও ফ্রিল্যান্সারদের প্রতিনিধি হিসেবে ছিলেন Sharif Muhammed Shahjahan (শরিফ মোহাম্মদ শাহাজাহান) ভাই এবং অন্যান্য আইসিটি এসোসিয়েশন এর মুখপাত্রগন। মিটিং এ অনেক গুরুত্বপূর্ণ বিষয় আলোচনা হয়। সেগুলো একটু শেয়ার করি সবার সাথে- ১) ক্যাশ ইন্সেন্টিভ এর প্রসেসিং টাইম – বাংলাদেশ ব্যংকের বক্তব্য অনুযায়ী সেপ্টেম্বর ২০২৩ থেকে এই প্রসেসিং টাইম অনেক আপডেটেড হয়েছে এবং ব্যাপারটিতে অটোমেশন ইউজ করা হয়েছে। আমরা প্রতিত্তোরে জানাই যে – বেসিস মেম্বারদের অনেকের ফাইল এখনো প্রসেসিং অবস্থায় আছে এবং প্রসেসিং সময়টা এখনো আগের মতই দীর্ঘ। আলাপচারিতার এক ফাকে আমি দ্বায়িত্ত্ব নিয়ে জানাই যে বেসিসের মেম্বারদের সবগুলো পেন্ডিং ফাইলের ইনফরমেশন কোন ফর্মেটে বাংলাদেশ ব্যংককে দিতে হবে তা বেসিস সেক্রেটারিয়েটকে নিজ থেকে বুঝিয়ে দিব এবং বাংলাদেশ ব্যংককে সেগুলো পৌছে দেয়ার ব্যবস্থা নিব। বাংলাদেশ ব্যংক বেসিস মেম্বারদের সব পেন্ডিং ফাইলগুলো কুরবানী ঈদের আগে শেষ করার আশাবাদ ব্যাক্ত করেছে। ২) শরিফ মোহাম্মদ শাজাহান ভাই ফ্রিল্যান্সারদের জন্য ক্যাশ ইনসেন্টিভ এর প্রসংগে বলেন যে এটা এখন অব্দি তেমন কেউই পাচ্ছেন না কারনে অতিরিক্ত পরিমান ডকুমেন্টস প্রেশার। দেশের বাহির থেকে প্রবাসীদের আয় যেভাবে আসে একই রকমভাবে ফ্রিল্যান্সার আয় আশা উচিত বলে আমি আমার বক্তব্যে তুলে ধরি। কোনো রকম ডকুমেন্টস সাবমিশন ছারাই এটা করা পসিবল। শরিফ মোহাম্মাদ ভাইও জানান যে পেওনিয়রের মাধ্যমে আসা অর্থ কিন্ত ফ্রিল্যান্সিং এর মাধ্যমেই আসা অর্থ এবং এতে সংগত কারনেই আর ভেরিফিকেশন এর দরকার নেই। ৩) বেসিস থেকে আমরা জানাই ফ্রিল্যান্সাররা যদি ট্রেডলাইসেন্স করে IT Service সার্ভিস প্রোভীডার হিসেবে কোম্পানি রেজিস্টার করেন তাহলে কিন্ত তারা ৮% ক্যাশ ইনসেন্টিভ এর সুবিধাটি পেতে পারেন। মিটিং এর পরিসমাপ্তিতে আমি বলি- দেশে ফরেন রেমিট্যান্স আসার পরিমান গেল বছরের তুলনায় এ বছর প্রায় ১/৩ হয়ে গেসে। ফরেন রেমিট্যান্স বাড়ানোর জন্য অবশ্যই ক্যাশ ইনসেন্টিভ আগের মত ১০% হওয়া উচিত, এ নিয়ে পজেটিভ ক্যাম্পেইন হওয়া দরকার এবং ফাইল প্রসেসিং এর দীর্ঘসুত্রিতা কমানোর জন্য ব্যবস্থা গ্রহন করা উচিত। --- ## https://web.facebook.com/reel/969463584667359 URL: https://ar.bd/14005/https-web-facebook-com-reel-969463584667359/ Date: 2024-05-01 --- ## https://www.facebook.com/reel/1240330173612977 URL: https://ar.bd/13980/https-www-facebook-com-reel-1240330173612977/ Date: 2024-04-29 --- ## https://www.facebook.com/reel/1737465886784310 URL: https://ar.bd/13858/https-www-facebook-com-reel-1737465886784310/ Date: 2024-04-24 --- ## এখনো পুরো ব্যাপারটা আমার কাছে দারুন একটি স্বপ্নের মত লাগছে,আমি সত্যি অর্থেই ২০২৪ বেসিস নির্বাচনে মনোনয়ন পত্র জমা দিয়েই দিলাম। URL: https://ar.bd/12191/basis-election-2024/ Date: 2024-04-19 এখনো পুরো ব্যাপারটা আমার কাছে দারুন একটি স্বপ্নের মত লাগছে। আমি সত্যি অর্থেই ২০২৪ বেসিস নির্বাচনে মনোনয়ন পত্র জমা দিয়েই দিলাম। বেসিস হচ্ছে সম্মানিত মেম্বারদের সংগঠন, তাই মেম্বারদের প্রতি আমার কিছু প্রচেষ্টা পরিকল্পনা শেয়ার করলাম – – কান্ট্রি ব্রান্ডিং হবে এবার আমার সবচেয়ে বড় মিশনগুলোর একটি। নিজের ব্যবসায়ের কাজে গেল ২০ বছরে প্রচুর ট্রাভেল করতে হয়েছে, অরগানাইজ করতে হয়েছে প্রচুর ইভেন্ট, এক্টিভেশন। মন খারাপ লাগত এটা দেখে যে, যেখানে প্রতিবেশি দেশগুলোর অনেক কোম্পানী অংশগ্রহন করেছ সেখানে বাংলাদেশী কোম্পানী একদমই হাতে গোনা। আমি সবাইকে সাথে নিয়ে একবারে দেশের ঝান্ডা, বেসিসের পতাকা পুরো বিশ্বে বয়ে বেড়াতে চাই, বাংলাদেশকে একটু ‘আইটি হাব’ হিসেবে পরিচিতি করতে চাই। – আমি বা আমার কোম্পানী লোকাল মার্কেটে কাজ করিনা, সেটার কারন ব্যবসায়িক। বেসিসে নির্বাচন করার আমার ব্যবসায়িক কোনো উদ্দেশ্য নেই এবং সেটি সম্ভবও নয়, যেটা আমার আছে সেটি হচ্ছে -এই দেশের আইটি কমিউনিটির প্রতি ভালোবাসা এবং সবার কাছ থেকে শেখার তুমুল আগ্রহ। আমি মনে করি – নলেজ শেয়ারিং এর মাধ্যমে, সবাই একসাথে দেশের আইসিটি ব্যবসায়কে খুব সহজেই পরের ধাপে নিয়ে যাওয়া যায়। – আমি কখনই শুধু একা একা বিজনেস গ্রো করতে চাইনি৷ আমার উদ্যোক্তা জীবনের প্রথম থেকেই আমি আইটি কমুনিটিতে পজেটিভ ইনপুট দেয়ার চেষ্টা করেছি। এখনো আমার প্রতি সপ্তাহের ক্যালেন্ডারে একাধিক ওয়ান টু ওয়ান মিটিং থাকে দেশের প্রমিজিং এবং তরুন উদ্যোক্তাদের সমস্যার কথা শুনি, নিজের অভিজ্ঞতা থেকে পরামর্শ দিয়ে থাকি।এটি আমার খুব ভালোবাসার একটি কাজ। এই কাজটি আমি আরো গোছানো এবং প্রাতিষ্ঠানিকভাবে করতে চাই, যার জন্য বেসিসের মত একটি প্লাটফর্ম সবচেয়ে আদর্শ। – অনেক বেশি এক্সটেন্সিভ টেকনোলজিতে সাপোর্ট দেয়া, মেম্বারদের কোম্পানীর ব্রান্ড বিল্ডিং, ব্যবসায় পরিচালনাতে আমার এই দুই যুগের অভিজ্ঞতা শেয়ার করা যেন তারা তাদের বিজনেসে পজেটিভ চেঞ্জ নিয়ে আসতে পারেন। – মেম্বারদের সুবিধার্তে বেসিস থেকে গ্লোবাল মার্কেটে কাজ করার জন্য আলাদা সার্ভিস ডেস্ক নিশ্চিত করতে চাই। বেসিস নির্বাচন শুধুমাত্র নিছক একটি নির্বাচনই নয় আমার কাছে। আমি মনে করি – এই সুযোগে আমি অনেক বেসিস মেম্বারদের সাথে আরো ঘনিষ্ঠভাবে মিশতে পারব, আমি নিজেও তাদের কাছ থেকে অনেক কিছু শিখতে চাই। নির্বাচনের জয়-পরাজয় অনেক পরের আলোচনা, আপাতত সবার সাথে পরিচয় হওয়া, আমাদের প্রিয় এই ইন্ডাস্ট্রিকে সবাই মিলে কিভাবে আরো এক ধাপ এগিয়ে নেয়া যায় তার পরিকল্পনা করা – এটা নিয়েই আমি বেশি এক্সাইটেড। এতদিন সবার কাছ থেকে যেমন স্নেহ- ভালোবাসা পেয়েছি, সেটির মূল্য যেন রাখতে পারি তার জন্য সবার কাছে দোয়া চাচ্ছি। সবার সাথে দেখা হবে, অনেক প্রোডাক্টিভ গল্প হবে। ধন্যবাদ! --- ## https://www.facebook.com/reel/3630531953869478 URL: https://ar.bd/12173/https-www-facebook-com-reel-3630531953869478/ Date: 2024-04-19 --- ## https://www.facebook.com/reel/919788376521990 URL: https://ar.bd/12172/https-www-facebook-com-reel-919788376521990/ Date: 2024-04-19 --- ## https://www.facebook.com/reel/1073701963894398 URL: https://ar.bd/12171/https-www-facebook-com-reel-1073701963894398/ Date: 2024-04-19 --- ## https://www.facebook.com/reel/1289769998607763 URL: https://ar.bd/12165/https-www-facebook-com-reel-1289769998607763/ Date: 2024-04-19 --- ## https://www.facebook.com/reel/2413369478818237 URL: https://ar.bd/12164/https-www-facebook-com-reel-2413369478818237/ Date: 2024-04-19 --- ## https://www.facebook.com/reel/1029156574715587 URL: https://ar.bd/12163/https-www-facebook-com-reel-6284081301718401/ Date: 2024-04-19 --- ## https://www.facebook.com/reel/1061082631595775 URL: https://ar.bd/12145/my-simple-tips-on-how-to-overcome-financial-crisis/ Date: 2024-04-19 --- ## Interested in Angel Investment in Bangladesh? Take This Survey! URL: https://ar.bd/9162/interested-angel-investment-bangladesh/ Date: 2022-04-19 Thanks for your interest in my query about Angel Investment. I have been investing in Startups since 2009, I have started very small, but grew over the years. Over time, I have many peers who invested with me. I see a growing interest in Angel Investment and lots of questions and concerns. I want to gather and organize those to find a way to work together and help our ecosystem to grow. Take the survey: Please participate in the survey, it will help me to organize the data and find better ways to help. --- ## Easiest Guide To Contribute To WordPress Core URL: https://ar.bd/8774/easiest-guide-to-contribute-to-wordpress-core/ Date: 2020-07-10 If you are just looking to start how you could contribute in WordPress Core, the possibility is after some digging you are getting a bit confused or thinking you might need a lot of CLI experiences to contribute. I am preparing this guide as anybody who could hardly code or near zero-cli experience could jump start. My history with WordPress is too long to even start, to simply put, I am involved with WordPress Core since 2004. You could read more in my auto-biography. I am not going to elaborate on why you should contribute or very basic general resources, if I get time later I might add, for now, I will go right into points. Before You Start Make sure you have WordPress.org profile, and joined their slack. - Join & Register in WordPress.org – Register – https://login.wordpress.org/register?locale=en_US - Get into WordPress Core Slack: Guide – https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ Setup Your Local Machine for WordPress Core Contribution Now we will jump right into your local machine. This guide works for both Mac or Windows and should work on any Linux build as well, but I have not tested personally. - Install & Setup – Local: Download from here – https://localwp.com/ - Create your first site. Name it wp5.local(as an example, and .local portion you don’t need to add) - Now go to the folder where the site is created. For me it was something like this => Local Sites -> wp5 -> app -> public. - Launch Terminal inside the public folder - Run the following command sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://masifrahman.com/go/wp.sh)";cd . Here I am cloning from core.git.wordpress.org. The command basically does the following. You do not need to run any of those, just running the command above will be fine, I am sharing just to clarify. cd .. mv ./public/wp-config.php . rm -rf ./public git clone git://core.git.wordpress.org/ public ln -sv $PWD/wp-config.php $PWD/public/wp-config.php And then it will setup the rest automatically. I prefer core.git.wordpress.org as I am not contributing in more complicated things so don’t need to handle css or js, or would have to clone from develop.git.wordpress.org if you want to do that, then run the single line of code instead. sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://masifrahman.com/go/wpd.sh)";cd . It will take some time, depending on your system, and connection. if you get too many fails and process did not complete, I would suggest running this from a VPN or proxy, as I have seen some resources does not run properly over some ISP. - Download & install Source Tree – https://www.sourcetreeapp.com/ - Click New – Select “Scan Directory”! - Select the folder public under this Local. It will detect the git filestream, and your git will be properly available. Double click on that “public” folder from Sourcetree, it will open it. - Pull to get the latest commit. - Now make any change to any file where you want to contribute. - Create Patch: Check File Status, Right Click – Create Patch By default, Sourcetree will create a patch in root public folder and name it patch.diff. You are suggested to name it as track ticket number.patch, so if the ticket you want to commit, the number is 49956, your file name is better to be 49956.diff. - Upload the patch in the particular ticket. That’s it, you are done creating and submitting your first patch for WordPress Core. More resources and reference are below. https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/contribute/ https://deliciousbrains.com/developers-guide-contributing-wordpress-core/ https://github.com/metodiew/WordPress-Contribution/blob/master/WordPress%20Core%20Contribution%20Guide.md Component I Manage & I Need Help I am Maintainer for two components in WordPress Core, Permalinks & Export. I will list some ticket that needed some help. Permalinks - https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/49871 - https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/47912 - https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/29669 - https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/30784 - https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/32903 - https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/34542 Exports - https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/14584 - https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/36340 - https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/36339 - https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/14757 - https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33461 (related) Others: - https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/49956 (Important Comment) - https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/36557 (My Ticket, needs test) - https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/36556 (My Ticket, need patch) --- ## Code Freeze Your WordPress Dashboard: Introducing QuarantineWP URL: https://ar.bd/8570/code-freeze-wordpress-dashboard-quarantinewp/ Date: 2020-04-27 I just released QuarantineWP, it lets you Code Freeze your entire WordPress Dashboard, so no change could be made. No Admins will be able to install, activate, deactivate any plugin, or Authors won’t be able to post anything via Gutenberg or Elementor or even Classic Editor. It will be helpful if you are migrating to a new host or just need to keep your site locked down, so no change could be made. QuarantineWP – Code Freeze, Maintenance Mode Plugin for WordPress So, during this Coronavirus(COVID-19) quarantine period, I am trying to be more productive, and looking and old pending plans. This QuarantineWP is also one of the other hundred(could be little less than a hundred, not but very far) pending plan I have in my Evernote to-do list. There used to be a plugin, that lets you lock your entire dashboard, I used that for all migration or anything where there are more people who could change a thing that will be lost. But that plugin is not available anymore, so I made a plan to create QuarantineWP, to serve that purpose. What is QuarantineWP? And What is Code Freeze? Let’s consider you are migrating a WordPress Site, or you are doing something where you do not want any database change or any new plugin installed, how to you control this when you have multiple admins or authors? The best way to deal with it is via ‘Code Freeze‘, halt entire WordPress so no changes could be made. I created QuarantineWP specifically for this purpose, its a pretty simple and straight forward plugin, once you install, it put entire WordPress Dashboard is ‘Code Freeze’ state. Here is what you can’t do - Can’t Post - Can’t Install Theme or Plugin - Cant Edit Post or Pages - Can’t write in Elementor - Can’t write in Gutenberg Editor - Can’t write in Classic Editor - Can’t edit any Plugin files - Can’t update any Settings - Can’t add User - Nobody could Register - Can’t update Theme or Plugin - No new comments could be made It’s mostly won’t let you do anything, as long as you don’t disable “QuarantineWP“. Check the full details in Plugin Directory. Get QuarantineWP Screenshots: QuarantineWP – Code Freeze Dashboard QuarantineWP – No Plugin Install --- ## [BASIS SoftExpo] State of Startup: Bangladesh 2020 URL: https://ar.bd/8381/softexpo-startup-bangladesh-2020/ Date: 2020-02-08 Today, in BASIS SoftExpo 2020, I helped to organize a Session named ‘Growing Bangladeshi Startup Scene’, where I presented the Keynote with the title – ‘State of Startup: Bangladesh 2020‘. I feel this was a very important topic, where I bluntly presented some real data, that shows potential & concern at the same time! So, would love to share the presentation with everybody else as well! SoftExpo is the largest Tech Event in Bangladesh and named one of the largest in Southeast Asia. I have been involved with SoftExpo, specially for StartUp related sessions for few years now. This year, I was given the responsibility to present the keynote and moderate a panel. I am personally investing in Bangladesh since 2012, and quite vested in this eco-system. As a growing nation, and fast moving ecosystem, there are obviously stories of both sides. When we started back in 2012, we knew it will take at least 20 years to get the real result of Startups, so after just 8 years, we should not really judge, here some of my key findings, and I also presented some interesting numbers, which might seems interesting to you!. Here are my slides below – After my keynote we hade a fun panel, with some remarkable folks in Bangladeshi Startup Ecosystem. Panel Discussion: Investment Scenario in Bangladesh Panelist: 1. Nazim Farhan Choudhury, AdComm, Nazimgarh 2. Ahmad Ad, HungryNaki 3. Nirjhor Rahman, BD Angels 4. Sinthia Sharmin, Shajgoj 5. Ershad Hossain, City Capital I moderated the session. The session was a live broadcast (with some minor setbacks), so you could enjoy the video as well – https://www.facebook.com/BASIS.SoftExpo/videos/788188554994093/ Here are some more photos from the session – --- ## I Am Attending WordCamp Asia (If It Happens) URL: https://ar.bd/8361/i-am-attending-wordcamp-asia/ Date: 2020-02-05 I know most people are very confused about attending WordCamp Asia at this moment because of Corona Virus! [Latest – Canceled] Update: It’s canceled lately! Read! I am going to attend with my Team WPDeveloper and many fellows Bangladeshi Friends(with tons of Indian, Pakistani, Malaysian and friends from every corner of the world) if the event happens. I have the utmost faith in Naoko Takano (the Lead Organizer) & all other super remarkable Organizers, they will only organize the event if it’s safe for everybody, they are a very mature and responsible team and much much passionate human being than most of us! If they feel it’s ok to organize, I will not think twice! Let’s all hope the virus situation gets better, no more lives lost, and we all could attend a fine event! I know planning is a little hard at this moment, but you see this is a crisis to the entire humanity, we have to act strong and act together. Keep an open mind, prepare for last-minute planning. Have patience, organize as much possible, if you could confirm a booking later, keep that option open, but don’t cancel just yet! Keep your eyes at those resources to stay up to date about the latest situation – Twitter – https://twitter.com/WordCampAsia Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/WordCampAsia/ Main Site – https://2020.asia.wordcamp.org/ --- ## Adda With Asif | Guest: Aslam Multani & Anil Gupta (E04) – The Success Story of Multidots URL: https://ar.bd/7357/adda-with-asif-e04-aslam-anil-multidots/ Date: 2019-01-19 Here is the Full Version of the 4th Episode of ‘Adda with Asif’ where I had Aslam Multani & Anil Gupta, from Multidots! This is the first Adda in English! Multidots has a very unique company culture, which impressed me years ago! In this informal discussion (Adda) we spoke how they started, their childhood, the first 5 year struggle of the company, and the key to their success. This Adda has several candid moments which anybody related to WordPress or service business or from this Indian sub-continent should purely enjoy. Special Thanks to Priyanka Behera, Kaushik Baroliya, Parth Pandya, Purnendu Dash, Fahad Ibna Wahab & our Movians Team! Watch Short Intro | Adda With Asif | YouTube Playlist --- ## Adda with Asif | Guest: Mir Shahrukh (E03) – Future of Singularity & Bondstein URL: https://ar.bd/5556/adda-with-asif-e03-mir-shahrukh/ Date: 2018-12-16 In this episode of Adda with Asif I had Shahrukh with me. He is the Founder CEO of Singularity & Bondstein. Despite being very young, Shahrukh is running several very sustainable and high-voltage startups. This one turns out to be a true Adda, where I had to answer his question as well. We also spoke about investment, present Bangladeshi scenario, what I think, and how an ideal exit could be designed. Here is the full video on YouTube: Short Facebook Version coming soon! --- ## Adda with Asif | Guest: Adnan Imtiaz Halim (E02) – Story Of A Corporate Founder URL: https://ar.bd/4952/adda-with-asif-e02-adnan-imtiaz-halim/ Date: 2018-11-10 This is the story of Adnan Bhai, CEO of Sheba.xyz, one of Bangladesh’s fastest growing, very promising startup. Adnan Bhai in Corporate Background for nearly a decade before he started his entrepreneur career. This story is very interesting. Adnan Bhai is very close to me, and as we both live in the same neighborhood, we generally catch up a lot in very early morning Adda, this time we did it for ‘Adda with Asif’, but it was still an informal Adda, no script. Watch the uncut version (YouTube) Watch the short version (Facebook) --- ## Adda with Asif | Guest: Fahad Ibna Wahab (E01) – Story Of An Entrepreneur – Zero To One URL: https://ar.bd/4922/adda-with-asif-e01-fahad-ibna-wahab/ Date: 2018-11-05 When you start something new, you start with lots of energy, you plan to do a lot of things and plan to go far, but most of the time you fail in the process. So, am I something different, and better than this? No! I am just like you. I fail even more! But how about a restart? What if you fail, obviously unintentionally, and want to come back? Like all of you, I also don’t want any failure, but I want to redo my mistake, and start from where I failed, with a plan how not to fail the same way! Adda with Asif started again. Watch the Adda with Fahad Ibna Wahab --- ## “You sleep like a Singaporean man!” URL: https://ar.bd/4385/you-sleep-like-a-singaporean-man/ Date: 2018-09-09 Reading this interesting article ‘Find Out What Country You Sleep Like” by Time.com here – https://goo.gl/b8qpvU It lists average sleep patterns of Men & Women separately for 20 countries. Here are few interesting finds from the article – 1) On average, women all over the world sleep about 30 minutes longer than men. 2) Dutch women get 8.4 hours of sleep each night, which is the highest in the world. 3) Singapore Men sleeps lowest in the world. I used to sleep exactly 5.5hrs every day, now for a while, I am sleeping about 6hrs, where my target is to reach 6.5hrs. Adequate sleep is very important. If you have sleep deprivation for a long time, it will directly impact your creative capacity and memory function. And oversleep will not only make you lazy, it will cause tons of health issue. --- ## Why Do I Choose To Invest in Bangladeshi Tech Startups? URL: https://ar.bd/4331/why-invest-in-bangladesh-startup/ Date: 2018-09-04 Last December I was invited by GrameenPhone Whiteboard to present a keynote at the FundStarter Event about my Investment Experience in Bangladeshi Tech Startups. It was a closed-door event, and they allowed me to share my experience freely. It was a very blunt presentation, where I spoke from my experience why I invest, what works and what are the main reason startup fails here. M Asif Rahman at GrameenPhone Whiteboard – FundStarter – 2017 If I ask you who generally invests in startups, you will probably talk about two group of people; - who has spare cash - who manage others assets and has some kind of grasp on Startup economy. I try to understand Startup Ecosystem, but the financial part was not my reason. My main passion is to try different things and help and work with young Entrepreneurs. I started my investment career back in 2009 (beyond my own venture), I started from Silicon Valley. After some sort of success with Facebook (specially after the initial collapse from the IPO), I became more courageous and started to look for the opportunity back in my country Bangladesh. And since 2012 I kept investing in many startups in Bangladesh, I got involved with numerous Tech startups in Bangladesh. In this presentation, I shared 5 reasons why Startups succeed in Bangladesh, and also 8 reasons why Startups fails here. I also shared my 5 key takeaways. Interestingly the number one reason for success and failure is the same, could you guess what it is, before looking at the presentation? Okay now, let’s jump into the presentation. Presentation: Why I Choose To Invest in Bangladesh – By M Asif Rahman at GP Whiteboard – FundStarter from M Asif Rahman This is a very minimalistic presentation, I personally think I am weak in presentation, specially the design part. What do you think about the presentation? If I get good response I will bring more of my presentation online! --- ## Online Shopping in Bangladesh: Too Much Phone Call! URL: https://ar.bd/3771/online-shopping-bangladesh/ Date: 2018-06-25 I love to do most things online, and for shopping in Dhaka we have several options. I just checked in my Chaldal Dashboard, for past 36 months, I am their regular client, ordered at least something in every month! Too Much Phone Call But I don’t order much from many other shops, it’s mainly because of one particular reason – “Too Much Phone Call!” In almost every shop or site or page, they will call at least for those 1) to confirm an order 2) when the product is ready to deliver, they will call again, which could take anywhere between 2-10 days 3) the delivery company/guy will call to make sure if I could receive when he is planning to come 4) the delivery guy will call again if he can’t find the location or need confirmation about the address 5) then he will call again from downstairs, at building security 6) there could another extra call from the main shop to find if everything was ok or if I have any feedback! You see, I hate phone call, I can’t just take 5-6 random phone calls for a single order. I pay online, so my order is already confirmed, I mention separately that my house and office could always receive my package, my presence is not needed. Still, this does not work, they still call. I also have pre-written instruction for my home and office address with Google Maps link, still, the delivery guy wants to call. I even mention what to press in the lift in the order! But no luck! This is a huge hassle for me, the only way I could deal with it is not providing my number, put the phone number of somebody else from my home, or office. My experience with #Chaldal is different, they don’t cause much pain, it’s super smooth, they even know our house very well, but for the rest, it’s a big problem! I think this needs proper attention, otherwise, us, who mainly spend money online, won’t be much attracted. For me even ordering from AliExpress is easier, the only issue is too lengthy shipping time. Photo Credit: UnSplash --- ## Bootstrap Is Using Our ‘Dokan’ Multivendor Marketplace Solution! URL: https://ar.bd/3700/bootstrap-using-dokan-multivendor/ Date: 2018-03-07 This is an incredibly happy moment for my company weDevs, our entire Dokan Team, for anybody involved in OpenSource, specially for our beloved WordPress community and also for all Bangladeshi people. Bootstrap is the most popular front-end library in the world, which is basically part of any modern website. And guess what – they are using our solution to create their marketplace. What could be more incredible than that? Team weDevs at Company Retreat – Hotel Seagull, Cox’s Bazar, December 2017! Notice the Happy me? I know it’s hard not to notice, but yes, I am super happy and proud of my Team, and the work we do! Dokan, a WordPress plugin, is weDevs’s flagship product. It’s a multivendor marketplace solution and works with WooCommerce(world’s largest e-commerce solution). To simply put – it lets you create marketplaces like Amazon or AjkerDeal (Bangladesh), or Flipcart (India), or even sites like eBay as well. Its an OpenSource Solution, and been downloaded over 100,000 times. It’s been already actively powering over 8000 Marketplaces around the world. I found this amazing news from weDevs’ Founder, my CTO, Tareq Hasan. Digging more into that, Bootstrap announced their Theme Marketplace in a grand way. And when you look at their marketplace‘s source code you could see it’s built with our very own Dokan! They not only used just the Dokan Plugin, the site you see here at – https://themes.getbootstrap.com/, the theme is also based on our theme! I know this is not like a big MoU signing type news or something, but you see I am particularly like those people who find happiness in everything life gives you back. I have written about that in details in my semi-autobiography And this one is really a good news if you consider the following. - Getbootstrap.com itself is almost Alexa Top 1000 website. - Being a site and business these big, they could have developed their own proprietary marketplaces. - Still they picked WordPress. - They picked WooCommerce. - They picked our Dokan Solution! I am happy in every aspect! This is not about business entirely. Our pride is in the establishment of OpenSource. I am happy because they choose WordPress. And see how a team from Bangladesh could make a difference? I am incredibly proud of my Team at weDevs, especially to our talented Team behind Dokan! Way to go! Note: Yes, Dokan is a Bangla word, meaning ‘shop’. Our founder chose to use it, to popularize a Bangla word internationally, and you see we are successful about it! --- ## Cricket Is Just A Game, Don’t Take It Too Seriously! URL: https://ar.bd/3666/cricket-just-game/ Date: 2018-02-10 Cricket is the only game that I care, that I’m passionate about. Still this is just a game, and you should never take it too seriously. But we, as a nation, as a generation, do take it too seriously, which is very very wrong. I have publicly wrote about in past writing again. It’s game and there will be always win or loose situation. Pushing it too much as representation of a country is wrong. Maybe I am too young for such a profound philosophy, but I have this understanding also for my team, Bangladesh Cricket : The Tigers! For past 20 years we have seen how unpredictable games could be, and how hard it could be on your emotion if you consider it more than a game. And see one statement is still true for past 20 years – ‘We have long way to go’! Bangladesh is fine team team, very good indeed, and surely we could beat any team in the world, and could also have some record breaking series win as well. We are lucky to have some true World Class player in the lineup. But when you see day’s like today(which is also not unique, happened many times, in every format), you got to realize, we really have long way to go! --- ## My 2018 WordCamp Plan – Starts With WordCamp Udaipur! URL: https://ar.bd/3660/2018-wordcamp-plan-starts-udaipur/ Date: 2018-01-16 I have shared my initial 2018 WordCamp plan on this page. It starts with WordCamp Udaipur on January 27th. My 2018 WordCamp Plan – https://masifrahman.com/3666/cricket-just-game/ --- ## Why I Shop With Chaldal & How It Saves Time & More! URL: https://ar.bd/3589/chaldal-saves-time/ Date: 2017-12-21 This is my personal experience with Chaldal (Bangladeshi Grocery giant) for years, and here I explained how it saves time and helps my family! Chaldal saves more than 2 hours per week for my family. My family shifting mostly into Chaldal for several reasons – 1) Their collection! They have got the biggest collection of products for daily needs. They are for sure far bigger than the biggest super shop we have got in town, in terms of collection. 2) They are cheaper! Even without any discount code, most products are slightly cheaper than super shop or MRP stated on the pack, even if it’s just 1 TK less. My parents are generally very picky, but now they also certify Chaldal is better option to do usual grocery. 3) Their website! I am literally in love with it. It’s super fast, the category is well organized, Search work like magic. The inventory is also very well maintained. 4) The delivery! Once just to test, I ordered about 50+ items, the weight of the total package was over 30kg, I was wondering how they deliver it. But before even I got back to home, they already delivered, well within time, and all item perfectly fine, no question asked. I always got my order delivered within few hours as promised. Logistic is one very crucial thing Chaldal got it perfected. 5) If I am not in the country, my Mom actually ordered from Chaldal via phone, they were able to find my account from my name or phone number and delivered to my home perfectly, and my Mom paid in cash, after delivery. Though I personally always prepay via card, but I understand COD could be useful for many people, though with time we should move into online transaction! (Lol, not because I own aamarpay, online transaction is must for the growth) So, if I get what I need, cheaper, and no hassle of traffic and carrying and I am 100% confident about the quality of the products why I would not use it on daily basis? I use Chaldal for buying regular grocery to baby stuff, and also stationary and bakery items. It’s just so easy to add a product in the cart, and get it delivered in the home within few hour, it’s almost addicting! Chaldal is a fine example of how our startup scene is growing in right way. This is an honest review, and I have not invested in Chaldal! 😀 It’s true thatZia is my classmate from North South University, and I know him for over a decade. And I personally admire Waseem a lot, he is one of the finest, most capable, and well deserving entrepreneur of our age. I am so happy he came back to Bangladesh! Despite of my personal connection with Chaldal co-founders, this post is because of the service they created and how it’s helping me and my family. In fact Zia will be very shocked that I wrote in this details! But you guys have done an amazing job! *I thought about writing this for awhile, never got to finish and publish, but now people started shouting we don’t promote our local business enough, so it pushed me to finish and share! Thanks anyway! This is actually from my Facebook post, published back in November 2016, but its 100% true even after 1 years. So, publishing here for easy finding. --- ## What’s On My Black Friday And Cyber Monday 2017 Shopping List URL: https://ar.bd/3512/black-friday-cyber-monday-2017-shopping-list/ Date: 2017-11-22 Holiday is upon us, even if you are not shopaholic (most likely you are, as you are reading this post!), this is the best time of the year to buy digital or physical products. I use this time to shop or renew things that I am going to use for the next year. I actually save things I want to buy in a To-Buy Shopping List in Apple Notes, but while discussing with few of my folks about what I am preparing to buy this year, they were asking me to share the list with them, so I thought why not make my Black Friday/ Cyber Monday Shopping List public? It’s not secret, maybe it will save some of your time where I have already did the research and digg properly, and in the same way you guys could advice me if you found some interesting deals in the comment*. I just upgraded to new MacBook Pro 15-inch latest 2017 model with the Touch Bar. I am upgrading from my near 7 years old MacBook Pro Early 2011, this time I decide not to directly migrate using Time Machine, instead I am setting up new machine from scratch. So, I took time to re think my app preference and work environment. I tried to move away from some of the apps and services I was used to for many years, and opened my heart for new and exciting solution. That resulted some new app, good part is almost all app, you could get started for free, try it out fully within the trial period, and upgrade when you are satisfied. Sweet part was the timing, as I moved to this Mac in this month, and its the month of offer, timing could not been better. Software - Apps for Mac - Tower – Git Client for Mac – 50% Off I am moving away from Source Tree, this one is sweet, modern, and my CTO shown me why he likes it, and in my test I find it far superior, and as works fine with BitBucket, GitHub both, so its a clean win. Link to the offer. Status: Purchased! - Transmit – More than a sFTP Client – (No Offer yet) I am moving away from FileZilla, maybe after more then a decade. FileZilla is still a good tool for free, but I needed better SSH key handle and easier way to interact with AWS and other services. The offer will arrive on Black Friday probably, I will keep an eye on their Twitter. - RoboForm Everywhere – Password Manager & Safenote – 30% Off I still use RoboForm, though LastPass has mostly taken over the Password management, but the Safenotes and few other feature I am still used to in this. They have yearly subscription, I will renew my subscription. Their offer works for renewal as well. Use Code “RFBF“, and valid until November 29. This 30% off will make 1 year Subscription price just $14.99 USD. Status: Purchased - LastPass– Password Manager – (No Offer yet) LastPass is awesome, and most of you use either this or 1Password, I am into LastPass universe. And in MacBook with TouchID is purely time saver. I would even pay this few hundred dollar cost different of Touch Bar Mac, even only for LastPass usability. It saves at least several minute for me in each hour. I will extend my license for next year when they offer discount, though my license has more validity. - Camtasia – Screen grabbing and simple video editing tool – Deal Announced TechSmith already announced they will bring a good deal, I will use this opportunity to upgrade my license to Version 3, right now I have license for Version 2 for Mac. You will find their deal in their Facebook. - iStat Menus – Mac Status Bar Tool – 44% Off! I am kind of Analytics freak, I love keep tracking my net speed, RAM usage, CPU load, all the time. I know, it maybe too much for some of you, but I am like this way, this is the best tool, I am waiting for the deal, will update to their Version 6 license, and maybe will buy a family package so I could gift and share with my folks. Click this link for the offer. Status: Purchased WordPress - Plugins, Themes & Services - Elementor – Must Have Page Builder – 25% Off I am fully into Elementor. The reason this page and site looks like the way it is, also because of Elementor. I am with Elementor from the start of the project, I even Pre-ordered the Pro license even before they released the feature set. I have enjoyed one year. My team is enjoying working with Elementor as well, we even created a now popular Addon for Elementor. I heard they are giving 25% off, but if that does not work for Renewal, I will still renew without discount. Check the deal here. - WP Rocket – Caching Plugin – 35% Off I moved entirely from W3 Total Cache to WP Rocket, I have an unlimited license, I will try to renew even for an extra year, if the discount works in renewal. Check their deal. - Imagify – Image Optimization Solution – 35% Off I am Imagify user, love this. If they give recurring coupon, I will upgrade to a higher package. - Pretty Links Pro – Best Link Shortening Plugin20% Off I have used Pretty Links Lite for many years in many of my site, this time I decide to upgrade, their deal is definitely going to help. To get the 20% off, you have to use the coupon “BF2017“. - EDD – Easy Digital Download – 25% Off I use EDD in my digital product sites, Pippin just announced their All Extension Bundle, though I think its not a good move or pricing, I will digg more into its pricing and future cost burder, but I will surely use this offer to renew some of my licenses. You have to use coupon “BFCM2017“, to get 25% for the period of 24th to 27th November. - ConvertPlus – Best Popup/Optin Plugin – 50% Off – Only $14 USD I always loved ConvertPlug, they changed the name to ConvertPlus now. I already have few active license, but just purchased another one, as I need one here in this site. Status: Purchased Gadgets - Hardware Shopping List With the new MacBook Pro and it’s new Thunderbolt 3, which is in USB-C shape, and USB 3.1 Gen 2 compatibility, I now have access to 40Gbps port, I want to make use of it. Seems like compatible SSD drive is the best option. - Glyph ATOM SSD – 512 GB – $219 or low This is kind of best available consumer grade Portable SSD drive. The normal version could give about 500 MBps speed where they even have a RAID version, which is slightly bulky could give up to 750 MBps. This normal one is extremely small, light, support both USB-C and USB 3.0 out of the box. Home Page – Review – Amazon Buy Link – RAID Version Amazon Buy Link – Twitter for Offer - WD My Passport SSD – 1 TB – $359 or low My plan is to make this one as my Time Machine Drive, and use Glyph’s light one for day to day backup. This one has data encryption which will be added benefit. Link to review and buy option. Web - Domain, Hosting & Service Deal - NameCheap – Domain & SSL – 99% Off They are clamming they will run 99% off for domains, and super good deal for SSL as well, this year I am planning to buy for multi year. Check the deal! - Feedly – RSS Feed Reader – 30% Off I am with this project since Google ditched us by retiring Google Reader, I had Pro plan, which I shut down before, I am planning to start again. Get the deal! Books - eBooks & Hardcover - Tools of Titans by Timothy Ferriss Seems very interesting, looking forward to read this. Homepage | Amazon | iBooks - Tribe of Mentors by Timothy Ferriss Just released, looking forward. Homepage | Amazon | iBooks I am writing this post on the fly, will add more later, and will update link to the deal and coupons as well. I plan to share my experience after the purchase as well. So, keep an eye on this page, and let me know if you found any better deal. If you are looking for deals from my company weDevs, visit this offer page. And if you are looking for WordPress related deals, look at this article, it covers all. Please don’t spam my comment box with your company deal. --- ## Pathao – To Be The First Bangladeshi Unicorn Startup & Tanveer Ali! URL: https://ar.bd/3466/pathao-bangladeshi-unicorn-startup-tanveer-ali/ Date: 2017-11-07 Though it’s kind of early, but I’m kind of certain Pathao is on track to become a Unicorn (Startup to reach $1 Billion valuations) in next 2-5 years, and possibly the first one from Bangladesh, and the sweet part it’s entirely homegrown, and by serving just Bangladesh! Besides the amazing and growing team, one person who is very special for this growth is none other my good friend BASIS SoftExpo 2017, I organized a “Startup Adda”, in that panel, I had a good conversation with Tanveer. He spoke in details why after having opportunity and experience in investing anywhere in the world, he invested so much in Bangladesh. He has a very diverse portfolio of startups he invested internationally, and his investment in Bangladesh is very exciting as well, including but not limited to in G&R, Chaldal, Mindfisher Games(maker of Heroes of 71 & more to come, looking at their CEO Zamil Rashid 😀). And this list is actually very long and growing very fast! Tanveer, belated Happy Birthday! Keep up the good work man, even after knowing you so closely, I still wonder when you sleep, and how you could maintain so many things! Maybe you have Watchman type superpower! --- ## WordCamp Ahmedabad 2017: My Presentation on Content Distribution URL: https://ar.bd/3110/wordcamp-ahmedabad-2017/ Date: 2017-10-07 I am talking at WordCamp Ahmedabad. https://twitter.com/advocatedomains/status/917407003416322048 My Slides From Social Media – Last snap of #WCAhmedabad 📸 – what a great #WordCamp 🤓 pic.twitter.com/ysT6NYHCrx — Devin Walker (@innerwebs) October 8, 2017 WordPress Plugin discussion with the Development Experts at #WCAhmedabad #WordPress #WeDevs #Tech-Banker #WordCamp #Plugins @WCAhmedabad pic.twitter.com/V7GctoVV8M — Ankur Raheja (@ankurraheja) October 9, 2017 Write for human not for bots! @Asif2BD #WCahmedabad pic.twitter.com/FNfdXKBhKY — Chirag Patel (@_chiragpatel) October 7, 2017 People don't read, they scan by @Asif2BD at @WCAhmedabad pic.twitter.com/SHoPYJfGNF — Sanjay Dabhoya – let’s meet at #WCUS (@sanjaydabhoya) October 7, 2017 https://twitter.com/harshbhatt73/status/916636066676850688 https://twitter.com/Hardikasatasiy1/status/916641403786031105 When & where to Post content? By @Asif2BD #wcahmedabad @multidots pic.twitter.com/vU6g0KQDzv — Shailesh Patel (@shailpatel) October 7, 2017 Important to know and understand your audience – @Asif2BD #WCAhmedabad #Wordcamp pic.twitter.com/IlXhCqqvoc — Dhruvin Shah (@DhruvinShah8) October 7, 2017 https://twitter.com/AmitHPanchal/status/91663918163960627 Great Minds Discussing the #WordPress in 2020! at Panel Discussion session at #WCAhmedabad pic.twitter.com/wPDSSagjS0 — WordCamp Ahmedabad (@WCAhmedabad) October 7, 2017 Amazing photo booth at @WCAhmedabad and take pic with @Asif2BD, @weDev team , @nirmaldesai2 , @afzal_multani #WCAhmedabad #WordCamp pic.twitter.com/3p4q32BaG6 — Nimesh Patel (@Nimesh2615) October 7, 2017 --- ## My WordCamp Colombo 2017 Session – Making Millions in WordPress Plugin Business Without Being Evil URL: https://ar.bd/3096/wordcamp-colombo-2017/ Date: 2017-09-19 I am speaking at WordCamp Colombo this year. My topic is “Making Millions in WordPress Plugin Business Without Being Evil“. Here I will share my slides and all resource after the event. If you are interested keep an eye on this page. I will update this post time to time. WordCamp Colombo Home Page – https://2017.colombo.wordcamp.org/ WordCamp Colombo Twitter – https://twitter.com/wccolombo Schedule – https://2017.colombo.wordcamp.org/schedule/ Session Slides: Resource: Guide to Setup Your Own Plugin Store With EDD – https://hollerwp.com/advanced-guide-easy-digital-downloads/ Get Started With Freemius – https://freemius.com/ --- ## [HeroPress] My Semi-Autobiography & Why I Am Retiring URL: https://ar.bd/3115/my-heropress-autobiography/ Date: 2017-09-01 I have been slowly talking about my retirement plan for a while in the closed circle. But I have seen how most people felt confused about my plan. So I had to elaborate. I was approached by Chris ‘Topher’ DeRosia of HeroPress multiple times about writing my story, and ultimately I was able to complete, on the verge of my Birthday! This is a very very large write-up, could be easily considered as (semi) autobiography. It describes my position and life clearly and I wanted to really share why we need to rethink the priorities of life and the value of family. You will be always busy, you will always have an important task, and crucial phase of life, ultimately this could become a trap. And it will never let you think what life could have mean, what you are probably missing, how you probably will never get back, the lost time with your close one. But, its just my thought, story of my life, crafted in about 9000 words! I am grateful if you decide to read, I am delighted if it helps you somehow. Research says both reading and writing is therapeutic! Read The Full Essay! --- ## Compound Interest Theory & Why You Should Work Even Harder URL: https://ar.bd/3069/compound-interest-work-harder/ Date: 2017-07-11 “Knowledge and productivity are like compound interest.” Given two people of approximately the same ability and one person who works ten percent more than the other, the latter will more than twice outproduce the former. The more you know, the more you learn; the more you learn, the more you can do; the more you can do, the more the opportunity – it is very much like compound interest. I don’t want to give you a rate, but it is a very high rate. Given two people with exactly the same ability, the one person who manages day in and day out to get in one more hour of thinking will be tremendously more productive over a lifetime. The importance of working even harder is very well known. But this ‘Compound Interest‘ theory in work I found very interesting. This simple mathematical figure shows bluntly how just doing little less could create super big differences. But working just 10% every day, working a little harder will take you very far! If you want to know more here is the main research paper – http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~robins/YouAndYourResearch.html This is by J. F. Kaiser from Bell Communications Research, and this is a transcript of the Bell Communications Research Colloquium Seminar on 7 March 1986 by Dr. Richard W. Hamming, a Professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California and a retired Bell Labs scientist. Credit: Thanks to John for bringing this to attention. The graphic is by me, based on my Eiffel Tower image, could be found here. --- ## My Full Story & Analysis of WordCamp Europe 2017 URL: https://ar.bd/3039/wordcamp-europe-2017-analysis/ Date: 2017-07-02 I probably had a little bit of Writer’s Block, but after writing this 3000+ Word piece I am free! In this article I have shared our WordCamp Europe experience, and did a detailed analysis how sponsoring such big event like this, is logical and worth the money and time for company like weDevs! It includes bunch of event photos as well. Read in details --- ## The Uncertainty About Attending WordCamp Europe: Horrible Experience With France Embassy in Dhaka URL: https://ar.bd/3029/attending-wordcamp-europe-paris/ Date: 2017-07-01 Yes, I am back from Paris, after Attending WordCamp Europe 2017. It was a remarkable trip but started with some major hiccups. I have shared our detail experience with WCEU in the weDevs blog, here I will share my semi-horrible experience with France Embassy, which made this whole trip very very uncertain. The Uncertainty of Getting Visa! WordCamp Europe 2017 was in Paris, France. We require Schengen Visa to visit Euro Zone. I have several Schengen Visas in my Passport and the last one is less than 5 months old, and in general, I never faced any issues in terms of Visa due to frequent travel history. I applied for the Visa about 2 months before the event. The France embassy in Bangladesh had a process where you have to email or call them to get an interview date. I applied on April 23, did not get any answer, contact the embassy again on May 4th, still got no response, upon doing more research I found embassy is changing their location and process. Now there is an online Appointment process, when I checked that I found there is no date available in May, and the latest one is available on June 7th, which is too late for WordCamp Europe, to be held on June 15th. I contacted the Embassy, still no response. So, finding no other way I booked the appointment for June 7th. But kept trying to contact Embassy. Tareq, the Lucky Guy! On May 30, after Tareq came back from leave regarding his wedding, we were talking about this long queue. So, far up to this point, I was the only one planning actively for WC Europe and applied for Visa. I shared the appointment booking link for Visa to both Tareq & Nizam, Tareq tried that and it was showing 27th June is the earliest date available. But on my screen, it was showing something else. So I went to his room and refreshed myself and viola! It was showing June 5th as available, Tareq signed up immediately, Nizam tried but instantly it was showing 27th June is only earliest available. I tried to change my booking but unsure as to change first I have to give up my existing booking of 7th, with their freaky system very confused what to do, I contacted French Embassy, and again no response. Tareq attended the interview on 5th and was given a date to get the passport back on 12th. As they require 7 days to process Visa. I attended on 7th. I explained what happened to me, and informed that I need the visa before 14th so I could reach before the event starts. They said I could try coming to their passport section earlier than stamped date and if its ready I could collect. But my stamped date was still 14th. We tried collecting passport two times before the date but it was not ready. Tareq got his passport back on 12th, at that point we were sure I won’t get my Passport back before 14th. And with so much story of people getting their Schengen Visa refused from French Embassy for WordCamp Europe, we could not book the flight or anything. At the Last Moment? I, after all, got the Visa, on June 14th 5 PM in the evening. After that, I came back to the office, purchased air ticket at 6 PM, booked the hotel at 6:30 PM, went back home, took shower, had quick dinner, then head out to the airport to fly on the same night., and it was literally uncertain. We booked for shortest transit to reach Paris as early as possible on 15th June. Our flight in Qatar Airways was fine, but we arrived about 15 minutes late on Doha, which was very late for a 1 hr transit time. We rushed to clear the security check-in, Airport Authority fast-tracked everything seeing our flight time and helped us superbly, so we were able to catch the flight as the last passengers. From that point, I was very sure we will have a hard time with luggage, as we were carrying heavy luggage full of swag for the event. When we arrived in Paris, I went directly to Airlines Counter, besides waiting in the luggage belt. The Airlines people asked me by name because they have our luggage paper ready, it did not arrive with our flight and will arrive sometime that day or next day. We informed them our event is in the next morning, and all our swag and clothes are in the luggage, they promised to send our luggage to our hotel by that night. And interestingly we got the luggage in our hotel delivered at 1 AM in the night. And were able to attend the event in the morning. Please check here for the detailed story about our rest of the experience. I Attended The WordCamp Afterall! So ultimately it all worked out, but in very last hour, and we could not prepare properly, we had to spend more on airfare and hotel booking because of this very last hour. And most notably Embassy never responded back. I tried all their email address publicly findable and used all the contact details you could find on their website. Nothing worked, they never responded to the email, not even automatic reply like the email is not under use or any feedback. And you can’t just visit the embassy, it does not work that way. There is no VFS kind of thing as well for France Embassy in Dhaka. And during my interview and when I submitted my passport, I have mentioned it multiple times, they could see from all document that how crucial the time is, they even did not give me right information at that time. They mislead me by telling I could check back for my passport even before 7 days. Which we later find out is never the case, they will never return the passport before the 7th day. Note to France Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh The way they deal with this whole Visa is very unprofessional. I did not ask for any special treatment or asked to fast track anything for me, I just wanted a clear answer. I have experiences dealing with several other European Embassies in Bangladesh and abroad. Many have long ques and strict process, but not responding at all and giving misleading information is something very new for me. I could understand as they move to new appointment booking system and moved to new office in between my application process, but they should have been direct, they should have responded. If I was really late but informed properly, maybe I would not plan for this trip but at least thing could have been more organized. I am sharing this to create some awareness, and maybe France Embassy in Dhaka will give little more focus on communication and respond to people’s request in future, and others don’t have to suffer like me. --- ## Trello is Taking Over My Life! URL: https://ar.bd/3010/trello-taking-over-life/ Date: 2017-04-25 The way Trello is taking over my life, pretty soon I will probably have to write an article – ‘Life in Trello!’ 😀 You could literally manage anything of your life in Trello. - Want to lose weight? You could use Trello. - Want to plan a wedding? There is a Trello sample board for that. - Managing a Content Calendar? You should use Trello. - Preparing for an Exam? There is Trello for you. - Starting a Startup? You must use Trello. - Not getting your work done? You should definitely use Trello! This Trello Inspiration page, show all of those possible examples, you could get inspiration or directly copy the board format, and get started. Planning work properly is one of the mandatory factors to get any kinds of success. I am not saying Trello is ultimate tool, but its easy and best I could see around. If you are not in Trello, maybe get started with your personal to-do list and task management. Signup in Trello! Yes, here is the example Wedding Planning Board – --- ## Adda With Asif: Adda 00 – Rashed Moslem URL: https://ar.bd/2946/adda-asif-adda-01-rashed-moslem/ Date: 2017-01-09 Welcome to the very first Adda of ‘Adda With Asif“. Today I had the pleasure to have Rashed Moslem as my first guest. Rashed Moslem is one of the co-founders of Chorki & Ghoori. He has about 8 years of experience in MNC like Qubee, bKash, and now very vocal about Digital Marketing & Ecommerce. Rashed recently started a new initiative called “Startup Youth Forum”. Today’s Adda was mostly about his new initiative and about my plans with “Adda With Asif”. Click here to know more about ‘Adda With Asif’! As it’s not a formal interview, so I will share some of my findings and key points of today’s “Adda”. Why “Startup Youth Forum”? Rashed was kind of fed up to see how Bangladeshi startup communities lose direction after a certain time. And how nothing is very well planned and really meant for helping young startups in long run. He feels the value of really good contents and sharing knowledge is very important. With the new move in his life, leaving the day to day operation in Chorki, and start working at SSL Wireless, he felt it’s the right time. The experience he gained in past 2 years especially forming and running Chorki, he thinks he could relate our Startup Community better than before. What is SYFTalk? Startup Youth Forum Talk is called as SYFTalk(pronounced as Siptalk). It’s Rashed’s first approach to create good content that the community will get the benefit. He will talk about semi-formal meaning with entrepreneurs from various industry and will try to bring out their story, the success, and the failures. But it does not mean he will host all the episodes by his own, there will be different host in each episode. He will try to bring someone from related industry to the person SYFTalk is interviewing to host the episode. SYFTalk will happen in seasons. He has the first season all planned up. There will be 8 regular episodes in the first season, in addition to 2 special episodes. So, in total Season one will have 10 episodes. We will see one new episode in every other week. Watch the First Episode of SYFTalk List of announced guests of Season 1 - Anisur - Ishtique Sarwar What else might we see from Startup Youth Forum in Future? - There will be more contents for young Entrepreneurs. - There could be some workshop to help Young Founders. - There should be lots of collaboration with other existing platform and initiatives. - The website http://startupyouthforum.com/ will always keep improving. Why Another Forum? Actually, that’s the first question I asked. We have too many Facebook Groups in Bangladesh. And especially on the same topic (Startup), we have DSE, Startup Bangladesh Cup etc. So, why another, what’s the point? In Rashed’s description, he feels there are some disconnects in the present forums we have. It’s mainly because of lack of proper plan and execution. He is planning everything practically, he has a good team which he could rely on, his work-life balance is fine-tuned now, so he really has the luxury to spend time for Youth properly now. Some Interesting facts: In each Adda I will try to share some interesting finds from that Adda. Here is what I found interesting about Rashed. - Both of us are almost exactly the same age, 32. - We went to same University in almost same time but never knew each other from University. - Rashed used to be a part-time wedding photographer, and he did it professionally for 2 years with few more crew. - He kind of has an infatuation on E-Commerce Industry. - Never used Easy.com.bd before joining SSL Wireless! 😀 - He feels he learned a lot from his job at Qubee, bKash & Chorki. - He dreams to work for any high-growth consumer brand and serving a key role. - But he doesn’t want to be engaged in the job for very long! Adda Location: Cafe Mango, Dhanmondi I have known Rashed for awhile. I wish him success. I feel he will make notable changes in his tenure at SSL Wireless, to the key products under his arm as eTunes, Easy.com.bd. The SYF has true potential to get a better shape and gain more pace with time. Thanks Rashed, until next Adda! --- ## Introducing ‘Adda With Asif’ URL: https://ar.bd/2929/introducing-adda-with-asif/ Date: 2017-01-07 I enjoy speaking with people; especially with my fellow Entrepreneurs, Startup Founders, Developers, Specially WordPress Developer, Marketers, Evangelist, Investors, Business Guys or even travelers. And I do that very regularly. For past few years, I have given very dedicated time in this initiative. I am calling this initiative as I started this in very planned manner. Now with “Adda With Asif” I will share this journey with the world. What “Adda With Asif” Means? “Adda” is a Bangla word, I don’t see any proper English word for it. It’s kind of gossip, but no rumors. It’s kind of informal discussion, dialog, and mostly used when you hang out with friends. I picked this name to keep it informal, but a kind of discussion that comes from the heart. *I was in the discussion about few names, and this one came up with my first participant “Rashed Moslem”. Kudos to him! What Happens in “Adda With Asif”? I will talk with people and share the details. It will start in written form in my blog Asif.im, but in future, it could be podcast (which I personally hate), or ever video. I have not figured it entirely, it’s journey, we will find it out with time. For now, I want to make it simple so I could start easily, and keep the option open. I will talk about business or project that my guest/guests (yes, idea is to involve more than one guest) is working on, and also about his past work. It will have lots of focus on his philosophy about work and life, and I will discuss mine as well. The conversation could go into many directions, but my main focus will be finding interesting jest, that I could share with the world. The discussion is not an interview, it’s multi-dimensional, so it does not mean only I will ask the question. I have a lot of my meetings where I actually have to advice and share ideas with fellow participants. I could also talk with a founder having issues like funding or technical development, and see how I or anybody else we have with us on that day could help. Few key things: - This could happen at Coffee World, any other coffee place, restaurant, my office, participant’s office or even in an open place. - This is not location specific. Right now I am in Dhaka, so will start from here. I travel a lot, and I meet people on the go, will continue this where the journey takes me. - I will publish this initially in my blog – Asif.im - If there is any confidential discussion, that will not be mentioned in the writing or in any medium, here Participant controls what he want to share. - There are no criteria who gets selected as my participant, but I have a long list of people that I speak regularly, so will start from there, if I see enough interest soon I will add an option to request to meet me. - I do not have an exact plan how frequently I want this to go, could be twice a week (that’s even possible as I meet people almost like every day) or maybe less frequently. Let’s keep this open. - There is no endorsement or investment guarantee. This is an “Adda”. - I pay the bills! 😀 What Doesn’t Happen in “Adda With Asif”? - This is not a talk show - This is not an interview - You don’t have to do a 2-minute pitch unless I ask you to do. - This is not for directly business investment. Though I actively invest in the business I find logical - No backbite - Participants are not paid in any forms Why am I doing “Adda With Asif”? Actually, it’s not like I am doing it alone. One of my main focus in life now is to grow with others. I am a firm believer of the statement “if you want to go faster, go alone, but if you want to go further, go together”. I want to go further, so I pack with my peer group. I am working for over 8 years to help other co-founders grow, it started as mentorship and then I end up investing in 20+ companies in past 7-8 years. I especially invested in 8 startups in Bangladesh in past 4 years alone. I am very fond of my fellow co-founders. And this plan, to do more with my time and effort with Entrepreneurs came from my numerous discussion with Tareq & Nizam from weDevs & Rx71, Saimum from Geeky Social, and also obviously Rashed(from SYF), who also happen to be my first guest. So, you will see with time, it’s actually not my personal plan, it’s a combined effort. As I am the driving force in many initiatives around me, it’s also like that. I decide to push it now. Pushing myself to write more: One of my new year resolution sis to write regularly. And as I am starting ‘Adda With Asif” in written form so it’s kind of forcing me to write, thats one of the main reason why I decide to start this now. I do believe that we could do better with our life. I do see myself as a privileged person, so I think I should try to help others and see how I could add values. I don’t believe I am the best businessman or I have the best product or I have the best team, but I believe together we could create the best of everything! Stay tuned for the very first episode very soon. And please add your opinion what you feel. Let’s help each other and create a better future together! Schedule Adda With Asif Check All ‘Adda With Asif’: Adda With Asif: Adda 01 – Rashed Moslem Introducing ‘Adda With Asif’ --- ## Major Changes at Medium – Eliminating 50 jobs, Shutting Down Offices URL: https://ar.bd/2926/major-changes-medium/ Date: 2017-01-04 Medium is easy, I like that. But when they went too far in trying to break the market by bribing brands and trying to brand in a way that its better solution than WordPress, thats when it was not this simple. Medium is a hosted solution, could be comparable to hosted WordPress like WordPress.com or many others, but not the WordPress solution. To grow their brand and portray themself as better content solution they started to bring big publisher, and there are numerous report how they bribed brands, if those brand move from WordPress! Now they are in odd situation. All the people they hired to sustain that growth, are now out of jobs, they fired 50 employees, and shutting down 2 offices. Ev Willams accepting that the main industry that they want to improve, they have not got full grasp of that, and feels, its time to stop that and look back. Understanding you product placement, and not overdoing is very crucial. --- ## MailChimp’s Story: $400 Million In Revenue Without Raising Any Money or A Office In Silicon Valley! URL: https://ar.bd/2903/mailchimp-story/ Date: 2016-10-27 MailChimp recorded $280 million in revenue in 2015 and is on track to top $400 million in 2016, but they never raised a single dime from Venture Capital, wholly owned by Mr. Chestnut and his co-founder, Dan Kurzius — now employs about 550 people, and by next year it will be close to 700. Raising money in Silicon Valley style, and running it the way Venture Capitalist pushes mostly teaches you bad habits from the start, and you end up being too good at spending money, via Showing-Up and also targeting Un-Natural Growth. Though I personally invest but all my businesses are bootstrapped, and I never raised any funding for any of my businesses so far. And I really don’t invest for the sake of Investment, each and every of my investment has a story, has a group of charming people where I believed in their dream, and would do anything to help them, and add value. It’s always about people, not the business plan, or how good it sounds! [Read main report] --- ## End Of Entrepreneurship: Pissed at Your Startup? URL: https://ar.bd/2891/pissed-at-your-startup/ Date: 2016-10-13 [blockquote source=”M Asif Rahman”]If somebody is really pissed at his Startup, he should take a break from his Entrepreneurial career, and get a job. This career choice “Entrepreneurship” is surely over-rated and not for everyone. Most people are good at following others’ lead or just be responsible for a specific task, instead of taking all the headache. They are good that way. Too much pressure from the Startup will be counter-productive for them.[/blockquote] This is actually my Facebook Status, inspired from a question by Rashed Bhai. Don’t just stay defocused, counter-productive. --- ## WordPress 4.6 Pepper Released! URL: https://ar.bd/2862/wordpress-4-6-pepper-released/ Date: 2016-08-16 WordPress 4.6 is now released for millions of website. And I helped subtitling it’s Introductory Video in my language, Bangla! WordPress 4.6 is available for everyone now. Over 26% of entire World Wide Web is built in WordPress, it is expected to have over 50 million downloads of this new version 4.6. If you update your WordPress site to this latest version, you will be taken to a welcome screen, which features a introductory video. This video is available with Bangla Subtitles as well. This GIF shows how to enable Closed Caption in Bangla and little glimpse of inside. Let’s congratulate Mayeenul Islam, new Core Contributor from our Bangladeshi Community WordPressians! He also helped me finalizing this translation. He is also one of the Lead of Bangla Translation of core WordPress, with Tareq Hasan and Sekander Badsha. And with the help of our amazing community WordPress 4.6 is released with 100% support for Bangla, out-of-the-box. More about the release: https://wordpress.org/news/2016/08/pepper/ Bangla: http://bn.wordpress.org/ Download Counter: https://wordpress.org/download/counter/ When I wrote the article, check the difference now! --- ## WordPress Support Plugin Business For Sale: GetAwesomeSupport.com URL: https://ar.bd/2353/wordpress-support-plugin-business-sale-getawesomesupport-com/ Date: 2016-07-18 I want to share about a running auction of a WordPress Plugin business. WordPress Plugin now considered as Startup. This Support Plugin is a complete business, with years old track record. As an Insider of WordPress Ecosystem I am planing for a while to start sharing more details in WordPress Business, possibly this could be a new series in this blog, “WordPress Business For Sale“! About This Business: This is about GetAwesomeSupport.com. Look at the free plugin at WordPress.org! Free plugin has some 36,000+ download and 3000+ active install. How they earn money? Selling those 10 premium addons. About This Auction: The auction is running at Flippa, biggest online marketplace for web asset. At the time of writing this post, this auction was running at $26,200, with 2 more days in hand. Reserve is meet, means someone is surely winning. Auction Link: https://flippa.com/6410433-getawesomesupport-com More Resource: Github: https://github.com/Awesome-Support/Awesome-Support Free Plugin Download Stat: https://wordpress.org/plugins/awesome-support/stats/ Reviews & Powerful Listing: http://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/6-best-help-desk-customer-support-plugins-for-wordpress/ https://www.woothemes.com/products/awesome-support/ https://easydigitaldownloads.com/3rd-party-extensions/#helpdesk Awesome Support Yearly Revenue Important Numbers: Free Plugin Download: 36,644+ Active Install: 3,000+ Free Plugin Released: 19 Dec, 2014 Yearly Revenue: About $15,000 Monthly about 8,000 – 10,000 Page Views 46% Traffic comes from Organic Search 10 Addons & 1 bundle for sale GitHub repository has 60+ stars Started May 2013 and initially sold on CodeCanyon My Observation: 1) Like most other WordPress business, it will be good if you are already familiar with WordPress Ecosystem. 2) It will be best fit if you already have some product (WordPress related), so this will be another addition to your portfolio. 3) Those two of my point is because it will save you time and money, if you have to start from zero, it will cost you in every steps. 4) Profit will increase if you market properly, release few more addons in coming months, enhance and promote free version more, but if you can’t do that it will have reverse effect. 5) Don’t forget the competition, as a competition product with ZenDesk is lucrative, in the same way there are several old and powerful free WordPress plugin already, there are strong new player like NanoSupport looking strong as well. 6) This is overall seems very well organized business, the main site, addons looks neat. 7) The WooCommerce & EDD addons and their official listing is a big plus. 8) Expect the price to go over $30K, in basic 2-3 yearly revenue multiple as valuation would still take the valuation to $30k to $45k, so keep your eyes open if you are interested. 9) Please go through the auction page carefully, it has lots of data, and you must check the comment section as well, some best information is available only at comments. So, feel free to dig in. Here are some advice by Flippa before purchasing any business. Buyers Guide Buying Websites – Resources for Beginners Update: Public Auction Ends – July 21, 2016 The auction ends with final price $39,600 USD! Update: July 19, 2016 As posted in Facebook Advance WordPress Group by Brad Griffin – This is what Julien told me: “I believe Awesome Support is a great support plugin, but it didn’t have any of the major improvements planned in a while now. I want the plugin to grow, and I feel that the best way for that is to transfer it to someone with more resources. The other reason is that we are closing our parent company. In this process, we are closing down all our related services and products. Now that AS is for sale, my goal is to ensure that the buyer is someone serious that will be as dedicated as we are to make AS the best support plugin for WP. We are already in touch with some people who seem quite serious about it. Finally, even though I won’t be the lead developer anymore, I want to try and continue contributing to it. I spent so much time and put so much effort in developing it that it will probably be difficult to completely stop.” Disclaimer: If you are one of those dirty minds, let me come clean – this is not my plugin, this is not my business, this is not my auction, I am not related to this any way directly. I don’t know owner, author, broker or whats so over. I do not have any direct vested interest on this. But as you should be aware I am involved in many things related to WordPress, as developer, owner, partner, advisor, master-mind and in many ways, so anything good or bad happening to WordPress directly concern and affects me! --- ## Installing WordPress On A 12 Years Old Tiny Wireless Router Costs Just $25 URL: https://ar.bd/2359/installing-wordpress-12-years-old-tiny-wireless-router-costs-just-25/ Date: 2016-07-17 You could surely ask, why anybody wants to install WordPress in a 12 years old $25 tiny router. But if you are crazy enough this article is an epic one. You don’t even need MySQL, it usage SQLite in a USB Storage. This is surely one of the science project type experiment. But you could surely use this for other useable case to run WordPress under 64MB RAM. Read Details --- ## If the humanity survives, which I believe will, th… URL: https://ar.bd/2355/quote-beginning-of-the-ending/ Date: 2016-07-17 If the humanity survives, which I believe will, this era will be taught in future history book as Pre World War 3 Period! Beginning of the Ending! This is from July 16th, 2016, after some recent event of Turkish Coup, Nice Truck Attack in France, Gulshan Attack at Dhaka, Bangladesh. --- ## Paris, Orlando, Dhaka – Do You Think It Really Matters? URL: https://ar.bd/2346/paris-orlando-dhaka/ Date: 2016-07-03 So, let me ask you all few questions that could have came into your mind already. 1) People got killed brutally by terrorist in a nice posh bakery, which was located in safest location in town, so you should stop going to any good restaurant? 2) As this incident happened in Dhaka, you should consider Dhaka risky, not safe anymore, and consider leaving it? 3) Massive shootout and massacre happened in city like Orlando, which is generally considered to be very safe and tourist friendly (one of the most tourist visited city in the whole world), so you should consider Orlando as risky, not safe to travel or live anymore? 4) Those terrorist in ‪#‎DhakaAttack‬ came from good family, studied in good academic institute like Scholastica, NSU. So, now you should consider Scholastica, NSU are making those type terrorist? Should you look at all their students differently? Do you think it really matters? Do you think you could be safe because it did not happen to your city? You could be surely safe in other place or other restaurant? Students from other institute could not terrorist? Now it’s time to realize it’s about the whole God’damn Planet! Nobody is safe, no place is safe. The victim could be anybody, and scary part is even the terrorist could be anybody from any background. It could be your brother, could be your friend, your son, your neighbour. Stop blaming each other, unite or the dark force, the terrorist will soon kill you in your own backyard. Image Credit: Dan Carlson from Unsplash --- ## Sometimes the wind don’t go according to what the … URL: https://ar.bd/2334/arabic-saying/ Date: 2016-06-10 Sometimes the wind don’t go according to what the ship hopes. Its an Arabic saying. So, – If you are a pessimist you will curse the wind Optimist , you will hope for the wind to stop Realist, you will adjust your canvas. --- ## Start Writing, Its Important! And Notes From Matt Mullenweg URL: https://ar.bd/2307/write-blog-wordpress-matt-mullenweg/ Date: 2016-03-24 Matt Mullenweg on Business Insider. Matt said – “If I can become a better writer, perhaps I can become a better thinker.” Writing is very important. Its effective, it has long lasting effects. I hate phone call, as I find it’s over-rated, it obviously has lots of use, but its counter productive in many case. And now in the year 2016, its so easy to write. Write for yourself, take a piece of paper, open up a notes, or Evernote. If you are ready to write for others, start a blog, and WordPress make it very easy for anybody, does not even cost a dime to start. --- ## Our Baby Aaniyah’s First Close Up Encounter With Squirrel URL: https://ar.bd/2030/baby-aaniyahs-first-close-encounter-squirrel/ Date: 2016-03-13 Here comes the video. That’s Aaniyah’s first close encounter with Squirrel. She was literally going ahead to pet it. She probably thought it’s something like her toy bunny. But when it reacted back, she fall back, but in a cute way! Lol. PS: My daughter Aaniyah is 15 months old, and no, the Squirrel did not bitten her. Here is the Facebook Post & YouTube Link --- ## Introducing Alo – Server Probe URL: https://ar.bd/2005/introducing-alo-server-probe/ Date: 2016-03-02 Let me introduce this tiny lightweight Server Probe – Alo! It gives you details information of your server. It helped me a lot in past many years, I am releasing it in OpenSource now under GPL license. Background: I am using this script for many years. It was based on a old chinese script, but no apparent English version, and not been updated probably in 5 years. Sure you could run “top” in the server or many other command to get lots of details, but in case sometime you want all in one place, and in more organized way, then Alo is really helpful. As I just begun testing and deploying PHP7 in our stack, I find out my old version does not work with PHP7. So, last night I had to update it to make it work in PHP7. So, this time I decide to release it to the world, maybe it will serve you as it did me. What’s This Any Way? If Server Probe sounds weird to you, take a look at live demo. Screenshot: Cool! Now Could I Test It In My Server: Sure. Get it from here – https://github.com/Asif2BD/Alo Download – Shortcut: Run the following command in the directory where you want to keep the file, like “public_html” or “htdocs” roots. But you could rename it from anything other then “alo.php”. [syntax type=”html”]wget -O alo.php https://masifrahman.com/get-alo[/syntax] ProductHunt: We are also live at PH, give a heads up if you are on PH. https://www.producthunt.com/tech/alo-server-probe How-To Use: - 1) Copy the “alo.php” file to your server webroot - 2) Now access this file directly in your browser, if you copied in domain root, the link might behttp://domain.com/alo.php Tips: It’s recommended to rename this file to something unique so only server admin could access the report. Frequently Asked Questions: Why it’s called a script, not a program or app? Answer: I choose to call it script, rather then program or app. Check this discussion here. Contribute: If you find it helpful, and have an improvement in mind, you are more then welcome to send pull request. All bug, issues should be submitted to GitHub as well. What Does “Alo” Means: Its a Bangla (my Mother language) word. Means “Light”. Is not it very cute? Photo Credit: The original photo used here is actually from my “Muir Woods Trail” – Mill Valley, California. So, credit goes to me! (ahem) --- ## The secret of getting ahead is getting started! URL: https://ar.bd/1994/getting-ahead-quote/ Date: 2016-02-15 The secret of getting ahead is getting started! --- ## [How-To] HTTP/2 + WordPress + NGiNX + HHVM/PHP7 + MariaDB + Let’s Encrypt SSL = Free Super-Fast HTTPS Website URL: https://ar.bd/1974/how-to-wordpress-ssl-nginx-lets-encrypt-https-hhvm/ Date: 2016-02-05 As you could see now this blog of mine is on HTTPS and the SSL Certificate is 100% PCI-Compliant, rated A+ in SSL Test. Here I will share how it’s super easy to get HTTPS for your WordPress website. It’s free and should not take more than few minutes to set up. ================================================================ Quick Version: Just Command I really don’t recommend doing this, but if you think you know everything, and just want to deploy this setup, be my guest here is the command you need to run (one by one). Log into your Ubuntu 14.04 LTS server with full root admin privilege and run the following command. [syntax type=”html”]wget -qO ee rt.cx/ee && sudo bash ee ee stack install –nginx ee stack install –php7[/syntax] Install New WordPress [syntax type=”html”]ee site create domain.com –w3tc –php7 –pagespeed –le[/syntax] Update Existing WordPress site installed via old EasyEngine [syntax type=”html”]ee update ee site update domain.com –hhvm=off ee site update domain.com –php7 –le[/syntax] And, you could always restart all process after any major change or issue. [syntax type=”html”]ee stack restart[/syntax] ================================================================ Details: Google announced HTTPS is now a signal for SEO rank, and now everyone is pushing to get secured and your site need to load fast too. Few years ago you have to spend at least hundred dollar per year to get SSL certificate for your root domain, wildcard will costs even more. The price has dropped with time down a lot. Like in the year 2015 it was possible to get a simple SSL Certificate as cheap as $4 USD. But now in the year 2016, when Let’s Encrypt is out of beta, anybody could have a SSL Certificate for free. Let’s Encrypt is an initiative by non-profit/ public benefit corporation Internet Security Research Group (ISRG). This project is sponsored and promoted by tech-giants like Facebook, Mozilla, Google and many more companies. Learn more about them at – https://letsencrypt.org/ Here is how it looks – Faster Web: Your site needs to load fast, for good user-experience, and for good rank in search, and also to say up to the curve. Here in this tutorial we will use top-notch technology like HHVM, HTTP/2 and NGiNX as server. Easy Engine: EasyEngine is the tools that makes all of this possible for almost anybody. You don’t need to install anything manually. This is a super fantastic and very popular project by my dear friend Rahul Bansal. You could learn more about it here – EasyEngine.io Get Started: Before you decide if it’s something for you or not, I will jump into how-to actually do it. As its super easy, just look at the steps below, and then think about it. Here is this tutorial I will not show how to setup EasyEngine, its so easy and literally just 2-3 line command. * This guide has been update to enable PHP7 support, please read through the end of steps to read details about PHP7, its always better idea to read first before trying out. 1) Install EasyEngine: https://easyengine.io/docs/install/ [syntax type=”html”]wget -qO ee rt.cx/ee && sudo bash ee[/syntax] - You need to have a VPS or Dedicated or Cloud Server and I recommend using Ubuntu 14.04LTS as Operating System. You could pick any server that serves your purpose. 2) Now Install NGiNX. Now update your NGiNX to mainline version, as HTTP/2 is only supported after NGiNX version 1.9.5. [syntax type=”html”]ee stack install –nginx[/syntax] More about HTTP/2 with EasyEngine – https://easyengine.io/docs/http2-support/ 3) Now install WordPress: Check their resource here. Here is sample command to create a WordPress site with W3 Total Cache plugin with HHVM, PageSpeed and Let’s Encrypt. [syntax type=”html”]ee site create domain.com –w3tc –hhvm –pagespeed –letsencrypt[/syntax] Yes, it’s literally that easy. This one line of command will install WordPress, setup Database, configure W3TC plugin, enable HHVM, PageSpeed and setup SSL too. If you want you could run basic command too [syntax type=”html”]ee site create domain.com –wp –letsencrypt[/syntax] 4) For Existing site in EasyEngine: If you are already hosted in EasyEngine, just update your EasyEngine with command below [syntax type=”html”]ee update[/syntax] Follow the process in Step 2 to install mainline version of NGiNX. Then run following code add Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate to your site. [syntax type=”html”]ee site update domain.com –letsencrypt[/syntax] That’s it you site will configured with ssl. 5) Let’s Encrypt: Actually in either step 3 or 4 you have already installed Let’s Encrypt. So, the SSL certificate is already installed. Just restart nginx or you could restart all other main process with the following command. [syntax type=”css”]ee stack restart[/syntax] Now if you try to visit your site at http://domain.com it will automatically go to https://domain.com 6) Basic Configuration in WordPress: First time you visit your WordPress Dashboard after this process you will have to re-login even if you were perfectly logged in before. Everything should work, but you might notice your browser address bar might showing https in gray color, not like the green color that is support to be. So, you have to fix few stuff before your site is full ready for serving with SSL. a) Change site url with https//: Visit your WordPress Dashboard Setting -> General page, update both WordPress Address (URL) & Site Address (URL) with https//, so if it was http://domain.com make it https://domain.com. *This step is important even if you manually updated your wp-config.php for site url. b) Search & Replace: You need to search for all old domain reference from your entire WordPress database and replace with new https. You could get the “Search & Replace” plugin from WordPress.org directory. Add that plugin, you could also get this plugin from this url – https://wordpress.org/plugins/search-and-replace/ This is a very serious steps, make sure you kept a backup of your site and specially database before running Search & Replace. You could also do a dry run first, only search, not replace, to see how much table will alter, then when you are ready run the replace. If you are handy with MySQL DB, you could do it easily from database directly too. Main thing is you have to replace all reference of http with https, from post meta to widget setting. And as we configured your server in a way that you old image link like [syntax type=”html”]http://domain.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/logo.png[/syntax] is automatically available now in https too at [syntax type=”html”]https://domain.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/logo.png[/syntax] So, changing all reference to https is very important. But unless you kept a DB backup, this will be irreversible process. So be careful. c) Fixing Mixed Content Warning: In your browser you could get mixed content warning. It means though your site has a valid SSL certificate, but its serving some content from http:// as well. You have to fix this issue. This depends entirely how your site is built, what kind of theme you are using or how its configured. If you get the mixed content warning and/or your site address in browser address bar is shown in gray, you need to use those tools to fix it. Google Chrome Dev Tool: Use Google Chrome’s built in developer tools. Use the Security console to see what content is serving from http:// and causing issue. Manually look at your page source code: You could look at your source code from browser, and search for all elements served from “http://” and see what they are and how you could replace those with “https://“. Things to Note: - Here some themes could be built in bad way, and have some hard coded source with the only http:// reference. - You might have some javascript like analytics, ads, or whatever you added and they might be serving from http, here check if that source has a https version of the code you are using (most project should or already have https, like google analytics, or fonts). - External link: If you have links to an external site which has only http version, don’t worry, it will not cause any issue. You get mixed content notice only for resource loads with your site, not the link just hyperlinked. Here are few popular plugin available in WordPress.org to help you fix the mixed content issue or configuring HTTPS. But I found if you follow my steps, you would not need any other plugin, and some of those plugin are very old and not updated in long time, and gives various error. - WordPress HTTPS (SSL) – https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-https/ - SSL Insecure Content Fixer – https://wordpress.org/plugins/ssl-insecure-content-fixer/ 7) Migration Of Already Hosted WordPress Site: This is kind of beyond scope of this post. This is not very difficult, just depends too much on how you are hosted now and your technical skill. Just give a read to EasyEngine Official guide here, its fairly simple. Visit – https://easyengine.io/docs/site-migration/ Update – April 26, 2017 ================================================================ You dont need NGiNX mainline version anymore, by default ee will install compatible version for HTTP/2 ================================================================ Update – March 14, 2016 ================================================================ Get PHP7 With This Setup PHP7 is fully compatible with this guide. I find out PHP7 perform even better than HHVM in some cases, only issue I see is it’s not compatible to all plugins and create performance lag for some site. But when it works, its way better then HHVM. So, if you want a setup with PHP7, change your Step 3 as follows – First, install PHP7 on the server. [syntax type=”html”]ee stack install –php7[/syntax] Now, let’s install WordPress with PHP7, instead of HHVM. [syntax type=”html”]ee site create domain.com –w3tc –php7 –pagespeed –letsencrypt[/syntax] Or, update any existing already install site with PHP7 [syntax type=”html”]ee site update domain.com –hhvm=off[/syntax] Then run this [syntax type=”html”]ee site update domain.com –php7[/syntax] Read more about EasyEngine support of PHP7 here. *Note: PHP7 implementation still does not support memcached and APC Caching, so if you are using W3 Total Cache, before the update turn off any other caching other than disk or disk enhanced caching, otherwise you will see NGINX server error 500. ================================================================ Important Information: - If you are wondering what type of SSL Certificate you get with Let’s Encrypt, you get a “Domain Verified” DV certificate. Here is a demonstration about what’s the difference between DV and EV certificate. - Wildcard certificate, means subdomain support in Let’s Encrypt with EasyEngine is still shaky, might not work properly. - CloudFlare Support: If your domain is hosted in CloudFlare it might not work properly with this setup. I personally liked them, but don’t use any of their service currently, but it’s entirely upto you. BTW they also offer free SSL for all their free user. - No Dedicated IP Needed. You don’t need dedicated IP for each site for this setup. - Automatic Renewal of Let’s Encrypt. This setup for EasyEngine takes care of renewal. They are super, so you don’t have to worry a bit. Caution: - This is a guide that teaches you how to host your website by yourself. If you are not a server savvy person, and not willing to take the risk of learning, then it’s not for you. - This is a generalized guide for general use-case. Your server-environment, WordPress setup and lots of other factor could affect the outcome of this process. Feel free to comment below or reach me in Twitter. But there is no guaranteed support from me. I wrote this on a fine Friday evening, spending my own time, I will respond humanely in comments. - And also don’t forget the security concern regarding self managed hosting server. EasyEngine is the best tool out there, which gives everything out of the box, but for experience user they always tweak according to their need and experience, to make the system more secure and faster. Resource: - Article at Make.WordPress.org about HTTPS in WordPress – https://make.wordpress.org/support/user-manual/web-publishing/https-for-wordpress/ - Article at WPBeginner.com – How to Add SSL and HTTPS in WordPress --- ## If you could see a green light from very far, most… URL: https://ar.bd/1966/%e2%80%aa%e2%80%8ehighway-philosophy-1/ Date: 2016-01-19 If you could see a green light from very far, mostly likely it will not remain green when you reach there. But if you see a red light from very far, there is a good chance it might turn green by the time you reach there. Moral – A lot of things are not what it seems from far. Don’t jump into conclusion without knowing better. And you should dare to experience rather impossible! --- ## [Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review] Force Is Just Waking Up URL: https://ar.bd/1954/star-wars-vii-review/ Date: 2015-12-19 Here is my super quick review of Star Wars: The Force Awakens! I am an all-rounder movie buff, so I like all movies. This review is based on my first impression after I watched the movie for just one time on the very first day. But I look forward to watch this movie few more times in coming weeks. My Review: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Force is just waking up, its not fully awaken to be more precious. Star Wars: The Force Awakens is kind of teenage version of Star Wars! But you could compare with what J. J. Abrams also did with Star Trek, this is a reboot. So, has lots of unanswered question, loose end and overall plot issue. So, to me the force is not particularly very strong with this one. But force is definitely very strong with the fans. I watched this movie in special screening on Thursday, there was amazing crowd, but I have seen better, even in this year for Avengers: Age of Ultron or Jurassic Park or Furious 7, but the difference was very understandable in the theater. Star Wars definitely has an amazing vivid fanbase. And maybe the plot will get better with next Episode, VIII. Until then may the force be with you! --- ## How To Install & Benchmark Linux Server Using GeekBench URL: https://ar.bd/1946/how-to-install-geekbench-linux-server/ Date: 2015-10-12 As like any server geek, I like to benchmark whatever new recipe I am cooking. Geekbench is one of many tools I use to measure performance. Geekbench is easy, not too much resource extensive, so you could run it even in live production server, which everything keep working as it is. But I would suggest you run those operation in your low hour. Here is very simple guide to run Geekbench in your Linux server. 1. Location: Find a place where you want to store and run this operation from. As an example [syntax type=”html”] cd /home mkdir asif cd asif [/syntax] 2) Download: Download GeekBench core. [syntax type=”html”] wget http://cdn.primatelabs.com/Geekbench-3.4.1-Linux.tar.gz [/syntax] - I updated this link on 21st August, 2016 and the latest version was 3.4.1, check latest link from their official site. 3) Extract: Extract the downloaded “Geekbench-3.3.2-Linux.tar.gz”. [syntax type=”php”] tar -zxvf Geekbench-3.4.1-Linux.tar.gz cd dist/Geekbench-3.4.1-Linux [/syntax] 4) License: If you have paid for GeekBench, add that license. You could buy from here. You could test 32 bit performance without pro account too. But I would highly recommend Pro version, if you are even semi-serious about benchmarking. And you could buy the license that works on Linux, Windows and even Mac. [syntax type=”php”] ./geekbench_x86_64 -r your@email license-code [/syntax] 5) Run: Now run the test. [syntax type=”html”] ./geekbench_x86_64 [/syntax] 6) Result: As soon as the operation is complete you will see two link in the terminal. - For viewing the result online. You could just copy paste that in browser, and share with anybody you want. - 2nd link will be for uploading that result to your account. If you are logged into your geekbench account in that browser, you result will be added to your account as soon as you go to the 2nd link. 7) Analysis: Explaining what the benchmark number means is beyond the capacity of this article. But it’s not very hard, single core process score and multi-core is self-explanatory, higher the better. Look at the end section of the result, the “Memory Performance”, it’s important. Look more into here – http://support.primatelabs.com/kb Note: I was using Ubuntu in my server, so its Debian based. If your server is Cent OS or any other Linux destro, process is very similar, look at this official resource for more details. --- ## #WPDrama and We, The WordPress Community *Experts! URL: https://ar.bd/1927/wpdrama-wordpress-community/ Date: 2015-07-01 This post is a mere comments that I posted in Tom McFarlin post about #wpdrama & the WordPress Community. I am looking from another side. A community that old (11 years now), and this big, bunch of things is bound to happen. Just to give a simple idea, for a guy who is in this community for say for 6 years, he always thinks in himself, he knows this community, he fell very close to it, and eventually that started him give a kind superior (maybe wrong word, can’t find the better one ATM) attitude. He started to think he owns something, he has to have a say in everything about this community under his radar. And that goes same for a guy who is in community for 2 or even for entire 11 years. So, maybe for others like you and me, he does not mean much, or maybe to him, we don’t mean much. But we all have a say, we all have got an attitude, we all think we know this better, and we are the ultimate bricks that makes this community. You see, thats where democratization should take effect. It always should be beyond us. There is always a greater rest. When you build something that big, defining, even its beyond the founder, beyond the core people behind. Yes, its all important. Some stuff are the key to the project, some are the souls, but end of the day its about people. This #Drama is what we create, we, the so called *Expert. And yes, please criticize me as I call myself *(WordPress Enthusiast)! Image Credit: UnSplash --- ## If you are interested about Data Science: Fellowship Opportunity URL: https://ar.bd/1916/data-science-fellowship-opportunity/ Date: 2015-06-08 If you are interested about Data Science: Fellowship Opportunity Note: Its better for those seeking PhDs, and postdocs in data science. *Copying their whole message. If you qualify and really serious about this program, I will be happy to write a review for you(only if I know you). Email me. No Facebook message. ====================== Hi M Asif Rahman, You recently wrote a recommendation for The Data Incubator. We were very impressed by the caliber of applicants you know. Our application is currently live. I would be extremely grateful if you could forward this opportunity onto masters and PhDs whom you think would make good applicants. Program: The Data Incubator is an intensive 7 week fellowship that prepares masters, PhDs, and postdocs in STEM + social science fields seeking industry careers as data scientists. The program is free for fellows and supported by sponsorships from dozens of employers across multiple industries. In response to the overwhelming interest in our earlier sessions, we will be holding another fellowship. Locations: There will be both an in-person (in NYC, DC, SF) and online section of the fellowship. There is a common application for both the online and in-person sections. Dates: All sections will be from 2015-09-08 to 2015-10-16 Application Link: https://goo.gl/mj6OPQ Who should apply?: Anyone within one year of graduating from a masters or PhD program or who has already obtained a masters or PhD is welcome to apply. Applications from international students are welcome. Everyone else is encouraged to sign-up for a future session. For additional information, checkout our blog, Venture Beat article, or Harvard Business Review piece. Sincerely, Michael Postdoc, Cornell --- ## 72 Hours in Dhaka: An Americans Take From Dhaka, Without Any Pre-Expectation URL: https://ar.bd/1904/72-hours-in-dhaka-an-americans-take-from-dhaka-without-any-pre-expectation/ Date: 2015-05-06 A very interesting and super honest article by Jim Hamill at The Huffington Post about our city Dhaka, I read few days ago, but did not got time to share. If you are living in Dhaka or even never been to Dhaka all MUST READ it. I have always said Bangladesh is a very different place, (in good way), from anywhere in this planet. The writer did not have any idea, and no expectation from Dhaka. He wanted to see Dhaka, like raw, like in normal eyes. His 72 hours exploration is just amazing. Its funny how he described Rickshaw, Morog Polau, compares Sadar Ghat with Venice’s Grand Canal (vaguely), talks about California Fried Chicken (CFC). So funny 😀 He was also very astonished not to see a single tourist in Dhaka City (note he is talking about tourist, not foreigner) in his 72hr in Dhaka. We need work on that, we need to create ecosystem to make ourself explorable to outsider. We need good stories, PR worldwide to let people know about our wealth. --- ## “Sending email or message is the easiest, but not … URL: https://ar.bd/1898/efective-communication-quote/ Date: 2015-04-15 “Sending email or message is the easiest, but not always the effective one though.” --- ## [Resource] Joomla To WordPress Migration URL: https://ar.bd/1889/joomla-to-wordpress-migration/ Date: 2015-03-17 Even if its not about what you prefer, if its what serves your purpose, in the year 2015, you might want to migrate to WordPress, from what ever platform you are. As a member asked today at our Biggest WordPress Group – WordPressians, I had to digg a little bit, found few tools and resource, so wanted to share for future reference. Maybe start with reading those article Comparing Joomla to WordPress, Like The Sun to The Moon [Prezi] Joomla to WordPress Migration [Infographic] Joomla To WordPress Migration: Presentation How to Migrate from Joomla to WordPress Joomla To WordPress Migration: Guide How to Move Your Site from Joomla to WordPress By my Friend Syed Balkhi How to migrate from Joomla to WordPress Joomla To WordPress Migration: Codex Importing Contents from Joomla Joomla To WordPress Migration: Plugins FG Joomla to WordPress – Free | Pro Version CMS2CMS: Automated Joomla to WordPress Migration – Free | Pro Version Joomla To WordPress Migration: Script Joomla to WordPress converter This one is most interesting, just edit config.php with your setting, and run the converter as you need. It will work directly, and import posts, comments, user, category into WordPress directly. Only issue is its not updated in last 3 years, and as Joomla’s version compatibility is super weird, so can’t be sure if hat still works. And yes, its from my friend Tareq Hasan. As You Know: I am die-hard WordPress Guy! --- ## The most popular WordPress plugins: Number That Makes Sense URL: https://ar.bd/1884/the-most-popular-wordpress-plugins-number-that-makes-sense/ Date: 2015-02-28 Most Popular WordPress Plugins With the recent change in public API and available data, we now could see more then just the download number. This is a great post by Brian Krogsgard at Post Status, does not only shows the top plugins by active install, but compare it with other data source to make sense. Happy reading! --- ## WordPress 4.2: Taxonomy Term Splitting URL: https://ar.bd/1881/wordpress-4-2-taxonomy-term-splitting/ Date: 2015-02-17 [Very Important] Read in details if you’ve written a plugin or themes, that stores term IDs in a static way, you’ll be affected. Out of top 100 most popular plugins on WordPress.org, team found 11 will need changes in order to anticipate term splitting: Jetpack, WordPress SEO by Yoast, Google XML Sitemaps,All in One SEO Pack, Mailpoet, Advanced Custom Fields, Ninja Forms, Types, Custom Sidebars, Paid Memberships Pro, WordPress Download Manager. --- ## Successful CMS Conference 2015 & My Session Slides URL: https://ar.bd/1876/cms-conference-2015/ Date: 2015-02-10 M Asif Rahman Speaking at CMS Con 2015 Had an amazing event at biggest ever Digital World 2015. Whole team did amazing work. Here is my presentation video on “Success Story Inside Our Bangladeshi WordPress Ecosystem and You Could Be Next“. WordPress came long way in last 10 years, so as it’s community. Our Bangladeshi community is not lagging behind. We have success story of our own. We have several remarkable person and companies doing superb in the whole WordPress ecosystem. Today I would like to put some lights on those brave souls, and lets get encouragement from them, maybe the next success story will be from this room! It is really a very big venue, almost 1500 seating arrangement, and we had houseful. I started the event, had super fun time with whole team. Hasin Bhai worked so hard for the program, all the organizer and speaker worked hard. It was a 4 hour event, but nobody was bored, we asked specially to all speaker to make their presentation funny, entertaining. I tried to bring some heroes among us, who are doing amazing work inside WordPress. Event Website – http://cmscon2015.certainly.rocks/ Digital World Main Site: http://www.digitalworld.org.bd/ --- ## Happiness Is An Attitude URL: https://ar.bd/1872/happiness-attitude/ Date: 2015-01-29 Let me brighten your day. You must watch this short but super super motivational talk of a teenager “Aisha Chaudhary“. Happiness is an attitude, happiness is doing what you truely love, and I feel that happiness can only come from acceptance. I accept who I am, I accept where I am at, and I accept the challenges that I am battling with today. And I am even more determined to make the most of this wonderful gift of life that god has given me. As Anderson once said “Enjoy life, theme is plenty of time to be dead.“ Sadly: Aisha Chaudhary sadly passed away on the morning of January 24th, 2015 after battling an immune deficiency disorder and Pulmonary Fibrosis throughout her life. Aisha Chaudhary INSPIRATIONAL ARTIST Seventeen year-old Aisha Chaudhary was born with an immune deficiency disorder and overcame a predicted life expectancy of only one year to have become an accomplished artist today. Despite a serious lung disease called Pulmonary Fibrosis, her persistent optimism, extraordinary maturity in the face of impossible odds, and calm perspective on life’s challenges have been an inspiration to many. Links to the videos: Aisha Chaudhary: Singing in the life boat Aisha Chaudhary: Finding happiness --- ## My Session Video At WordCamp SF 2014 On WordCamp TV URL: https://ar.bd/1860/my-wordcamp-sf-2014-video/ Date: 2015-01-16 Never realized when they uploaded my session video at WordPress.tv. Here it is, my session about “My life and influence of WordPress”. I spoke about my life, starting from my town Ishurdi, dream to become a physicist, but eventually became *just an engineer, and then how I fell in love with WordPress – web development, keep making web business for more then ten years, travelled around the world, made good friends, found my niche. It also highlights my folks at our community WordPressians and my little gesture to aware people about the pronunciation of Bangladesh correctly, not like Bang-la-desh, but more like বাংলাদেশ, as a Proud Bangladeshi! More About This Session: 1) At Wordcamp TV 2) SF.WordCamp.org – Introducing M Asif Rahman 3) SF.WordCamp.org – Lightning Talks Inspiring Stories 4) Slides at Asif.im Fun Facts: This was actually my 3rd WordCamp session, but both of the other session is not available in WordCamp TV, in both cases organizer could not submit quality video to WordPress.tv properly in time. --- ## AdBlocking is Crime, Just Like Piracy! URL: https://ar.bd/764/adblocking-is-crime-piracy/ Date: 2015-01-12 Yes, I am against AdBlocking, and I have my points for that. This specific article I wrote long time ago, but did not published that time somehow. * I will be regular in writing in 2015, this is one of my New Year Resolution. But everybody knows its tough to get back to anything at the beginning if you are irregular. Today somehow I recalled one mailed by Till from AdBlock Plus open source team. This is not to offend anybody, just my point. What is AdBlocking? Its a simple add-on for browser or plugin which will block all ads of webpage that you visit using that browser. AdBlock Plus is the most used and it have support for all major browser like Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Opera. Why AdBlocking is Crime? Give me answer of those question first – 1. Why piracy is crime? 2. Why software piracy is crime? 3. Why downloading music without paying is crime? Answer is simple. You are not paying the right person, the deserved price. You are cheating. When somebody placed ads on a site, he did that to earn from the site. As he has to earn from his effort, time, pay server bills and all other bills. But when you are blocking ads you are cheating with the site owner and stealing his earning from him. Whats AdBlock Plus’s Explanation? They want to give people choice what ads they want to see and what they want to bypass. Whats My Point? But is it really their decision? If somebody made a website and put ads, it means it’s his site, and he needs to earn from that, its not the visitors choice to see the ads or block the ads. If user dont like the site he could go to some other site, or if the user dont like the ads, he could just ignore ads by just not clicking it. I am not saying you have to click ads. I also understand how disgusting ads could be. But if website owner could make a site with that disgusting ads, then its their choice, you either tolerate that or just dont visit that site, website owner might reduce ads after he got lower visitor. Yes, I am a Entrepreneur, my 90% business directly depends on website or apps. But don’t forget I am a vivid web user, so its my take, what yours? Few good discussion and article on the same topic: 1) The devastating effects of ad blocking – at AdBlockPlus.org 2) Why Ad Blocking is devastating to the sites you love – at ArsTechnica.com I know its a controversial topic, you are encouraged to express your opinion in comments or social media. --- ## Difference Between home_url() and site_url() in WordPress URL: https://ar.bd/1830/wordpress-home-url-vs-site-url/ Date: 2015-01-10 home_url() and site_url() in WordPress is very simple thing, but could be little bit confusing. Look at the image, then I described below – From Setting -> General 1) WordPress Address (URL) = site_url() 2) Site Address (URL) = home_url( ) You could force rewrite that from wp-config.php too. Remembering is easy, its just opposite to what is says, so in Setting “Site Address (URL)” is home_url not the site_url as it looks from the words. Savvy? Detail Discussion: 1) StackExchange Codex: 1) site_url 2) home_url --- ## Weird W3 Total Cache Install Errors & Solution URL: https://ar.bd/1636/w3tc-install-error-solution/ Date: 2014-12-22 If you are testing something new, there is always chance to break things, that’s why you should always have a fail-safe system. Thing is sometime situation could be a bit different. I decide to test “WP-Rocket”, so disabled W3 Total Cache. I will write a separate article about my experience with “WP-Rocket”. Soon, when I decide to revert back to W3 Total Cache, I started to get weird errors, here I will explain how I solved it. I am all in for speed & optimization. I had to test “WP-Rocket” on a live site as I wanted to do real world performance test, not some Load I/O test! But that did not worked out, even after their support proactively tried to help. So, I tried to disable “WP-Rocket”, and reactivate W3 Total Cache, then I started to this error below. [syntax type=”php”] Notice: get_settings is deprecated since version 2.1! Use get_option() instead. in ~/wp-includes/functions.php on line WordPress database error: [DROP command denied to user ‘remote_user’ for table ‘w3tc_cdn_queue’] DROP TABLE IF EXISTS w3tc_cdn_queue; WordPress database error: [CREATE command denied to user ‘remote_user’ for table ‘w3tc_cdn_queue’] CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS w3tc_cdn_queue ( id int(11) unsigned NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, local_path varchar(500) NOT NULL DEFAULT ”, remote_path varchar(500) NOT NULL DEFAULT ”, command tinyint(1) unsigned NOT NULL DEFAULT ‘0’ COMMENT ‘1 – Upload, 2 – Delete, 3 – Purge’, last_error varchar(150) NOT NULL DEFAULT ”, date datetime NOT NULL DEFAULT ‘0000-00-00 00:00:00’, PRIMARY KEY (id), KEY date (date) ) DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8; [/syntax] I posted about this in WordPress.org support, did not got any answer though. Later on I find the solution myself. Before coming to solution, let me describe few things # Error message: At the beginning I was not getting any error message at all, just the message that “plugin could be activated because of fatal error”. So I had to enable all error notification for awhile. I used this code in wp-config.php [syntax type=”php”] define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, true ); define( ‘WP_DEBUG_LOG’, true ); define( ‘WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY’, true ); @ini_set( ‘display_errors’, 0 ); [/syntax] Now you have all the error message of the world. Don’t keep this code of production site. Keep it like this [syntax type=”php”] define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, false ); [/syntax] But make sure you know what you are doing. Disabling the debug message entirely is not a good idea. Solution: So, I find out the issue is with DB permission. W3TC needs to create new table “w3tc_cdn_queue” to store cdn query information. But as this WordPress installation I am talking about is pretty large, its Database is stored in a remote server, and as a security measure I restricted it to some limited permission, that WordPress basically need to run for everyday. So, I just had to log into remote db server and assign a temporary permission with this command [syntax type=”html”] GRANT DROP,CREATE ON dbname.* TO ‘dbuser‘@’host‘; [/syntax] *revoke this permission as soon as the installation are done. Restart the mysql [syntax type=”html”] sudo service mysql restart [/syntax] Then I tried running the installed again, and it worked just fine. few things you should keep in mind. If you have issue with re-installing W3TC, it could be for far simple reason too. Check those steps first 1) Check if your cache folder is clean “wp-content/cache”. 2) Delete the dropin “object-cache.php” it could conflict with the one comes with W3TC. 3) Try removing all W3TC related files fro server including the config file & folder (make sure you have a backup of your working W3TC configuration. You should have one backup with your working configuration from the W3TC option page. 4) Temporary give 777 permission to “wp-content” folder, its very risky so make sure you revert back as soon as you are done. Let me know in comments if you have this same issue or something related, and don’t forget to post at the WordPress.org support forum. --- ## All Pictures From Sundarbans are FAKE! URL: https://ar.bd/1611/sundarbans-fake/ Date: 2014-12-15 All those pictures you see from Sundarbans are FAKE. Some are Photoshopped, some are from Hollywood movies, like few are from Jurassic Park, some are from movie Avatar, and rest are just Oil Paintings. In fact there are no Sundarbans in Bangladesh, we hardly have few বাঁশ ঝাড়, but Biggest Mangrove Forest Sundarbans in Bangladesh? No way! There might be something in India, they are the big country, they should have everything! Try to think, its even good in some ways, all the people living close to forest, now they don’t need wood to cook food, they could just use those water as fuel, super easy solution! If you are blaming Govt, Related Minister, Political Parties, you are just like our same traditional opposition party. You need someone to blame? Blame me, blame yourself, blame all of your friends. Now we care about Sundarbans? Now you want Royal Bengal Tiger in the forest outside of Zoo? Do yourself a favor, change the channel, its that easy now. Move on and forget. Lets fight on whom to blame, and what pictures are Photoshopped. And please sue me for using those FAKE photos! *** সবই সত্য, Fake না। আমাদের সরকার, মন্ত্রী আর ক্ষমতাবানদের আচরণে কষ্টে লেখা এটা। একে বলে Sarcasm! Confused থাকলে দেশের মধ্যেই তো, যেয়ে দেখে আসেন কি ভয়াবহ অবস্থা! **** Click here if you want to see/share those picture in Facebook! Related Reading Materials: ছড়িয়ে পরা ফার্নেস থেকে প্রাণীদের রক্ষায় যা করা যেতে পারে Video shows grave oil spill in Sundarbans Toll on wildlife rises in the Sundarbans --- ## We Have Done It! 1 Million Facebook Fans!! URL: https://ar.bd/1596/tdt-1m-fb-fans/ Date: 2014-11-10 The Dhaka Times crossed the One Million Fan Mark in Facebook! It took us almost two year (22 months to be exact), but we have done it! So proud of the Team, you guys have proven the impossible! With such a little resource and super ambitious dream we survived the rocky path. Though it’s maybe just half-way, but that’s a solid base. 1 Million Fan, 15 Million Facebook Reach, Almost 50 Million Hits – I can’t dream anything better in terms of distribution for a self-funded startup! My heartiest gratitude to my team – who believed in me, thanks to our fan – who pushed us to the boundary, and love to my friends and family – I could never keep going without all of you! It was a hard path, the path ahead is not going to be easy too. Biggest challenge we have to solve – making it financially stable, and deliver far better quality content, touch life and improve quality of life to our people though content and information that matters. We created the base, lets solve rest of the puzzle. Its the game of life! --- ## Do you know the main trick of all real good actor?… URL: https://ar.bd/1593/trick-for-act/ Date: 2014-11-07 Do you know the main trick of all real good actor? They actually never act. --- ## Review Of Interstellar: Without The Spoiler! URL: https://ar.bd/1590/interstellar-review/ Date: 2014-11-06 Today I had the opportunity to watch ‘Interstellar‘ in a special production cut version. Though it was a kind of raw 35mm screening but as its before premiere, I was delighted! The movie will hit all major theater here in US from this Friday. I don’t want to be a spoiler of any sort. But if you don’t have much clear idea abort Special Theory of Relativity and how the world will be if we could handle Time as any other dimensions then this movie will not make any sense to you. But Nolan is super high ambitious and tried to stay in the world described by Albert Einstein, Nolan also portrayed a smart way describing things we don’t understand clearly so far like Blackhole and Singularity. I will probably watch it few more times after it releases in 70mm IMAX 3D. Image: Warner Bros. Entertainment --- ## My Thoughts on Startup Taking Investment Solely For R&D URL: https://ar.bd/1586/startup-investment-rnd/ Date: 2014-11-04 I really don’t like the idea when a ‘normal‘ startup seeks for ‘external‘ investment only for R&D. In this small post I will try to explain my points. In last few year I invested in few startups, but I had the opportunity to work closely with even more other startups too, mainly because of my role at TheTechJournal.com and part of the time I try to give back to the Startup Ecosystem. Here my thoughts on based on my experience, its not a research/academic paper with bunch of reference. Let me begin with why I highlighted those two term. normal – Here normal means normal, general startups. Sometime big corporation or group form startups solely for R&D, I dont mean those. * Interesting read could be – Cisco’s Billion Dollar Spin in Startup investments external Here I meant taking investment solely from out side of the company, co-founders. People takes investment for different purpose and goal, and yes, R&D is one of them. I have no objection with that. My problem is when you dont have any revenue stream, and you want more money to burn in R&D. Why it’s bad? 1) External investor could be a real pain, and when you are not making money, and spending solely on R&D it will be very hard to keep them in same page year after year. 2) You dont have cash-flow, no revenue stream, you have not tested water, then more investment for R&D is really risky idea. 3) But you think you will make an amazing product/service/technology. The catch is every other startup thinks the same, and still 85% or more startups historically fails. Exceptions: There are several exceptions, here I mainly considered the kind of startups I came across. If you look at really technology or innovation focused startups, R&D is their main product, their main selling points. So, please don’t try to put company like SpaceX or others in this theory. My Advice: As always be lean. Ship the minimum viable product first, test customer base( test water), focus on marketing, track the traction, redraw the roadmap from those data. Remember its not only about your product, its also about your customer, and how they feel about your product. So, building a good product is merely half of the job. So, optimize your focus. Again, those are just my thoughts, you are encouraged to give your opinion in the comments below or any social media you found me. Image: Public domain --- ## How WordPress Changed My Life [My Session From WordCamp SF] URL: https://ar.bd/1581/wordcamp-sf-2014-presentation/ Date: 2014-10-26 I had the privilege to speak at this year’s Central WordCamp San Francisco. I spoke about “How WordPress Changed My Life From Bangladesh & Let Me Dream Big”. Here I will share my slides and evetually talk about some of my experience. Gallery: WordCamp SF 2014 WordCamp SF 2014 WordCamp SF 2014 – Mission Bay Conference Center WordCamp SF 2014 – Mission Bay Conference Center And that famous slide about Clark Kent, the idea is from Rupok, and the article I mentioned is “Every Developer is a Superman“, you could read it here. Thanks to everyone who encouraged me, who thanked me, who showed up, who didn’t but gave me a heads up, my family and all of our cool guys at WordPressians. --- ## Facebook & Messenger: Force Split Could Backfire Too! URL: https://ar.bd/1568/facebook-messenger-backfire/ Date: 2014-08-08 Don’t give me the lecture that it will be alright just like Facebook Newsfeed and Timeline redesigns! It will not, most likely because, if we have to open another new app for chat/msz it will not be Facebook Messenger. For me I will prefer Viber, others could prefer Skype, WhatsApp, Line, Kik or even Google Hangout, but it will be hardly FB Messenger! I am also downloading it, so I could give one star, and what if Facebook loose some mainstream user in their main app after this move? There is no ads in Messenger yet, and it will be hard to add one. Read the Mashable coverage on how “Facebook Messenger” now No.1 App in App Store with just 1 Star (lowest possible) rating! --- ## Responsible Disclosure! URL: https://ar.bd/1557/responsible-disclosure/ Date: 2014-07-31 Sucuri discovered the vulnerability, and informed the MailPoet team, gave them information and time to fix the issue. The MailPoet team did resolved it, but Sucuri disclosed the vulnerability to the wild just within 24hr of MailPoet released the update at WordPress.org. This is not a Responsible Disclosure! We all are glad to Sucuri that they discovered the issue and informed the developer, but how on earth they expected a plugin which is downloaded more then 2 million times, and one of the most used plugin in its sector, could force their user to update to latest version within 24hr? Result – 50 thousand WordPress site hacked using this exploit! Who to blame? The security firm that we all love or their Responsible Disclosure? MailPoet Team wrote this – http://www.mailpoet.com/sucuri-hack-lessons-learned/ Sucuri replied in their blog – http://blog.sucuri.net/2014/07/responsible-disclosure-sucuri-open-letter-to-mailpoet-and-future-disclosures.html My Thoughts: MailPoet: # Their biggest mistake is the way they pointed the issue in their changelog, check. the version 2.6.7 does not state about the severity of the security issue. I understand how they also need to keep their user clam, but vulnerability is not something that is someone’s fault, in software there will be always issues, but it does not mean to keep your reputation you could lighten a matter like this. # The time-frame. I am also not convinced that it should have took them 15 days to come up with a fix for this level of vulnerability. They should have promptly release a quick fix. Sucuri: # I think they are pissed as MailPoet released fix 15 days later, and did not had any serious mention(had simple mention no disclosure) of Sucuri and their findings in their plugin changelog. So they wrote the blog post on July 1st, so bring lights on it. # But their this move caused lots of issue. Even if MailPoet was kind of lousy, still as the spokesperson of open and safer web you cant put millions of user in danger, but this is what happen, thousand of sites got hacked. Scary Part: Sucuri thinks they are absolutely correct, and they will do the same in future! Brother, great power comes with responsibility. Try to think about all those millions of normal user. I mean come’on who updates his blog every single day? Is that even practical? Auto update will soon work far more smoothly, then we might overcome this sort of issue. But, now we need to act with more responsibility! This discussion got major attention at Advance WordPress group at Facebook, take a look. --- ## Anger Makes You Blind & Clueless! URL: https://ar.bd/1551/keep-calm/ Date: 2014-07-23 Sohag Bhai once said “If somebody calls you by name (ex. son of something etc), you should not get angry. Try to think in this way. He is calling you that, there could be two reason, 1) Either he is blind or 2) he is mad. How could you doubt yourself, if you are human or not! Maybe you should feel pity for that person, because for any of those two reason its his/her misfortune! Today seen an sad example how ego and hot temper could ruin something super great. When you are super angry, your blood is boiling for whatever reason, you will even won’t get a clue that someone is not your enemy and maybe he wants to help. The situation what you could have controlled completely in your favor, if only if you would try go beyond your anger and ego. Sometime we need to give it a moment, instead of act instantly give it some time, clear head, and think in both way, in many ways. And people are suppose to learn this when they grow up beyond a teenager. Its not acceptable anyhow in a mature person. And its actually not a matter of what I say or others accept, if you are that arrogant, others don’t have to do anything you will eventually ruin everything for yourself. Peace, guys! Let’s not act childish, and learn from example. Keep calm and control your anger! Image Credit: keepcalm-o-matic --- ## Contributing In WordPress: My Presentation On WordPressians MeetUp URL: https://ar.bd/1518/contributing-in-wordpress-at-wordpressians-meetup/ Date: 2014-07-02 We had an amazing MeetUp of WordPressians Group (6th meetup) at Dhaka, last Saturday (June 28th, 2014). It was our first meetup at HubDhaka, a great place of my dear friend Sajid. It was a super great meetup with all of our guys in WordPress Community. I spoke about “Contributing In WordPress”. Here are the slides – Contribute in WordPress WordPressians Meetup (V1.0) from M Asif Rahman Adding photos of the events, courtesy to all our talented Photographer buddies, adding as gallery below. Also adding details about my presentation, and all resource inside. MeetUp Image Coverage: You do? I Do. Link to all slides from the event: http://wpressians.net/meetup/wordpressians-28th-jun/speakers/ Contributing In WordPress How about Contributing in WordPress? Giving back to the community? But you think that’s very difficult? You need to be a developer, a master programmer? It must be! Contributing means you have to able to find mistakes by genius programmer, and solve it! ♠ You are wrong! It’s a myth most people think, but to contribute in WordPress, you don’t have to have any of those skill. Here In this presentation I tried to break the myth, I have shown how anybody could contribute, weather you are a developer, or a designer, or just a user, or a person who just like blogging, anybody could help-out. Hopefully you will be interested to contribute after going through this. I have shown 8 ways you could contribute. Lets see after following it, if you contribute at least once. And this is a pure resource, you could follow the slideshow presentation on top of the page, here I will add all resource for easy access. [divider type=”dashed” spacing=”10″] How You Could Contribute? - Help In Support Forum - Translation & Localization - Documentation - Testing WordPress - Theme Review & Unit Test - Help In UI Group - Reporting Bugs - Fixing Bugs & Submitting Patch Resource: # https://codex.wordpress.org/Contributing_to_WordPress # http://make.wordpress.org/ 1) Help In Support Forum Start Here! # http://wordpress.org/support/ Learn More: http://make.wordpress.org/support/ 2) Translation & Localization Start Here! # http://translate.wordpress.org/getting-started Get Involved! # http://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/ Handbook &Tools! # http://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/handbook/ Resource! # https://codex.wordpress.org/Translating_WordPress 3) Documentation Start Here! # http://make.wordpress.org/docs/ Update & Edit The Codex.! # http://make.wordpress.org/docs/handbook/projects/codex/ Help In Building Handbook! # http://make.wordpress.org/docs/handbook/projects/handbooks/ Devhub – developer.wordpress.org # http://make.wordpress.org/docs/handbook/projects/devhub/ 4) Testing WordPress Projected Release Date August 27th, 2014 First Beta: July 9th, 2014 Have Test Environment Ready # http://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/installing-wordpress-locally/ WordPress Beta Tester Plugin # http://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/installing-wordpress-locally/ 5) Theme Review & Unit Test Start Here! # http://make.wordpress.org/themes/ Join The Theme Review Team! # http://make.wordpress.org/themes/about/how-to-join-wptrt/ Unit Test Data! # http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Unit_Test 6) Help In UI Group Start Here! # http://make.wordpress.org/ui/ UI Ability Test # http://make.wordpress.org/themes/about/how-to-join-wptrt/ 7) Reporting Bugs Start Here! # https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ Open Ticket! # http://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/trac/ Reporting Security Vulnerabilities! # http://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/reporting-security-vulnerabilities/ 8) Fixing Bugs & Submitting Patch # Creating A Patch With TortoiseSVN http://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/working-with-patches/create-a-patch-using-tortoisesvn/ # Creating A Patch File With SourceTree http://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/working-with-patches/create-a-patch-using-tortoisesvn/ And Yes, Get An Account At WordPress.org # SignUp http://wordpress.org/support/profile/ Use IRC, Connect To Freenode Channels: #WordPress, #WordPress-sfd, and #WordPress-contribute # Resource https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/other-support-locations/introduction-to-irc/ [well] That’s it! Share what you have contributed.[/well] --- ## Speaking at WordCamp Melbourne, Back in 2011! URL: https://ar.bd/1503/wordcamp-melbourne-2011/ Date: 2014-05-12 Just found this, never shared before. WordCamp Melbourne was a really nice event. I was really moved by everyone’s’ enthusiasm for WordPress, how they work for their passion. Its not only Australians, New Zealanders are also very Enthusiastic. And yes, Melbourne is one of the best city I have ever been to. Photo Credit: Alison Van Hees (Possibly) --- ## Now I’m Making $378 Million Dollar Per Second! URL: https://ar.bd/1497/making-378m-dollar-per-sec/ Date: 2014-05-08 Yea, now I have $1,025 Billion, and increasing at $378 Million per second Automatically in “Make It Rain App”! Installed 1 day ago, while I find out its top free app in App Store, even over Facebook, Google Maps. Spend like an hour, made enough virtual investments, now its increasing automatically @378M/Sec! I am really amazed how some game could be very simple but super addictive, at least for 2-3 day for a none-gamer person like me. As usual there are like hundreds of clone already. Here is link – iOS – http://goo.gl/ScvWNR Android – http://goo.gl/EDgwsV Tips: 1) Invest wisely, don’t spend too much in political investment. 2) As I dont have time to keep sweeping, I did not invested much on increasing note value. 3) Invest wisely, when your auto earning is better, change your device sleep time to “Never” and go out or do some real work, for a awhile. Like right now, I am making $1,360B+ per hour automatically. 4) When you have enough money, invest some in Political sector, specially before reaching a milestone like $100B. So you could get rid of FBI. Have fun! --- ## How To Secure Server After Heartbleed OpenSSL Vulnerability URL: https://ar.bd/1470/how-to-fix-heartbleed-vulnerability/ Date: 2014-05-03 Heartbleed is probably the worst thing ever happen to internet in whole. Its old news, all server and application should be already updated. If your server is not, here I will share very basic process to fix it, should not have more then 1 min. Yes, just 1 min and your server will be secured from Heartbleed Vulnerability. I will not go into detail about Heartbleed Vulnerability, whats and how. I will share resource if you still dont know details, and interested just go though those. 1) Main resource – Heartbleed.com 2) All You Need To Know About The Heartbleed Bug – By The Tech Journal So, basics are OpenSSL which is part of any web server, application was vulnerable to a bug, identified as “CVE-2014-0160“. Specifically OpenSSL 1.0.1 through 1.0.1f (inclusive) are vulnerable. The fix has been released, even before the bug came into discussion to the mass. So to protect your server you have to update your OpenSSL application running in your server. How to protect your server & update OpenSSL? If you manage your own server(means self-managed hosting), you have to fix it by yourself. If you use managed hosting like Shared Hosting or hosted application (like WPEngine ) then you dont have to worry, they probably have to updated it and fixed the issue. Or you should contact them and ask to fix it. But if you manage your own server, like we do at ARCom, you need to take care of it. In reality you should fixed and patched it months ago, if for any weird reason if you are not, like being lazy or not paying attention, you should act fast. It will not take even a full minute, I promise. I am considering you manage either CentOS or Ubuntu server, as those are most popular for self-managed server. Here I will provide quick command fix that you will need. Note: If somehow you dont know what OS you are running, I wrote an short article on that, check. Update OpenSSL Only * For just updating OpenSSL you dont need to backup anything specially. But I am assuming you already have basic DB & file backup in place. CentOS Check Version # First check what version of OpenSSL you are running [syntax type=”html”]rpm -q -a | grep “openssl”[/syntax] If its below “openssl-1.0.1e-16.el6_5.7” you need to update. This string could be hard to understand. In that case keep reading and run update. Run Update [syntax type=”html”]yum update openssl[/syntax] *Add “sudo” if you are not running as “root”. You are done, safe from Heartbleed! Ubuntu Check Version # First check what version of OpenSSL you are running [syntax type=”html”]dpkg -l | grep “openssl”[/syntax] If its below “1.0.1e-2+deb7u6” you need to update. This string could be hard to understand. In that case keep reading and run update. Run Update [syntax type=”html”]sudo apt-get install –only-upgrade openssl[/syntax] You are done, safe from Heartbleed! Alternate: Update Full System * You need to back up before proceed. Specially backup you php.ini, any extension you are running, any auto run you are rolling. And I hope you know what you are doing. CentOS Update full system [syntax type=”html”]sudo yum update[/syntax] You are done, safe from Heartbleed! Ubuntu Update full system [syntax] sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get dist-upgrade [/syntax] You are done, safe from Heartbleed! How to check if a site or server is Vulnerable to Heartbleed bug? Visit this site – https://filippo.io/Heartbleed/ Important: Here, I assumed you are not using SSL/HTTPS. If you are using, head over to this article, it talks about how to generate new certificate & private key. Its very important. Special Note: As this tutorial and post is meant for those who manage their server, so I hope you know what you are doing. I will not be responsible if you broke anything while trying this. As environment for different server is very different. And here I wrote this what have worked for me in several cases and whats is very well accepted solution from all major source in net. Don’t forgot those share your experience with me in comment box below. Resource: How to Protect your Server Against the Heartbleed OpenSSL Vulnerability More Read: Protect Your Android Device From Heartbleed Bug! --- ## Two Very Important Questions of Life -1) What … URL: https://ar.bd/1457/questions-of-life/ Date: 2014-04-21 Two Very Important Questions of Life – 1) What do you really want to achieve? 2) And what are you doing for it? --- ## Stay Alive – Dawn Is Coming, Open Your Eyes! URL: https://ar.bd/1438/stay-alive/ Date: 2014-03-28 [blockquote source=”Jose Gonzalez – Stay Alive”]Well the way I feel is the way I write It isn’t like the thoughts of the man who lies There is a truth and it’s on our side Dawn is coming Open your eyes Look into the sun as the new days rise[/blockquote] I am in love with the song “Stay Alive” By Jose Gonzalez, from the movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” Full Lyrics There’s a rhythm in rush these days Where the lights don’t move and the colors don’t fade Leaves you empty with nothing but dreams In a world gone shallow In a world gone lean Sometimes there’s things a man cannot know Gears won’t turn and the leaves won’t grow There’s no place to run and no gasoline Engine won’t turn And the train won’t leave Engines won’t turn and the train won’t leave I will stay with you tonight Hold you close ‘til the morning light In the morning watch a new day rise We’ll do whatever just to stay alive We’ll do whatever just to stay alive Well the way I feel is the way I write It isn’t like the thoughts of the man who lies There is a truth and it’s on our side Dawn is coming Open your eyes Look into the sun as the new days rise And I will wait for you tonight You’re here forever and you’re by my side I’ve been waiting all my life To feel your heart as it’s keeping time We’ll do whatever just to stay alive Dawn is coming Open your eyes Dawn is coming Open your eyes Dawn is coming Open your eyes Dawn is coming Open your eyes Look into the sun as the new days rise There’s a rhythm in rush these days Where the lights don’t move and the colors don’t fade Leaves you empty with nothing but dreams In a world gone shallow In a world gone lean But there is a truth and it’s on our side Dawn is coming open your eyes Look into the sun as a new days rise *Thanks – SongMeanings.com Official Video --- ## Beautiful Bangladesh – Land OF Stories URL: https://ar.bd/1430/beautiful-bangladesh/ Date: 2014-03-14 What an wonderful video, presenting Bangladesh. I got 3:41 min of goose bumps, and a refreshing feelings which will surely sustain for a long time. After yesterday’s disappointing situation, it completely spellbounded my mind. Thanks to Amitabh Reza Chowdhury . Thanks a lot. You just brought us tears of joy for the country. Lets spread this video and show the world why they must visit Bangladesh and what we have is super super unique! Bangla Article | Public Status --- ## Now we could write a book … URL: https://ar.bd/1425/1425/ Date: 2014-03-06 Now we could write a book “How to loose 10 winnable match in a row”. --- ## 2014 Oscar Winner List URL: https://ar.bd/1422/2014-oscar-winner-list/ Date: 2014-03-03 Too shocked to see best Actor, Actress, also supporting cast! “Matthew McConaughey” & “Cate Blanchett” is obviously super talented, but when you compare them with “Christian Bale” in “American Hustle” or “Leonardo DiCaprio” in “The Wolf of Wall Street” (I have not seen last one yet, but the way my friends are talking about it ….), Come on! I mean when did “Dallas Buyers Club” released? Who seen it? I even never seen its trailer, or heard its name. Each year one thing Academy does perfectly, piss everybody off! Sorry Bale, Sorry DiCaprio, but you won our heart! Full List: Official In English In Bangla --- ## Amazing Google Glass Cinemagraphs URL: https://ar.bd/1396/google-glass-cinemagraph/ Date: 2014-02-09 Just a mind-blowing GIF! All other proud owner of Google Glass will understand better. All credit goes to Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg of Cinemagraphs.com What is Cinemagraph? Cinemagraph is a special kind of digital photography where it has both still and moving section, and generally been shared as GIF which creates a paradox that viewers think they are seeing a video. Learn more about Cinemagraph [button url=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinemagraph” size=”mini”]Wikipedia[/button] [button url=”http://cinemagraphs.com/” size=”mini”]Cinemagraphs[/button] Resource [button url=”http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/cinemagraph-iphone-android-apps/” size=”mini”]Apps For Cinemagraph[/button] [button url=”http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/cinemagraph” size=”mini”]All Cinemagraphs @ Tumblr[/button] [button url=”http://cinemagraphcollection.com/” size=”mini”]CinemagraphCollection.Com[/button] [button url=”http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/cinemagraph/” size=”mini”]More 28 Cinemagraph Images[/button] --- ## Seems Super Easy But Insanely Hard Flappy Bird Game Going Down! URL: https://ar.bd/1390/flappy-bird/ Date: 2014-02-09 This Flappy Bird game seems super easy, feels like a 2-year kid could play it, but it’s insanely difficult, almost impossible to crack the game dynamics, but at the same time astonishingly addictive. Its Top App in free category since 17th November, in both iOS and Google Play Store, reported as earning daily $50,000 USD, developed by a single developer in a single weekend. But the Vietnamese developer Dong Nguyen is super pissed in too much media attention, and gossip about a possible copyright issue with famous Nintendo game “Super Mario”. And he decided to take the game down from both marketplace today(within of this post). Wanna check it out? I am sure this number of total download (previously stated as 50 million) is going to increase superbly just in last 24hour. Lets wait for the numbers to come! Flappy Bird – It’s this difficult! Read details in original article – Flappy Bird’s Developer Decides To Take The Game Down, Get The Insanely Hard Game Right Now! --- ## Top 10 Tech Skills That Draws Highest Average Salary URL: https://ar.bd/1379/top-10-tech-skills-draws-highest-average-salary/ Date: 2014-02-05 If you are planning to develop a new skill here is a list of Top 10 Tech Skills that draws Highest average Salary. The lowest one is even yearly $107,825 USD. BTW most of the Skills are related with Database/Big Data, like Cassandra, Mongo DB, NoSQL, Omnigraffle etc. Surely “Big Data” is the next big thing. Original Article: Top Ten Highest-Earning Tech Skills Photo Credit: unsplash | alejandroescamilla --- ## Facebook’s First Decade & Amazing ‘Look Back’ Thingy! URL: https://ar.bd/1372/facebooks-10-look-back/ Date: 2014-02-04 Today is Facebook’s 10th Birthday. Mark Zuckerberg wrote a great status today about Facebook’s one decade in journey, and how he foresee the future. But do you know about this Facebook Look Back thingy? This surely going to bring smile in your face. You could read the details story covered by Salman at TTJ. Like other billions of people possibility is you also use Facebook. Then you must check this Look Back. Its all from your activity and share, but still I am certain will make you smile even for a bit. Happy Birthday, Facebook. [pullquote align=”left”]We really expect you will use this base of billions of people and use their trust for better future.[/pullquote] Update: Apparently now you could share your video with your friend. Facebook added a share button, which was not there while I wrote the article. Just head over to https://www.facebook.com/lookback --- ## Weird Facebook Hacking Attempt URL: https://ar.bd/1357/facebook-hacking-attempt/ Date: 2014-01-27 Somebody tagged me in a Facebook status, which links to a pastebin which leads to massive disaster. Autotagged bunch of my friends, and auto followed lots of junk stuff. I immediately deleted all those comments, untagged everybody, unfollowed, and reported everything. I changed my pass, enabled all possible security. Please dont click on any of those link even not out of curiosity. Check You Facebook Security page, look all active session under “Active Sessions”, if you cant recognize any device, Change Pass and End Activity for that and all unrecognized device session. My Account is safe now. Please stay safe. And my apology for this. I should not have clicked in the first place. But at least learned the lesson. Now you could learn. Stay safe. Link to that Facebook Status . (Don’t try anything. Just report that “Status”) Link to that Pastebin (Again dont try anything, your account will get hacked) Bangla Coverage – The Dhaka Times --- ## [Photo Set] Trolley Tours Of Old Town, St. Augustine, Florida URL: https://ar.bd/1351/photo-set-trolley-tours-old-town-st-augustine-florida/ Date: 2014-01-27 Visited Old Town in Trolley Train, across St. Augustine. I visited Fountain of Youth, Old Jail, Flagler College & walked around old town. Its from my Summer 2013 US Trip. St. Augustine is really nice place. Here is the direct link to full set in Flickr – http://www.flickr.com/photos/asif2bd/sets/72157640184536644/ --- ## Bangladesh 3G: Version & Speed Fight And Reality URL: https://ar.bd/1282/bangladesh-3g-fight/ Date: 2013-10-01 I have always seen over 3Mbps in my Teletalk(at least in my office and home), and that 3G. 3.5G has the capacity to deliver upto 21Mbps. But whats the point of making it 3.5 or 3.9 or 3.99G when they still provide that lower speed (people reporting they get only 1Mbps in Robi Sheirom 3.5G, in their WIC). And try to think what they will charge for 21Mbps in Bangladesh. Take a guess! Including tax our Govt. still selling 1mbps at 5,000tk+/- per month, there could be chunk and price difference between IIG but still 21Mbps will costs like hell, if not 100,000tk, it will be well over 30,000-50,000tk. And yes there is shared and dedicated thingy. Here I am talking about real BW pricing. And mobile company are known for their ridiculous 50-100x charges over BW. So, instead of incremental 3.xG fight, give us real smooth speed with a reasonable price. And 5Mbps is well enough for mobile device, what you are going to do in 21Mbps in a mobile device actually? Most of the smartphone chip even could not deliver that higher speed. Trust me, I have only seen my iPhone 5 go beyond 46Mbps, while in same network my iPhone 4 cant go beyond 20Mbps. iPhone 5 on LTE at SF BTW this 3.9G advertised by GP is actually HSPA+, your device need to support that, which will be very limited number of device, most of the smartphone will support basically 3G. There are lots of compatibility and standard issue. Each time I went from Florida to California I had to flash carrier bundle in my iPhone, or update, so it could work with that regions’ standard. And several times it failed to utilize full LTE potential and I had to be happy in lower 3G speed. --- ## Houston Over The Air URL: https://ar.bd/1275/houston-over-the-air/ Date: 2013-09-07 Houston Over The Air #Pressgram #GoPressgram #Texas Published via Pressgram --- ## Evening at Orlando URL: https://ar.bd/1272/evening-at-orlando/ Date: 2013-09-06 Evening Sky from a Mall at #Orlando #Pressgram #GoPressgram Published via Pressgram --- ## Showing My WordPress Love With Pressgram URL: https://ar.bd/1268/showing-my-wordpress-love-with-pressgram/ Date: 2013-09-06 Showing My WordPress Love Published via Pressgram --- ## Introducing UniServer WPReMix URL: https://ar.bd/1258/introducing-uniserver-wpremix/ Date: 2013-09-02 UniServer WPReMix is a portable local server for Windows Operating System, which comes prepacked with WordPress. Its a simple zip package, you just have to extract and run, you will get a fully configured WordPress installed and ready for your test or local development. I made this to make things super easy for new WordPress developer. Its light weight, and no more server and port configuration. WordPress Configuration: # Configured with WordPress 3.6 # WordPress Default Theme Unit Test Content # Default WordPress Standard Unit Test Settings Server Configuration: # Apache 2.4.6 # MySQL 5.5.33 # PHP 5.4.19 # phpMyAdmin 4.0.5 And all other things you get with UniServer Download: UniServer-WPReMix-1.0.1.zip License: GPLv2 If you are wondering its based on UniServer, which is based on WAMP and licensed in the Apache way. Installation Portable Server: 1. Download & Extract 2. Put the “UniSrver” in a root drive, like C: drive or D: drive. Don’t put it inside sub-directory. 3. Run “Start_as_program.exe” or “Start_as_service.exe” to start server. 4. Start both Apache & MySQL 5. Now Visit “localhost” or “http://localhost/” from any browser. WordPress Details: # Access WordPress Home at – http://localhost/wp/ # Access WordPress Dashboard at – http://localhost/wp/wp-admin/ The WordPress Logins and MySQL Database details are inside in the Readme.txt file. Tutorial: 1) Bangla – শুধুমাত্র ওয়ার্ডপ্রেসের জন্য পোর্টেবল লোকাল সার্ভার! (Thanks to Raziur Rahman) Precaution: # This is just for testing purpose locally. Please change all password and DB info immediately. # Though its very easily possible to make this server accessible externally, but I dont recommend that. # As a safety measure I have disabled the bot access and Search Engine crawling. --- ## [Photo Set] Pacheco Pass – Hwy 152, California URL: https://ar.bd/1250/photo-set-pacheco-pass-hwy-152-california/ Date: 2013-08-28 This is from my road trip, San Francisco to Los Angeles. Instead of taking I-5 directly I took a detour using Hwy 152, very different area, super strong wind. Then I find out this Pacheco Pass Reservoir. Took an Exit, rest for a bit, grab a view of this Man made bay. Yes, it even have current. Felt nice. Here is the direct link to full set in Flickr – http://www.flickr.com/photos/asif2bd/sets/72157635267958855/ I again got lazy in blogging, so considering this as easy come back. Lets see if I could keep it regularly. --- ## [Photo Set] 360° Around Hollywood URL: https://ar.bd/1223/360-around-hollywood/ Date: 2013-05-24 Flickr now allows 1TB space for free to all user. I was thinking for a long time to share some of my travel photography to The World. I thought this could be a good start, as Flickr now saves all image in full resolution, and there is no space limitation. This first Photo set is named as “360° Around Hollywood”. Those are not new picture, it’s from my 2011 Summer US Tour. I love LA, nice weather, nice people. You can’t view full set at Flickr too. --- ## Get HostGator $174/Month Dedicated Server For Only $99/3 Month URL: https://ar.bd/1215/get-hostgator-174month-dedicated-server-for-only-993-month/ Date: 2013-05-14 I just noticed that HostGator are offering a new deal on their dedicated server. Their basic dedicated server which they sale at $174 USD per month normally, now available at only $99 USD for 3 Month or $199 USD for first 6 Month, means direct $423 or $845 discount respectively. Server details, coupon, links inside. I am not saying I am Die Hard HostGator fan, but they are undoubtedly biggest shared hosting provider, claims to host over 8000000 website. I personally hate those Shared Hosting package, not only from HostGator, but from other provider too. VPS is a good starting point, but Dedicated is best. Today I suddenly find out the Basic Dedicated Server by HostGator is on sale, not just any sale, a massive sale. This server usually costs $174 per month, and in today’s offer you will really get it in only $99 USD for first 3 month or $199 USD for first 6 month. Means direct $423 or $845 discount. Server Configuration: In My Language: # Processor: Intel Xeon E3-1220LV2 2.3GHz # RAM: DDR3 4 GB # Hard Disk: 500 GB RAID-1 Drives # Bandwidth: 10 TB # Dedicated IP: 5 # Free cPanel # LAMP Stack Preinstalled With All Basic stuff # HostGator Support In their language - Intel Xeon E3-1220LV2 2.3GHz - 10 mbps Uplink - 4 GB DDR3 Memory - 500 GB RAID-1 Drives - 10 TB Bandwidth - Up to 5 Dedicated IPs - FREE cPanel - Unlimited Domains - Private SSL Support - QuickInstall - E-Commerce Solutions - IP Deny Manager - MySQL, phpMyAdmin - Unlimited Email and FTP Accounts - CGI, PHP, Perl, Python, Cron - 99.9% Uptime Guarantee - 24/7 Support - No Contract My Review Its dedicated server, so you could install whatever you want. And if you are not server geek, then also no issue, it comes cPanel and all basic stuff Preinstalled. And HostGator really have a fanatic support, via phone or email it always works. What Could Be Its Best Use? 1) You could start a hosting business and sale hosting or even sale reseller hosting. (Note: Free cPanel and WHMCS License) 2) Move all of your site and hosting account under one hood.(Note:Free Migration of cPanel account) 3) Dedicated Server Offer Details: Usual Price: $174/ Month Offer: $99 USD for First 3 Month $199 USD for First 6 Month Which makes Monthly costs only $33 USD You directly save: Direct $423 or $845 discount for 3 month and 6 month plan. How To get The Offer: Get Offer From This Link: https://masifrahman.com/Go/HGDedicated99 Use Coupon: DEDISPLOSION Rules: * Please note this special offer is a limited-time promotional price available to new customers and is valid for the Initial Term only, not for successive or renewal periods. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. --- ## How To Flush DNS in Windows, Mac and Linux URL: https://ar.bd/1204/how-to-flush-dns-windows-mac-linux/ Date: 2013-04-26 Webmaster might need to Flush DNS when you are changing Nameserver or updating DNS. And for user when some website you visit frequently updating their DNS, you also need to flush your DNS to see the change immediately. Here I will share super simple process to flush dns cache. In general DNS cache takes time to expire. If you need to resolve new updated DNS or clean your cache you need to flush dns. Here is how to do it easily in all Operation system. Flush DNS in Windows 1. Open Command Prompt Win Key + R ->> type cmd ->> Press Enter 2. Now Flush DNS from Command Prompt Type ipconfig /flushdns 3. Open the link in browser you are trying to resolve DNS. Sometime you need to restart browser and clean Browser cache and cookies. Flush DNS in Mac 1. Launch Terminal 2. Type the following command OS X Mountain Lion or Lion (Mac OS X 10.7 and above) sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.6 sudo dscacheutil -flushcache Mac OS X 10.4 And Below lookupd -flushcache 3. Open the link in browser you are trying to resolve DNS. Sometime you need to restart browser and clean Browser cache and cookies. Flush DNS in Linux Flush nscd dns cache If you are using Nscd, you have to restart it. Run any of the following command $ sudo /etc/init.d/nscd restart Or $ service nscd restart Or $ service nscd reload Flush dnsmasq dns cache If you are using Dnsmasq, you have to restart it. Run any of the following command $ sudo /etc/init.d/dnsmasq restart Or $ service dnsmasq restart Flush BIND dns cache If you are using BIND dns, you have to restart it. Run any of the following command $ /etc/init.d/named restart You can also use rndc command $ rndc restart Or $ rndc exec For a particular domain $ rndc flushname masifrahman.com It is also possible to flush lan and wan BIND views using the following command $ rndc flush lan or $ rndc flush wan BTW for Linux the location could be dependent on distros and package. So, you have to adjust command according to your system. If you are running Linux assuming you know that much or you have to know that much. Note: Yes, you could just edit your hosts file too. But I personally try to avoid it, as I think putting hardcoded IP in hosts file is not really dynamic. Resource: 1) Apple Support KBHT5343 2) Hongkiat --- ## [Alert] Advertisement Purchasing Scam URL: https://ar.bd/1195/alert-advertisement-purchasing-scam/ Date: 2013-04-23 First seen the report by blogger Ruchira. Now I also start to get emails containing subject “Interested in Purchasing Advertising: site address“. Here I will share details of the proposal, why its sounds bad, and surely bad and why you should not fall for it. First take a look at one sample mail that I received specially for this blog Subject: Interested in Purchasing Advertising: https://masifrahman.com/ Sender: Evan Coller Mail Contents: Hi, I need this type of placement could you do this? 1. We will provide php file with plugin source code 2. Webmaster will need to FTP to root folder of blog, then open folder wp-content/plugins 3. Webmaster will need to create folder ‘footerlinks’, then enter that folder and upload php file that we provided 4. Webmaster will need to log into blog admin area, click ‘Plugins’ in left menu, click ‘Installed’ in submenu, find plugin named ‘Footer Links’ and click ‘activate’ link 5. After that links will appear at the bottom of the blog like here http://www.reallyrich.com/about see our links in footer.Very simple work just 1,2 minut only,Our links show on your old ABOUT PAGE. i can give you $175 for uploading our php file for 1 year time period only. Let me know are you agree if you agree then send me paypal id please. Waiting for your Answer Thanks Ruchira explained his point why we should avoid this type proposal in his blog. I generally get about 10+ emails per day to buy text link from some of my site, so I put a filter to remove those mails from my email box. Paid Text Links is just wrong in SEO sense, specially after Panda update, it will eventually harm both site. Also consider those very basic points. 1. Here sender wants us to put his plugin into our server and install a plugin he provides. This thing is very risky. You should be always very careful about installing anything in WordPress other than from WordPress.org. All good and legitimate plugin should have been in Extended, its free, why would some body not host his plugin for free in WordPress.org extended? That is the first thing you should note. 2. 2nd, this sort of Link Advertisement is harmful. Google will surely penalize you for sure sooner or later. This type of ads will harm both site. 3. He claims to pay $175 afterwards. So he will have enough time to hack the entire server (yes, it’s very possible, if that php file has shell script then its just easy as 1 2 3). Even if he don’t hack your site, he will have one year to spam all of your page. And showing advertisement of common spam drug selling or casino site’s link. It’s as dangerous like hacking your site. So stay away when you get this sort of mails. And this $175 for one is already very poor proposal (Note: I don’t have any ads on this blog), but some guys could get intimidate. That’s why this Alert post. Image Credit: epSos.de --- ## Man of Steel Will not be as dark as Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy URL: https://ar.bd/1148/man-of-steel-not-dark/ Date: 2013-04-11 I was reading a nice interview of Hans Zimmer composer of “Man of Steel“, the soon to be released Superman movie. Due to the heavy involvement of Christopher Nolan, the director of The Dark Knight Trilogy I had a feeling he will try to make this Superman reboot in a new Dark way. And first trailer also gave us that hint. Now Zimmer giving us new hope. I am not saying I dont like Dark Knight Trilogy. But I dont like this Dark theme. Getting always confused about who is Hero and who is villain is pathetic. And when I first hard about Christopher Nolan’s involvement with Man of Steel, and his approach to the script, I started to have bad feeling. Christopher Nolan is not director of Man of Steel, “Zack Snyder” is the director. But Christopher Nolan is the producer here. And most interesting part Christopher Nolan is also writer of this movie. He is the main person behind this Superman’s story. So, now you know why I was worried. Millions of Superman fan have a way of understanding how Superman grew up from a small village of Smallville as Clark Kent. And how Superman turn up as the savior of Human Being. We understand Superman’s approach of being a good man, and struggle for humanity. I dont want to see the same Dark Knight type treatment in Superman story. We all know Christopher Nolan has a very unique way to telling story and present “Heroes” in a different approach. And he is really one of my favorite Writer – Director. But I hate his try to give same treatment to all movies, to all heroes. The first trailer also gave us a hint that whole world will go against Superman, and will take him as prisoner. Just like Dark Knight. But Hans Zimmer giving us hope. What Hans Zimmer Telling Us? Hans Zimmer also composed for three Dark Knight films directed by Christopher Nolan (“Batman Begins,” “The Dark Knight,” and “The Dark Knight Rises”). Zimmer also didn’t want to do “another really dark” superhero movie (in his own language). He said – Everything’s tinged with irony and sarcasm and bitterness and darkness these days. But this Superman is something lighter. Hans Zimmer also explained how he got involved into this project. He never thought or interested in this project. It all started with a miss understanding. And he decided not to do this movie. Later Christopher Nolan convinced him, and it took him three months just procrastinating and still he could not start his work. But he found his way, his unique way. We could surely expect this movie will have an outstanding background score. And lets hope story and over all movie could live up to the Superman’s fan base. Read the full story at CNN. It’s really a nice a read. --- ## Solution For PHP Split Function Deprecated Error URL: https://ar.bd/1138/solution-for-deprecated-function-split-is-deprecated-error/ Date: 2013-04-09 split() is a very common PHP function. Here I am not going to discuss its usage. But I will give a super simple solution for the error “Deprecated: Function split() is deprecated“. This error is annoying, and will happen to everyone using split() function. So, keep reading for the super easy solution. Why We Are Getting This Error Suddenly? From PHP.net preg_split(), which uses a Perl-compatible regular expression syntax, is often a faster alternative to split(). If you don’t require the power of regular expressions, it is faster to use explode(), which doesn’t incur the overhead of the regular expression engine. And, apparently “split” is removed as of PHP 5.3.x, in the preparation for PHP 6.0. Warning This function has been DEPRECATED as of PHP 5.3.0. Relying on this feature is highly discouraged. So, you are not getting this error suddenly, your server PHP must have been upgraded recently to minimum 5.3.x or higher, and split() does not work with latest PHP. Solution: Just replace all split() with explode(). explode() does almost the same, so no worry. Yes, solution is that simple. Note: preg_split still works. Whats My Story Here? Remember AmarIP.com? The Find My IP site I made? The server block I am hosting that site upgraded PHP to latest version and started to get this weird error. But thing is split() is a very common function, been used thousand times. And I have no idea that its been deprecated starting from 5.3.0, so had to dig a bit. Got my answer, AmarIP.com is now running fine. So thought will share it to help others, who already having this issue, or will have soon. Resource: split() in PHP http://php.net/manual/en/function.split.php explode() in PHP http://php.net/manual/en/function.explode.php --- ## How To Find Server OS From SSH Commands URL: https://ar.bd/1133/how-to-find-server-os-from-ssh-commands/ Date: 2013-04-09 This is a very very basic tips for ssh command. When you enter into a new system or a old system of your own, and need find its Operating System (OS), version, hostname and that type basic info then this very basic command will help. Again its very basic, and everybody have interest or planing to work on server should know. You could also try my free script “Alo” to see all server related information. To Find very basic OS and Server info: #uname -a\ This is the most basic and most working command. Some geeks guys explain it like their “first point of reflex” when they enter into a new server. This command works in most OS, like all builds of Linux, Mac etc. To Find OS Details In Ubuntu #lsb_release -a This will show details a bit details Version info of Ubuntu. To Find OS Details(CentOs or redHat) #cat /etc/redhat-release This will show detail OS version details in CentOS or RedHat Linux. I will keep this tips very basic. There are hundreds of command that gives details server info. --- ## Scribe SEO Plugin – Need To Spend Too Much Time, Money & Energy URL: https://ar.bd/1119/scribe-seo-plugin-need-to-spend-too-much-time-money-energy/ Date: 2013-03-27 I was reading an article by Julie R. Neidlinger on WPDaily about Scribe SEO Plugin. First of all, thanks to Julie, for an honest review. I think if you need to spend that amount of time and money for SEO, it’s better to hire expert. It’s not for normal blogger or site owner. Market research guys could get benefit from it. But not average to even mid user. Though I always advice that writer needs to learn how to write SEO friendly article. SEO should be blend in writing, not entirely focusing to get rank better in Search, but focusing more on making sense, help people in finding content, understand content and overall to help reader. But starting price from $97 USD per month, its way too high for even mid-level site owner. And the amount of time need to put for this process it’s not suitable for a dynamic project, maybe better for corporate static site. Just my 2 cent. No offense to Scribe. You guys definitely made a wonderful market/SEO research tool. --- ## Google Changes Doodle On Independence Day Of Bangladesh URL: https://ar.bd/1114/google-changes-doodle-on-independence-day-of-bangladesh/ Date: 2013-03-25 Today, 26th March is our Independence Day. Its a very very special day for us, to all Bangladeshi. We always celebrate this day with pride and respect for millions of people died during our liberation war in 1971. It’s always special. This year Google made it more special. Just visit Google home page. We wished this for long time, and not only for our Independence Day, also for International Mother Language Day or our Victory Day. But for the very first time Google changed it logo, make a new Doodle for one of our very own day. It’s a huge honor for us. Thanks Google for making our special day a bit more special. --- ## Bangladeshi Flag On The Google Maps Of Mt. Aconcagua? URL: https://ar.bd/1099/bangladeshi-flag-on-the-google-maps-of-mt-aconcagua/ Date: 2013-03-19 While reading a news about “Google’s Stunning Street Views From the Top of the World” at Wired, I just find out Bangladeshi Flag in “Aconcagua Summit, Mendoza, Argentina”. It was very surprising but feels great. You could check directly from Google Maps here – https://masifrahman.com/gMapsMt . BTW the summit of mighty Aconcagua is the tallest mountain in the Western and Southern Hemispheres and the tallest point outside of the Himalayas. So was it Wasfia Nazreen? and its part of Bangladesh on seven summits? Google Blog: Explore Everest, Kilimanjaro and more with Google Maps --- ## Samsung Galaxy S4 Looks Stunning URL: https://ar.bd/1091/samsung-galaxy-s4-looks-stunning/ Date: 2013-03-15 As now Samsung Galaxy S4 is officially announced, we have full specs available. I am also amazed by its mind-blowing feature. We now have full specification available, you could take a look at TTJ Product listing. Salman wrote an article describing some of the most stunning feature. I also got stunned by feature like Dual Camera, Drama Shot, Sound & Shot, Smart Scroll, Air View etc. You should head over to their main page at Samsung.com for more visual presentation. I don’t want to go into the debate if it’s better than iPhone 5 or if this really worth changing from Galaxy S3, as we all know this game. Some people like Apple, some are not. There are people who are always looking to buy new gadget as it comes. I am also kind of Apple fan as I own most of the iPhone came out to-date. But I liked Galaxy S3, and I like Galaxy S4 even better. Though I am not sure if I will buy one as I have just bought iPhone 5 few months ago. But I think it’s a really stunning phone which could gain popularity. I don’t know price factor yet, but Galaxy series is always very costly if you want to go without contact(unlocked). Still if you want to compare, here I have prepared few comparison list Samsung Galaxy S4 Vs. iPhone 5 Samsung Galaxy S4 Vs. iPhone 5 Vs Galaxy S3 Samsung Galaxy S4 Vs. iPhone 5 Vs. HTC One Vs. Nokia Lumia 920 So whats your thoughts? --- ## Name.com Brings RapidPress, A Kind Of Hosted All-in-One WordPress Solution URL: https://ar.bd/1083/name-com-brings-rapidpress-a-kind-of-hosted-all-in-one-wordpress-solution/ Date: 2013-03-14 I love name.com. Today they announced a new service called RapidPress. It’s a hosted WordPress solution, with domain and other necessary service. As a WordPress lover I also like to see more people built business on WordPress, making it easy for people to blog and make website. But probably for marketing Name.com in a way insult Automattic, company behind WordPress.com, which I don’t like. Keep reading for details. If you head over to the RapidPress home page, look at their “FAQs” section, specially question number 6. Question: But WordPress.com is free to use.. Answer: Or is it? Pointing your domain to a .worpress.com site is free initially. But what if you wanna change your font, maybe your background of your template, or install a cool widget in your sidebar? Just like a bad phone company, WordPress will hit you with fees anywhere from $13 to $60. And we’re pretty sure you’ll see an ad on your site you didn’t put there. With RapidPress, you can have a fully personalized domain name with none of the ads or fees and all of the bells and whistles. All at less than the cost of your daily beer budget (or ours anyway…) You are building a product over WordPress and trying to call them “Bad phone company”? Really? To note Automattic is the company behind WordPress.com while WordPress Foundation is the organization holding copyright for WordPress open source project. They are two separate company but still most of the employee from Automattic are the major contributor to the WordPress project. And Matt Mullenweg, the co-founder of WordPress is also the co-founder of Automattic, and he is also the key person of the WordPress Foundation. So insulting WordPress.com is in a way insulting WordPress Foundation, may be not directly but still I don’t like the tone. So what is RapidPress? It is specified WordPress hosting with domain name. They claim it’s truly one click. So installing WordPress for your domain seems to be very easy with RapidPress, and it gives you freedom of using any WordPress Themes and Plugins available in WordPress.org. It costs yearly $30 USD with domain, hosting support everything. Not bad. My Thoughts: Their website does not say anything about allowed traffic, how much traffic they will handle with basic price, and if they have any other higher package. Also their structural information like if they offer CDN or what kind of caching mechanism is available, none of those information is availabel on their site. So from my point of understanding it’s a very basic service. You cant expect to have Millions or even hundreds of thousand traffic in a month in this service. They should have made it clear. But still its seems an easy start for most of the people with basic need. Whatever, with time we might have better idea about how it really works. But I feel they should change that language. Update: Name.com Changed FAQ (March 21st, 2013) Name.com did what good guys supposed to do. They took this thing seriously, they mailed me today, informing they are changing their FAQs, effective immediately. They also mention it was wrong to slam WordPress in this way as they also love WordPress and Automattic. Check their changed FAQs. Love you guys. Here is screenshot for their changed FAQs --- ## Twitter Cards Meta For WordPress Successfully Released URL: https://ar.bd/1076/twitter-cards-meta-for-wordpress-successfully-released/ Date: 2013-03-13 I am happy to announce we have released free WordPress plugin “Twitter Cards Meta” today. It’s by far the best plugin available for Twitter Cards in WordPress, now available for free in WordPress.org. And now Twitter Cards works just superfine in my blog, take a look. This plugin is released under our brand WPDeveloper.net. I actually had to develop it as none other solution was working for this blog and other project by my company. Even Yoast SEO plugin was also not working. In my blog I don’t always attach image with all the posts and don’t use custom field either. So Yoast SEO plugin did not work, neither did other available plugin. And I also faced great issue with other multi-author site like The Tech Journal. So I had exact problem what I want to solve, we have gone through a quick development phase, worked out all bugs, we did a rapid test in various site, with different kinds of themes, setup and plugin environment. Tarek did a good job, and finally we have released “Twitter Cards Meta“. Get the plugin: From WordPress Extended Plugin Home Page: WPDeveloper.net Listing Check any of those page above for details feature list, why its better than all other solution, how to install, screenshot of the plugin setting page, FAQ and for support too. And we have included a full guideline on how to configure this plugin, how to test the markup, where to apply for Twitter Cards, everything you need inside the plugin. Just install the plugin head over to the Setting page, you will find everything there. This plugins will ensure you get approved in Twitter cards. Share your thoughts here, if you love the plugin dont forger to rate in WordPress.org. --- ## Google+ Cover Photos Updated With Super Big Size Image [Size & Dimension Details] URL: https://ar.bd/1039/google-cover-photos-updated-with-super-big-size-image-size-dimension-details/ Date: 2013-03-07 Google+ got updated with super big cover photos, local review tab and few other features, reported by Anatol in TTJ. Though Anatol himself did not updated his Google+ profile yet, but I did. Take a look at my new shiny super big cover photos at Google+ profile. Here I will discuss this new dimension in details. If you are wondering about dimension and size of this new cover photos, Anatol did mention it in his article. I will quote him here From now on, individual profile “cover photos” will display at a maximum resolution of 2120 x 1192, and the images will be displayed in 16:9 format when clicked. And obviously by default it will not show the whole 2120 x 1192 px image, it will focus on lower part, just the way Facebook Cover photo works, so nobody will be missing out your update and profile details. The first announcement came from Google Product Manager Sara McKinley in a Google+ post. And those who require a more guideline on how to use this cover photo check the cover photo of “Youtube One Channel“. I will include the image below, but you have to click on the image as its too big(2120px width) comparing to my blog dimension. Google+ Big Cover Photo Template So are you going to utilize this big space? You have to follow their policy terms though. --- ## CloudFlare Outage & My Detail Explanation URL: https://ar.bd/1026/cloudflare-outage-my-detail-explanation/ Date: 2013-03-05 CloudFlare was completely down for an hour this weekend. I wrote an article on TTJ, explaining what really happened. We also work with CloudFlare, even TTJ use their service(some of their service, not complete package). Some of our site also went down with it, but we came back online within 15 minute or so. Interesting thing is my this post in TTJ got viral. Yea, I know, I should write more in TTJ. Read The Original Article: CloudFlare Went Down For An Hour With 785,000 Websites It Serves --- ## Facebook Sharing & Engagement Is Not Free Anymore URL: https://ar.bd/994/facebook-sharing-engagement-is-not-free-anymore/ Date: 2013-03-03 Nick Bilton wrote an article on NYT Bits how Facebook engagement dropped, and works only when you pay. It’s a shame. I also have same kind of result. And I also did test. Without paying it’s not possible even to reach to your 1% user, who are already subscribed, or liked your page. It’s not unintentional algorithm issue, its Facebook’s business approach. So Facebook sharing is not as free as it were year ago. --- ## Social Profilr Reimagined Version 2.1.2 Released URL: https://ar.bd/979/social-profilr-reimagined-version-2-1-2-released/ Date: 2013-03-02 I actually pushed some rapid updates to my “Social Profilr Reimagined Changelog” plugin. Current latest version is 2.1.2, its more light weight and come with fixed dropdown view, with some minor changes. You could download it free from WordPress Extended. If you face any issue report bug in Plugin support page or in this blog. --- ## YouTube Itself Doing Harlem Shake URL: https://ar.bd/972/youtube-itself-doing-harlem-shake/ Date: 2013-03-02 The Tech Journal (TTJ) reported this. So, in YouTube all you have to do is in their search box type ‘Do The Harlem Shake’ and press enter and see the magic. Enjoy the Harlem Shake meme. --- ## W3 Total Cache Version 0.9.2.8 Update Causing Fatal Error (Solution) URL: https://ar.bd/943/w3-total-cache-version-0-9-2-8-update-causing-fatal-error-solution/ Date: 2013-02-25 I wrote about W3 Total Cache 0.9.2.7 issue, which caused few issues including MaxCDN custom domain name not working. Frederick, the plugin author was fast enough to release updated version 0.9.2.8, but it caused a Fatal error like below, and here I will show a quick workaround to fix the issue. [syntax type=”html”]Fatal error: Uncaught exception ‘FileOperationException’ with message ‘/public_html/wp-content/w3tc-config/master.php could not be created, please run following command: