Articles written by Minh Tran

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About me - Minh Tran

I write on Helium mainly to practice my English (which is not my native language) and it's also fun to have a page to write about practically anything one likes. I must admit the idea of earning on my articles, which were written as a way to entertain myself,

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Arts & Humanities > Fantasy & Science Fiction Book reviews: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, by Jules Verne: 1 of 5
"Twenty thousand leagues under the sea" is probably the most famous and popular works of Jules Verne. A look at Wikipedia tells us that the book has been translated into quite a few languages (indeed I first read it in my mother tongue Vietnamese), adapted many times into other media, and referred to in other creative works. ... More..
Computers & Technology > Software & Web Development How to find out more about open source software: 2 of 7
The OpenSource movement is one of the most interesting phenomena that have been taking place in the world of technology. Its horizontal, egalitarian approach to programming and coordination has been dismissed as being idealistic, impractical, hence unsustainable. However, over the last two decades, it has prevailed and prospe... More..
Computers & Technology > Operating Systems What it's really like to use Ubuntu, Linux operating system: 4 of 12
I have migrated to Ubuntu from XP for nearly one year. For the most parts, I am pleased with it, and here are my experiences so far.The version I am using is 8.04 Heady Heron (or just Heady in the Ubuntu community colloquial). I installed it from a live CD, which can be requested on the homepage and sent to you for free (noth... More..
Sports & Recreation > Soccer Players Player profiles: Zindine Zidane: 1 of 3
Zinedine Zidane (pronounced /zine'din zidane/) is one of the most famous and successful footballers in the world. He has won prestigious trophies at both club and national levels (the most notable are the UEFA Champions Leauge 2001-2002, FIFA World Cup 1998, UEFA Euro 2000) as well as awards for individuals (among which are C... More..
Arts & Humanities > International Writers & Literature Jules Verne: A biography: 1 of 3
Jules Verne (1828-1905) is a French author famous for his adventure stories. He is considered one of the classics of nineteenth-century French literature. His works combine vivid imagination with adept science knowledge which enabled him to make surprisingly exact prediction about the evolution of science and technology. He w... More..
Computers & Technology > Computers & Technology (Other) Does technology impoverish the mind?: 18 of 53
It is notable that this debate on whether technology impoverishes the mind takes place on the cyberspace. We participants can come from anywhere on Earth where the Internet is available regardless of our backgrounds (provided that we can speak English, of course), and as long as we respect each other, we can express our minds... More..
Arts & Humanities > Comic Books & Graphic Novels Your favorite manga comic book: 5 of 14
To echo the opinion of some people here, the right term should be "manga" for Japanese comic book/graphic novel and "anime" for Japanese animated TV series/movies. I will write about my favourite manga as we are in the comic book/graphic novel section.I grew up reading manga and I have lost count of the number of manga series... More..
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Technology: 3 of 8
I have always had an affinity and reverence for technology. It comes to me so naturally that I never really try to explain why I see it so. After all, most members of my family have jobs concerning technology such as engineer, mechanic or science teacher. My father, in particular, is very fond of gadgets and eagerly observes ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Language Learning Tips Why learning languages is so hard: 9 of 23
As a person who has to (and to some extent despite all my complaints, likes to) learn foreign language, I find the question "Why is learning languages is difficult?" really thought intriguing. Apparently, not everyone has trouble learning foreign languages. I have been for a long time envious of my cousin who can use fluently... More..
Computers & Technology > Software (Other) Recommended freeware programs: 3 of 7
Thanks to the enthusiasts of the Open Source movement, there are a lot of good freewares available on the Internet (and by freeware, I mean softwares that are free and can be used for an unlimited time). I believe that, at least for personal use, freewares are enought to satisfy all needs. Here is my favourite set of freeware... More..