On my Desk

The Google Story
by David A.Vice

The Beginning

It was my Physics tutor, who forced me. The first thing, he told me the day I met him was, "You are weak, boy. You need to do some exercises". Well, I didn't have the time to do that, as I was caught in the waves of academics and entrance exams. But, now I do have the time, and I need to utilize the time properly. Balancing everything I want to do with my college life.

I was new to the place. Not many known faces. A new comer to the gym, with very less knowledge of the available equipments and on how and why to use them. I just kept away from them for the time being, out of fear of hurting myself. What I knew where very few exercises for the upper and lower back and the traps. Most fellas, new to the gym would be experiencing similar conditions as to mine, hopefully, looking around and trying to emulate others, trying to understand what is done for which. I am speaking about places where there ain't any gym instructors, or where there is a not good instructor.

The only thing to do is be your own instructor. There is the internet a repository for whatever you need. Any crap stuff. Then why not exercise shedules, exercise methods, exercises, and the physics behind the exercises. So dear friend, if you are planning to hit the gym made sure you have made a routine that of course doesn't interfere with your daily life work. I mean to say the one which suits you best.

So start a good routine. For routines and to know what they are visit exrx.net. or just wait for my next post.
:)

Diving Into Body Building

Body Building has become a new passion for me. A source of happiness, that energizes my soul. Yes, if properly done, the muscular pain,the sign of development, shall be ecstatic to you. And later when you see the results and comments from people, You will simply be floating. Many people ignore body maintenance, with the excuse of absence of time. Money is another factor. Since I have not yet stepped into money management and have not felt the necessity (free access to gym), time was the only constrain. A bit of experimenting in my first semester, left me with my answer. Going daily did not suit me. The duration was fine, but a visit 6 days a week was taxing and to some extend a hindrance.

I found the schedule that suited me best from Exercise Prescription on the Net. I also got the exercise procedures for every muscle group of the body. I went for the 3 days a week alternating shedule, involving Torso , Legs and Arms on two different days. The results you obtain shall depend on how good you 'experiment' with your body and how dedicated you are. You go once in a month and, fitness is a longer way ahead. Remember you are experimenting so don't expect it like a Registry editing, there shall be no restoration points or backup, that can undo, unless everything happened in some dream.

Computer Literate What?

Is Computer Literacy what we think it to be?

I have always thought that a computer literate is someone who has the basic knowledge to use the most basic peripherals of the computer and is also able to utilize computer services (can include internet services also), for personal pleasure and benefit. I have seen this in most houses. Since the neighbour has bought a computer, they too buy one, just to show off. They might not have any idea of how to use it. In some cases, the computers are left untouched for a long time, till someone with computing experience arrives.

So what is it being a computer literate? Just what I have mentioned above, or being someone, who knows to program in any programming language discovered or invented by man whatever. Is it being able to design our own webpage and upload it so that we can make our presence felt online? This is the age of the second version of the Web. Everywhere we can find changes, everyone is trying to mingle up with computers and networks.

What made me write this topic? In a recent presentation I came across this. "Our aim is to infiltrate computer literacy in India, to the lowest levels possible and for that we need your help. We have compulsory computer courses, that provides tutorials to 33 computer courses including Java, HTML, XML, C , Fortran, blah blah blah...... ". If knowing all that would make one a computer literate, then I am afraid, only a small percentage of Indians would be literate.

Man is constantly on the path of learning. In someway or the other, he is learning something that captures his curiosity. So, why not this with computers? Meddling with computers, can teach one lots of things. We here at NIT-T have a computer literacy spreading program under the National Service Scheme. Don't know how they shall define computer literacy and how the program will be implemented. I shall come to know of it sooner or later.

I believe that when knowledge on computers is built on, then it should go in a regular sequence , whoever it may be, young or old. First stop, get to know your system in it's entirety, the marvels it can bring you. After that, go into the heart of your system the kernel, try different operating system. Let me mention one thing here. This is not for being a Computer Literate. It is for someone who is a computer literate. Later, when you find the limits of your computer system reaching, you can go forward for the LAN and Internet Stuffs.

Why this order?

Well, I give top priority to security. Internet is some fantasy world where anyone can trick anyone, without traces. The trick can be a healthy prank or a catastrophic disaster to the victim. Hence as a part of imparting computer literacy, there should be special focus on security issues, virus issues, privacy stuffs and common cracker cheap tricks so that the innocent do not fall for that. In most cases, unscrupulous people aim at weak points and human lust and greed, traping the naive and one who is unaware of the evil ways of online life.

And the most important thing to learn more and more about ANY DAMN THING, not just computers and internet, is to send off your ego on a holiday trip and make sure it doesn't come back. Knowledge like any other stuff flows from a higher point to a lower point. You need to be at the lower end to receive. Discuss with your friends, collegues, experts, kids, anyone, everyone. If you are hungry for knowledge, you should never be miser. Give more and get even more. I am reminded of a poem, the name escapes me for the moment.

And never scold fate for note giving you enough time. Time can be managed. Our brain can multi-task. Think about it. Focus. Whatever you need is always near you. Open your eyes wide. The ball is always in your court.

Aware Yet Unaware : The Web2 Phenomenon

What is Web 2? I bet, many passing by these pages wouldn't be having a clue about what it is. I realised that many did not know about this phenomenon during late night chats with hostel mates, on computers, webpages, teachers, security, socializing etc. I found this article that better clarifies, everything that comes along with Web 2.0.

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html

Truthfully, today, everyone is using some service or the other that has been a result of the Web 2 Phenomenon. Be it Orkut, Blogger, Wordpress, YouTube, whatever.

As it happens always, a greater number of exploits have popped out, that can literally steal your world from the services you use. Most social networking websites, store your personnel information. Leaping without looking what's ahead of you shall always land you in trouble. All about this shall form my next post. I do know somethings about this, I am just aiming at expanding it.

Mathlorica

For many of us, Mathematics is just a subject, to raise or vandalize the scores. But for many others, it is a religion of it's own kind. Prof. A.K. Banerjee is one such person, who is well versed and experienced in this subject. It is said that, we shall realize the importance of something or someone, when we lose it/him/her. Well, we realized the importance of this teacher, when we came to know that our mathematics teacher had been replaced. Yes, we are unhappy about not having the privilege to enjoy his lectures, in the second semester, here at NIT Trichy.

Banerjee sir is one of the finest professors at NIT Trichy and the best among the Mathematics dept. profs. As far from hear say, no other lecturer can supplant his teaching abilities. He is a friendly and dedicated teacher, hailing from West Bengal. With pieces of advice, dedication to the subject and his profession, and the love he showers on us, makes him special. He is one teacher whom the entire class, has truthfully respected. When we where provided with the feedback forms before the Mathematics Semester Exam, nobody had any ills to mention about him, and the scores given by us, never was less, than 8 on 10.

He is an able teacher, who makes it sure that, everyone understands the concepts, and utilizes his own techniques to achieve his objectives. He has always wanted us to ask more and more doubts, and clear even the minutest of trouble, we faced in this historic subject.

The wit of an intellectual is meaningless, if he has no interest in preaching, teaching and sharing it. Only then shall the imbibed knowledge be complete and not lost.

I am grateful that the Banerjee sir, handled First Semester Mathematics for us, and made us feel at home. I wish he would continue to be our Mathematics lecturer for the next semester too. Well then, I shouldn't be selfish. Let my friends in other sections too, relish the significance of this subject, through the enthusiastic lectures of this fabulous teacher.

Creators and Credits

Do Creators Get the Credits Always?

Imagine you write a book, your own thoughts, ideas, interpretations,effort and research. Will you just publish the book, with NO mention of YOUR name? Will you give the book away without taking any credit for your hard work? Very few will indeed do this. Then how about Softwares and Scripts, the blessed code, debug, scrutinize and develop. No doubt, they shall add their name or put a mention of something, owned by them. If you are a regular user of orkut and orkut scrap all script, then you should be knowing about the tiny, yet colourfully decorated, 'ad' that catches up your attention in most scraps from your friend.

Most of these 'ad's will have links to orkut communities, that attract members with javascripts and tricks, especially for a cool orkut experience. I found this in a blog.

There are many scripts which claim to send scraps to all your friends. But most of them send scraps with a line written below " TO SEND SCRAPS TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS CLICK HERE" and your are caught that you havent send any personalised scrap to your friend instead you have used a script for the purpose but the following script do the job neatly without any ad!!!!

Well the script was a quick copy paste, with an edit to remove the ad. But, what made me angry was no words where mentioned about, from where the script was obtained or who had coded the prototype. That's simply NOT FARE. Well, the credits where not completely removed from within the code. The comments by the Debajyoti, within the code weren't removed.

Here is the file where the code was saved. : http://bitsnbytes.org.in/data/scrap%20all.txt

So friends, are you using something which you compiled from some other source? Please do mention about it, it shall make a great difference to you and them. I Promise.