The expert novice

I have a Dell Inspiron 1200 laptop which was gifted to me by my sister in 2003. It has a cracked screen, some water damage on the screen, referred to as "dhabba" by the common people.

It was until sometime back my "work" computer. My older posts can make you understand why I am never able to quit on my computers. Nevertheless, day 1 at work, I was told to bring a laptop till I was assigned one by the company. I sat at my desk, opened the laptop bag, and there it was, the old, but shiny Dell(logo) Inspiron.

"Is that older than you ? " hah sarcasm.

After giving the regular tilt head(you'll run out of those comments soon buddy) and smile I turned it on, almost forgetting the fact that Dell doesn't be as not really believe in making long lasting batteries (not that I have a problem with that, I lou Dell). Plugged in, all good to go, the grey button is pressed, and we wait... then it's pressed again. By this time, Mr sarcasm had lost interest in the device "bahut time ke baad on kiye ho, charge nahi hoga, battery bhi kharaab ho sakta hai " ... Tilt and Smile .

I turned it on last week, it was all good, damn now I won't be able to access "those" sites at work, this is unacceptable, work on it now !!

Aha, its just the power cord not plugged in well to the laptop, that was easy. The grey button is pressed, no wait this time. The blue dell splash screen appears, ah beauty !

Starts loading Windows XP, and here comes the desktop, black wallpaper, everything is hunky dory, but then.. it happened.

AVG opens its giant full screen Console, and sarcasm guy goes "dude this thing can make heads turn".

My self respect had taken enough, and now was armed to fire back at a guy using an iPhone to play games and would type on the computer one-finger-at-a-time. How can you use all yur fingers, whoz gonna look at the keys to be pressed Dumbo !! .

So, I turned around and asked him if he was in the mood for some technical gyaan, No I did not wait for him to answer.

I simple stated the fact, that any dumbo could use a "newer" computer, since its all about point and click especially when all you do is use MS Office to make reports. You have to be an expert to manage with what you have and come up good results if not better. If I can't the upper, the bottom left of my screen I would scroll, I would minimize and I would not open 20 windows so that I don't have to open the again in the evening or for that fact next week.

The dell is a 1.2Ghz 512mb RAM , 10GB usable machine. And by the end of my tenure there, I realized how effortlessly did I work on that laptop and how well behaved the laptop was. I'm sure a "newbie" would have lost hope and put something like that in the store, but only if you know of it, will you be able to fully use it.

My point here is quite similar to my past post on a similar topic, it's all about YOU, if you believe that the laptop can do the work, it will. If you believe the old Aiwa music system will play your cassettes after its been cleaned well by you.. it Will.

Stop quitting on technology and start believing in yourself !! Bits and Bytes make this world better every day.
021

IT Security : FrontFoot

IT security 10 years from now was just a way to prevent generic intrusion to happen.A good anti virus was sufficient for keeping your "resources" safe, I would term this phase as the Defensive Ops, where all work was done only to defend oneself from any attempts of intrusion. No daily/hourly definition updates or "Security Packs" install were to be done then.

Web 1.0, With the growing popularity and usage of Internet, the data exchange which was till yesterday only local changed to national and slowly worldwide. Users started discovering more than one ways of getting results from a program, and maybe tweak(overclock) it a little to look through the wall.

Curiosity is the mother of Invention; With a little peek of the other side, User's realized there is much more there than here. The Hell and the Golden Egg story was seen in its Y2K avatar this time, with a twist.
As newer discoveries were made, the Internet helped "interested" users informed of the developments and contribute to them in any which way. Not all attempts to cross the wall were successful, but the "fight" was getting interesting.

The attempts started becoming stronger, and finally the master key was found, that weak back door;a crack in the wall;that loosely shut cookie jar.

A new discovery in the technical work, if not protected well is like a wild fire. The "breakthrough" "inspired" many user's to come up with their own "customized" work which would probably yield the same result, but with a little more flare.

The word "Attack" changed it all for the IT industry. The goal now was not to protect ourselves but to make sure any attempts would be answered with a stronger, more lethal knock on their network.

IT security was then defensive, but is now about keeping your guard up and delivering the Jab !! 021

The Justified Tweet

Another busy day in my life, I happened to check my facebook(for the n-1th) for a "certain" forum and found a rather out-of-place update on my feed page.

"Hmm, is this what I think it is, but I'm not sure if I want it here", couple of clicks here and there and the profile from which the update came was not on my "Hide User" list. Believe me, I don't want to know what it means to have 'blue' as your favorite color (a BOT interpreting your choice of color, means you have no life).

Now as I did this, I was so frustrated of getting 10 such feeds on my facebook page, I decided to tweet it too. Spread the world, let those little people know what to and what not to put on the facebook page (you didn't get this update ? try following me on twitter.com/deepcdc). Anyhow, This was yesterday and I was groused out with that certain update ( Facebook application name has not been mention here, I can't puke and write at the same time).

I get a call from my friend today "Deep, How do you delete a certain update that has already been published on facebook, aka, I screwed up, what next.

Let me explain how "social" social networks are, you do something(shhhhh...they know). The best way of keeping it clean is to have as much control on it as possible.

"Oh, its great ! I took the test and it told me I have pretty eyes, and what more, it automatically published it on my fb profile".

Believe me, its not always going to be about your pretty eyes, A certain "pretty" update would make it embarrassing for your friends on fb, not to forget the "mass" shame it can bring, which did happen in the case I started the post with.

The Dosai in my stomach is now upset with my post, I certainly don't want it to comment on it; If you know what I mean, so I'm switching to my other blog.

Oh, I almost forgot, I had to write about the "justified tweet", so all this happened and I get another call, "Why did you tweet that dude ? Don't you think, The application did it automatically, how judgemental".

Excuse me friend, I tweet when I think I need to tweet, and at that time I thought it was grouse that you posted "that" on facebook. Twitter is not something I refer to at the end of every day, it is more about "now" and less..lesser about "3 hours ago via web". So, Please get over it and stop taking a 30 "twitter years" old update seriously. 021

Shout,Shoot and Shine

This post is not just about expressing myself but involves many questions I have been asked in the past about Social Media, and how can it make a brand click.

First things first, Social Media is not just about those umpteen friends you have on Facebook/Orkut/MySpace, its about using those friends, using the network make your work popular.

Market Study clearly states Word-Of-Mouth to be the most efficient way of advertising, and where would the word come from, if your friend searches for your new company online and finds no result (Besides the irrelevant results, probably based on Rakhi Sawant's last 'social' act).

Social Media can create the new buzz and Zest that your company needs, and it can do all this for less the money a regular marketing firm would take to provide a similar plan.

Twitter.com , a website I once thought was irrelevant for personal and professional use is now doing wonders with its "101 Business" addition. One twitter update can do the job of a lengthy email without being that invasive.

It was amazing to see how Rider University(I worked for 2008-10) has a twitter page for all its students and staff, how easy is it for them to let their followers know of a concert to be held this weekend and let them know of the tickets remaining.

Similarly, it can be very useful for any organization to let their clients and workers know about developments in a new product, a new service or just a declared holiday.They no longer have to waste time in calling the operator and getting the status of the request they had put in last week, a 160 characters twitter update can let them know.

In fact, I am working on a plan where, inventory management could be done via social media, where every department would "re-tweet" the request received and make the members of the organization know about the process. This not only would make work more transparent, but would add to the productivity, as every step involved will be logged on the social media.

Blogging I think is a very powerful medium to let people know more about your product and services, A good blog can impress a prospective client, who no longer looks into the "About Us" section any more, and would now look forward to the more "dynamic" part of the website.

Facebook, is another interesting platform or what I would like to term as "Twitter On Steroids" , allowing the company to boast its profits with charts, numbers, pictures, blogs, almost anything that was being done via a mundane email (With the mundane, 'graphic ' signature and picture).

Then there is FourSquare, and amazing tool that will soon create ripples in the Sales and Marketing world with the claim to fame being the "Mayor ship" of a territory. Imagine multiple companies fighting to become the mayor of "ABC Company" Business Development office. It would not only give an ego boost to the company but will be accomplishment to boast about.

Social Media is not just about standing on an elevated platform and shouting out, its about standing on an elevated platform and shouting out what is at the same time being recorded on  YouTube, podcast'ed on the website and posted on the blog. It is advertising 2.0. 

So, Shout, Shoot and Shine !!

021 !!

Here's my number.. Please Don't Call !!!

I have been following this self made mantra for a couple of months now, I give my number out, but I request them to send me an SMS and not to call.

I lead a very busy life(except on weekdays) and I don't appreciate being called in the middle of an important task, like the one I'm doing now. Deep in my thoughts trying to make sure my fingers are in 'sync' with my brain.Thick in the middle of this syncing process, a phone ring just jolts the whole system, I have to take my eyes off the screen, look at the rather exciting looking phone, compute the positives and negatives of taking/canceling the call, come up with a decision and now the 'ignore' button is pressed. Phew !! as you can see, that is more work than what I was peacefully doing before the phone displayed its "true colors".

And then, there is the kind and polite SMS, a decent beep, a streak of light, and its gone, as if it never happened. A display on the screen politely telling you, "Excuse me.. "Steve, has something to say". You give it a concerned look it shades away to the "idle" sober mode, and you are back on the fingers-brain sync.Oh ! its almost a poetry.

Besides being a mean of communication that helps you multitask easily. It also helps you save time by avoiding the initial greetings and the formalities that go with it. Oh how much I like this part ! Allow me to illustrate.

Phone call :

Chunnu : Hi, Chunni, How are things going ?
Chunni : Hi, Chunnu, Oh my God, its been really long since we spoke.
     I'm fine, just enjoying life( and this is how I'm enjoying it ....)
     Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
     Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
     Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
Chunnu : That's great, Nice to hear that you are having a nice time doing ..Blah Blah Blah
     Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
Chunnu : I was in town and wanted to know if you have Ravi's number.
Chunni : Ravi, from school ? Well, last i met his ex gf she told me he has moved to Mumbai
     she also told me Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
     Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
Chunnu : Wow, that sad, I hate it when Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
     Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
     Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah (Nature's call) Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
     Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah. I guess you don't have his number
     then ?
Chunni : I went to Mumbai last week for a seminar, I am working on this new project Blah

     Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah and I bumped
     into Smriti, Remember her?
Chunnu : Smriti ? You mean Arora ?
Chunni : Arora ? Who was Smriti Arora ?
Chunnu : Arey, the Smriti Arora with the ping bag , you remember when we were in 10th and
     Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
     Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
      Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
Chunni : Oh yes, Now I do. Where is she ? Long time no see.
Chunnu : She's on Facebook, you can talk to her there.
Chunni : Alright, I'll do that.
Chunnu : Can you give me  Ravi's number now ?
Chunni : Oh ! Like I said, I met Smriti in  Mumbai and she was talking about him and do you
     know Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
     Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
     Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
Chunnu : Aight, that's good. Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
     Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah
     Did you get his number.
Chunni : Yea, I'll text you his number
Chunnu : Thanks !
Chunni : How are things with you ?


Blah Blah BlahBlah Blah BlahBlah Blah BlahBlah Blah BlahBlah Blah BlahBlah Blah Blah
Blah Blah BlahBlah Blah BlahBlah Blah BlahBlah Blah BlahBlah Blah BlahBlah Blah Blah
Blah Blah BlahBlah Blah BlahBlah Blah BlahBlah Blah BlahBlah Blah BlahBlah Blah Blah

The phone battery runs out !!

The Simpler way :

Chunnu; Hey, do you have Ravi's number by any chance?

Chunni; Hey, Long time, Yes I do, XXX-XXX-XXXX

Chunnu; Thanks, Hope Al's good.

Chunni;Chugging along, we should catch up sometime

Chunnu;Sure, I'll let you know, thanks, ciao

Chunni;Keep in touch !! ciao

I'm tired, those "Blah Blah Blah" are driving me crazy !
Anyways, A little over exaggerated method, but nonetheless, just delete some of those "Blah Blah Blah" and you'll get the real picture.

Save time, Save Energy, Save Money  !! Text when you can !! Its healthy too(radiations locha) !!
021 !!

Social Networking : The Open Inter or The Closed Intra

As I started writing this post, I wanted to be sure of what exactly is going on with my mind and here is what I found

_{Inter- refers to between things and intra- refers to within a group. For example, inter-group relations would mean relations between different groups, and intra-group relations would mean relations among people within a single group.}

I helped design and create Kho-joe.com with the idea of going inter and intra on the same path,where talent finds talent. It is time that we stop creating individual pages and start making our own Inter-Solution, or a group of many Intra-Networks.

This would not only help us finally sculpt a network wherein finding a business would not only be about knowing where to buy the building tools from but also about knowing the place to get the best support technicians.

Ending up with a plan which does not expire when the product is made/delivered but to foresee the issues and be well prepared for them.

So the next time you decide to make a page on facebook or launch your own website, look around and find a network that can help you build it, this would not only reduce your effort but would provide bonus points for the "inter" connection.

Deep Verma

TIldeNow

Upload Via : Smartphone

Iphone 4 is out, great !! A new feature has been introduced hide-the-antenna-you-get-no-calls.

Enough has been said about smartphones and how "important" they are for personal and professional reason. Enough been said, its time for some reality check now.

I use a Sony Walkman phone, with a 512 mb memory card, for my 'song' needs, it has a 4 mega-pixel camera, which satisfies my photo needs, and it makes and receives calls regardless of where I hold it from !!

All this said, I went on a search for a smartphone this weekend, so what do I need it for, my work emails;no, I'd rather stay away from work, when I am 'away' from work, keep safe distance.

My personal emails, Naman has a new post on buzz, I really have to read it, Nea...

Umm.. How about doing "stuff" on the go, Really ?? like what, booking a ticket ? checking my bank account, paying my bills ? With that tiny little screen , and risking my identity no.

Oh, and my favorite, buying and selling stocks ( friend : "dood , this phone saved me a fortune, I bought these stocks at the right time") well, not interested, lets just leave it there.

Switching onto the good side, umm..taking pictures and uploading them...yea..but hold on, My camera, a nice 10 mega pixel camera. I'm sure the pictures can wait !! Its true, they won't have "Mobile Upload" tag on it.

I don't need a smart phone, not for BBM, not for Gtalk, Not for finding the closest loo !! 021

IT hurts

this is a funny one, its been long since I've had attachment with gadgets and computer, but off late, I'm getting emotionally involved with them. I am disappointed when i see a computer in my office dirty, or a keyboard with keys missing. C'mon, that PC helps you get through the day, work or fun..it does not stop giving you its services..and in return.. all you have to do is reciprocate the love..how hard is it to keep the keyboard clean...keep the screen clear..i mean isn't it good for you..and what the deal with these people leaving there computer "turned on" post work... " oh i need to come in an start working asap"..yea right, you cant push a button..fetch you coffee and then log in...the idea of writing this post struck me the other day when i was advising a staff not to get a new computer, and trying real hard to convince her that this laptop was in perfect shape. later she wrote me an email stating that the computer had crashed again and she was going to get a new one.. i remember i wrote back "please stop by my office whenever possible, and i will help you with the issue, the computer is in perfect working condition, and it would wrong to quit on it"..quit on it..like it was a person..nevertheless, what I was trying to put across is that the laptop was good, clean, fast..and a reckless decision could make it "that laptop" which does not work... isn't that like wasting a talent, just because it couldn't do it that time, does not mean you should quit on it, keep going, keep going till it reaches its "workable" life.. I still have my first computer, 166mhz 32 mb ram 21gb hdd... amazing machine, i used it till my last semester in undergrad..2006..then i just put it to rest, mind it !! put it to rest...did not retire it..in fact, i am going to use it when i go back to India..why shouldn't I..all i know about computers today, I owe it to that machine there, that machine which has taken a lot of beating, but has come back stronger, maybe with little grunts and scratches, but stronger nevertheless... people..don't quit on technology, don't go "oh this is so slow, and outdated".. believe me.. its not the device.. ITS YOU !! 021