A birthday

Nothing can be worse than

forgetting your best friend's birthday and

when you remember it,

all that you could do is make a formal call,

tell your best wishes and

send a Good night message before sleep.

When you actually want to make the day

a very special one by celebrating to the heights.

I am an Engineer

Some days back, the thought of writing something on the blog flashed in my mind and it appeared as "Diwali blasts off in office". Now my mind is again pushing me to write. What to write and where to start????? Few events seem good to write about now… "A day in my brother's home", "Am I indecisive?", "Don't loose your mobile on weekends" or can it be "Engineers work smart". Yes. I will present this to you now. "Engineers work smart".
You might have read many jokes about Engineering's life. No girl friends, always thinking logically, deep thoughts all the time. This bog is something like that. No no…. don't think I am saying "No girlfriends and no parties!" This is an entirely different story. Keep reading….
It was another typical morning in college hostel for me and Gokul. We were playing with our computers powered by the broadband internet. I got bored of downloading movies and games and went to download fonts for a change. A single search in Google revealed a good website with hundreds of fonts for free.
Wow!!!!!! Its Time to squeeze the internet bandwidth. The devil came out of my mind. But wait a minute. How to download??????
A simple calculation to provide the effort required to download all the fonts from the website…

• Right clicking on the font,
• Choosing Save Target As,
  Press 'Ok'
  After the file is downloaded click 'Close'

…will take an average of 5.67 seconds.

And there is this moving to next pages too.
Suppose there are 100 fonts and time to download each font is 2 seconds. The total estimate to download all fonts will be around 800 seconds which is 13.5 min approximately. I am not ready to waste the time. So I looked for an alternative method.
There came Win HTTrack website copier. The devil is still awakening. With the mention of the link of the homepage in it, there came the whole website to my desktop…. with all the FONTS. All work done in 5 minutes.

"We Engineers don't like the "Follow the steps" way of doing work.
We have an open mind always looking for alternatives and try to make one if nothing is found.
We like creation more than execution."

Now comes the next task. How to extract these hundreds of fonts? Opening and extracting each file one by one is not the way I like to work. I am an Engineer. I like to explore new things rather than examine existing things. I started exploring newer ways. A sudden thought flashed. Why not write my own program to extract all the files in a single click. I can customize the program to allow the user to choose the folder with the zip files and the destination where the files are to be extracted. Sounds cook! With no other work to do, I placed my hands on the keyboard.
My hands grabbed the mouse and keyboard and the monitor obeyed my commands. Visual basic is open. The folder location controls have been designed. The interface is complete. Now is the important part to be done. Implementing the zip operation. I have no idea how to do it. Do I have to learn how zip technology actually works? Do I have to study the algorithm of it? How can I implement this myself?

"There are two ways of doing a work.
You can work harder and harder
Or you can work smart"
We, Engineers like to work smart.
Implementing the actual algorithm is working hard. So what could be the 'Working smart'?
My mind looked at the controls and references section of Visual Basic. There might be an inbuilt control that handles zip operations in windows XP. There has to be something like that.

I searched the whole list of controls and references available and still couldn't find one for zip operations. Now my search extended to the Internet. Still no controls. My mind looked for other options. Luckily, the search in the internet showed that the infamous WinZip is providing add-on for performing zip operations from command prompt which means you can extract files by specifying it in the command prompt itself.
The intelligent brain clicked. I can call this add-on from my application, which will in turn extract the files I choose. This is great. With the analysis and design completed, coding is not far away.
Its time for lunch, but nothing can interfere my work and so the lunch is forgotten. The codes went on and on and so was the time.
At last with few hours to spare before the sun sets, the application is ready.
Project successful.

And now for the guest of honor to show my creation, I invited Gokul who have no idea what I was doing all these hours. I explained the objective and logic of this Zippo project. Then I presented a live demo of the project by extracting 100 zip files by a single click that too providing the user the ability to choose the source and destination folders.

Gokul's face went brighter and brighter every minute seeing my invention and suddenly it changed…..
This is when it happened. The end of all. The time to end this story and say the moral to all engineers.
……. Gokul's face seemed thoughtful and he gave me a puzzled look. I know he is thinking of something obvious to him but couldn't put it clearly. He was starring at me for sometime and he said THAT….
"Isn't this already available?"
I gave a plain but clear answer, "No".
He took the mouse and started selecting all the zip files in the folder. Then he right clicked it.
All this time, I was wondering what he was trying to do.
He went to the WinZip menu and clicked "Extract to". It asked for the destination. My face started to pale. "No! Not that", I said to myself. He gave some destination folder. "Please!!!!!!!!! I was trying this for hours. This mustn't happen" Then he clicked "Ok". (((((((((((((DOOM)))))))))))))
All the zip files were extracted to the destination folder.
My marvelous Zippo Project was already implemented in WinZip. Please with his work, he smiled at me and left.
He came!!!! He saw!!!! He screwed it up!!!!!


Moral of the story:
Its nice to explore new things. But before that, examine if its already explored.
Don't search for Ghee when you have butter at hand.

Gone are those days…. But not our memories

Gone are those days
When we come late to class
It just meant the class started earlier

Gone are those days
When one person talking
Its 66 persons sleeping(Save a few)

Gone are those days
We wait for girls to finish the assignment
To copy them at the last minute

Gone are those days
We need to get out of class
But on duty in the attendance

Gone are those days
We long for the next hour to come
For the lecturer is boring in the present hour

Gone are those days
We want functions once in a week
For we can go on duty for the rest of the week

Gone are those days
We want the HOD to take action
By placing the request before the Secretary

Gone are those days
Someone will talk about Simran
When the lecturer wants to talk about C(She)

Gone are those days
CAT doesn't mean Continuous Assessment Test
But Class Amusement Time

Gone are those days
Life can never be better
When CAT marks are said as not to be considered for internals

Gone are those days
When project centre will be very busy
People getting ready to kill each other(in Quake)

Gone are those days
When exam is one and a half hours wait for
Three hours chat in the canteen

Gone are those days
When celebration comes with great sounds
feeling claps on your backs(pothu maathu)

Gone are those days….
But not from memories

More memories to share...
more feelings to realise…

but no more time to dream….
Work at hand pushes me to end this.

So
To be Continued…..

Diwali blasts off in office

Diwali!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The festival of lights!!!!!!!!!!!! It's supposed to be candle lights. But for me, it was the usual, solar and Neon lamp lights!!!!!!! I celebrated this Diwali with my employer Infosys. Pulled off from my dreams of celebrating the Diwali with my family and enjoying the holidays with my friends, I was made to stare at the computer screen for yet another day that too on Diwali. While everyone was busy firing up the crackers, I was booting up my safe Windows XP. With everyone watching television shows, I was watching my reports giving results that are testing my brain to the max.

The fine day started as usual, with me waking at 8. I can recall my mom waking me by 5 in the morning to take oil bath. With a sigh, I got up to take bath. And once daily customs are over, I took my new dresses to the pooja room and prayed as I would have prayed with my parents and sisters on Diwali day. One thing that went missing is mom shouting at me watching TV though I was called many times to come to pooja room long time back itself. And only way, I will move is switching off the TV. I brought my mind back to this fine day with me alone performing the pooja with no camphor or bell or even agarpathi. Obviously, I forgot to buy any of these. But I didn't forget to buy the most important thing for Diwali. Crackers. There was my 200 wala and atom bomb waiting for me to get fired. I said, don't worry! Your purpose will be fulfilled soon.
I took the crackers and went downstairs with Gokul no interest in it. So, I gave him the post of photographer while I am playing with crackers. I lit the thread of the cracker with Gokul taking snaps as and when possible covering me in all directions. But the crackers were in a NEVER GIVE UP mood not firing up for a long time. I tried lighting it many times, but in vain. At last I lit the cracker directly and there went the boom with the 200 wala crackling up the entire street. Diwali has begun. Another of my usual Diwali ritual completed.

Its time for the next part of the day. Its OFFICE time. The walk was a short walk as any other working day but waiting for half an hour and no company buses turning up, I realized I have to get the town bus. Work in office was a brief one with me and my colleague working on our reports and testing on others and the day went off very fast. Of course, not to forget mails from our team members wishing for a Happy Diwali with a note at the last saying "I know you will be working in office by now anyway". I could just laugh at it. But our Project manager was kind enough to bring Diwali sweets for us and we enjoyed Diwali at last with sweets.

And to make me forget that I am away from my friends, many of my friends called me from the morning itself and I also called some who missed out in the evening. The one who was in the same solitude situation as me on that fine day, yet having the thought of wishing me was Muthukumaran. He had called my home in the morning (Indian Standard Time) but I couldn't answer it as I was held up in office. That's really very nice of him. Thanks to Yahoo! I am having my daily chat with him from office. The last but not the least to wish me was Keerthana. Actually I called her. It was just around 8 PM but she sounded fast asleep. She was blabbering in her sleepy voice, not even aware of who is on the phone. Silly though, she must have said the words hundred times that day, that she told "Happy Diwali" even without hearing what I was saying to her. To finish of the fine day, I blasted two atom bombs on the street and let the shock shake the walls of all houses in our street. The Diwali went quietly without any more crackers and I indulged myself into sleep to make a fresh start for next day's office.

HAPPY DIWALI

Look before you leap

Typing fast is good. But typing fast without realising what we are typing is dangerous. I learnt this with a very good experience today. I was working from the morning and was tired of work. Atlast,I thought I could send a joke to the friends in my team. After selecting the joke, I was selecting the emailaddresses from my address book in Outlook. I have created distribution lists for addressing various groups already. So it was easy for me to send the email. I simply clicked some friend's list and the SI team list. SI team is the distribution list I created with persons in my project team who all joined with me. It is a very good joke. It is about Madras local tamil language used in Windows menu and errors. A sample of it is:

Open = thora naina
Close = moodikko
Abort, Retry, Ignore = Ishtam illati uttudu
Yes,No,Cancel= ippa innaa sollikeere nee
General protection fault = allam Gali
Access denied = Kai veche, keesiduven

Laughing at the joke, I sent it with a belief that my friends can also enjoy the laughter.

Within a few minutes, I got mails from two of my team members, thanking for the joke. I felt happier. With little satisfaction I might have had, then there came the problem in the form of a phone call. My phone at my desk started ringing. I picked the phone casually and answered it, "Hello, Jeykumar". It was someone whom I do not know. He was asking how I got his email address. I don't know what he was talking about and he also asked if I am in SI. I dont know why he was asking all these. I said "Yes" with a great curiousity. He then asked where I am sitting as he could hear my voice. I had no idea why he is asking this till now. Then he asked, "Did you send the mail about Madras technology?". Damn. Now I got what went wrong. This person is from SI department but not in my team. I have sent the joke to him instead of addressing just to my team. But how can it have happened??? The thoughts ran so quickly in a second and I found the answer in a few seconds. The distribution list I created included not only my team members but also others in the SI department. Which means that I have sent the email to about 360 persons sitting in this building and everyone from new software engineers to the project managers will be reading it by now.
By this time, my head started spinning. I recovered myself from my thoughts and apologized to him for the disturbance that might have been caused to him. When I was about to relax, he added that the mail will have reached Murali who is the head of the SI department. Oh! my god. What have I done to myself! I was completely worried that the Department head may call and shout me for sending jokes to the group. After hanging up, I became a bit nervous. But then, I consoled myself saying this is our company. Mails like these must not be a much problem. And then the phone started ringing again. This time it was another person with the same question? He advised me not to send jokes to the group ID. I thanked for his advice and silently hung up the phone. Oh! oh! What can I do? And then there was ringing in my phone again. I am sure it must be another person asking, "Madras Technology?" Please..... Not again!
I picked the phone and it was a member of my team. Phew! I said, "Hello! da". But his question was again, "Madras Technology to SI team?????". I started my answer immediately, "That was a mista.... sorry...". He stopped me in the middle and said, "I also mailed to the group once and got call from someone advising not to do this". Great. I have a company with me. I told him proudly that I got TWO calls. We laughed and soon replaced the receiver. My immediate step to make an end to this is an apology email to all the members for sending the joke. I did it immediately and was happy this will make an end to this problem. And it did. I didn't get any calls after that. I got relaxed and thought I should never send email without checking the addresses carefully.
Now I got a mail from a member of SI department. I got tensed and I opened the mail. To my surprise, this nice person was telling that the joke was interesting though and he enjoyed it. Great. Mails like this tempts me to send another mail to SI. But we should learn from our experiences and I am not going to mail any joke to the SI team group email address. Nice moral on a very nice day it is. Happy ending always here.

Spiderman 2 - A peek

Its our friendly neighborhood Spiderman. This time, he is back to fight new villian Doc ock. If you think the story is going to be another explosive and demoltion plot, think again. For the film promises more emotional scenes rather than pure action.
Attention!!!! Sequel makers of super hero films, this is a film to remind you that people want something more than simple action. We need a story line with more emotions. The Story writers have made their part very well by giving a very good storyline to the new adventure of spidey.
Peter Parker struggles to run a normal life. He loses his job, misses classes, gets lower grades. All because of his inner being responsibility, Spiderman. He is on the verge of losing his love. Its time for our hero to make a choice. Its either Peter or Spidey. The spidey suit is put in the garbage(Oh! spidey).
But how can the superhero film run without Spiderman? It cant. Right. Spidey is brought back into action by the villian Doc ock, a multi-tentacled menace. He makes a deal with Harry Osborn, Peter's best friend to get Spidey in exchange of metal for his project.
Things go faster and higher then with webs flying all over the sky. The most remarkable scene is the fight between our spidey and doc ock on the train. Like the trailer rightly says that the hero will be revealed, spidey is revealed. But then, public promises to keep the identity secret. Choo chweeet of them.
The film is more of revelations with Peter confessing the cause of his uncle's death to his aunt, Hero being identified to Harry and MaryJane and Harry looking at the green goblin's suit in his father's(first part villian) room.
At last, our hero holds the hands of both his love and the web. If you think this is a fairy tale that ends with "And they lived happily ever after....",you are wrong. The director drops a scene with Harry and Green Goblin giving a hint that The game is not over and the web will spin again.With Great powers comes great responsibilities. And spidey tops the chart once again.

Ups:
*The action scenes are more realistic and camera movements will take you to the ultimate spin.
*The storyline touches your heart and melts your feelings along with pumping up the adrenaline.

Downs:
* Makeup was forgotten and Kirsten Dunst looks older in many scenes.* Spidey falling from some 100 storey building and just saying "OUCH!" is too fictional even for a super hero.
* The dialogue at the end was not at all nice with Mary Jane just saying "Go get it tiger" to our spiderman. Some importance could have been given to make some impression creating dialogue.

Infosys!!!!!! Here I come

Its time to become a professional. Its time to work rather than playing and watching TV. I am going to Bangalore to join Infosys. Already I am not blogging much and I wonder whether I will have time to blog at all. Dont worry folks, keep watching and I will surely be back with more blogs whenever I find time.