On old fuddy-duddies...

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=82417

When'll this end?

See what this idiot has to say
I have sent a rebuttal to DH, will post a link to it if it gets published.

UPDATE:
Well, DH didn't publish it - here goes:

I was aghast to read Mr. Krishna Prasad's letter, published in the Deccan Herald (DH, Friday, Nov 18th).
Doesn't Mr. Prasad realize that good roads that can handle traffic and that don't become lakes after an afternoon downpour are the right of everyone in the city (or in a village)? And that the IT chiefs whom he accuses of "frothing at the mouth" are as much citizens of this city as he is? And that they are infact doing what every self-respecting citizen of this city should be doing? Asking for their rights?
Since when has it become a crime to ask for your rights? Disparities occur in states not because companies ask for infrastructure in select pockets, but they occur because of lopsided governance. They occur because of an incompetent and corrupt government, and lackadaisical journalism that refuses to ask the right questions, and condemns people that do. So, don't blame the IT companies, Mr. Prasad, blame the government. Ask Dharam Singh why Bangalore became a lake. Ask Krishna, and above all, ask Deve Gowda why he has become such a roadblock to development.
The tirade against IT companies has gone on for too long. The IT sector is known for its high standards of corporate governance. They are paragons of efficiency in a country that cannot even lay a decent asphalted road. When will we come out of this crab mentality, and see the truth - that the IT sector is being targetted by vested interests, only to parade their pro-poor identities?
For heavens' sake, what the IT companies are voicing is the desire of every Bangalorean, be it a slum dweller or a mansion owner. In fact, who suffered more during the recent rains in Bangalore? And why did they suffer? Is it because of the "big, bad, frothing at the mouth" IT chiefs, or is it because of third-rate governance? Better roads, better electricity, better water are everyone's right. And that includes IT chiefs.

What Kapil knows...

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=108607

Manmoron doesn't...

In particular, Kapil says:

"In other words, there is far more movement than there was earlier. But given the fact that travel time, essentially by road, is extremely slow and taxing, efficiency and manpower utilisation is shrinking.
It’s a vicious circle: if movement becomes difficult or cumbersome, there will be no growth. Suburbs around cities will come up but not get inhabited, there will be no investment and it will contribute to the overall slowdown of the economy. Rural areas will not develop and advance if people do not move. "

What a tragedy. My vote for Kapil, if he ever stands for election.

Educational Improvements

Many suggestions have been floated on how to improve our education system, particularly at the primary level. More teachers, teacher training, mid-day meals, even a law that punishes parents who don't send their kids to school.

Here is my suggestion. Incentivize parents to send their kids to school. Pay parents to send their children to school. The reason why parents don't send their kids to school is because they are only looking for short-term gains. Send the male child to work and you get a few rupees for either your dinner or your drink. Keep the girl child at home, and she'll help with the household chores. Now, there is an incentive to send the child to school - money. There are ways to make this scheme work. Pay more if the girl child is sent. Don't pay the parents in cash - instead, open a bank account, and provide access through the "fingerprint" ATMs that are being developed in India.

Critics of this plan will point out the revenue implications of this scheme. I don't think this scheme has any worse revenue implications than the "National Rural Employment Guarantee Act" that is being proposed. In fact, it should be more welcome as it is now possible to kill two birds with one stone - give money to the poorest of the poor, while letting their children get an education.

What says y'all?

Server market stats

According to IDC, Windows server shipments matched Unix server shipments for the first time ever, in terms of revenue. Interesting, eh?

See this link for more: http://www.financialexpress.com/latest_full_story.php?content_id=92229

Flames, anyone? ;)

Published, at last!!!

Something I wrote finally got selected for publication as an Op-Ed in Indian Express:

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=81196

Comments welcome, as usual.

Simple solutions to difficult problems - 1

Previously, I've ranted about many of the problems facing our country on my blog. Now, I want to start a series of posts on how we can solve them (easily).

The first in this series is on primary education. How do we fix the quality problems with government schools? Here is my solution. Force every politician and bureaucrat to send their children to government schools. This way, when their own future is at stake, they'll fix things. After all, we know of the 24X7 electricity, and water that are available to these guys...

Comments welcome as usual...

Jai Bajrangbali

Funny title for a post, eh? Well, this post is actually devoted to Sachin! Like almost every other Indian with warm blood in his/her veins, I've enjoyed Sachin's cricketing exploits. And like almost every other Indian, I've cringed at the sight of his batting for the last couple of years with the exception of the World Cup.

Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that Sachin is a lot like Lord Hanuman. In 1991, he flew to the sun (Australia), and conquered the land. In the later years, he grew, every time showing the strength and dignity of Hanuman. Funny enough, like Hanuman, Sachin was best when he was a senior minister, not the king. Ofcourse, like the Lord, he has also been absolutely selfless, sincere, hardworking, honest, loyal, and totally committed to his job and country.

Readers of the Ramayan will surely know of the curse put on Hanuman - that he wouldn't realize his own strengths. Sachin has suffered from the same curse in recent years. The flashy cover drive was gone, as was the light jump to hoick Shane Warne over his head. Second-rate bowlers became stars, taking his wicket regularly.

But someone has done the job of Jambuvan - someone has told Sachin what he really is - and man, does it show!!!

Welcome back, Sachin. And Jai Bajrangbali!!!

Endaro Mahanubhavulu...(1)

For those who are not familiar with Carnatic music, the title of this post means..."So many great people". On my blog, I plan to post regularly, less known anecdotes and stories of great Indians.

I shall start with Satyendra Nath Bose. Many of us don't know (and I didn't know till today) that S N Bose was a close associate of Einstein's and that there is even a fundamental particle named after him (no prizes for guessing this one...it is the Boson). The story goes that Bose wanted a job as a professor at one of the newly opened research universities in India, but he did not have a PhD, and so was asked to get a recommendation from someone who knew his work. Well, who else, but Einstein recommended him, saying that his country men did not realize that his work was far more significant than any PhD thesis!

If you are interested in knowing more, follow this link:
http://www.answers.com/topic/satyendra-nath-bose?method=6

My question to all those textbook re-writing ignoramus-es, particularly those from the 'nationalistic' BJP is this: Why in the world don't you fight to introduce stories like these in our text books?

An ODE to C++

Well, not exactly, an ode, but...

C++ is the best! Its like a bottomless well, you know, the deeper you go, the deeper you can go. You can never get bored of C++, and probably never 'know' C++

Anyways, people who disagree are free to spam me through the comments link.

Sir M.V

For those who are from Karnataka, the letters M.V, particularly when prefixed with "Sir" mean only one thing - Sir. Mokshagundam Vishveshvarayya (or Visvesvaraya, as Bangalore University likes to spell it). Yesterday was the 144th birth anniversary of Sir M.V. This post is a personal "Thank you" to the man who

• Built the K.R.S dam
• Brought electricity to Bangalore
• Started Mysore University
• Created U.V.C.E (started as a Mechanical Engg. school)
• Influential in starting the State Bank of Mysore
• and so on and so forth...

Sir MV was known for his discipline, punctuality, honesty, work ethic, and probably every positive adjective that you can think of. Extremely quality conscious, he is said to have checked every pillar and beam that went into the Kannambadi dam. A brilliant engineer, he is said to have exclaimed "what a waste of energy!" when he saw the gushing waters of the Jog Falls. Honest to a fault, he is said to have turned off the 'state-supplied' candle and used his own when he finished work and was handling personal correspondence. It is officials like him that gave Mysore state the sobriquet 'Model State' in the early-late 40s.

As the poet said..."Jaane kahan gaye voh (din) log?"

Wah Sania

Being one of the more tricolourly inclined, Sania Mirza's performance over the last one week (indeed, over the past one year) has made me proud. She portrays a great image of the young Indian woman - smart, aggresive, one focused on her goals. Not to mention what a role model she is for women in general and Muslim women in particular. And she is a great advertisement for India, far better than any "India Shining" campaign.

True, she lost quite badly to Sharapova, but hey, this is just her first US Open. A few years down the line, and I am sure we'll see a better contest.

Here is hoping that we see more Sanias, Rajyavardhans and Anju Bobby Georges.

Ban(s)galore

Bangalore is surely a funny name for a city, ain't it? But in the new dispensation, the city has been living up to its name...Ban - galore. Ban traffic in the city centre, Ban private vehicles from taking children to schools, Ban cellphones in colleges, Ban dance bars, Ban this, Ban that.

But, don't ban corruption, don't ban potholes, don't ban polluters, don't ban anything that would actually make the citizen's life a little better.

So, what _should_ you learn in your undergraduate course?

I am working on a Unix course for undergraduate students, sponsored by the company I work for. To aid us in deciding what to teach, we were given the syllabus for the students, from the 3rd to the 8th semester. Reading it raised the obvious question: "What should you (a student) learn in your undergraduate Computer Science and Engg. course?" Infact, I'll ask a more basic question - what should be the goal of your undergraduate education?

Surely, the undergraduate course is but an introduction to your desired field. No one expects a person to be an expert in the field after an undergraduate degree. That said, you are expected to know stuff. Here is my list of what an undergraduate degree should accomplish:

- Enough knowledge of the field.
- Enough English/Language skills to be able to write about what you know
- Enough practical experience...if your 'Major' was Computer Science - you should be able to program. If it was Electrical Engg, you should be comfortable with opening up 3-phase motors. If it was Mechanical Engg, you should be able to tear down an automobile, if not put it back together :) .
- Some ability at feasibility analysis...if you are a Political science student, you should be able to recognize that communism is unfeasible ;)
- If you're in the technical field, Math. Probably the most invaluable tool this side of the border
- If you are in browner pastures (viz the Arts), Language.

Any you want to add? Feel free to use the comments link right below. Hopefully, I'll get around to posting an answer to "What you need to get out of your computer science degree?" soon.

Globalization and Poverty

Recently a friend of mine posted a link to Vandana Shiva's "Globalization and Poverty" on his blog. This post is a response to some of the issues she's raised in the article. Ofcourse, due to the poverty of my ideas, I am forced to retain the same title as hers.

Read her article here

You can't argue with her when she says that our farmers are ruining their crops by excessive use of pesticides. Nor can you disagree when she talks about people growing water-intensive crops because they are profitable.

However, when she blames globalization, you got to sit up and take notice. See the text of what she says:

"...The drought is not a “natural disaster”. It is “man-made”. It is the result of mining of scarce ground water in arid regions to grow thirsty cash crops for export instead of water-prudent food crops for local needs. It is experiences such as these which tell me that we are so wrong to be smug about the new global economy..."

Its funny how the laws of causality never apply to Ms. Shiva's writings. Well, yes, the drought was caused by farmers growing crops like rice and sugar in water-starved regions like Telangana and Hyderabad-Karnataka. But why did they grow those crops? Was it because of the "global economy"? Why do our farmers use more fertilizer? Is it because of Monsanto? Fortunately for Ms. Shiva, no one asks these questions. Everyone is so taken by her form and fury that they forget to ask ... why? Having asked the questions here, let me try and answer them.

Our farmers use more fertilizer because historically they've done so. And they started doing so because of the "green revolution" that encouraged them in this direction. From 0.55 kgs/hectare, the green revolution brought up fertilizer consumption to nearly 20kgs/hectare in the early 70s ( FAO figures). During those days, chemical fertilizers and pesticides were thought of as the solution to the problems of low soil productivity and pestilence. In fact, comics were produced that drove home this fact! So yes, we were mistaken then - but why do we still use fertilizers and pesticides at such high levels? Well, now this has become a permanent clique of politicians and businessmen who take subsidies to manufacture chemical fertilizers and pesticides, so need a market for them, therefore dumping them at our farmer's doorstep - when was the last time you saw an ad on TV or the newspaper discouraging farmers from using chemical inputs? Pray, what do any of these have anything to do with globalization? BTW, the thirsty cash crops for export that Vandana Shiva mentions are rice and sugarcane - and no, they are not exported (at least not in quantities that lets the farmers profit). Farmers grow rice and sugarcane because of our food procurement laws, lack of infrastructure to store value-rich produce like fruits and vegetables, and guaranteed returns for these crops. So, if you want to blame someone, blame the government for not providing the infrastructure or freeing up internal markets, not "the global economy".

This is a typical tactic used by the eco-terrorists, anti-globalists and communists of all hues. Blind your opponent with flashy English (Arundhati Roy) or tragic scenes (almost everybody). Rant about how farmers are killing themselves, particularly to a largely western audience, and then blame it all on Bush, on globalization, on the WTO, on the BJP, on communalism et al.

Watch this space...

Of equality and equal opportunity.

Somewhere earlier on my blog, I had posted a link to Nehru's speech - "A tryst with destiny". As far as I have seen, this single speech sets out the Indian Dream for all of us better than any other. And amongst other things, Nehru mentions "...It (freedom) means the ending of poverty and ignorance and poverty and disease and inequality of opportunity." Note that he says "inequality of opportunity" and not "inequality".

Nehru knew, unlike the communists of today, that an equal society is unsustainable as it has high entropy and deficiency of opportunity, not to mention the fact that it is against the laws of Nature.

What laws? Simple - note that a rat and an elephant are not created equal. The rat is small, has numerous predators and has a short life span. The elephant is huge, has next to no predators and has a long life span. However, nature gives both an equal opportunity to survive. Rats have numbers. Elephants do not. The sheer numbers of rat population give the species a way to survive, and both species thrive (without taking into account wanton destruction of elephants by humans).

How does this apply to the real world? Easy as pie - Tendulkar and I cannot be equal. But both Tendulkar and I should get equal opportunity to become Tendulkar. The results may vary, but the opportunity should be the same. That is what a democracy should guarantee. In terms of governance, what should be guaranteed is that everyone gets an equal quality and quantity of education - be it a rich dalit, a poor brahmin or a 'backward' politician. And this should be a race to the top, not to the bottom.

The Mumbai tragedy

Its a shame - that the country's 'financial capital' crumbles totally when there is heavy rain. While a lot of media attention has been focussed on the role of the BMC and the state government, I want to bring the spotlight on the role of the met department.

I remember seeing the forecast for Western India - "Heavy to very heavy rain expected in the next 24 hours." Now does this tell anyone that the city is going to get record rainfall? Hey, even Bangalore has been getting similar forecasts for nearly two weeks now! I don't get it - can't the met department actually say - "Record rainfall predicted"? I remember watching forecasts in Raleigh and Fort Lauderdale. They were never wrong. If the forecaster said heavy rain - he would also say heavy rain of the kind that will flood drains (though that never happened).

So, why can't we do the same? Don't we have the equipment? Or the models? Or is it simply first-rate negligence?

Comments welcome.

Why technology is like art

One unfortunate consequence of being in the software profession is that people don't usually associate software with creativity, beauty and expression. For that matter, most people don't even like technology, as it either scares them or strikes them as being 'mind-driven' rather than 'heart-driven'. This is less true in India where it is 'cool' to be a 'code-freak', than in the US, but here too software engineering is treated as a well-paying 'love-less', 'passion-less' deskjob'. What is more unfortunate is that many software engineers too treat it that way - seeing the profession as a way to make a living rather than seeing it as yet another way to vent their creative cravings.

I wonder if it is because most people fail to see the beauty resident in a good program, in a well-designed 'geek-toy' or in a software tool. So, in this post, I want to present my views on the similarities between good art/music/architecture and good technology. Needless to say, I am only talking about my experiences.

Here goes:

Great architecture and great technology have universal appeal.

There is something about great art/architecture/music that appeals to a very wide audience. I know many people who have never heard Carnatic music, but simply love the Pancharatnas rendered by Balamuralikrishna. I myself fell in love with Beethoven's symphonies after hearing them at Vienna and I had zero exposure to western classical music then. Almost the entire world loves the Taj Mahal.
The same holds for technology. The Apple IPod, the Internet, Google, Blogging...to name a few.

Great art and great technology are timeless

I know that many of you will take issue with me on this one what with new tech toys and software coming into the market every day. But consider, for a moment, UNIX. Consider TCP/IP, with its extensions, and you'll realize what I mean.

Great technology is simple - sometimes deceptively so
Great technology peels well and peels long - just like great art.
Great technology creates experiences - just like great art.

Great technology is always simple - sometimes deceptively so. Anyone who has coded Quick sort would be quick to point out how the algorithm which stated in its textual form is:
Step 1: Choose an element and put it in its right position in the array.
Step 2: Repeat the same for the elements to the left of the array
Step 3: Repeat the same for the elements on the right
takes many iterations to get right. And then, we could talk about its complexity. And then, we could improve its efficiency for boundary cases, and then we could make it generic, and then provide proof, and then...you get the idea. The same holds good for almost every piece of hardware, for every game sold in the market place. Abstraction is a fundamental construct of technology. Which is true for art as well. I 'sort of' play the violin in Carnatic style, and believed for a long time that all there was to Carnatic music were the notes. You play the notes, and you have the song. Lately, I've realized that this is hardly the case. The notes are just one part of the song. There are the lyrics, there is a situation behind the song, and more importantly, the lyrics themselves have many meanings and so on. If you don't believe me, read the following line:
"mohada hendathi teerida balika maavana maneya hanginyako"
Translated, it means, "Why bother about your father-in-law's house when your wife is no more?". Apparently, this single line has many different, uncommon meanings, none of which are conveyed by the words(directly).

Great art creates experiences. Great music makes you forget the world. You lose yourself in the brilliant colours of a maestro's pictures. Technology does the same. We all know how we fought to finish our first video game, how we enjoyed the thrill of victory when we shot the villian (or ate the bad goblins), why, we even remember how we debugged our first program - don't we? Haven't we all had the days when we are so engrossed in a game that we lost track of time? Or so engrossed in getting a sorted linked list (this one is for you, Harsha) right in the 3rd semester programming class that we worked late into the night on an exam weekend!? Technology not only creates experiences, but also enhances them - take CDs and vinyl records for instance.

The principles of great art and great technology come from the same source.

More on this later...

Another 'possibilities' question

Ok, here comes another "What would you do if you could" question:

If you had all the money in the world and could choose your profession (however less paying it may be), what would your profession be?

Mine would be teaching - teaching any academic subject. What would yours be?

A tryst with destiny

Whatever be the man's shortcomings, Nehru is right up there as far as his speeches are concerned. Two of his best are: A tryst with destiny and the Light has gone out of our lives . I have had the good fortune to read some of his books - notably Discovery of India and Glimpses of World History , and both are excellent. Nehru's control over the English language, his love for India, and the natural flow of his thoughts are worth emulating.