Yuj
Posted: Jan 24, 2007, 00:02Last two days went with me setting up Linux based systems up for a night school in Kandivali. This was with Yuj, an initiative by college ex-students of Fr. Agnel to first enable and then connect all NGOs, schools and universities to form a strong collaboration platform.
We managed to get one computer running yesterday. That was already set up by Abhilash, he was only stuck with the X configuration which I helped him out with. The other two are still stuck. One of them doesn't have a hard disk. The other has the stuff but strangely, it locks up while loading packages from the CD. All these are ancient run-down computers with barely 2 BG to 4 GB HDDs so Ubuntu barely fits in. Hopefully more power is on the way with more funding expected from some corporates.
Youth for Equality
Posted: Jan 21, 2007, 18:06The YFE sent emails to everyone on their list today, notifying that they have now entered politics to clean up the system. The email asked questions to the reader; the result is a bit predictable isn’t it :)
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Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 23:17:41 +0530
From: “Siddhesh Poyarekar”
To: “Youth for Equality”
Subject: Re: YFE Goes POLITICAL
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Hi,
To be honest, I have not been following the development of the YFE
forum for quite some time now. But since these questions came in I
thought I’d answer on my behalf since I feel that’s the least I can
do.
On 1/21/07, Youth for Equality wrote:
> Q. Don’t you think that it’s cruel and unjust to beat
> innocent students, throw water cannons, tear gas at
> them, and put them behind bars in order to curb their
> silent protest?
True, it is. But the issue is much larger than water cannons, tear gas
or for that matter, even reservations
> Q. Don’t you think that there is a possibility that we
> are living under a dictatorship?
No we are not. We are living in a corrupt democracy. There is a very
vital difference. There is no justice in reserving seats for different
classes just as there is no justice in NOT reserving seats for
different classes.
> Q. Don’t you think that the government is playing the
> game of “Divide and Rule” with its reservation
> policies?
Yes they are. No arguments about that.
> Q. Did you ever think of protesting against the
> functioning of the system in a democratic way?
Yes. But if you think protests and demonstrations are the democratic
way then please think again. There is also a very strong case for
reforms. Devote all that time that you sit and prepare slogans and
slides for this movement to educating the under-privileged and THEN
claim that there’s no need to give them crutches. Only then will you
have a morally higher standpoint. Demonstrations and protests make YFE
and the Indian youth in general look very selfish.
> Q. Don’t you think the current politicians are
> unfairly using public emotions for their vote bank?
Honestly, so is the YFE. That is exactly what politics is all about
and YFE is already a part
of it.
> Q. Don’t you think that there is an urgent need for
> replacement of the people controlling the Indian
> system?
This is a very difficult question to answer. The Telegraph describes
YFE as follows:
“One group represents the cream of the country’s youth”
(http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070108/asp/atleisure/story_7233137.asp)
Honestly, I can’t quite disagree with that. There’s many more people
in this country than the few lakh students that forms and supports the
YFE. It is really no use if YFE is just another organization that
shouts on and on for ‘equality’ and doesn’t do anything else.
Regards,
--
Siddhesh Poyarekar
http://siddhesh.tk
Thinking Organizations
Posted: Jan 16, 2007, 23:52I'm back after a long sabbatical (only 3 days actually ;) ) since kite flying took its toll on my LAN cable.
I was going through my company portal today and I found that we have a product that helps people to think and companies to develop Thinking Organizations. It is based on Edward deBono's Six Thinking Hats theory wherein a person must take on a complete mindset that is suitable for a particular situation and then think of a solution to that situation. The software apparently aids this mindset transition and helps keep tab of what they call Thinking Sessions. A lot of management speak, but honestly it's got me a bit curious at least, if not interested.
Basically it says, "To catch a serial killer, think like one" in a hundred or so pages to earn the author a few million :) No offense to Edward deBono, just that the message was that obvious, or so it seems to the uninformed non-reader (me). But yes, I guess most times we miss such obvious things such as aligning ourselves to the situation we face.
Welcome to LiveJournal
Posted: Jan 13, 2007, 08:22LiveJournal seems like a decent place to write except that it has very limited features and is cluttered with ads. I've finally managed to get a style I like, so now I can get on with the business of writing.
I'm Siddhesh Poyarekar from Mumbai, India. I'm a programmer and I work on FOSS projects. I'm currently working on ayttm, a multi-protocol instant messenger.
My Pages:
- My website
- Our Blog -- I share it with my fiancee
Truth (one-liner)
Posted: Dec 15, 2006, 08:51Programmers are in a race with the Universe to create bigger and better idiot-proof programs, while the Universe is trying to create bigger and better idiots. ……………………………………So far the Universe is winning.
:)):)) rotfl…………….
Me, Myself and Me Again
Posted: Nov 28, 2006, 18:00It’s so great to be young. Everything seems to be about me. The world seems to revolve around me. I am destined to be the next big thing in this world. Bill Gates, you’re not rich enough. Hitler, you weren’t powerful enough. I’m going to beat you all!
My parents raised me? Why, they only did their duty. It was their problem after all, giving birth to me. If the odds were against them then why fool around and take responsibility for a child?
I’ve pretty much made myself. They gave me just food and shelter. I have made me what I am. Love? No they never gave me love! They knew I’d be a great person once I grew up. They were just investing in the golden goose that is me. Nobody loves without reason after all. In fact they’ve given me such a hard time! Curfews, rules, restrictions -- Oh, the suffocation!!
So when I’m here eating my lavish dinner at Oberoi, my mother can barely cook her curry. She eats it half-cooked as she can’t stand for long. She doesn’t like hotel food, and I can’t live without it forever you know. Jacks gotta play too, or he’ll be a dull boy.
The old man stands next to me in the train pleading, knees shivering, for a place to sit for a while. Why should I? I did all the hard work jumping into the running train. Buzz off old man!
What are you saying? I’ll never be so weak and helpless! Even if I do, I’m sure my children will take care of me. I’ve invested so much in them after all…
Sids comin back soon...
Posted: Nov 04, 2006, 15:45Very Very soon….me counting days since a month now….
BRACE urself PPL :D:D:D
ok zaada ho gaya :P
but me very happy :):):)
Responsible Independence
Posted: Aug 15, 2006, 04:56Today is one of the biggest days in the history of India. Today is the day that we got our Freedom. But what does it really mean for us? What definition of freedom do we go by? What do we know about our Founding Fathers? What do we feel about the Independence Movement that bore fruit 59 years ago? Why do you love Gandhi? More importantly, why do you hate Gandhi?
For the younger generation, us, the British Raj is only what the books tell us. Some tell us that it’s exaggerated and others tell us that it’s all true. Some tell us about the “glory days of the British Raj” when everything was in order unlike now. Others speak of the struggle they had to go through during those difficult times. It is naturally very difficult to relate to it; the Freedom Movement.
There is nothing wrong if you cannot relate to the Independence struggle, the various movements that went in parallel signifying equal contributions of many different minds. But inability to take a stand on the correct approach to attain Freedom does not invalidate Freedom itself. So we need to understand Freedom and acknowledge those who fought for it in those days.
We haven’t been part of the Freedom Struggle so we don’t know what our fathers fought for. Hence, we don’t fully understand Freedom. We would like to enjoy the freedom that comes with Freedom, but we do not even wish to understand the responsibilities that come with it. This failure to understand Freedom invalidates any “respect” we may show to our Founding fathers, for we don’t really respect the gift that they have given us.
We talk of our freedom to spit on the roads. We talk of our equal rights to education when backward class quotas are introduced. We lambast our government for every concievable thing. The BMC doesn’t clean the drains. Why do you litter them? Why do you throw plastic garbage into drains? We are free to do whatever we want, you do your work!
Freedom comes with a price; we have to give others Freedom to do as they wish as well. And Democracy comes with a responsibility. We need to contribute actively to be able to retain our democracy. We, as citizens of an Independent, Democratic nation, are governors of our nation too. That doesn’t only mean that we vote our leaders into power. It means that we do some little things right ourselves and actively participate in the nations development, not just our own.
No one expects us all to run for MLA/MP/CM/PM; that would infact be a bit of a disaster. No one expects us to be social workers/activists either. We simply need to do our duties as citizens. We must refrain from throwing garbage, paper, plastic on the roads. We must refrain from spitting all over the roads. We need to empathise with the socially and economically unfortunate, understand if any special provisions are given to them and if possible, contribute. We need to contribute towards making India a superpower and not just expect the leaders we have “worked so hard to elect”, to do all the work inspite of us. Let us not simply say that “We pay taxes, now you work”. It’s like parents giving money to the child and telling her to go do whatever she wants; the child needs love, care and attention too.
Let us salute our Freedom Fighters today by assuming our responsibilities as Indian Citizens.
Diya is now in Pune
Posted: Aug 15, 2006, 04:54Diya is now in Pune for her ABAP training. Needless to say that I’m missing her a lot.
A Nation of Mazdoors (Yet another random rant)
Posted: Jul 27, 2006, 18:34I recently saw a show on Discovery Channel which showed how Jakarta plans to build a massive tunnel under the city to counter floods. Yes, it was an amazing project; well worth a look for our good ol’ Mumbai as well the moment we’re done feeding the sarkari babus. But another thing crossed my attention. A major number of labourers in the project were Indians.
One would imagine that burly Australians/Americans/Africans would form the majority of the strength-intensive workforce. But that was not the case. It was the thin but firmly built Indians that did the “donkey work”, quite literally. And I wondered to myself; we are excellent servants to everyone.
But then one instance does not prove such a general statement. So off we go, trying to fit this view of India into the people of India, the workers of India. And was it a dificult journey? No, not quite.
From the day we got independence to this day today, Indians all over the country have always wanted one thing; to go abroad. It does not matter where, they just want to go to “vilaayat” to earn money. What do we want to do to earn money? Doesn’t matter. We’ll be servants the in the West but whenever we come back to India we will be respected as “vilaayati babus”.
The Patels and Singhs ran off to England and have little shops there. Their most notable acheivements there? Infiltrating friends and relatives in the country so that they too can start their little grocery store there. Similarly we dominate in the cabbie jobs in the US, we have colonized New Zealand and are doing the same now to Australia, not as anyone’s masters but as workers.
But that is not what prompted me to write this. None of these people claim to be gifted in anything else other than what they have achieved. What prompted me is the Indian view of itself as an “IT Superpower”.
We Indians have a thriving IT services business. Based on this business we claim to be the (emerging) IT Superpower of the world. But do we really master IT? Or are we simply slaves of the West?
The major projects handled by even the topmost Indian IT service companies are of maintenance/support nature. This means that the innovation is already done, now we have to troubleshoot and maintain systems. We have to handle angry calls from our Western (Eastern in case of the Japanese) masters and sometimes, bear racial slur as well. We do not answer back because we’re decent Gandhians who will offer our other cheek when slapped. And yeah, we need the money to feed ourselves.
The rest of the projects are majorly standard systems on an enterprise scale, e.g. a Payroll system for a company. Wait lets call it an Employee Remuneration Resolution System. Wait, no, lets shorten it to ERRS. Now THAT sounds innovative doesn’t it? It doesn’t? Then how about Resource Approval and Payroll Enabler? Sounds heavy right? How about we shorten it to… oh wait…
Indian IT firms do not want to innovate in technology. Long story short, if they decide to innovate they would have to be a little bit more expensive to their Western masters and those masters will simply go to their competitors.
So the IT firms are to blame for not utilizing the “Brilliant IT Brains of India”. Are they?
An average student passing out of BE/BTech/MSc/MCA does not know the basics of computer science. He/She has cleared his/her exams by cramming the words their teacher had dictated in class. They don’t care if a Unix console looked black or a program is compiled or interpreted. They just want a high paying job; they’ll do whatever it takes, even learn belly dancing while balancing a laptop on their chest.
We never think twice before we claim to be one of the most intelligent races on the face of this earth. What do we have to prove that? We have writings of sages, our culture, our arts and our vedic mathematics, science, astronomy, yoga, etc. In other words, everything that we are proud is more than a few thousand years old. So where are the current achievements that make us so invincibly intelligent?
Our IITs, RECs, Medical Schools, etc. are said to be overflowing with brilliant talent. But most of our IIT/REC brainiacs invariably decide to do a Management course and take up a white collar job. All engineers who can afford it will go abroad for higher studies and stay there. What’s left for “innovation” are the “rest” while the “best” head westwards for the dollars/euros/pounds. So we serve; that’s what the people left behind are good for in the end.
A post on Slashdot described India as a potential “worker pool”. so thats what we are, a big pool of servants for the West. Are we?
Then again, I’ll be joining this worker pool soon.