Blame the software???

Yesterday my brother was narrating what happened at his workplace. Before that; he is working for an MNC which serves a large international clientele.

Last month his account was credited with salary which was more than his CTC. He assumed it was the variable pay or some extra pay for working on weekends. Later he enquired and to a surprise many employees got excess salary. Before everyone could even think of celebrating the company sent a mailer saying due to some wrong calculations everyone got credited excess salary and the same shall be deducted next month.

This is how companies are being managed. What quality can be delivered by such people to the clients???

"Indiscipline" has taken over good part of the Software Industry

During my college days, the computer illiterates use to call me a good programmer and under that assumption I used to be in a hurry to keep the name going on. Once there was a task given and we were coding in C. As usual in my hurry to complete it first and faster, I have completed the program. There I press "CTRL+F9" just to see some garbage. Wondering what would have gone wrong I quickly checked the 100 lines of code. Couldn't find an error. My professor came in and started debugging, rather just checking the functionality. In the mean time I think good number of people in my class somehow completed the program.

Still my prof scrolling up and down ... and suddenly I see that I have missed the "&" before the variable name in the "scanf" statement. :-)

That was history, however this is what is happening in the industry today. People are always in a hurry to see their product selling in the market, and in that hurry the programmers deadlines are pushed and what one gets into the market is a faulty product. The sales guy sells it, cos he knows how to handle the POC and a foolish partner picks up the product to implement.

Tough times start when actually people start implementing it.

In the other scenario, these days, people are in such a hurry to implement and show how great they are to their customers; architects are not even making design documents. Finally they mess up the project and somehow deliver some nonsense. If you have read my previous article, its because of such hasty implementations in past the future becomes grim and even after knowing this, people repeat mistakes.

To conclude ... I want to write about a funny experience I had ...
Once when I was taking up a final lab exam for a batch of Electronics engineering, a girl submitted her observations to me. The few details were
Project: Implementation of logical gates using circuits and verifying results.
Precautions:
1. The connections should be tight
2. Readings should be taken without parallax error.

I asked two simple questions.
How do you get parallax error when you have a result of 1 if light glows and a result of 0 if it doesn't?
When from did you start having losses in results if the connections were not tight in electronic experiments?

It happens only in ..........

Recently I visited my Car Service center. While they were working on my car I was going through the workshop and was shocked to read this (last one).

Over-Security consciousness hurts sometimes

Yesterday I was at the PVR Bangalore. I noticed a couple of foreigners arguing with the security at the entrance of the Audi. The guard says they do not allow laptops inside and the couple say its their official laptop and they cannot leave it with the security. They argued with everyone in the hierarchy and finally they left the theater cursing my country and their time. They said they were waiting in the mall for more than two hours just to watch the movie, finally which they couldn’t.

So when it comes to security, where are we heading to? Things meant to keep us happy and safe are troubling us? A theater which charges relatively double to any other ordinary theater in town doesn't provide enough infrastructure where such things can be handled.

Security is something which when dealt by uneducated and unsophisticated people will be the same.

Happy Andhra Formation Day - November 1st

Every time we get holiday on November 1st, sure everyone born in Andhra Pradesh remembers Sri Potti Sriramulu garu.

Is remembering him enough? Does enjoying a holiday alone, makes us a proud and responsible Andhrite?? I am sure we all dont think so. This person gave up his life just to bring this state to us. He gave up food, water, shelter comforts everything for us. Today the state proudly boasts of big time IT parks, huge growth in infrastructure and many other goodies. However, to the very truth, today there are many Potti Sriramulus out there who dont have water to drink and food to eat.

All of these people (freedom fighters) brought us freedom which we couldn't handle properly. Who ponders about this? I am sure all of us do, in our offices, at cubicles at social gatherings etc. Then why dont we have the right results? Because actions are pending.

The first best action which we all should implement is ... I think, we should vote. Every time there is election, wherever we are in India, we should make a point that we go back and vote, because we are educated enough to choose the right leaders.

The second best thing we can do is to save the natural resources like Water, Food, Vegetables etc.

I thought to mention my thoughts this way about a great day.

JAI TELUGU TALLI

Puzzling???

I have been to Visakhapatnam recently. I took a pic at the airport. Can you see the picture clearly and make out whats wrong there?

Ok, chance 2.

Got it? The emergency exit door in the airport was locked with a big size steel lock. I just wonder how did they get the idea of locking the emergency exit. This is how things are.

Is it really necessary to show verbal aggressiveness?

I think Indian cricketers are putting up a bad show. Why should somebody show facial aggressiveness or be aggressive verbally? Actions of the game are the ones which are supposed to be spoken, rather than shouting or using abusive language on the other team.

Phlegmatism should be practised by our team. When they are on the international stage they need to follow the law and rules. If the other team resorts to verbal aggressiveness and uses abusive language the team is expected to lodge a compliant with the authorities. Or, if the example of Arjuna Ranatunga be taken, he has asked his entire team to leave the field quietly when Muttiah muralitharan was given no-ball thrice mentioning his action wasn't right.

Similarly our countrymen can simply walk away from the field saying they used abusive language rather than retaliating in the same fashion. If done so, what difference exists between them and us.

My fellow countrymen, we are professionals and lets be so.

Lord SriRam explains how tough it is on Earth

I don't know who is the author, however couldn't resist posting it here.

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The Lord surveyed the Ram Setu and said "Hanuman, how diligently and strenuously you and your vanara sena had built this bridge several centuries back. It is remarkable that it has withstood the ravages of the climatic and geographical changes over centuries. It is indeed an amazing feat especially considering the fact that a bridge at Hyderabad built by Gammon using latest technology collapsed the other day even before they could stick the posters on its pillars."

Hanuman with all humility spoke "Jai Sri Ram, it is all because of your grace. We just scribbled your name on the bricks and threw them in the sea and they held. No steel from TISCO or cement from Ambuja or ACC was ever used. But Lord, why rake up the old issue now."

Ram spoke "Well, Hanuman some people down there want to demolish the bridge and construct a canal. The contract involves lot of money and lot of money will be made. They will make money on demolition and make more money on construction. "

Hanuman humbly bowed down and said "Why not we go down and present our case"

Ram said "Times have changed since we were down there. They will ask us to submit age proof and we don't have either a birth certificate or school leaving certificate. We traveled mainly on foot and some times in bullock carts and so we don't have a driving license either. As far as the address proof is concerned the fact that I was born at Ayodhya is itself under litigation for over half a century, If I go in a traditional attire with bow and arrow, the ordinary folks may recognize me but Arjun Singh may take me to be some tribal and, at the most, offer a seat at IIT under the reserved category. Also, a God cannot walk in dressed in a three-piece suit and announce his arrival. It would make even the devotees suspicious. So it is dilemma so to say."

"I can vouch for you by saying that I personally built the bridge."

"My dear, Anjani putra, it will not work. They will ask you to produce the lay-out plan, the project details, including financial outlay and how the project cost was met and the completion certificate. Nothing is accepted without documentary evidence in India . You may cough but unless a doctor certifies it, you have no cough. A pensioner may present himself personally but the authorities do not take it as proof. He has to produce a life-certificate to prove that he is alive. It is that complicated."

"Lord can't understand these historians. Over the years you have given darshan once every hundred years to saints like Surdas, Tulsidas, Saint Thyagaraja, Jayadeva, Bhadrachala Ramdas and even Sant Tukaram and still they disbelieve your existence and say Ramayana is a myth. The only option, I see, is to re-enact Ramayana on earth and set the government records straight once for all."

Lord smiled "It isn't that easy today. Ravan is apprehensive that he may look like a saint in front of Karunanidhi. I also spoke to his mama Mareecha, who appeared as a golden deer to tempt Sita maiyya when I was in the forest and he said that he won't take a chance of stepping on earth as long as Salman Khan is around."

Jai Shree Ram

Six years passed - the stains of blood remain

Six long years have passed by and the sight of the twin towers raining to sand and dust is still clear. A day when the entire world was taken back by shock. God knows who are all the people involved in and out other than our times magazine cover photo guy with the long beard, Mr.Laden, one quick question ... what did you achieve?


It has been a tradition world wide to punish brutally the innocent for mistakes of few. What is everyone achieving by spilling out the blood of their brethren? Where are we going ahead in this world?

Columbus came in to find new places to have better world and we started a word called Global village only to live together in peace and prosperity but not to test our new shiny explosive inventions against one another.

We are trying to reach mars, why? So that we can introduce some kind of terrorism there?

A common man be an American, a Palestinian, a Pakistani, an Israealian or an Indian never want a war. People who are hungry dont need bullets, rather need something to eat and some love to share.

There is nothing one can achieve by waging wars, Ashoka taught us this lesson and we still seem not to be interested to learn.

Its time we make this world a wonderful place to live but not a park of landmines. Lets spread love.

My condolences to all those families who lost their loved ones and salute to all those firefighters and armed personnel who lost their lives helping in those situations.

Chakde India

There was a day, when I was one among many other citizens of India, commenting bitterly on the performance of our team at the world cup. Felt they do not have commitment nor interest. Oh one cannot find words of our feelings at that time and just only thinking that the 11 have made a mess.

Today watching the movie, Chakde India, I truly felt I was wrong in my thoughts. No one goes into a game to lose. The only difference is some get right directions to go ahead and some unfortunately are deprived of it. Everyone has ego. All of the 11 players are champions in their own states. Thus fail to either coordinate or give attention to others. May be the army's rule of Break and Build should be adopted for a team to succeed.

Every point in the movie only showed that TEAM WORK is the only key to succeed. I have really learnt my lesson out of this wonderful movie.

Rising Rupee & The software Industry

The country is equally happy and sad about the rupee's value rising. All the people who are getting the money in form of $$$ are crying these days. There are few intelligent people who say, that software professionals now should work for six days a week. Few managers think that the salaries should be cut. Most companies think freshers are better, as the cost is low, and they should be hiring freshers like crazy.

These were the same people, who previously never were ready to give opportunities to freshers. I have few points to say/ask all these people who are trying to kill the happiness of IT staff and anticipate success.

1. Do you know how much bench are you maintaining?
2. Do you know how many people are just coming to office and spending time in lawns and cafeterias?
3. Do you know what are your stationary costs for every department?
4. Do you know how many people use laptops in the purpose they are meant to be used?
5. Do you know how many people make personal telephone calls from office?
6. Do you know if all your delivery managers are taking right decisions in sending people to onsite?
7. Do you know how much money is wasted in booking and cancellations of train and air tickets due to wrong decisions by senior management?
8. Do you know how much of money is wasted because of few processes not being automatized?

THE BIG QUESTION

9. Do you know why is the attrition rate so high in your organization?
10. Do you atleast realize that people leave only because of managers not for a name?
11. Do you know what is the cost implication if an employee resigns?
12. Do you have a check whether your managers are trying their best to retain people?
13. Do you have a check on your managers, whether they are acting with their intellects or acting with their egos, when dealing with their subordinates?
14. Do you know how much of money is being wasted because of mismanagement or wrong planning?

These are the areas where one should look to cut costs, mere increase of billable hours/working hours of employees doesn't suffice. On an average, in a reputed company in India, every employee works for more than 10 hours a day. That makes whooping 50 hours. All this time he is subjected to stress.

Companies I think should check how can they make the employees perform better, but not longer. This world is about working smartly, not the other way.

Lets try and make things better smartly, rather than just behaving like confused kids. All comments are welcome.

Why India is still a developing country?

This article came as a email forward to me. I couldn't resist myself posting it here.

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.

NDTV, BBC, CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be that this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?

Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house. Medha Patkar goes on a fast along with other grasshoppers demanding that grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter. Amnesty International and Koffi Annan criticize the Indian Government for not upholding the fundamental rights of the grasshopper. The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support to the grasshopper (many promising Heaven and Everlasting Peace for prompt support as against the wrath of God for non-compliance) . Opposition MP's stage a walkout.Left parties call for "Bharat Bandh" in West Bengal and Kerala demanding a Judicial Enquiry.CPM in Kerala immediately passes a law preventing Ants from working hard in the heat so as to bring about equality of poverty among ants and grasshoppers.

Lalu Prasad allocates one free coach to Grasshoppers on all Indian Railway Trains, aptly named as the 'Grasshopper Rath'.

Finally, the Judicial Committee drafts the Prevention of Terrorism Against Grasshoppers Act [POTAGA]", with effect from the beginning of the winter.

Arjun Singh makes Special Reservation for Grass Hopper in educational Insititutions & in Govt Services.

The ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government and handed over to the grasshopper in a ceremony covered by NDTV.

Arundhati Roy calls it "a triumph of justice". Lalu calls it 'Socialistic Justice'. CPM calls it the 'revolutionary resurgence of the downtrodden' Koffi Annan invites the grasshopper to address the UN General Assembly.

Many years later...The ant has since migrated to the US and set up a multi billion dollar company in silicon valley.100s of grasshoppers still die of starvation despite reservation somewhere in India ...

As a result of loosing lot of hard working ants and feeding the grasshoppers India is still a developing country .....