Parag-BlogDiary

Book: The Google Story

2011-11-03T00:24:00.000+05:30

Author: David Vise with Mark Malseed

I purchased this book for a mere Rs 100/- in Aundh, Pune. I (like many others) always wanted to know the story of Google's success and how Google actually makes money, while providing everyone online with free services, namely its search engine.

The author has given insights into many interesting events and aspects relating to Google and the Google Guys (founders of Google).

Amongst the first ones is - the Google Guys, right from their college days, pursued excellence. This is how they began to build the world's best search engine. And they never bothered about starting a company or how to make profits, from the search engine. The only thing mattered was to build the 'Search Engine' which would cater to all needs, even if it meant 'downloading the entire internet'. This reminds me of the Hindi movie '3 Idiots', where Aamir Khan's character tries to explain to his fellow mates that while studying (or work) everyone should go for excellence and success will follow. For some, this would be a far-fetched idea. But this is what the Google Guys have done and shown a pragmatic example to the world to see.

Among other things that I admired in the book, is how the Google Guys raised start-up money from friends and investors, but continued to pursue excellence. They never let anyone pressurize them and came up with great way to monetize Google and also retain their holding.

Another very interesting event discussed in the book is the Google work culture. The most I liked was the hiring of a full time chef 'Charlie Syers', whose job was to provide great food for the employees of Google. Hence the employees never had to worry about such things, but would only concentrate on their work. With the kind of culture Google created, such as, focus on innovation, providing food, to university like environment, Google must be the dream company to work with.
Frequently, from my own personal experience, I have found that the company's work culture affects the productivity of the employees. And maintaining a good and conducive work culture goes in benefiting the company in the long run.

Some interesting events penned down are how the Google's IPO, deals and competition with Yahoo, Microsoft, problem in China and several objections, litigation, etc were handled. Also new ideas such as digitizing entire books, genetics research, etc are in progress. It really takes courage to go through these things.

Finally, I found few Indian names mentioned in the book and their important contributions. Not just in Google, but the service that they have provided to the world via Google is laudable. (Google News is created by Krishna Bharat.)

Overall a great book to read and has definitely become one of my favorite books.

Entrepreneurs

2011-09-17T00:38:00.000+05:30

Good link for start-up companies and entrepreneurs: http://sprouter.com/

O'Reilly's E-books

2010-11-18T00:17:00.004+05:30

This link provides lot of O'Reilly e-books on Perl, Php, Java, Unix, etc

http://docstore.mik.ua/orelly/

Book: Rich Dad Poor Dad

2010-02-17T16:53:00.004+05:30

Author: Robert Kiyosaki with Sharon Lechter

This book is an eye opener. The author rightly states that in schools/colleges, students learn and acquire and study a skill, so that they can work later on and earn money. What is NOT taught is how to utilize that money. Hence many times, we all come across people who get lot of money in a short while, but again end up becoming bankrupt. Whereas some people, in spite of not having a lot of money, go on to become millionaires. Here is where financial knowledge comes into picture. Hence the author tries to emphasize on developing each one's financial intelligence.

Important things that I learnt from this book are -

Understanding the difference between assets and liability
Understanding one's cash flow pattern
Understanding the different income types

The author has invented a game called CashFlow. The game is similar to Monopoly. But tries to teach how to get out of the daily 'rat race'. I found a great animation of the game on the internet http://cashflow.vo.llnwd.net/o16/cashflow3.swf

Government of India Offices links

2009-12-22T19:20:00.000+05:30

All government office related links are available... ..

Obtain:

· Birth Certificate

· Caste Certificate

· Tribe Certificate

· Domicile Certificate

· Driving Licence

· Marriage Certificate

· Death Certificate

· Search More - How do I

Apply for:

· PAN Card

· TAN Card

· Ration Card

· Passport

· Inclusion of name in the Electoral Rolls

· Search More - How do I

Register:

· Land/Property

· Vehicle

· With State Employment Exchange

· As Employer

· Company

· .IN Domain

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· Search More - How do I

Check/Track:

· Waiting list status for Central Government Housing

· Status of Stolen Vehicles

· Land Records

· Cause list of Indian Courts

· Court Judgments (JUDIS )

· Daily Court Orders/Case Status

· Acts of Indian Parliament

· Exam Results

· Speed Post Status

· Agricultural Market Prices Online

· Search More - How do I

Book/File/Lodge:

· Train Tickets Online

· Air Tickets Online

· Income Tax Returns

· Complaint with Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)

· Search More - How do I

Contribute to:

· Prime Minister's Relief Fund

· Search More - How do I

Others:

· Send Letters Electronically

· Search More - How do I

Search for Available Services

Select from the menu to know the available Services contributed by Central Government Ministries/Departme nts, State Government, UT.

Advance Search

Recently Added Online Services

· Tamil Nadu: Online application of marriage certificate for persons having registered their marriages

· Tamil Nadu: Online District wise soil Details of Tamil Nadu

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· Meghalaya: Search Electoral Roll Online by Name (2008)

· Meghalaya: Search Electoral Roll Online by EPIC number (2008)

· Meghalaya: Search Electoral Roll Online by House number (2008)

· Himachal Pradesh: Revised Pay and Arrears Calculator-Fifth Pay

· Meghalaya: Search Electoral Roll Online by Part number (2008)

· Andhra Pradesh: Online Motor Driving School Information

Global Navigation

· Citizens

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How to plan for the coming new year - by Robin Sharma

2009-12-22T19:15:00.001+05:30

Step #1: Evaluate 2009. Do a written story recording what went well this past year and, even more importantly, what areas you could improve on. Also list all your wins and as many high points as you can recall. Get a clear picture of how you showed up.

Step #2: Set Your Theme. Come up with a theme for 2010. It may be "The Year of Financial Freedom" or "The Year of Work Excellence" or "The Year of Fearlessness". But get a theme into a document you can start reviewing every week.

Step #3: Create a Mission. The next step is to develop a one paragraph mission statement and put it into this document. Clarity precedes mastery so the more clear your ultimate mountaintop for 2010 is, the greater your focus will be. And the most positive results you'll see.

Step #4: List Your Big 5. OK, now ask yourself this powerful self-coaching question: "What 5 things need to happen between now and December 31, 2010 for this to have been the single most successful year of my life to date?" Write down those five goals as simply and clearly as possible into this document.

Step #5: Sequence Your Big 5. Now break your Big 5 down into quarterly goals. Set 5 core goals for the first/second/third and fourth quarters of 2010 to ensure you nail your Big 5. Review these every week. Reflect on them everyday if you really want to win. Make these strategic objectives the sole focus of your life.

Step #6: Refocus Every Morning. Life's job is to distract you. Your job is to stay staggeringly focused on what's most important. Take 15 minutes during your morning resetting period to reflect on your goals, to envision your best moves and to track out a day that's productive, passionate and fun.

Step #7: Get Devoted to Learning. The #1 skill of super successful people is that they are relentless learners. While others are wasting time on low-value websites or watching mindless reality tv shows, they are listening to audio programs, studying books on leadership and success and basically creating a rich, beautiful and meaningful life. As you journey through each day of 2010, make the time to fuel your brain with ideas on excellence and creating your absolute best. Nothing's more important than that. And please remember that all it takes is a single idea to transform the way you lead and how you live.

Health Tips

2009-12-10T19:19:00.003+05:30

My Ayurvedic Doctor has given me the following health tips -

Milk and Fruits should never be consumed at the same time.
Milk and Fish should never be consumed at the same time. For both (1 and 2), the interval between consumption of the two should be at least one and half hour.
Dahi or Yoghurt should never be heated.
Hot Oil (Oils that are hot in nature example mohari) should never be applied to the head/ head hair.
In case of gases, kadha of Dhaney (1 spoon) + Badishoop (1 spoon) + little bit of suntha should be made. Take 2 cups of water + above contents and heat it till it becomes 1 cup. Suntha should be added only in winter.
When feeling low mentally, drink gold kadha, add a pure gold ring ( no gemstones, etc) to water (4 cups). Heat it till it becomes 1 cup.

How to select good share for buying

2009-10-29T19:50:00.002+05:30

How to select good share for buying.

The Parameters

1. Ploughback/Reserves : Looking to buy stocks but worried about how to select them? Are you confused by the various pearls of investment wisdom bestowed upon you by stock market analysts? Well, its time to get a grip on some fundas, which can be a good launch pad to learn your way around stocks. You could start out by understanding the ratios described in this article to come out a winner in stock selection in the long run. Every year, the company divides its net profit (profit left after subtracting various expenses including taxes) in two portions: ploughback and dividends. While dividends are handed out to the shareholders, ploughback is kept by the company for its future use and is included in its reserves.

Ploughback is essential because besides boosting the company's reserves, it is a source of funds for the company's expansion plans. Hence if you are looking for a company with good growth prospects, check its ploughback figures. Reserves are also known as shareholders' funds, since they belong to the shareholders. If a company's reserves are twice its equity capital, it can reward its shareholders with a generous bonus. Also, any increase in reserves will push up the share price.

2. Book Value Per Share: This ratio shows the worth of each share of a company as per the company's accounting books. It is calculated as: Book Value per share = Shareholders' funds/Total quantity of equity shares issued

Shareholders' funds can be computed by subtracting the total liabilities (money owed to creditors) of the company from its total assets. It can also be calculated by adding the equity capital to the company's reserves. Book value is an old record that uses the original purchase prices of the assets.

However it doesn't show the present market price of the company's assets. As a result, this ratio has a restricted use when it comes to estimating the market price of the shares, but can give you an estimate of the minimum price of the company's shares. It will also help you judge if the share price is overpriced or under-priced.

3. Earnings Per Share (EPS): One of the most popular investment ratios, it can be computed as: Earnings Per Share (EPS) = Profit Post Tax/Total quantity of equity shares issued This ratio computes the company's earnings on a per share basis. E.g. you own 100 shares of ABC Co, each having a face value of Rs 10. Assume the earnings per share is Rs 10 and the dividend declared is 30%, or Rs 3 per share. This implies that on every share of ABC Co, you earn Rs 6 each year, but you actually get Rs 3 via dividend. The balance of Rs 4 per share goes into the ploughback (retained earnings). Had you purchased these shares at par, it implies a return of 60%.This example shows that instead of looking at the dividends received from to company as the base of investment returns, always look at earnings per share, as it is the actual indicator of the returns earned by your shares.

4. Price Earnings Ratio (P/E): This ratio highlights the connection between the market price of a share and its EPS. Price/Earnings Ratio (P/E) = Price of the share/Earnings per share. It shows the degree to which earnings of a share are protected by its price. E.g. if the P/E is 40, it means the share price is 40 times its earnings. So if the company's EPS is constant, it will need about 40 years to make up for the purchase price of the share, after taking into account the dividends and the capital appreciation. Hence low P/E means you will recover your money quickly.

P/E ratio shows what the market thinks about the earnings potential and future business forecast of a company. Companies with high P/E ratios are the darlings of the investors and thus enjoy a higher market rating. In order to use the P/E ratio properly, take into account the future earnings and growth projections of the company. If the current P/E ratio is low, as against the future prospects of a company, then the shares make an attractive investment option. But if the company is saddled with losses and falling sales, stay away from it, despite the low P/E ratio.

5. Dividend & Yield: Dividend is the portion of the profit that is distributed amongst shareholders. Companies offering high dividends, normally don't have much of growth to talk about. This is because the ploughback required to finance future development is insufficient. Similarly, those companies in high growth sector don't give any dividend. Instead here they give sharp capital appreciation, which ultimately will lead to higher dividends. So it makes much more sense to invest for capital appreciation instead of dividends. Rather it makes more sense to invest for yield, which is nothing but the association between the dividends and the market price of the shares. Yield (dividend yield) can be calculated as: Yield = (Dividend per share/market price of a share) x 100

Yield shows the returns in percentage that you can expect via dividends earned by your investment at the current market price. It is more useful than simply focusing on the dividends.

6. Return on Capital Employed (ROCE):

ROCE is the ratio that is calculated as - Operating profit/capital employed (net value + debt)

To get operating profit, add old taxes paid, depreciation, special one-off expenses, and special one-off income and miscellaneous income to get the net profit.

The operating profit is a far better indicator of the profits earned by the company instead of the net profit. Hence this ratio is the better indicator of the general performance of the company and the company's operational efficiency.

It is one of the most useful ratio that lets you compare amongst the companies.

7. Return on Net Worth (RONW):

RONW is calculated as RONW = Net Profit/Net Worth

This ratio gives you an idea of the returns generated by investing in the company. While ROCE is an effective measure to get a general overview of the profitability of the company's business operations, RONW lets you gauge the returns you can earn on your investment. When used along with ROCE, you get an overview of the company's competence, financial standing and its capacity to generate returns on shareholders' finances and capital employed.

8. PEG RATIO: PEG is an essential and extensively used ratio for calculating the inbuilt worth of a share. It helps you decide whether the share is under-priced, totally priced or overpriced. To derive the ratio, you have to associate the P/E ratio with the expected growth rate of the company. It assumes that higher the growth rate of the company, higher the P/E ratio of the company's shares. Vice versa also holds true.

PEG = P/E/expected growth rate of the EPS of the company. In general, a PEG lesser than 0.5 is a lucrative investment opportunity. However if the PEG exceeds 1.5, it is time to sell. These are some of the most critical ratios that must be considered when purchasing a share. Read up extensively on the financial performance of the company you choose to invest in, it will be a huge help in arriving at your final decsion.

Source: BankBazaar.com

Book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

2009-10-02T16:06:00.004+05:30

Author: Stephen Covey

This is among the best self help books available. As I read many books, I tend to classify them into 4 categories -

Books that are less interesting and also have less content value - not much worth learning
Books such as some story books which are interesting but don't teach a lot
Books that are interesting and also provide a lot of value - teach lot of good stuff
Books that may seem not that interesting but have huge value. They teach a lot. For instance, during school days, one feels that some subjects are interesting, but some are not. But still they must be learnt, because they have high content value. They teach a lot. I call these books - study books

This book is a study book in self - help. Some parts may feel less interesting, but the content in the book is extremely useful. In many things, it changes the paradigms of the person.

Among the most useful content that I found was

Concept of interdependent people
Synergy
Win/Win solutions
Planning based on weekly basis
Quadrant II lifestyle

To know more, read the book - just wonderful.

How to do things -- Links

2009-10-02T12:37:00.002+05:30

http://www.ehow.com/ --- How To Do Just About Everything

http://www.indiahowto.com/ ---- how to (Local website - related to India)

Book: The Alchemist

2009-08-13T19:33:00.003+05:30

Author: Paulo Coelho

This is one of the best books I have read so far. This book is about a young boy who goes about pursuing his dreams. He follows his dream to become a shepherd. He further dreams of a treasure and gathers up the courage to follow that dream. He learns many many things in the process. A wonderful fable that teaches as it delights. The book teaches us to get out of the comfort zone. And to understand the Language of the World.

This quote is widely used in the book - "when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it".

In the SRK Hindi movie, Om Shanti Om, this quote was translated and widely used.

The ending is especially for anyone who wants to pursue his dreams, but may be thinking of the pros and cons and eventually decides not go ahead.

Exit Interviews

2009-07-18T20:48:00.001+05:30

This is another good article from mindtools.com

Exit Interviews

Getting Feedback from Departing Staff

Do you want to know what is really going on in your organization? Then talk to people who are leaving. Departing employees may leave for very good reasons, and learning what these are can help you improve your company's performance. All you need to do is find out what these reasons are!

The information collected in an exit interview can give you a unique perspective on how satisfied your people are, as well as on the performance of your organization. People tend to be brutally honest about their experiences in an exit interview – they no longer have to please their bosses, and they have little to fear by being honest. Because of this, the feedback you get from exit interviews can be very useful for identifying problems with operations, performance and staff retention.

Your exit interviews may reveal a common theme. You can then focus on this and turn it into a catalyst for change. Perhaps your salary and benefits package is not generous enough? Maybe your promotional opportunities are too limited? Or perhaps you might hear consistent complaints about a certain manager, and decide to investigate the issue yourself. If you aren't conducting exit interviews you're missing out on some really great information!

Video lectures from IIT -

2009-07-17T20:14:00.002+05:30

http://www.nptel.iitm.ac.in/index.php

Logos

2009-07-11T16:44:00.001+05:30

Link of different logos of different websites such as Google, etc - http://www.allmyfaves.com/

Dr B R Ambedkar books

2009-04-15T19:24:00.001+05:30

Huge list of books and resources of the great 'Dr B R Amberkar'

http://drambedkarbooks.wordpress.com/dr-b-r-ambedkar-books/

Software Engineering Resuorces

2009-04-13T20:20:00.001+05:30

Huge list of links for software engineering, software process improvement, SPIN, ISO 9001, etc.

http://www.tantara.ab.ca/info.htm#extrainf

Manual installation of Php 5.2

2009-04-04T20:08:00.003+05:30

I was trying to install Php 5.2. But I faced several problems while doing so. My OS is Windows XP. Php website is http://php.net/. I downloaded the windows installer. But it was quitting abruptly. Then I had to switch to manual installation. A comprehensive document is already provided on this linkhttp://www.php.net/manual/en/install.windows.manual.php. But I extracted the main points from the manual so that installation will be easier for me, if needed again. The steps also include configuring IIS.

Following are the steps:

Download the zip file (windows binaries) from http://www.php.net/downloads.php
Extract the zip file to C:\php
By default there are 2 .ini files - php.ini-dist and php.ini-recommended. Use php.ini-recommended and rename it to php.ini. Set the necessary settings required for the application to be built in php.ini. Copy php.ini from C:\php to C:\Winnt.
Copy php5isapi.dll from C:\php to C:\Winnt\system32
Go to Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Internet Services Manager
In ISM, select 'Default Website' Properties. Go to ISAPI Filter tab. 'Add' new filter. Filter Name -> php and Executable -> C:\php\php5isapi.dll
In ISM, Select 'Home Directory' tab. Press 'Configuration' button. Add ext -> php and executable -> C:\php\php5isapi.dll
Restart IIS service
Test php installation.

Book: The monk who sold his ferrari

2009-04-02T20:17:00.005+05:30

Author: Robin Sharma

I had heard a lot of about this book. Several times I had searched in the library, but it had already been issued by other people. Fortunately I got it this time. My expectations were very high from this book. And this book surpassed all my expectations. Hats off to the author!!!!

This is probably among the best self-management books that I have read so far. Lot of timeless and priceless secrets are shared in this book. Well many self-improvement books have them. So what is special in this book. In addition to the explanation of the secrets, techniques are given how to actually implement them in daily life. This is practical stuff. Many things are new and I had definitely not heard/read them before. And since all of this is written in the form of a fable, it is more interesting.

This is a book worth reading by everyone especially, working people. When I mention this book to anyone, they have heard about it. They know it is a self-management book. But have not found time to read it. My humble suggestion to such people is to take some time from their busy schedule and read this book. It is only 200 pages!

Finally, Robin Sharma has created his own social networking type of website called http://www.successnation.com

Project planning - risk management links

2009-02-27T20:01:00.003+05:30

Software Program Managers Network: http://www.spmn.com/

Info of risks on Software Engineering Institue: http://www.sei.cmu.edu/risk/risk.faq.html

Risks Digest: http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks

Earned Value Analysis: http://www.acq.osd.mil/pm/

Make the Most of the 'Present' which is Now

2009-02-23T20:17:00.000+05:30

Make the Most of the “Present” Which is Now - by Pushpa Sreenivasan

via Oracle Corporation Recruitment Blog by david.talamelli on 2/22/09

When you look around, you notice the usual buzz of high-pressure work has diluted. With it we are gifted with abundance of time. Though it’s a gift that we have received in abundance, a lot of us don’t seem to have realised so. Here are some simple tid-bits about how we can make the most of the present, which is “now”:

1) Increase your Network: While I was attending a conference titled women 2:0, the senior speaker was mentioning how she also networked with various people within her organisation despite her hectic schedule. She would fix lunch sessions with different people everyday. I know, lunchtime is precious for you to relax and don’t want to include business. Why not mix business with pleasure? Its not everyday you go and have lunch with unknown people. Consider doing it once a week. Fix up to have lunch with a colleague from a different team. Think about the gain in return. Firstly, you get to know your colleague better and you never know you may just discover you and him share passion for a same thing. Secondly, you are not going out of your way spending your time to do this but utilising your lunchtime. Thirdly, you build your network. Fourthly, you are taking a first step to come out of your comfort zone and making an attempt to feel comfortable with strangers. Try it and see the results.

2) Develep hobbies: Each one of us is gifted with 24 hours of time every single day. When you look around, you find how some people are multiskilled while some are not. Sometime back, this is what our VP Jan had to say in one of his meetings with the team. He insisted we pick up one hobby every year and excel in that. Just imagine the number of skills we would have picked up after 10 years. It is going to be astonoshing imagine 10 new skills apart from climbing your regular career ladder. For this to happen, you have to devote at least 30 minutes to 1 hr every day religiously from your schedule. Are you saying, “Where is the time”. Save time and invest in these hobbies. This surely will take you a long way.

3) Multitask: Another best way to increase your productivity at work or at home is by multitasking. It’s an art that you can gain expertise with lot of practice. Look for various things around you that can help you multitask. Lets say you have sent a document for a print out and the printer is 20 meters away from your desk. Combine this with a micro break from your work, to network with a colleague on the way and pick up your print out. You have done 3 things at a time than doing 3 things individually.

4) Reskill: “If you want what you never had, do something that you have never done” so goes a saying. In order to reach more heights in your life, make skills development as your religion. Along with your regular work, enroll to a course, which will add another degree to your career but also gives multidimension to your life. This way, your primary goal of climbing your career ladder is taken care of. Also you will achieve your secondary goals of adding more degrees. At the end of it all, you are more skilled than people around.

5) Productivity: If you want to know how productive you were at your work, take a look at your activities on a day-to-day basis. Though your productive hours at your work need to be 9 hours, we all know we are not putting in all 9 hours. There is some wastage time in the process. Considering all that, your productive hours at work will be anywhere between 5-6 hrs only. You need to fill in as many activities as possible in these 5-6 hours. Make the most of 5-6 hours to get all that you want out of 9 hours.

6) Avoid time stealers: They say, “Time is like a coin. Don’t allow somebody else spend your penny”. What I mean by this is, don’t allow somebody else spend your time. These could be unwanted emails, interruptions for calls, invitation for casual conversations or any of these sorts. Find out what is stealing your time and put a full stop to it and save it for yourself. Make your own judgement to say “no” for any stealers.

7) Use calendar: One of the very best ways to save time and make the most of it is, use the calendar. It not only works like your personal organiser, but also helps you plan your day. One of my colleage uses the calendar diligently. At the end of every week, when he looks at his calendar he knows very well what he did best, where he erred and what has to be the scope of improvement for the coming week. On the day he takes off, he strikes the sheet. This I think is the first step to becoming great in your own life.

8) Discipline: Consider this. You want to take a break from work and walk into the cafeteria. It is up to you if you want to spend an hour there or stick to 10 minutes break. Discipline goes a long way in shaping your outlook towards time. That’s why it is said “invest time and not spend. Investment leads to returns”. Discipline your usage of time and invest it in various other streams to see the returns.

9) Read one article per day and use it: Develop this brilliant habit of reading one article per day apart from your regular dose of newspapers and books. Subscribe to articles that are widely available on the net free of cost and read them atleast one per day. The insight that is gained through these is unmatchable to any learning that you get.

The author of this article has been with the Oracle India Recruitment Team for the past three years and can be contacted at pushpalatha.sreenivasan@oracle.com

Good technical links for project planning

2009-02-22T20:15:00.003+05:30

Info about outsourcing : http://www.outsourcing.com/

Info about COCOMO ( Constructive Cost Model) : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COCOMO

Info about project planning : http://www.qsm.com/

Info about decision tree : http://www.mindtools.com/dectree.html

Book: The Greatness Guide

2009-02-17T19:45:00.003+05:30

Author: Robin Sharma

Robin Sharma is one of the world's top success coaches. His ideas have been embraced by celebrity CEO's, leading enterprenuers and many FORTUNE 500 companies. He is the author of the famous book 'The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari'.

I had heard a lot of the book 'The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari'. I have not read it. But when I found the book 'The Greatness Guide' and came to know that Robin Sharma was the author, I immediately picked it up to read.

This book has 101 short chapters which offer priceless advice. The author expresses all the advices with his personal experiences or his observations. Which is what I liked the most about the book. I agree to whatever is written in the book. But following it is easier said than done. I hope I can follow the great advices given here and improve life.

Robin Sharma's website : http://www.robinsharma.com/

Here one can find a free audio lecture 'Extraordinary Leadership' by Robin Sharma. It is approx 1 hour lecture. It is an mp3 file with filesize approx 15MB

Academic Earth

2009-02-07T13:16:00.002+05:30

http://academicearth.org/

This website provides thousands of video lectures from the world's top scholars

Book: It Happened in India

2009-02-02T12:58:00.004+05:30

As usual, I went to the NCL library to pick a new book to read. I had looked at this book earlier, but did not pick it. This time I picked it up and wasn't expecting that it would be a great book. But I was completely wrong. This book is just fantastic!!!!!

This book is an autobiography of Kishore Biyani. He is the owner of Pantaloon retail, Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar and FutureBazaar.com. He is referred as KB or Kishoreji in the book. After reading the book, I have become his fan.

He writes how he started his business from scratch. Early in his young days, he observed his famly business and told them that it will not make huge profits. Well, to make such a comment is itself quite a daring thing. He explains this very nicely - Every business can be defined in 3 modes - creater, preserver and destroyer. Once the business enters the preserving mode, it is basically simply sustaining itself. Hence the profit margins remain low and then over a period of time, business will not grow. To grow business, creation and destruction is important. This means trying something new and keep on innovating. This takes a lot of learning, unlearning and re-learning.

There are so many new things that are expressed in the book, which are completely different from the usual conventional methods. This is a must read book for all sales and maketing personnel, MBAs. In fact, I would recommend it for anyone from a junior staff to a senior manager. So many new things I have learnt from this book. I just want to thank Kishoreji for taking time out for writing this great book.

Book: Five Point Someone

2009-01-05T19:47:00.004+05:30

Book Name: Five Point Someone

Author: Chetan Bhagat

Another interesting story from Chetan Bhagat. Actually this is his first book. But I read One Night @ Call Center first. Since I liked his story telling, I wanted to read this book. Fortunately, I found a copy of this book in NCL library and brought it home to read.

Another dark and witty story. Story is full of humour and the fun and serious moments are described very nicely. A good book to read, especially for college going students, as what NOT to do in college years.

Link on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Point_Someone_-_What_not_to_do_at_IIT

A movie called 'Three Idiots' is being made, based on this book. It stars Aamir Khan (one of my favourite actors). Hope this movie becomes successful.

Free ebooks sites

2009-01-04T20:13:00.002+05:30

The following link of Project Gutenberg offers free ebooks.

http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

Book: One Night @ Call Center

2009-01-02T19:34:00.004+05:30

Book name: One Night @ Call Center

Author: Chetan Bhagat

Usually, the backside of book describes, what the book is about. And this is what it is - The book is about six people working in a call center, set in one night. And then they get a phone call. That phone call was from God.

This was enough for me to start reading the book. It is a dark and witty novel. Well, the term dark is in itself dark - meaning language is very informal and some instances actually shocked me.

The novel is full of humour. For some of them, I actually burst out laughing.

The narration of the story is just fantastic and captivating. The fun and serious moments are described beautifully. There are some instances to which I could actually relate to - such as the use of management jargon (This is like comparing apples to oranges. I am sure every newcomer to industry gets puzzled by this phrase), or the description of network printer. Overall a great book to read.

Details of book on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Night_@_the_Call_Center

A hindi movie 'Hello' was made on this book. I heard it did not do well at box office. I have not seen it, but the book is great!

Author's webpage: http://www.chetanbhagat.com/

Quotable Quotes

2008-12-16T00:58:00.002+05:30

Interesting Quotes I found in a dairy -

The optimist sees oppurtunity in every danger, the pessimist sees danger in every oppurtunity

However great a man is, he has to bow before God and his barber.

If you do anything just for money you don't succeed.

A liar needs a good memory

Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars

Observation, not old age, brings wisdom

A bad servant can never be a good master

The Power on Generosity

2008-11-26T00:32:00.002+05:30

Excerpt from an excellent article from www.mindtools.com

Here are some practical tips to enhance our generosity of spirit:

Give people a sense of importance: In Adele Lynn's book, In Search of Honor: Lessons from Workers in How to Build Trust, we learn that 55% of workers value "giving people a sense of importance" as the number one item for building trust in the workplace. Consider what small actions you could take intentionally today to make people feel that the work they do is important, and that they themselves, as people, are important to your team.
Give feedback, not criticism: If giving frequent criticism is your style of management, consider some of these questions: Is your motivation genuine, or is it to gain points? Are you picking the right moment? Are you stopping to reflect how you might deliver the feedback while still honoring the other person?
Give people visibility: Giving people visibility in your organization is a special gift we bestow to help others shine and grow. I encourage you to think how you might give people more access to senior executives, and more access to your boss. Consider as well that people like to know that their boss's boss knows the great contributions they made to a project, or about their significant effort in writing a report that does not bear their name. Knowing that our leader is representing us well to upper management is a high-octane motivator, and engenders fierce loyalty.
Give anonymously: Real generosity of spirit is doing something for someone without their knowledge. Think of one or two deserving people in your organization that you can help by planting a career-enhancing seed on their behalf - perhaps saying something positive about their work to someone in authority?
Know when to forgive: Martin Luther King said that "The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind." Consider how harboring vindictive thoughts, even though so compelling at times, is nothing but violence to oneself. A characteristic of a generous person is a total lack of resentment – it's in effect being too noble, too big for that. Who do you need to forgive? What do you need to let go?
Give encouragement: Look around you and pick someone who needs encouragement, and resolve to give them that. Consider that some people have never received encouragement in their life – not from teachers, not from bosses, not even from parents.
Give opportunity: One of the most valuable gifts we can give someone is giving them a chance. Is there someone right now to whom you could give a second chance to prove themselves? If so, what active steps can you take to create the right circumstances for them to succeed? What doors can you open for someone who is well deserving, but not well positioned to be noticed?
Share your knowledge and experience: Resolve to become a philanthropist of know-how. What knowledge, expertise, or best practices can you share with others as a way to enrich them? For inspiration, read about other leaders who practice teaching in their organization for everyone's benefit – for example, Jack Welch, whose calendar was filled with hundreds of hours spent teaching thousands of GE managers and executives at the company's training center at Croton-on-Hudson; or the ex-CEO of Intel, Andy Grove, who devoted considerable amounts of time to teaching newly hired and senior managers his philosophy on how to lead in an industry where innovation goes stale very quickly.
Give moral support: Public speaking is known to be among the greatest fears experienced by millions of people. The next time you attend a presentation given by an apprehensive team member, practice giving them moral support. The simplest of generous acts are abstaining from checking your Blackberry, giving the odd nod in agreement, and practicing looking with kind eyes. Finally, take some inspiration from Walt Whitman's beautiful words: "The habit of giving enhances the desire to give." Giving is like building a muscle. It requires practice and persistence – once it becomes habitual, you will emerge as a stronger leader

Software technical online tutorials

2008-11-04T19:07:00.001+05:30

http://www.technicalcontents.com/

This site has lot of articles.

Info about Pune

2008-09-14T00:17:00.001+05:30

Another link which has info about Pune. This is government wiki site with discussion boards.
http://government.wikia.com/wiki/Pune

Info about Pune

2008-08-06T23:48:00.002+05:30

Another good link giving info about Pune.

Eg: Pune hotels, Pune hospitals, Pune yellow pages, etc

http://www.punesite.com/

MBA

2008-07-30T00:43:00.001+05:30

Following link gives info about MBA in India. It also has info on distance learning.
http://www.indianmba.com/

Never walk without a goal

2008-06-17T00:41:00.001+05:30

A nice article I found on www.realage.com
Walking shoes -- check. Pedometer -- got it. But do you have a goal?
No goal? Better set one. It doesn’t even matter if you hit the mark. People who put a target on their radar -- like walking 10,000 steps a day -- walk a whole lot more than people who don’t have a goal. Studies prove it.
The End Game -
Walking 10,000 steps a day is an ideal physical activity goal, according to new guidelines. And in a large review of the research, scientists discovered that people with this goal -- or a personalized step plan -- literally walked the extra mile, logging about 2,000 extra steps a day. Plus, when people tracked their progress with a pedometer, they lost weight and improved their blood pressure.

Go Green

2008-06-17T00:36:00.002+05:30

The following link tells us about the 50 things to do to save our environment.
http://www.morganstanley.com/about/community/littlegreenebook/

How are realized profits different from unrealized or so-called "paper" profits?

2008-06-13T00:38:00.002+05:30

A good article I found on http://www.investopedia.com/
When buying and selling assets for profit, it is important for investors to differentiate between realized profits and gains, and unrealized or so-called "paper profits".Simply put, realized profits are gains that have been converted into cash. In order words, for you to realize profits from an investment you've made, you must receive cash and not simply witness the market price of your asset increase without selling. For example, if you owned 1,000 common shares of XYZ Corporation, and the firm issued a cash dividend of $0.50 per share, you would realize a profit of $500 from your investment. This is a realized profit because you have received the actual cash, which cannot be lost due to changes in the marketplace.

Similarly, let's say you purchased your 1,000 XYZ shares at $10 per share, for a total investment of $10,000. If XYZ Corp. were presently trading on the market for $15 per share and you sold all of your 1,000 shares on the open market at $15, you would realize a gain of $5,000 on your investment ($15,000 - $10,000).

Now, suppose that XYZ Corp.'s shares were trading at $15, but you believed they were fairly valued at $20 per share, and therefore, you were not willing to sell at $15. Because you would still be holding on to all of your 1,000 shares, you would have an unrealized, or "paper", profit of $5,000. Of course, if you have not closed out of your position and realized your gain, you could still lose some, or all, of your profits - and your principal as well.

On the other hand, because you have not realized your profit, you are not required to claim the gain as income; thus, by holding your shares instead of selling, you can potentially defer taxable income for a year (or many). Of course, the reverse is true for losses - realized losses can usually be claimed by investors as capital losses, offsetting other capital gains, while paper losses can not.

Portal for public grievances

2008-06-11T23:52:00.001+05:30

Indian government has the following site to register administrative related complaints
http://pgportal.gov.in/index.html

The Best Place to Walk

2008-06-03T01:09:00.001+05:30

A good article I found on www.realage.com

A walk on a treadmill or a walk in the park? Either one will get you fit, but the walk in the park may make you feel a whole lot better!
Research confirms it: Exercising in a green environment puts you in a better frame of mind than working out in a sterile gym. Go figure!
The Green Scene: In a study, people walked on a treadmill and viewed pictures of urban areas or images of rural scenes with lots of green spaces. The result? Besides bringing down blood pressure, viewing the green scenery improved energy and activity levels, raised self-esteem, and boosted mood.

Coverity and open source code

2008-05-24T00:42:00.001+05:30

Flaws found in open source codes

Tom Espiner - 2008/05/21 08:56:01
http://www.builderau.com.au/news/soa/Flaws-found-in-open-source-codes/0,339028227,339289125,00.htm

A project funded by the US Department of Homeland Security has praised improvements in open source security, while outlining some common errors.

Coverity, a commercial code analysis company spun out of Stanford University, has been running its Scan project with Department of Homeland Security funding since 2006.
On Tuesday, Coverity released its Open Source Report, which gives results of bugs in more than 250 open-source projects. Coverity declined to give details of individual projects' faults, but instead gave a list of frequent coding errors.

Coverity did single out some projects for particular praise due to the cleanliness of the code, including Amanda, NTP, OpenPAM, OpenVPN, Perl, PHP, Python and Samba.
The most common type of code defect, accounting for 28 percent of all the defects found, was the NULL pointer dereference, as the use of pointers in C/C++ is error-prone, according to Coverity.
"This type of error often occurs when one code path initialises a pointer before its use, but another code path bypasses the initialisation process," stated the report. "Pointers are a notoriously challenging programming concept that many languages elide altogether (eg Java). Senior developers know that new programmers frequently have trouble understanding pointers."

Because pointers are often used to pass data structures by reference between pieces of program logic, they may be the most commonly manipulated data objects due to repeated copying, aliasing and accessing. Therefore, it is not surprising that the most frequently used artefacts will incur the most errors in manipulation, said Coverity.
The second most common type of code defect are resource leaks. While some resource leaks are pointer-related, others may be the result of misusing an application programming interface (API), said Coverity.

Other common code defects include unintentional ignored expressions, use before test and buffer overflow vulnerabilities.

Copyright © 2008 CNET Networks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ebooks

2008-05-22T00:17:00.000+05:30

Ebooks download link
http://www.giuciao.com/books/book.php?id=5521&by=Business&ord=id

Quality Assurance

2008-05-20T00:31:00.002+05:30

Another good link provided by Roger Pressman in his book 'Software Engineering'
http://www.asq.org/

Good PMC and PMT links

2008-04-08T00:45:00.002+05:30

PMC link - http://www.punecorporation.org/betterroads/Home/Home.aspx
This link shows map of pune city. Complaints for pot-holes on roads can be filed directly on the map.
PMT / PMPML link - http://www.pmtpune.org/index.asp
From this link, you can find the bus routes in Pune.

Software Engg links

2008-03-27T00:08:00.003+05:30

The following links were mentioned in the book 'Software Engg' by Roger Pressman as additional reference material
http://www.sei.cmu.edu/ - gives info about Software Engg Institute and CMM levels
http://www.stsc.hill.af.mil/ - gives info about software technology support centre

Vitamins and minerals

2008-03-20T00:05:00.000+05:30

Use the link below to know what and how much vitamins and minerals you need as per your age group
http://www.oprah.com/health/oz/programs/young/solutions/solutions_vitamin.jhtml

Nice Birthday Wishes

2008-03-17T23:08:00.001+05:30

Let the god decorate each golden ray of the sun reaching u with wishes of success, happiness and prosperity 4 u, wish you a super duper happy birthday.

Look outside its so pleasant moments sun is smiling with you trees dancing for you birds singing for you because last night i asked them all to wish you happy birth day!

MSDN code gallery

2008-01-26T23:01:00.000+05:30

I found this link on one of the 'daily developer news' email from www.codeproject.com

http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/

Stress free life

2008-01-19T23:40:00.000+05:30

Some time back, we had reader's digest subscription. A free self improvement book came along with it. I have found it very useful. The name of that book is '100 ways to a stress-free life'. I don't think this book is available in the market. But the author of this book is G. Gaynor McTigue. I found his homepage and seems like he is very reputed author writing books on self-improvement. The following is the link of his website.

http://www.pickmeupbooks.com/ggaynor/index.html

Tej Gyan Foundation

2008-01-17T20:47:00.000+05:30

Every Tuesday, there was a program on vividbharti from Tej Gyan Foundation. It gave very good information on spirituality and how to live life successfully.

Tej Gyan Foundation website
http://www.myhappythoughts.com/

Great program on vividbharti, pune - radio

2008-01-16T00:20:00.001+05:30

Vividvharti is the oldest and best radio channel in India. Apart from songs that are played, a lot of information is given here. It has surely helped me to gain a lot of knowledge.

Daily a program is transmitted by Centre for Learning Resources, Pune. It helps students of std 5th, 6th and 7th to learn English.

Link: http://www.clrindia.net/index.html

There was a nice poem/song that was created by them. It was really funny and I wanted to post this here :)
The song tune is based on the old hindi song
Yeh hay Bombay! Yeh hay Bombay!
Yeh hay Bombay! Meri Jaan!!

Following are the lyrics. The text in italics is for understanding the characters (people) who say that stanza. (Read the poem without the italics :) )

First Friend
Found a peanut! Found a peanut!
Found a peanut! Just Now!!
Just Now! Found a peanut!
Found a peanut! Just Now!!

Second Friend
Where did you find it? Where did you find it?
Where did you find it? Just Now!!
Just Now! Where did you find it?
Where did you find it? Just Now!!

First Friend
In the dustbin! In the dustbin!
In the dustbin! Just Now!!
Just Now! In the dustbin!
In the dustbin! Just Now!!

Ate a peanut! Ate a peanut!
Ate a peanut! Just Now!!
Just Now!! Ate a peanut!
Ate a peanut! Just Now!!

Had a stomach ache! Had a stomach ache!
Had a stomach ache! Just Now!!
Just Now! Had a stomach ache!
Had a stomach ache! Just Now!!

Call a doctor! Call a doctor!
Call a doctor! Just Now!!
Just Now! Call a doctor!
Call a doctor! Just Now!!

Doctor
Operation! Operation!
Operation! Just Now!!
Just Now! Operation!
Operation! Just Now!!

And the doctor says :)
Found a peanut! Found a peanut!
Found a peanut! Just Now!!
Just Now! Found a peanut!
Found a peanut! Just Now!!

Technopreneur

2008-01-15T00:17:00.000+05:30

I found this link in IT magazine. It attempts to bridge the gap between innovators and the marketplace

http://www.techno-preneur.net/main.htm

Self improvement

2008-01-13T20:18:00.000+05:30

A very good link for resources on self improvement
http://www.mindtools.com/

Free ebooks download

2008-01-12T20:25:00.000+05:30

A good free ebooks download link

http://knowfree.net/

Software coding resources

2008-01-10T00:25:00.000+05:30

Vijay Mukhi's Technology Cornucopia
http://vijaymukhi.com/

Codeguru
http://www.codeguru.com/

MSDN
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/

Top 5 Habits to Increase Longevity

2008-01-03T00:17:00.000+05:30

An excellent article I found on yahoo...

Top 5 Habits to Increase Longevity Posted Tue, Dec 18, 2007, 6:12 pm PST

Is it really possible for anyone to live happily to 100? The good news is that your body was designed to be 100 - you just have to get out of the way.Getting out of the way means taking an honest look at the habits and lifestyle you are living with today. Most of us have developed habits that limit our true health potential.
But don't let these bad habits of the past discourage you - it is never too late to make new choices. What you did in the past can be changed, and your body will respond in kind. What matters is what you do from this moment forward.

Top 5 Daily Habits for Your Longevity

It takes 14 to 21 days of repetitive behavior to form a new pattern in your brain. Once the pattern is formed, it becomes an automatic behavioral response.
As you develop new healthy habits, they will begin to replace bad habits. These healthy lifelong habits are adapted straight from the time-tested traditions practiced by centenarians all around the world, and I can say with certainty that they will transform and rejuvenate you!

1. Eat five small meals a day:
In the Western culture, meals are taken three times a day, but it is much better to eat five smaller meals. When you eat smaller portions five times a day, you deliver a steady stream of nutrients, blood sugar, and energy to your body throughout the day.
Additionally, eating this way is less taxing on the digestive and metabolic systems and also reduces your risk of heart disease.

2. Climb the stairs instead of using elevators:
The health benefits of a daily exercise program cannot be stressed enough. Regular exercise can help promote physiological well-being, strengthen the immune system, maintain joint mobility, increase energy - and the list goes on.
Look for opportunities all through your day to work in physical activity. Power-walk, run, or ride your bike instead of driving. Begin a daily tai chi practice. Join a gym and actually go! Practice safely and watch your health results pile up.

3. Laugh it up!
We know from research that laughter and joy boost immune functions, especially the production of the natural killer cells that help protect the body from illness and cancer. Laughter also increases the release of endorphins, compounds that give you a sense of well-being, in your brain. Without a doubt, joyful people live longer and healthier lives.

4. Drink 8 glasses of water every day:
Water is essential for all healthy body functions. Centenarians from around the globe cite their native water as the source of their health and longevity - and the scientists agree with them. What they all have in common is pure water sources located far from any city, free from chemicals and toxins.
Choose filtered water; the best filtration processes are the ones that use activated charcoal, which removes the impurities but leaves the water-soluble minerals. Also, do not store water in plastic containers because the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can leach into the water.

5. Unwind with meditation:
Stress is the root cause of most of the diseases that shorten our life span. In our modern society stress will continue to increase - unless you find techniques to manage it. Meditation is the best way to release tension and revitalize your being. It teaches you to breath properly, which is critical for eliminating up to 70% of your body's toxins and wastes. It also quiets your mind, lowers your stress hormones, and teaches self-discipline, which is a necessary attribute to achieving your health and longevity goals.
Try this beginning meditation:Sit comfortably on a chair or the floor. Breathe naturally and close your eyes. Each time a thought appears, put it inside a balloon and let it fly up into the sky and disappear. Do this until the thoughts are exhausted. After a bit, your body will feel very light, and your mind will become still. The first few times it may take a while, but it will get easier and faster with practice.

I hope you use these healthy habits for years to come! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me. May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

By Dr. Maoshing Ni
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Quotable Quotes

2007-12-27T21:09:00.000+05:30

Today there was a nice show on NDTV Good Times Channel. A person (CEO of a company don't remember his name) was sharing his views about ideas and innovations. Quote from what he said ----
"Good ideas do not die, they are diluted".
Meaning is everyone thinks of a lot of ideas, but a lot of them think that they are not worth or they are impossible to pursue, and hence are diluted in the process.

Book Review: Pride and Prejudice

2007-12-24T23:32:00.000+05:30

Book: Pride and Prejudice

Author: Jane Austen

I read this book and was very fascinated by the (romantic) story. The english language is very rich. Specially the author had written this book in early 1800s. Hence author definitely deserves lot of appreciation.

Lessons (for me): Never be prejudiced. A lot of times first impression is the last impression. But one must guard against this. Because the first time you meet the person, he may be disappointed or irrated because of some bad time he is having.

Link for more infomation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_and_Prejudice

Note that at the bottom of the above link there is a link to download the e-book.

Free e-book download link: http://site.girlebooks.com/xs.php?page=ebooks_detail&siteid=223&lang=en&table=user_girlebooks&idx=0&iddetail=86

First post

2007-12-22T23:37:00.001+05:30

Hello World!!! -- My first post on blog :)

Testing

checking again

Parag-BlogDiary

Book: The Google Story

Entrepreneurs

O'Reilly's E-books

Book: Rich Dad Poor Dad

Government of India Offices links

How to plan for the coming new year - by Robin Sharma

Health Tips

How to select good share for buying

Book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

How to do things -- Links

Book: The Alchemist

Exit Interviews

This is another good article from mindtools.comExit Interviews

Getting Feedback from Departing Staff

Video lectures from IIT -

Logos

Dr B R Ambedkar books

Software Engineering Resuorces

Manual installation of Php 5.2

Book: The monk who sold his ferrari

Project planning - risk management links

Make the Most of the 'Present' which is Now

Make the Most of the “Present” Which is Now - by Pushpa Sreenivasan

Good technical links for project planning

Book: The Greatness Guide

Academic Earth

Book: It Happened in India

Book: Five Point Someone

Free ebooks sites

Book: One Night @ Call Center

Quotable Quotes

The Power on Generosity

Software technical online tutorials

Info about Pune

Info about Pune

MBA

Never walk without a goal

Go Green

How are realized profits different from unrealized or so-called "paper" profits?

Portal for public grievances

The Best Place to Walk

Coverity and open source code

Ebooks

Quality Assurance

Good PMC and PMT links

Software Engg links

Vitamins and minerals

Nice Birthday Wishes

MSDN code gallery

Stress free life

Tej Gyan Foundation

Great program on vividbharti, pune - radio

Technopreneur

Self improvement

Free ebooks download

Software coding resources

Top 5 Habits to Increase Longevity

Quotable Quotes

Book Review: Pride and Prejudice

First post

This is another good article from mindtools.com

Exit Interviews