Indian IT Industry

Anujan · Post by **Anujan** » 08 Jun 2009 21:03

Guys

Please please please learn to swim. It is very easy. Before you learn to swim, learn to turn over in the water and lay on your back so that you face up. In this position you dont need to move your arms or legs and you can float for days. This way if you ever fall into a pool, you can just turn over and yell for help.

One of my friends got his goat saved by doing this. Fellow slipped and fell into the deep side of a pool (probably 12 feet) in a friends backyard when everyone else was inside. Fellow turned over, floated for nearly 15 minutes before one of us saw him and pulled him out.

It only takes 3 minutes to drown.

BijuShet · Post by **BijuShet** » 08 Jun 2009 21:06

Anujan wrote:Guys

Please please please learn to swim.
...
It only takes 3 minutes to drown.

Can we please cross post the posts above to the nukkad dhaga. More pertinent discussion can be done there where as this one can continue to be about IT.

AkshayM · Post by **AkshayM** » 09 Jun 2009 00:27

Sorry can't find nukkad.

It is sad and tragic. From all accounts it looks like he had an impact on theory in compsci as well as valley startup beat. I have seen non swimmers become stiff like tree trunk when they think they are sinking. He was living in Atherton so must be having decent sized pool. Hopefully more details will come out later.

Certainly a loss of talent and intellect.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 09 Jun 2009 00:38

^^^ Nukkad is only visible when logged in. Atherton-vasis have more than decent sized pools..he might have had a proper swimming pool (and not the usual wading kind) with 10ft or greater depth.

Anujan · Post by **Anujan** » 09 Jun 2009 01:12

AkshayM wrote: From all accounts it looks like he had an impact on theory in compsci as well as valley startup beat.

Oh, he had a great impact. His randomized algorithms book was the one I referred to frequently to complete about 30% of my dissertation. It is the standard textbook for randomized algorithms course. If anyone uses the Chernoff bound, it is probably the form in the Motwani & Raghavan book.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 09 Jun 2009 01:50

Isn't Raghavan head of Y! research now??

Ameet · Post by **Ameet** » 09 Jun 2009 04:24

Raja Bose wrote:^^^hmm....I see. While it is a news making event, I don't see Android displacing Windows anytime soon....Windows is too entrenched - it will have to cut some major deals with laptop/PC manufacturers and their associated vendors and drive adoption in a big way.

Raja, I heard through friends at HP that their new notebooks, coming out later in summer / early fall with be with Android. Ballmer called up HP CEO and let's just say the conversation was not entirely cordial.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 09 Jun 2009 07:08

Lets see how Android fares once the Google hype is taken away. Personally I don't see yet what Android brings to the table in the Netbook segment. Are all major sw app vendors willing to port to Android? As far as the mobile device-laptop convergence goes, simply having the same OS (incld L&F) is not going to be enough otherwise WinMo would be the greatest thing on earth since having a Pakistan in each house.

amdavadi · Post by **amdavadi** » 09 Jun 2009 10:03

Raja Bose wrote:Isn't Raghavan head of Y! research now??

Indeed prabhakar raghavan is at Y! research.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 09 Jun 2009 15:34

I looked at some few netbooks today from hp , asus etc. with such tiny screens and keyboards,
its not even looking like a pleasant browsing experience esp as most of us have 19"+ LCD panels at home and work.

blackberry types look more ok if intent is just to read mail on the road.

Raju · Post by **Raju** » 09 Jun 2009 15:41

how is blackberry for browsing ?

bart · Post by **bart** » 09 Jun 2009 16:18

Raju wrote:how is blackberry for browsing ?

Its good but not close to Iphone.

For browsing:
iPhone > Android > Opera (multiple platforms) > Nokia S60 > Blackberry

In addition to the iPhone/Android browsers being good the really good thing is that all their devices so far are touchscreen and really nice to zoom/pan around easily, unlike the Nokia or the BB where you have to use the little scroll button.

PS. I am talking about the actual browser UI and ease of use here, not the overall platform or the speed. That depends on the device, operator, data plan etc.

bart · Post by **bart** » 09 Jun 2009 16:21

Singha wrote:I looked at some few netbooks today from hp , asus etc. with such tiny screens and keyboards,
its not even looking like a pleasant browsing experience esp as most of us have 19"+ LCD panels at home and work.

blackberry types look more ok if intent is just to read mail on the road.

Buying a netbook for 400$ is a waste, when you can buy a 'propah' 13/14" notebook for 600/700. Unless it is a second notebook for some niche use, or perhaps bought for a non-techie paris hilton type person

For a tech savvy person a netbook as the primary platform is not such a good idea, and if the user is budget conscious too it is not a good idea since you can get a decent desktop for the cost of the netbook.

Still, its better than nothing, and an extra option which is always good for consumers.

Raja Bose wrote:Lets see how Android fares once the Google hype is taken away. Personally I don't see yet what Android brings to the table in the Netbook segment. Are all major sw app vendors willing to port to Android? As far as the mobile device-laptop convergence goes, simply having the same OS (incld L&F) is not going to be enough otherwise WinMo would be the greatest thing on earth since having a Pakistan in each house.

It is not by itself competitive with Linux or Win7, however what Google is trying to sell is the whole ecosystem of online applications. ie. it will be more of a 'Google Laptop' if there can be such a thing, running all sorts of things off the cloud. It is just a client firmware and the focus is on the online server based part of it.

Raju · Post by **Raju** » 09 Jun 2009 16:22

problem with iphones seem to be that they seem overpriced for what they have to offer and also one has to suffer the 'fanboy' image while seen with one of these. And doesn't Opera load on blackberry platforms as well ?

but let's see how this iphone price-cut pans about ..

bart · Post by **bart** » 09 Jun 2009 16:32

Raju wrote:problem with iphones seem to be that they seem overpriced for what they have to offer and also one has to suffer the 'fanboy' image while seen with one of these. And doesn't Opera load on blackberry platforms as well ?

but let's see how this iphone price-cut pans about ..

Opera loads on most platforms, I use it on my E71 as I prefer it to the Nokia software. However, with a real touchscreen (capacitive), it is much easier than on the non-touchscreens like most of the Nokia and Blackberry phones are.

Otherwise the Nokia and BB phones have a lot going for them vs the iPhone, especially since in India they can be bought unlocked.

iPhone is not great VFM, but the worst thing is the way its all proprietary and locked down. Sold only with operators that Apple approves, cant be changed to another operator, only Apple approved applications can be run etc. Of course you can Jailbreak it, but who wants to have do that (voiding warranty) on a phone costing 32000 Rs. Its one thing having these restrictions in America where it is sold for 99$, but why should Indian consumers have to pay full price PLUS have it locked. Its just stupid.

Samsung, Asus, HTC etc have a slew of capacitive touchscreen Android devices waiting to be launched, I think we would be much better off with these than the iPhone.

Raju · Post by **Raju** » 09 Jun 2009 16:40

In that case blackberry is the best bet until they come out with some better touch-screen options.

Any opinion on this though:
Asus P565

bart · Post by **bart** » 09 Jun 2009 18:11

Raju wrote:In that case blackberry is the best bet until they come out with some better touch-screen options.

Any opinion on this though:
Asus P565

That appears to be a Windows device, plus it is a resistive touchscreen which will not be good to use as a touch-based device. Basically it is the old type of screen that depends on pressure, and is hence not that responsive to use with your fingers, you need a stylus. Still preferred by a lot of Asia based vendors and Nokia since Chinese people like to use the stylus owing to the complications of their language. Capacitive touchscreens like the one on the iPhone are much more responsive for a fully touch device as they use electrical charges from our fingers to work.

Raju · Post by **Raju** » 09 Jun 2009 18:17

Will keep that in mind bart, but in my case I have no experience with either capacitative or resistive being a Nokia person till today. The main reason has been Nokia's superlative RF reception which gives me reception in areas most other phones including some old-model lower-end Nokia's won't.

bart · Post by **bart** » 09 Jun 2009 19:14

Raju wrote:Will keep that in mind bart, but in my case I have no experience with either capacitative or resistive being a Nokia person till today. The main reason has been Nokia's superlative RF reception which gives me reception in areas most other phones including some old-model lower-end Nokia's won't.

If you are a Nokia person, stick to Nokia. I have done so, though I am often tempted to switch. Perhaps the N97 is for you. Nokia is great for India because of excellent call quality, good calling features, consistent call features on every phone, unlocked, and unmatched resale value. They do all the basics right.

Having said that Blackberry signal quality is legendary and is a notch above even Nokia.

ArmenT · Post by **ArmenT** » 09 Jun 2009 20:37

LxLabs boss found hanged after vuln wipes websites

The boss of Indian software firm LxLabs was found dead in a suspected suicide on Monday.

Reports of the death of K T Ligesh, 32, come in the wake of the exploitation of a critical vulnerability in HyperVM, a virtualization application made by LXLabs, to wipe out data on 100,000 sites hosted by the UK web hosting firm VAserv.

The effect of his death on the development of updated software by LxLabs is unknown at time of writing.

Ligesh was found hanged in his Bangalore house on Monday morning, after a late night drinking session. The Times of India reports that he was upset with the loss of a recent contract. Ligesh was also still coming to terms with the suicides by hanging of his sister and mother five years ago.

TOI Link about the incident

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 09 Jun 2009 23:45

Bart, My son has Samsung Eternity(AT&T plan) and runs Opera on it.

SK Mody · Post by **SK Mody** » 10 Jun 2009 13:19

Google mentor Rajeev Motwani dies

Jayram · Post by **Jayram** » 11 Jun 2009 22:03

Will employers sink any lower...
Here is the latest .. 30 + years company veteran laidoff and guess what the compensation formula offered to him was reversed.
So instead of years of employment X some $ amt per year they reversed the formula and are
offering years of employment remaining (dont know how they calc this number) X some $amt per year. But no prizes for guessing which formula yeilds a lower amount.
Being a veteran and getting laidoff with this reverse compensation is to add insult to injury...
This is a non US entity so far so we shall see if the comp formula gets sued in court or if the co decides to onshore this latest move...
Anyone else heard of this or is this old news?
-Jayram

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 11 Jun 2009 22:42

Boy...I am sick of layoffs now. We already had 3rd round in about a year now and I lost almost 25% of the folks I have known since I joined last year. I work from my home office as much during these times and hope not give out an impression that when locals are leaving, "outsiders" are still hanging in there. Of course emotionally charged people won't see the contributions and value added to the company. It's beginning to get scary. If unemployment goes anywhere above 15%, then I suggest desis have to move to safezones (I've already planned my move this month to an upscaleand more safer area).

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 11 Jun 2009 23:22

bart wrote:
Raju wrote:how is blackberry for browsing ?
Its good but not close to Iphone.

For browsing:
iPhone > Android > Opera (multiple platforms) > Nokia S60 > Blackberry

In addition to the iPhone/Android browsers being good the really good thing is that all their devices so far are touchscreen and really nice to zoom/pan around easily, unlike the Nokia or the BB where you have to use the little scroll button.

PS. I am talking about the actual browser UI and ease of use here, not the overall platform or the speed. That depends on the device, operator, data plan etc.

I have got this thingi iphone and it is great for browsing. I can even read brf on my iphone.

the only thing i wish for is, someone to comeup with an app to connect to interent on my laptop using my iphone, when needed.

that would be great...

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 11 Jun 2009 23:31

RamaY wrote:the only thing i wish for is, someone to comeup with an app to connect to interent on my laptop using my iphone, when needed.

This feature is called "teathering" and is available in iPhone 3GS, release recently. But I heard rumors that ATT would not enable it for their customers. If ATT and Apple do not renew their contract for ATT to be exclusive seller of iPhones and Apple sells iPhones via Verizon etc then customers can have and use that feature.

Jayram · Post by **Jayram** » 11 Jun 2009 23:56

question for the Iphone gurus.. A family member in Desh wanted me to pick up an Iphone for him to use in India..
Is this possible since a iphone are sold with 2 yr contracts and also you would need to choose your carrier ie AT&T which may not work in Desh?
I guess I could buy an unlocked phone from Ebay but that would proably be expensive. Also with 3gS will older iphones be available unlocked for $99 - which may be ok for Desh?
Anyone shed some light on this
Thanks in advance
Jayram

Suraj · Post by **Suraj** » 12 Jun 2009 00:04

The $99 price on older (8GB 3G) phones is with AT&T contract. Unlocked and contract-free phones run much higher from third parties. Except in a few countries (HK and Belgium ?) the phones are not officially unlocked - you would need to use the unlocking software, which Apple tends to undo each time it releases a new iPhone firmware update.

negi · Post by **negi** » 12 Jun 2009 00:29

The 1st Gen Iphone (w/o 3g) was successfully hacked in desh and if you can get your hands on one of those then probably it will be a good idea (check for unlocked versions of the same if available might be hassle free). The 2nd and 3rd Gen Iphones unless bought unlocked get locked each time one updates the firmware as mentioned by Suraj

Btw given the lack of internet penetration and even low usage in terms of online shopping I wonder why would some one in India want to buy an iphone ; given its superior reception,camera and FM and user friendly interface Nokia's N series is a far better investment imho .Lastly the dust and humidity are definitely worth keeping in mind while using a slick gadget like iphone.

Jayram · Post by **Jayram** » 12 Jun 2009 04:23

Thank you both. Ebay the 1st gen Iphone is going for $250. Need to watch a little more before pulling the trigger .

paramu · Post by **paramu** » 12 Jun 2009 06:42

Jayram wrote:Will employers sink any lower...
Here is the latest .. 30 + years company veteran laidoff and guess what the compensation formula offered to him was reversed.
So instead of years of employment X some $ amt per year they reversed the formula and are
offering years of employment remaining (dont know how they calc this number) X some $amt per year. But no prizes for guessing which formula yeilds a lower amount.
Being a veteran and getting laidoff with this reverse compensation is to add insult to injury...
This is a non US entity so far so we shall see if the comp formula gets sued in court or if the co decides to onshore this latest move...
Anyone else heard of this or is this old news?
-Jayram

I think this was the standard formula used for people taking voluntary retirement from PSUs. After some analysis people figured out that the optimal time to take VRS is around 2.5 years before retirement. If they are able to get another job, that becomes an additional benefit.

Never heard of this from any IT company.

Tanaji · Post by **Tanaji** » 12 Jun 2009 14:54

Jayram wrote:Will employers sink any lower...
Here is the latest .. 30 + years company veteran laidoff and guess what the compensation formula offered to him was reversed.
So instead of years of employment X some $ amt per year they reversed the formula and are
offering years of employment remaining (dont know how they calc this number) X some $amt per year. But no prizes for guessing which formula yeilds a lower amount.
Being a veteran and getting laidoff with this reverse compensation is to add insult to injury...
This is a non US entity so far so we shall see if the comp formula gets sued in court or if the co decides to onshore this latest move...
Anyone else heard of this or is this old news?
-Jayram

Sinking lower is when an employer declares Chapter 11, fires its 20-30 year old employees *without* any severance and 8 hour notices. All this when it is one of the top 5 global companies in its field, has $2B in cash assets and announces multi million dollar bonuses for the executives and is a 100+ year old company.

Forgot to add: Even lower is when they don't give you compensation for earned leave and expenses as well

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 12 Jun 2009 15:25

long live kanata and brampton

Raju · Post by **Raju** » 13 Jun 2009 12:57

Singha, is this an example of cloud computing ?

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/00 ... 061921.htm

http://www.kerala.bsnl.co.in/BB/Nova/nova.htm

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 13 Jun 2009 17:47

no it looks more like a thin PC with a BSNL specified list of applications that the customer rents
from bsnl?

Raju · Post by **Raju** » 13 Jun 2009 18:02

could be client, the so-called Nova PC has no CPU, no hard disk, no processor, no CD-Rom nothing.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 13 Jun 2009 21:42

if the residential bband line goes up and down or worse remains down, losing all of your files and desktop to the cloud until connectivity is restored could be painful.

for a reliable intra-corporate link with 24x7 support it can work and thats what the VDI craze is all about.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 14 Jun 2009 12:15

UTstarcom to cut >50% staff and focus on india & china

http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=177922

--
this surely means the end of their us east and west coast centers,
and perhaps some serious reduction in gurgaon and guangzhou as
well.

they have been embroiled in various financial wrongdoing cases
over the years too.

krishnan · Post by **krishnan** » 14 Jun 2009 18:42

I will still go with my WD passport for my important data backups

bart · Post by **bart** » 15 Jun 2009 01:30

krishnan wrote:I will still go with my WD passport for my important data backups

Not sure you can do that since your OS and all computing core is in the cloud, and you are just running a terminal session to it.