My outlet for all my ranting...

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

YKWWBACI? - 1

I have often been ridiculed for my larger-than-life posterior (I have also been stared at for my dimple, but getting "back" to the matter-at-hand...). Life's so unfair. Halfway round the world, if I were a pop singer, I could have insured my butt for millions, but being an ordinary-looking Indian engineer, with a paunch to match, does not entail such benefits. Its quite disconcerting when you are walking with a group of friends who slowly fall back, which you don't notice until all of them are literally sniggering their hearts out at my swaying hips.

Though I always retort with a mischievous smile and a haunting "Don't be jealous!", these pricks have a way getting to you, no matter how many layers of fat you have. (I'd rather refer to them as reminders of good meals past.)

So, next time you meet me and my chair is squeaking or my seat is quaking, don't be alarmed. I am merely shaping up my bottom.




You know what would be a cool idea? (YKWWBACI?) An ad-hoc processing network built to interface with every device through every possible means. Yes, it is a stale idea called the Grid, but hear me out. You have a large problem you need to solve. Instead of coding your problem in such a way that only one computer can process it, you code it for multiple computers at the same time. Yes, that's plain-Jane parallel computing. What I am proposing is a little different.

Its something like the SETI, only at much grander proportions. Suppose, SETI had a street office in, say New York, which could possibly transmit or upload processing modules. Everybody carries a Blackberry (just assume it!). What if when they are going to office, they download a particular module for processing, process that module during the day, and when going back home, return the results in the same manner, or upload them to the Internet?

Now, let's improve the scenario. Everybody doesn't have just a Blackberry. Some of the privileged ones will have laptops and most of them will have mobile phones. Heck, some of them will even have mp3 players (though how they are going to be interfaced, I have no clue, USB ports in the streets, perhaps? or probably Bluetooth? Now Bluetooth is something that has other advantages too.) All of these devices can download a module, too.

Now that we are really going wild, why not include IPTVs, etc., anything that has a resident OS and processor. See the proportions this idea if really worked upon can reach. Instead of bringing laptops to warehouse, to create a momentary supercomputer, we have a really good fault-tolerant one with infrastructure in place. I know the financial implications and inconveniences, including the ones at the individual level, will make it really hard to implement this idea. But hey, it's worth a try.




You know what would be an absurd idea? (YKWWBAAI?) A Linux with just the basic kernel, designed to run the Java Virtual Machine. Every process is then coded in Java, including the command interface.

The only possible use of this version of Linux could be on the new smart phones, where most downloaded applications are coded in JME (Java Micro Edition). But will coding the entire interface in Java, help in making the development of the Java applications to be run on it easier? Probably, because all the components are referenced in the already coded Java library. Another question, will the changes in this library for different platforms minimal, if we use interfaces feature in Java? That's for the developers to say.

A big disadvantage is the JVM itself. Java applications are really heavy and if the menus and interfaces are going to be Java applications, is the cost of running them really worth the customisability, if there is such an advantage?




This will be my last post for a month. I'll be going on a holiday and will be back with a revamped blog. Adios, muchachos!

Sunday, June 11, 2006

I'm baaaaaaack!

Its fitting that I revive my blog on the last Sunday I will spend in the city I love so much. So much for nostalgia, let's get down to business...




I don't shave very often; very intelligent on my part if you sit down and analyse it, cheap and less pain. But then the other day, I decided to put the beard to the blade. I went to put some after-shave and my bottle of Denim had long gone evaporated.

So I decided to borrow some of Dad's Old Spice. So I jerk some of it into my hand and then not finding the same agility as my dad's in me, I do a little jig to prevent it from falling out. Seeing that its not working, I decide to put on what's remaining on my face.

Somewhere down the line, my Mallu instinct intercepted my neuronic commands and changed the instructions.

So I end up putting it on my head.... and start rubbing it in my hair vigorously.

Uh-oh, says my Mallu instinct interceptor box(MIIB).

You can say that again, says my brain. You started the problem, so you solve it.

My MIIB slinks away quietly and cranks out a solution.

Next thing, my brain sees on its sensors, is the same hand trying to salvage the after-shave lotion from what did not get rubbed into my scalp.... and applying it to my face.

Oh well..., says my brain.




Our college had so many sentimental idiots; I didn't know. Its hard to make out through the tears.




The Big Chill Cafe is an excellent place. Its decent enough for a family affair, cosy enough for a date, lively enough for a get-together and tasty enough for the afficionados. They serve exclusively pastas, lasagnes, icecreams and pastries. And the wonderful thing about them is you can't complain about the lack of variety.

Its apparently run by a Bengali woman and the people on the floor and in the kitchen, are mainly twenty-somethings from the North-East. The only grouse I can think of is that they do not serve alcohol, but that does not seem to deter the crowds. They don't make reservations in advance; you can end up waiting upto half-an-hour for a table to get free.

I don't know how authentic the Italian food is, though my father claims the lasagne bolognaise is not as smooth as it should be. But I can surely vouch for the fact that BC will not leave you disappointed. Try the ice-creams, they are made in-house and they are amazing.

To get to BC, go to Khan Market. There are two outlets, one near the MCD-run parking lot, in the same line as Sugar-and-Spice and one in the middle lane, behind McDonald's. There is another outlet, but I cannot recollect where exactly it is.