It's been a long time since I blogged here. So, I thought I'd toot my own horn one more time ;-)
Anyway, several months back I wrote that app-servers installed on desktops would power desktop apps.
http://www.macronimous.com/resources/J2EE_Application_Servers_on_Desktops.asp
Here's a VC who's talking about the same with a slight twist: app servers installed on a remote server would power AJAX-based apps to replace desktop apps.
http://earlystagevc.typepad.com/earlystagevc/2005/09/ajax_office_is_.html
Another twist to my view is the emergence of platform independent applications developed using Eclipse SWT as a strong replacement for desktop apps.
Only time will tell which of the above three approaches will eventually dominate. Who's rooting for me?
auf Wiederhören!
Vijay
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Does Google search?
Hi Everyone
Lately, I have been having this feeling that google's page rank algorithm will become its nemesis. I have started using dogpile more often now. The search results on google have been getting very bad recently. Either I am really stupid and not entering the right search terms or website owners have become too smart for the page rank algorithm or google has lost focus on its core business and is too busy doing laser photography of the streets of San Francisco.
Here's a search that really frustrated me. When I did a search for "j2se 1.4 documentation", I expected to see http://java.sun.com at the top. It was not even on the first page of results in google. Even the dozers got it right.
Is GOOG really worth that price?
Searching......
Lately, I have been having this feeling that google's page rank algorithm will become its nemesis. I have started using dogpile more often now. The search results on google have been getting very bad recently. Either I am really stupid and not entering the right search terms or website owners have become too smart for the page rank algorithm or google has lost focus on its core business and is too busy doing laser photography of the streets of San Francisco.
Here's a search that really frustrated me. When I did a search for "j2se 1.4 documentation", I expected to see http://java.sun.com at the top. It was not even on the first page of results in google. Even the dozers got it right.
Is GOOG really worth that price?
Searching......
Monday, July 04, 2005
G8 and Climate
With all the buzz about the G8 and the Live 8 concerts, I wanted to bring to your attention a very important but saddening statistic:
Average CO2 emission per person per year:
India - 1 ton
UK - 8.9 tons
US - 19.7 tons
It is sad that the Himalayan glaciers continue to melt and flood poor 'third-world' villages while people living in the west including yours truly continue to pollute the world with our mobile factories aka cars and our enormous appetite for electric power.
I must apologize to my friends in Europe but I think the heat wave in Europe is good for the world. It's at least got Tony Blair talking of 'acknowledg(ing) scientific evidence' and an 'Immmediate action plan' while his bird-brained counterpart is still talking of the climate as a 'Long-term issue'.
Save the world from SUVs!
Average CO2 emission per person per year:
India - 1 ton
UK - 8.9 tons
US - 19.7 tons
It is sad that the Himalayan glaciers continue to melt and flood poor 'third-world' villages while people living in the west including yours truly continue to pollute the world with our mobile factories aka cars and our enormous appetite for electric power.
I must apologize to my friends in Europe but I think the heat wave in Europe is good for the world. It's at least got Tony Blair talking of 'acknowledg(ing) scientific evidence' and an 'Immmediate action plan' while his bird-brained counterpart is still talking of the climate as a 'Long-term issue'.
Save the world from SUVs!
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
End Poverty!
For the first time in a long time, today, I salute an American news agency. I salute Time magazine for discussing world poverty in its cover story and putting the face of the poor on its cover. Time is one of the world's most popular news magazines and the cover story will bring poverty under the spotlight of the world for at least two weeks, before the next issue of Time comes out.
The cover story, "How To End Poverty" is an exclusive book excerpt from an upcoming book by renowned economist Jeffrey D. Sachs titled "The End Of Poverty". The book is supposed to be quite controversial in its open attack on the rich nations for their indifference towards poverty and suffering in the world.
As a subscriber to Time, I have access to the online version of the story. Unfortunately, I cannot share it with others due to obvious copyright issues. But, I can discuss my thoughts on the story and give you the gist of it. So, please watch this space in the coming weeks for my discussion of the story. As I discuss the "End Of Poverty", I will also continue my discussion of the ten Love Commandments. Love can heal!
Another Day in Paradise
The cover story, "How To End Poverty" is an exclusive book excerpt from an upcoming book by renowned economist Jeffrey D. Sachs titled "The End Of Poverty". The book is supposed to be quite controversial in its open attack on the rich nations for their indifference towards poverty and suffering in the world.
As a subscriber to Time, I have access to the online version of the story. Unfortunately, I cannot share it with others due to obvious copyright issues. But, I can discuss my thoughts on the story and give you the gist of it. So, please watch this space in the coming weeks for my discussion of the story. As I discuss the "End Of Poverty", I will also continue my discussion of the ten Love Commandments. Love can heal!
Another Day in Paradise
Friday, March 04, 2005
Love Commandment One
Love Commandment 1: You are never too young or too old to love.
In the past, I have been told several times that I was too young to be in love. And, people continue to be surprised and agitated when they hear that I am married. I don't blame them. Here's why.
In their world, men and women must exist for about 25 years before they can experience and understand love.
In my world, your age is not the number of times the earth went around the sun since you were born. Your age is the number and nature of the experiences you have lived through. I believe the child soldier fighting a war in some war-torn nation has lived longer than most people's lifetime. Even the little child that begs for a living on the streets of your city has lived longer than most people you will ever meet in your life.
So, the next time you find people judging you by the numer of calendar years that have passed since your birth, you will know that they have not lived life and do not understand it. And, if they do not understand life, they must have no clue about love. So, just forgive their ignorance and feel sorry for their existence.
In the past, I have been told several times that I was too young to be in love. And, people continue to be surprised and agitated when they hear that I am married. I don't blame them. Here's why.
In their world, men and women must exist for about 25 years before they can experience and understand love.
In my world, your age is not the number of times the earth went around the sun since you were born. Your age is the number and nature of the experiences you have lived through. I believe the child soldier fighting a war in some war-torn nation has lived longer than most people's lifetime. Even the little child that begs for a living on the streets of your city has lived longer than most people you will ever meet in your life.
So, the next time you find people judging you by the numer of calendar years that have passed since your birth, you will know that they have not lived life and do not understand it. And, if they do not understand life, they must have no clue about love. So, just forgive their ignorance and feel sorry for their existence.
Monday, February 14, 2005
Can you feel the love?
Happy Valentine's to all of you!
Love is in the air for many of my dear ones and I thought I'd share with you and them some of my views on love. Don't worry, I'll stay clear of all the mushy stuff. Before you read on, please remember that these views are from the perspective of a (proud?) lovable (yes, that's me) Indian male (MCP? Me? No way! You must be kidding!). Anyway, I present to you the Ten Commandments of love that I try to abide by:
1) You are never too young or too old to love. (one of my favourite pet peeves)
2) Learn to tolerate society, and to ignore it whenever necessary.
3) Never give up your relationships for your love.
4) Never give up your love for your relationships.
5) Never deny your love.
6) Never publicize your love.
7) Never try to impress your lover; love your lover.
8) Never try to justify your love.
9) Never fear love or its consequences.
10) Always honor your commitment to your love.
I'll talk about these commandments in detail in the coming weeks. But, until then, think about them and let me know what you agree or disagree with. And I encourage you to come up with your ten commandments that I can share with everyone.
And I Love Her!
Love is in the air for many of my dear ones and I thought I'd share with you and them some of my views on love. Don't worry, I'll stay clear of all the mushy stuff. Before you read on, please remember that these views are from the perspective of a (proud?) lovable (yes, that's me) Indian male (MCP? Me? No way! You must be kidding!). Anyway, I present to you the Ten Commandments of love that I try to abide by:
1) You are never too young or too old to love. (one of my favourite pet peeves)
2) Learn to tolerate society, and to ignore it whenever necessary.
3) Never give up your relationships for your love.
4) Never give up your love for your relationships.
5) Never deny your love.
6) Never publicize your love.
7) Never try to impress your lover; love your lover.
8) Never try to justify your love.
9) Never fear love or its consequences.
10) Always honor your commitment to your love.
I'll talk about these commandments in detail in the coming weeks. But, until then, think about them and let me know what you agree or disagree with. And I encourage you to come up with your ten commandments that I can share with everyone.
And I Love Her!
Saturday, January 29, 2005
World Economic Forum (WEF)
An interesting panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland:
The G8 and Africa: Rhetoric or Action?
In case you don't have the time to go through the entire 27min video, here are the locations of some important moments in the video.
12:00 min - Bill Gates
"..take the example of things that are working and really get that story out, prove that the money can be very well spent and show the impact that it has.." - Gates
16:00 min - Bono
"I don't think 6,000 Africans dying everyday of a preventable disease like AIDS is a 'cause'. I think it's an emergency. And, I don't think 3,000 Africans dying from a mosquito bite is a cause. I think it's an emergency." - Bono
19:15 min - Bill Clinton
"The President just asked for $80bn for the Iraq war for a year. For a pittance of that we could double America's international assistance in all these areas." - Clinton
"Anybody who says we shouldn't do this because there is corruption or incompetence ought to be put into a closet and not listened to again." - Clinton
23:00 min Bono
"Paint those AIDS drugs red, white and blue if you have to but they are the best advertisements for our ingenuity, our science, our capability.. " - Bono
For more WEF webcasts, go here.
The G8 and Africa: Rhetoric or Action?
In case you don't have the time to go through the entire 27min video, here are the locations of some important moments in the video.
12:00 min - Bill Gates
"..take the example of things that are working and really get that story out, prove that the money can be very well spent and show the impact that it has.." - Gates
16:00 min - Bono
"I don't think 6,000 Africans dying everyday of a preventable disease like AIDS is a 'cause'. I think it's an emergency. And, I don't think 3,000 Africans dying from a mosquito bite is a cause. I think it's an emergency." - Bono
19:15 min - Bill Clinton
"The President just asked for $80bn for the Iraq war for a year. For a pittance of that we could double America's international assistance in all these areas." - Clinton
"Anybody who says we shouldn't do this because there is corruption or incompetence ought to be put into a closet and not listened to again." - Clinton
23:00 min Bono
"Paint those AIDS drugs red, white and blue if you have to but they are the best advertisements for our ingenuity, our science, our capability.. " - Bono
For more WEF webcasts, go here.
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Hindi-Chini bhai bhai
I just discovered a very interesting series of articles on rediff.com - The India-China War, 40 Years On
The articles are on the Indo-China war of 1962 and the articles were published in 2002 but I chanced upon them only tonight. I was reading about India and China in the CIA's "Mapping the Global Future" report and decided to google "india china", when I hit upon the rediff.com series.
The CIA's report that I mentioned above tries to predict the state of world affairs in the year 2020. The report is quite long and so I recommed the executive summary which has sufficient details and is a manageable read. If you are interested, you can also read the predictions for the year 2010 and 2015.
Now, coming back to the rediff.com series, I suggest that any Indian with even an iota of patriotism read at least a few of the articles and get to know India's history better. I strongly recommend the article on "How Nehru let us down". The history lessons we are taught in school talk only about the "greatness" of our leaders and never about their failings. This article takes a look at how a leader's foolhardiness led to animsoity between two great nations and the subsequent humiliation of several hundred million people. Will the seeds of distrust sown by Nehru ever be removed?
The articles are on the Indo-China war of 1962 and the articles were published in 2002 but I chanced upon them only tonight. I was reading about India and China in the CIA's "Mapping the Global Future" report and decided to google "india china", when I hit upon the rediff.com series.
The CIA's report that I mentioned above tries to predict the state of world affairs in the year 2020. The report is quite long and so I recommed the executive summary which has sufficient details and is a manageable read. If you are interested, you can also read the predictions for the year 2010 and 2015.
Now, coming back to the rediff.com series, I suggest that any Indian with even an iota of patriotism read at least a few of the articles and get to know India's history better. I strongly recommend the article on "How Nehru let us down". The history lessons we are taught in school talk only about the "greatness" of our leaders and never about their failings. This article takes a look at how a leader's foolhardiness led to animsoity between two great nations and the subsequent humiliation of several hundred million people. Will the seeds of distrust sown by Nehru ever be removed?
Monday, January 03, 2005
Donate Effectively!
From what I have been reading in the media, it appears to me that aid agencies have been flooded with donations and some of the donations may be going waste due to poor distribution. So, I assume that it might be safe to hold on to your donations for now and wait till the aid agencies get their logistics right.
While I suggest that you don't make any donations right away, I entreat you to decide on the amount of your donations and set aside the money NOW itself while the feeling lasts. Because six months later, when aid agencies run out of funds, when the politicians have got enough publicity and when govts have impressed enough (united) nations, your donations will be needed for the care of thousands of orphaned children and the rehabilitation of tens of thousands of people; your feelings for the afflicted then may not be as intense as they are now.
Remember, your obligation to humanity does not stop at the dotted lines on your checks. It starts there! Please donate wisely and generously, and ensure that your donations make a difference.
While I suggest that you don't make any donations right away, I entreat you to decide on the amount of your donations and set aside the money NOW itself while the feeling lasts. Because six months later, when aid agencies run out of funds, when the politicians have got enough publicity and when govts have impressed enough (united) nations, your donations will be needed for the care of thousands of orphaned children and the rehabilitation of tens of thousands of people; your feelings for the afflicted then may not be as intense as they are now.
Remember, your obligation to humanity does not stop at the dotted lines on your checks. It starts there! Please donate wisely and generously, and ensure that your donations make a difference.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)