Bill Gates: End of an Era?

June 27, 2008 will go down the history books, as one visionary woke up from his dream to lead an ordinary life and cherish a new dream of “Helping the World”. I say a dream because being worth $58 billion, 13 consecutive years topping “The World Richest List”, touching the lives of almost 90% of Computing Professionals with his technology in his lifetime of 52 years of his existence and then bowing out at the peak of his career, Mr. Willam (Bill). H. Gates wakes up from his dream run to be a Philanthropist!!

I am not here to write a biography of Mr. Gates, as there are many available, and a space too little to write about his achievements. Honestly he has been an inspiration, and a challenge in my life.

Mr Bill Gates & his Microsoft entered my life as early as my first computing days in school. The very first thing I learnt about a computer that it needs to be booted with MS-DOS to start working on it. At school, we used to get 30 min a week to have computer practices, and we spent almost 10 min booting the machine, and then flipping pages to recollect the right MSDOS prompts to start any program, or do the simplest of things like finding out my last saved basic program which I wrote or do a copy paste.

I was never the wiz-kid computer guy in my class, but my enthusiasm in learning computers and trying new technology has still been my passion. I guess I had my first email id (that too a hotmail) in my friend circle; I was one of the first to promote computer and the power of software to my friends, most eager to do a final year engineering project using computer program, introduce my friends to the internet, most of the time the good part of it, but unlike young teenagers, there were friends who loved the “porn” part of it!!! And today some of those guys are some of best programmers I know and doing great for themselves!!

That’s beside the point, but intrusion of this man Mr. Bill Gates, into my life has been very early, and continues till date and I guess rest of my life. But all this could have changed, when one day a bunch of young grads from BSchool, wanted to take Mr. Gates Head On!!! I was one amongst them.

Paying for Licenses to use Microsoft Windows, Office and Internet explorer and that too for a product, which was not free from virus and hanged every now and then made us think! We were a bunch of techies, loved the open source, and worked on Linux and Unix platforms. One amongst us was a visionary and he came up with the revolutionary idea of creating a multilingual operating system based on Linux and dreamt of taking computer to every house of an Indian family.

The dream remained a dream, but I would not say that we kept our vision till drawing boards; some of us took some bold decisions and started on the project, and made quite a bit of progress in build the system. But with the dot com burst, and may be the idea of taking Mr Gates by his horns, did not get us venture capitalist, to fund the projects.

Thanks to Mr. Gates and his Windows revolution, which made us think otherwise and gave me some of the best learning of my life during this ad-venture. His high profile launch of “Project Bhash”, a multilingual windows OS, was the last nail in our coffin of language computing!! With No money and Only Gyan, we were even smaller than the David to challenge the mighty Goliath named Microsoft!!

Disheartened, I packed my bags to get back to my full time job, and then one day, I joined the world largest enterprise database company!!! I was happy there to find there were liked minded people at the top, who hated Microsoft and even found some posters of Quentin Tarantino’s movie “Kill Bill”!! I didnot get the message, but later did and smiled to myself. I even heard stories that we did not upgrade Windows Licenses to 99 or 2000 for a long time, as we did not want Microsoft to be richer!! Unfortunately, I had to go back to Windows and Office, but used Mozilla & Firefox as my browser and email client!! May be a small way of Kill Bill!!

Here, I learnt the power of 16 digits. Yes the power of licensing. The power of being compliant to those 16 or 20 digits which are exchanged with dollar$!! All licensed software we used had some digits to prove its originality and that was same for our product as well. I saw people chase deals; bring in million dollars, in return of those 16 digits, which we shipped with some CD’s. That was the power of being a product company!!

Bill Gates and his Microsoft, today rules my world of computing. Starting from MS DOS and writing “Hello World” using BASIC at school I almost live on Microsoft, from OS to Office to Mails even to my mobile phone, and that’s same for so many of us in this world, and that so many is as many as 90 % of computing population of the world. Bill always said, “Never doubt the power of software” and he has shown us the power and vision that today operating system and windows are synonymous.

I guess Bill has been thinking of picking up the tag of “Been There Done That”, for a long time and he has been in search of a right work life balance, but I guess he failed to find one and decided to move on!! He made an effort, and you can watch it on You Tube.

Today, this historic day, Mr. Bill Gates, moves on as a full time employee of Microsoft, which he has been since the age of 17, to follow his dreams at Bill & Melinda foundation, to be a philanthropist, to touch our lives with another “soft” hand to make it a better place. I wish him all the best and thank him for touching my life as an inspiration and competition in whatever degree it may be!!

News or TRP Generator???

Inflation & Crime hits the front page of every news paper and news channels today. In probably last couple of months we have seen enough news items in the subject I started writing today. From 7% to 11.05 % or a never ending crime in Delhi and adjoining places have made headlines all through the last 30-45 days.

Arushi double murder, where the channel ripped apart a 14 year old dead girls character based on some base less investigation by the Noida police, or broad daylight murder stories up north of the country have taken me by surprise, and our media through the television channels have all lived up to making our days begin with inflation and end with crime stories.

Indian media has changed a lot with time. With the evolution of Cable TV networks and Satellite television, Indian media has take a toll with its news so called “all day” news channels. I would not disagree on the fact that the reach of such media has helped in getting attention of small trivial things happening around us, whether it is farmers dying, people conning, or human rights being denied, but with this we also see some news clips which are disheartening and foolish.

Every other day, there are news and analysis of people being put to death by domestic help at home, giving full analysis, of what happened, what mistakes were made, what could have been done, and what our police did. Too much detailing, provides enough feed for the channels to pull up a 20 min news slot, and keep ahead with their competitors but do they realized that they also open up ideas, opportunities and influence people who may be tempted to commit crimes through this news items. Do you feel secured to ask your children’s to watch news channels for their over all development as our parents use to?

I know, this may be a topic of debate, but what I would like to draw your attention, which tempted me to write, is 2 instances.

One incase of Arushi’s murder case, new channels first ripped the police, and provided information on the loop holes in the investigation and verdict of Noida Police, later believed what the police said and ripped the 14 year old dead girls character on national television, without investigating the truth of the verdict of the same Noida police, whose each verdict they were hell bent to prove wrong few days back.

Another was a recreated version and play act of how crime may be committed using a Chinese gadget over telephone which can misguide a person on the other end of the phone to recognize a male’s voice as female and vis a versa. The news channel showed how some one can call and inform some emergency like an accident to urge a person to run to a particular place and then be a victim of a crime. The way its was presented will surely catch eyeballs, but the message of warning a person of such misguiding gadget was lost in between; all it gave was a thrilling story & ideas to use it.

Do you think, if I use that gadget and call the same news reporter who drafted the news piece, to inform of an emergency, will he or she be in a mental state to judge if it was true or a misguiding call for some planned crime? I am sure the answer will be NO. If so, then why publicize such gadget in a national news channel?

And in Arushi’s case it was a perfect story of infidelity, scandals and morality of a father killing a child which had all the masala to catch the eyeballs and increase the TRP’s. Is this something we like to see? We need to ask ourselves!!

The onus of such stories being broadcasted also lie on us. The media shows what we like to see; after all they are in the business of making profit as well, apart from social responsibility. It again comes back to packaging and consumer demand, and I am not excluding myself from the same.

To this I also feel “Can we not have a sensor board for new channels as well?” If there can be people to censor “creativity & imagination” so that it does not go overboard in the name of influence and morality, why not for news channels which is an everyday phenomenon and reports truth (dramatized) and not imagination!!!

Today you ask any individual between the age group of 25 – 40, to name the current health minister, it’s a bang on answer, but same if asked about past 3 health ministers, they score a big zero and so do I. This is because Dr Ramadoss, has used the media to its advantage. He has picked up the most happening celebrity SRK as his pedestal to shift the arc lights on him. I question, if he is so concerned about “Smoking” has used his allocated ministry funds to run a campaign in colleges to make them smoke free? Can he confirm that any hang outs in and around colleges have been made to stop selling cigarettes? Has he made an attempt to stop illegal selling on cigarettes on railways stations in India? Has he set an example by punishing railway employees / contractors working in the pantry or supplying bedding's not to smoke in trains?

Indian media has supported in his lust for fame and supplied fuel to his campaigns on hitting at celebrities. This is because; we love to see “who the hell dares to do moral policing against King Khan” Is Dr Ramadoss actually bothered of seeing SRK quit smoking or his mission of writing his name in the minds of aaum janta as a health minister may be to a capitalize it for his next elections fulfilled?

Customer is the King!! And it is true in all walks of life. People are in a fast track life with enough disposal income, and thus the game of demand supply is well poised in such markets. We show what you like to see!!! We make what you like to buy!! And thus even if we crib and debate about moral and social responsibility of journalist and journalism, I think I am and We are to be blamed for such news which is immoral and irrelevant!!!

Industry Interaction @ IBS Bangalore

“When America sneezes the world catches cold”, is a famous saying which speaks volumes of the American supremacy on world economy.

It was 11^th June 2008, I was invited to be one of the industry representations for an Industry Interaction session, organized by IBS Bangalore. It was a pleasure being there, as it gives me an opportunity to network and also an opportunity to learn from such eminent discussions.

What we were there were to hear and discuss about three topics which challenges India today? Our very own and global “Inflation and US recession – Advantage India”, the “Gen Y sectors of tomorrow” and “Opportunities in Management Education”

There were a panel of one industry representation and one faculty each to present this topic and then have some interaction with other industry person and students. The panel was of eminent industry people from director of a global MNC, an entrepreneur and ex Managing Director of an Indian consumer durable, a VP of an education society.

I was looking forward to a power packed evening which started with opening speech by our dean IBS Bangalore, by setting the tone with some tough facts and figures on the giant screen. Figures talking about inflation at 8.24 on that day (today 11.05%), crude oil at $139 per barrel, other economic conditions, recession in US etc.

To follow it up was an eminent economic faculty from IBS, who started with fact throwing presentation, neither making the presentation interesting nor bringing out any inference from the submissions made through the presentation.

With some heavy weight presentation, I was looking for some breather, and it was turn for an industry speaker to make his point on Advantage India, and as an eminent speaker, he started with a bang, created a curiosity of a ticker which was going on while he presented.

Packaged well with facts and substance and his submission that India is bound to grow and be one of the economic superpower in the years to come. Other speakers came and went, submitting their thoughts that even with inflation and oil prices going up, still India is well poised in the global market and development in India shall sustain and grow.

The seminar went by as it should be, and with some question and answer and hurrying up at the end with lack of time, as usual we closed the evening on a high note and conclusion that, “When America sneezes atleast India will not catch cold”,

The evening was followed by cocktail and dinner. I quickly had a light dinner and spent some time networking. With the clock ticking towards an important fixture at the Euro cup, I excused myself and headed home.

While driving back I though to my self, amongst all the presentation, the best presentation came from the industry people. The first presenter with the ticker used all the tools and techniques of a good presenter should use in a forum like this. He had jazzy presentation, packaged well with images and facts, kept the audience guessing on few opening statements & tickers he showed at the start of the presentation. He was able to capture eyeballs and connect with the audience at the very beginning and presented things which people could understand, relate and feel proud on his submission that India is well poised.

On the contrary, the faculties with due respect; put up things which we could have read on Economic times.

It had content but no color. It had gyan but no gain!!

It was idealistic but not practical. It was monotonous and not spontaneous.

To this I felt, is this the reason for “Packaging” in 7 P’s of marketing?

Today industry wants good packaging. Whether it’s a Job or a Marriage proposal, people are looking at good packaging. They are in search for smart workers, with go getter attitude, knowledge and above all great communication skills. I guess the corporate world is also moving towards T20, work hard party hard and keep the run rates going.

This is the reason, why we have so many finishing schools coming up, where people learn to present themselves, conduct themselves in a forum and carry them well which makes them more saleable in the job market. Communication is the key, what is the use of knowledge if it cannot be communicated well.

And this belief was reinforced, with my meeting with Mr. Angshik Chaudhuri – Executive Director Globalization Operations at Cisco Systems India, the first industry presenter; an eminent speaker and visionary, who had a modest start to his career being a facility manager at Oberoi, attain such great heights of excellence today in such short span.

His ticker keeps me reminding even today that in his 20 minutes presentation, India has moved few steps toward urbanization, and I guess with every such minute ticking, India takes a bigger step in being one of the economic superpower of tomorrow!!!

Mumbai to Bangalore in 270 minutes!!

It was 6th June 2008.

A hard day’s work, some good meetings and thrill of coming back home after spending 3 rainy nights in Mumbai was unbelievable. Keeping the BIAL in mind and I had booked a 17.10 flight back from Mumbai, hoping that we land in Bangalore by 7.00 pm and home by 9.00pm.

All worked as per plan, web check in, so that I need not hurry to airport, finish my meeting and have a late lunch at aunt’s place and then reached airport around 4.30pm. Cleared the security check and waited for the boarding announcement.

My eyes kept looking around, if I could bump into a friend on a Friday evening and catch up on old times. Suddenly an announcement struck my attention; it was for some Mr. Kishore, who was being asked to board the Jet flight schedule to take off at 15.50 announced at 4.40 pm.

I was wondering what shall be the fate of my flight, and as I got up to see the display board to catch up on the time, I saw a dark man in a beige suit running, and it was Kishore, my old colleague from Oracle. We both left Oracle round the same time and could manage to exchange our cards with a promise to call each other; both of us are yet to keep them.

I settled to take out my Khaled Hosseini, and get involved with his breath taking and moving narrative style; another announcement caught my ears, “9W441 delayed by 20min”; I thought to myself “is this a start to my long evening”? To my surprise Jet announced its boarding at 5.20pm, and I was happy to board the aircraft not realizing that there are more surprises due that evening.

I had an exit isle seat, and a gentleman sitting at the window. The middle seats seem to be empty. I prayed that hope we hit the runway fast and may the middle seat be empty to sit more relaxed. I never knew that God was not in a mood to oblige me that evening. But he had some plans.

I found a tall gentleman, well built with salt and pepper hair and beard approaching that middle seat with a smile on his face. I thought to self, “Have I seen him somewhere”? I gave him time to settle down, and then I realized, that’s Mohandas Pai, ex CFO and now HR head of Infosys.

That was the first surprise.

I acknowledged his presence and the honor of having him as my co passenger. He was friendly guy, we struck a discussion and he asked me about my work and I shot him some questions on different things. His thoughts about how things are now, with the rising inflation and recession in USA, the new Bangalore airport, the time he took to reach from electronic city etc.

In midst of all these conversation, we did not realize that the plane did not move, and we were already inside the aircraft from 40 min now with the doors shut. He was getting some calls and checking his email on his smart phone; I respected his privacy and went back to Khaled Hossaini. At times got impatient as we were still not moving and looked at my neighboring seat to find Mr Pai, engrossed in reading some chit chat news from Bollywood to Business.

Finally, the plane moved and it took it another 15 min to take off, and as always I dozed off when the flight hit the runway till it took off leaving behind the dusk on Arabian Sea. We were in the aircraft for 90 min waiting for the ATC clearance in Mumbai.

In less than 90 min we were in Bangalore and the flight was pleasant with the jet hospitality and the captain made up for some lost time and reached Bangalore in less than anticipated flying time. The landing at BIAL was smooth, and it was time to bid good bye to my elite company. We exchanged cards in hope that he remembers me and I have another opportunity to bump again.

The ride from BIAL to home was another 90 min, which I presumed was in good time and less than expectation of traffic problems that has been hyped for Bangalore. But yes the cost of traveling quickly comes at a high cost which actually needs attention.

Finally at around 10pm it was Home Sweet Home, and I rested after long working day, looking forward to the weekend and with passing thought, may be 10 years hence will some one blog about meeting me on a flight?

I hope so!! Amen.

The BIAL Experience!!

Last week I had to go to Mumbai, and was excited and apprehensive about my trip. Not that I have never been to Mumbai, but I was flying for the first time from the new Bangalore International Airport. The most talked about and controversial airport the country has today. I stay in JP Nagar which is South of Bangalore and I had to travel 50KM to reach the airport.

I had weighed my option and traveled by Meru Cab to the airport. For a flight at 6.50 PM and keeping the hype and hoopla by the media, and the most talked about traffic in Bangalore I left home at 3.30pm, estimating that I would reach by 5.30pm.

I was disappointed, as the trip to the airport was smooth as a vanilla ice cream. No traffic, (people may say I was traveling off peak hour), roads were broad and had smooth ride to the airport flat in 85min. The first impression was barren lands all over, and the approach road to airport has been made pretty well.

At the entrance the gates are small and number of them too less. With the current eTickets and ID proofs to be shown, it makes it difficult to enter the airport lounge with ease, but makes up for the time spent to do baggage screening at the entrance in any other airport, as BIAL your baggage is screened only once you check in to get your boarding pass. What a relief!!!

With all the talks about international standards, BIAL is a let down, with 2 weeks of operation, they still have teething problems. Power fails at times, Barista unable to service customer due to ice shortage (again blamed on the power), toilets not clean enough, and the bins are overflowing and no attendant to take care of the same.

At the entrance, though you feel you have enough space to breathe compared to HAL but once you step up to the security check in lounge, its all the same. I guess with the increasing air traffic in Bangalore, BIAL needs to gear up for an expansion very soon else pray that Mr Praful Patel increases the air fares to keep away some infrequent travelers.

To this experience, paying Rs.650/- per flight UDF (user development fee) for domestic flights (still to start) and some Rs.1000 + for International flights is ruled out. And adding to the same, the government is bound to provide infrastructure to people of the country, if they are incapable of managing it on their own and privatize it is their problem, and why should common people pay the price of someone else’s profits!!! I have traveled across India, and used private airports in Mumbai and Delhi, so we pay a UDF there?

Overall the BIAL airport is good but could have been better, or is it all the media hype which had more to do with my expectation?

Starting a New Leaf!!!

12th June 2008

Today I turn a new leaf and decided to start blogging and express my thought through this online mode. Its not that I have turned it on from inspiration of Mr. Big B or Mr. Aamir Perfect Khan, but I have using the blogs to write more of, one time articles on different passions I have. You may read my earlier compilations on Mr.Bachchan, Indian Food, Sales & Marketing and Training & Education.

But today I make a conscious effort to write more regularly on my experiences and submissions on issues and topics surrounding us. This I feel is a good stress buster and a great way for productive relaxation.

To start with I shall write a brief about some experiences of last week