The history of Orkut

1. Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orkut
2. Home page of Mr. Orkut Buyukkokten: http://www.stanford.edu/~orkut/
3. Orkut page of Mr. Orkut: http://www.orkut.com/Profile.aspx?uid=325082930226142255

Poem: Recipe for Kindness

Recipe for Kindness

Fold two hands together

And express a dash of sorrow

Marinate it overnight

And work on it tomorrow.

Chop one grudge in tiny pieces

Add several cups of love

Dredge with a large sized smile

Mix with the ingredients above.

Dissolve the hate within you,

By doing a good deed,

Cut in and help your friend

If he should be in need.

Stir in laughter, love and kindness

From the heart it has to come,

Toss with genuine forgiveness

And give your neighbour some.

The amount of people served

Will depend on you,

It can serve the whole wide world,

If you really want it to.

Author Unknown

Blogger for Word

Blog from inside Microsoft Word. A plugin that is really easy to use. Recommended.



Note: For some reason, it does not work when Microsoft Outlook is running AND Outlook has Word configured as the default editor. So you have to either

1. Close Outlook when you want to blog from within Word. OR
   
   
2. Choose another editor other than Word as default for Outlook.

Other than this problem, it works great.





Link: Blogger: Download Blogger for Word

Expanding tables

Fletcher Capstan tables (Expanding tables)

Fantastic tables that expand when rotated to double its original seating capacity, but still remains circular. Made out of wood.



Existing tables can seat six persons when small, and twelve or more when expanded, but there are other design possibilities.



Go see it: DB Fletcher Furniture Design

Does Hospitality Have to Be So Wasteful?

Does Hospitality Have to Be So Wasteful?

A thought provoking article in NYT.

Link: Does Hospitality Have to Be So Wasteful? - New York Times

You have problems?

You have problems?

Got this email ... very nice!!

Don't worry if you have problems! Which is easy to say until you are in the midst of a really big one, I know. But the only people I am aware of who don't have troubles are gathered in little neighbourhoods. Most cities and villages have at least one. We call them cemeteries. If you're breathing, you have difficulties. It's the way of life. And believe it or not, most of your problems may actually be good for you!

Let me explain.

Maybe you have seen the Great Barrier Reef , stretching some 1,800 miles from New Guinea to Australia . Tour guides regularly take visitors to view the reef. On one tour, the guide was asked an interesting question. "I notice that the lagoon side of the reef looks pale and lifeless, while the ocean side is vibrant and colourful," a traveller observed. "Why is this?"

The guide gave an interesting answer: "The coral around the lagoon side is in still water, with no challenge for its survival. It dies early. The coral on the ocean side is constantly being tested by wind, waves, and storms -- surges of power. It has to fight for survival every day of its life. As it is challenged and tested it changes and adapts. It grows healthy. It grows strong. And it reproduces."

Then he added this telling note: "That's the way it is with every living organism." That's how it is with people. Challenged and tested, we come alive! Like coral pounded by the sea, we grow. Physical demands can cause us to grow stronger. Mental and emotional stress can produce tough-mindedness and resiliency. Spiritual testing can produce strength of character and faithfulness.

So, you have problems -- no problem! Just tell yourself, "There I grow again; stronger and powerful!"

China's white dolphin called extinct after 20 million years

Man's shameless behavior on this planet claims yet another victim.

A species that survived for 20 million years has died. Guess who is responsible?



Link: China's white dolphin called extinct after 20 million years - CNN.com

Nuckin' Futs – Awesome JibJab video

A H I L A R I O U S video from JibJab !! Go see it ..



Link: Nuckin' Futs – A JibJab Year in Review - 2006

Mars Rover video

Amazing!! No words can describe it. Go see..



Link: dailyvideo - Mars Rover

Nissan Pivo: Amazing concept car

Check this out:

1. No blind spots
2. The cabin of the car turns around 360 degrees !! So no problems while parking
   
   

Link: hubertheller - Nissan Pivo

A nice joke that I happened to come upon.
Reproduced from the site : EE versus CS

Electrical Engineering vs. Computer Science

Once upon a time, in a kingdom not far from here, a king summoned two of his advisors for a test. He showed them both a shiny metal box with two slots in the top, a control knob, and a lever. "What do you think this is?"

One advisor, an engineer, answered first. "It is a toaster," he said. The king asked, "How would you design an embedded computer for it?" The engineer replied, "Using a four-bit microcontroller, I would write a simple program that reads the darkness knob and quantizes its position to one of 16 shades of darkness, from snow white to coal black. The program would use that darkness level as the index to a 16-element table of initial timer values. Then it would turn on the heating elements and start the timer with the initial value selected from the table. At the end of the time delay, it would turn off the heat and pop up the toast. Come back next week, and I'll show you a working prototype."

The second advisor, a computer scientist, immediately recognized the danger of such short-sighted thinking. He said, "Toasters don't just turn bread into toast, they are also used to warm frozen waffles. What you see before you is really a breakfast food cooker. As the subjects of your kingdom become more sophisticated, they will demand more capabilities. They will need a breakfast food cooker that can also cook sausage, fry bacon, and make scrambled eggs. A toaster that only makes toast will soon be obsolete. If we don't look to the future, we will have to completely redesign the toaster in just a few years."

"With this in mind, we can formulate a more intelligent solution to the problem. First, create a class of breakfast foods. Specialize this class into subclasses: grains, pork, and poultry. The specialization process should be repeated with grains divided into toast, muffins, pancakes, and waffles; pork divided into sausage, links, and bacon; and poultry divided into scrambled eggs, hard- boiled eggs, poached eggs, fried eggs, and various omelet classes."

"The ham and cheese omelet class is worth special attention because it must inherit characteristics from the pork, dairy, and poultry classes. Thus, we see that the problem cannot be properly solved without multiple inheritance. At run time, the program must create the proper object and send a message to the object that says, 'Cook yourself.' The semantics of this message depend, of course, on the kind of object, so they have a different meaning to a piece of toast than to scrambled eggs."

"Reviewing the process so far, we see that the analysis phase has revealed that the primary requirement is to cook any kind of breakfast food. In the design phase, we have discovered some derived requirements. Specifically, we need an object-oriented language with multiple inheritance. Of course, users don't want the eggs to get cold while the bacon is frying, so concurrent processing is required, too."

"We must not forget the user interface. The lever that lowers the food lacks versatility, and the darkness knob is confusing. Users won't buy the product unless it has a user-friendly, graphical interface. When the breakfast cooker is plugged in, users should see a cowboy boot on the screen. Users click on it, and the message 'Booting UNIX v.8.3' appears on the screen. (UNIX 8.3 should be out by the time the product gets to the market.) Users can pull down a menu and click on the foods they want to cook."

"Having made the wise decision of specifying the software first in the design phase, all that remains is to pick an adequate hardware platform for the implementation phase. An Intel 80386 with 8MB of memory, a 30MB hard disk, and a VGA monitor should be sufficient. If you select a multitasking, object oriented language that supports multiple inheritance and has a built-in GUI, writing the program will be a snap. (Imagine the difficulty we would have had if we had foolishly allowed a hardware-first design strategy to lock us into a four-bit microcontroller!)."

The king wisely had the computer scientist beheaded, and they all lived happily ever after.

The US ZIPScribble Map

-- Start SNIPPET ---



What would happen if you were to connect all the ZIP codes in the US in
ascending order? Is there a system behind the assignment of ZIP codes?
Are they organized in a grid? The result is surprising and much more
interesting than expected.



-- End SNIPPET ---



Link: The US ZIPScribble Map | EagerEyes.org

The Japanese Super Safe Wii Safety Manual (and its parody)

If you want to design a safety manual for your product, the ultimate one comes from the Japanese. They have covered almost all the scenarios that one can think of as far as "Don't do this!!" kind of advice is concerned. Definitely worth a look ...



Link: The Japanese Super Safe Wii Safety Manual - Kotaku









And can people resist poking fun at this? This site has a parody of pages that are "missing" from the manual.



Parody link: The missing pages

Funny Shayari

Funny Shayari

Aaj thodi shayari ho jaaye ...

Lamha lamha waqt guzar jayega,
Saat pheron ke sath koi apko bhand jaeja,

Aabhi bhi waqt hai kisi se affair kar lo ,
Kya pata kal kaun cartoon apko saup diya jayega!!

Shah jahan ne Taj Mahal ki har dewar ko dekha,

Har menar ko dekha,

Har kaleen ko dakha,

Har khidki ko dekha

or bola....

Maa kasam, bohut kharcha ho gaya hai!!

Ishq Ke School Mein Naya Mahole Tayyar Ho Gaya

Class Ki Teacher Ko Pappu Se Pyar Ho gaya

Yeh Sun Ker Sari Class Ka DIl Udass Ho Gaya

Sari Class Fail Aur Pappu Pas Ho Gaya!!

Chori Chori Yeh Aana Jana Chhorh Do
Chupke Chupke Yon Nazar Milana Chhorh Do

Kisi Din Bohat Pito Gay Unse Tum
Yeh Masjidon Se Jootay Churana Chhorh Do!!

Maine Kaha Dilruba

Usne kaha Paise Dikha.

Maine Kaha Paise Nahi

Usne kaha kaise Nahi??

Maine Kaha Mehangayi Hai..
Usne Kaha-Ja Tu mera Bhai Hai !!!

Aurora / Meteor Shower Images

Images of the aurora borealis. Quite a collection.



Link: Aurora / Meteor Shower Images

The post-it pad that looks like an Onion

Those Japanese again - inventing new things every day. I want this one !!



Link: Tokyomango: The post-it pad that looks like an Onion.

Do Not Call List (for India)

Do Not Call List (for India)

-- START snippet --

Get disconnected from the world of perky telemarketers and wallow in the
lap of a luxurious disturbance-free day. Just sign up the Do Not Disturb
Registries of banks to disengage..

-- END snippet --

Table copied from the site:

A Few Clicks Away
Bank	Website	No. of clicks1
ICICI Bank	www.icicibank.com	1
SBI	www.sbicard.com	1
BoB Cards	www.bobcards.com	1
Citibank	www.citibank.co.in	1
HDFC Bank	www.hdfcbank.com	1
StanChartered	www.standardchartered.co.in	1
HSBC	www.hsbc.co.in	1
ABN Amro	www.abnamro.co.in	1
UTI Bank	www.utibank.com	2
Bank of India	www.bankofindia.com	1
1To reach DNCR

Link: outlookmoney.com: Ring in peace, say no to unsolicited banking calls

The World’s Most High-Tech Urinal

Urinal's are going high-tech !!

This one is underground during the day and comes out at night for peeing purposes. No doors - so no vandalism possible !!



Link: The World’s Most High-Tech Urinal « John Chow dot Com

Some Shayari

Some Shayari

Today I feel poetic - so here is some shayari ...

Jo shaks tum se pehle yahan takht nasheen tha

Usko bhi khuda hone pe, itna hi yaqeen tha

(takht nasheen --> ruler)

-- Habib Jalib

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Bagair jane pahechane ikrar na kijiye,

Muskura kar dilo ko bekar na kijiye,

Phool bhi de jate hai zakham gahere kabhi kabhi,

Har phul par yun aaitbar na kijiye...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Jaam pe jaam peene se kya fayeda,

Raat guzri to utar jayegi,

Kisi ki aankhon se peeyo khuda ki kasam,

Umr saari nashe mein guzar jayegi.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Pyar ne ye kaisa tohfa de diya

Mujhko gumo ne pathar bana diya

Teri yaadon main hi kat gayi ye umar

Kehta raha tujhe kab ka bhula diya

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Wada na karo agar tum nibha na sako,

Chaho na usko jise tum pa na sako,

Dost to duniya me bahot hote hai,

Par ek khas rakho jiske bina tum muskura na sako.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

How to Buy Nothing

All of us at one point or the other, have bought something that we really did not need. This list tells you ways and means of cutting down on spending unnecessarily in shops/malls. All of the suggestions may not be to your liking, but the overall philosophy is good.



Link: How to Buy Nothing - WikiHow

Titanic song (Celine Dion) remake in Orkut

Every time in my Orkut

I see you. I scrap you.

That is how I know you go on.



Far across the Scrap Book

And testimonials between us

You have come to show yourself " single".

Near, far, wherever you are

I believe that the friends list does go on



Once more you logged on

And you're here in my scrap book

And my scrap book will go on and on



Testimonials can touch us one time

And last for sometime

And never let go till we're friends

Love was when I saw your friends list

One true time I hold to

In my life I'll surely view her/his profile

Near, far, wherever you are

I believe that the friends list does go on



Once more you logged on

And you're here in my scrap book

And my scrap book will go on and on

There is some amazing profile that will not go away



You're here, there's so much to fear,

And I know that my friend will know I checked her/him out

We'll stay forever this way

You are safe in my friends list

And my friends list go on and on

Ballmer: Linux users owe Microsoft

In comments confirming the open-source community's suspicions,
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer Thursday declared his belief that the Linux
operating system infringes on Microsoft's intellectual property.



FUD at its creative best...





Link: Computerworld - Ballmer: Linux users owe Microsoft

Paramount, 20th Century Fox embrace BitTorrent

BitTorrent is going places !! Now major entertainment companies are embracing it.

Good start ...



Link: Paramount, 20th Century Fox embrace BitTorrent

PS3 Nike shoes for $5,000

$5000 for a pair of shoes !! If any further proof was necessary that some humans are crazy, this is it ..



Link: PS3 Nike shoes for $5,000

Expiring e-mail addresses

Snippet from the CNET site:

--- Start Snippet ---

I'm sure you're as sick of spam as I am. Much of it comes from sites that require people to provide e-mail addresses to sign up. Those registrations result in unwanted e-mail from those sites as well as any others that your e-mail address gets passed on to.

There's a new Web site designed to solve this problem. Called 10 Minute Mail, it generates fresh e-mail addresses for people that expire after 10 minutes, or longer if the user requests that. You can use it to sign up for a service and then forget about it.

--- End Snippet ---

Link: Expiring e-mail addresses News.blog CNET News.com

Firefox gone wild

Firefox gone wild

What happens if you install all the Firefox extensions that you possibly can?

Link: Firefox gone wild (PNG Image, 1229x632 pixels)

1 year later, face transplant woman can smile

Isabelle Dinoire, from Amiens, France, received a face transplant via a graft from a brain-dead donor after being mauled by her dog.



One year on, her surgeon Bernard Devauchelle said she continued to make excellent progress and that he had plans to carry out more operations.



Full story: BBC NEWS | Health | Face transplant woman can smile

STD codes of Indian Cities (Telephone area codes)

I modified the title less someone mistakes it for something else (Indians have so many types of STD that they actually have codes for them??? :-D )



Telephone Area codes for Indian cities : STD codes of Indian Cities

Live Satellite channels

A site that has a few live Satellite channels. One Hindi channel too ..



Link: http://tv.sirfparvez.com/

Usability links

Usability is one of the most important things for any product. Sadly, it is one of the most neglected aspects in software design.



Companies spend millions of dollars in making new software, and the end result is something that is way below par as far as the end user's experience is concerned. How many times have you said "This software costs so much and they couldn't give me a better interface???"



Some links on good usability guidelines, practices tips:

1. Apple Human Interface Guidelines
2. Yale Web Style Guide
3. Telstra Online Standards
4. User Interface Guidelines for Oracle BLAF (Browser Look and Feel) applications
5. IBM Web Design Guidelines
6. AJAX and Interface design
7. Top 10 problems with web application usability
   
   

The 25 Funniest Analogies ever

Read and enjoy.



The 25 Funniest Analogies (Collected by High School English Teachers) «

New transparent household electronics

What will the Japanese think of next? This time they have come up with transparent household goods -- a transparent fridge, transparent washing machine .....



Tokyomango: New transparent household electronics.

A Woman

Something nice that I read ....


This is written in the Hebrew Talmud, the book where all of the sayings and preaching of Rabbis are conserved over time.

It says: "Be very careful if you make a woman cry, because God counts her tears .


The woman came out of a man's rib. Not from his feet to be walked on.


Not from his head to be superior, but from the side to be equal.


Under the arm to be protected, and next to the heart to be loved."

Poetry: Koshish Karne Waalon Ki Kabhi Haar Nahin Hoti

Poetry: Koshish Karne Waalon Ki Kabhi Haar Nahin Hoti

Today I am in a poetic mood. So here's a beautiful poem by Harivansh Rai Bacchhan....


==========================================
Lehron se Darkar naukaa paar nahi hoti
Koshish karne waalon ki kabhi haar nahi hoti

Nanhi cheenti daana lekar chalti hai
chadhti hai deevaar par sau baar fisalti hai
Man kaa vishwaas ragon me saahas bharta hai
chadhkar girna, girkar chadhna nahi akharta hai
mehnat uski bekaar har baar nahi hoti
koshish karne waalon ki kabhi haar nahi hoti

Dubkiyan sindhoo me gotaakhor lagata hai
jaa jaakar khaali haath lautkar aata hai
milte na sahaj hi moti gehre paani me
badhta doona vishwaas isi hairaani me
mutthi uski khaali harbaar nahi hoti
koshish karne waalon ki kabhi haar nahi hoti

Asafalta ek chunauti hai sweekar karo
kya kami reh gayi hai dekho aur sudhaar karo
jab tak naa safal hon chain neend ko tyago tumm...
Koshish karne walaon ki kabhi haar nahi hoti.................

--Harivansh Rai Bacchhan


==========================================

LSI Logic patents doubly linked list !!

U N B E L I E V A B L E !!





Link: Linked list - US Patent 7028023

Giant Airplanes

There are airplanes, big airplanes and ... Giant Airplanes!! Some of these are really amazing .. worth a look.



Link: Fogonazos: Giant airplanes

The Most Famous Photographs

Some photographs that made history. This site keeps on changing, so refresh your browser for each visit that you make ...



Link: The Most Famous Photographs

How to make an origami paper balloon

Steps for making a paper balloon.



Link: Balloon - Let's Make Origami!

Avoiding RSI (Repetitive Stress Injuries)

If you use a computer for many hours per day, read this !!



It has very useful information that can save you a lot of pain ...



Link: Official Google Blog: Avoiding RSI

Amazing Lego creations: Music bands

Band members made from Legos. A lot of musicians - from Bob Dylan to U2!!



There are other good creations as well -- just click the "Random" link at the top of the page to see some neat stuff like the Stringray.



Link: Brickshelf Gallery

Shortcut keys for Microsoft Excel

Shortcut keys for Microsoft Excel

Keys for windows and dialog boxes
In a window, to	Press
Switch to the next program	ALT+TAB
Switch to the previous program	ALT+SHIFT+TAB
Show the Windows Start menu	CTRL+ESC
Close the active workbook window	CTRL+W
Restore the active workbook window	CTRL+F5
Switch to the next workbook window	CTRL+F6
Switch to the previous workbook window	CTRL+SHIFT+F6
Carry out the Move command (workbook icon menu, menu bar)	CTRL+F7
Carry out the Size command (workbook icon menu, menu bar)	CTRL+F8
Minimize the workbook window to an icon	CTRL+F9
Maximize or restore the workbook window	CTRL+F10
Select a folder in the Open or Save As dialog box (File menu)	ALT+0 to select the folder list; arrow keys to select a folder
Choose a toolbar button in the Open or Save As dialog box (File menu)	ALT+ number (1 is the leftmost button, 2 is the next, and so on)
Update the files visible in the Open or Save As dialog box (File menu)	F5
In a dialog box, to	Press
Switch to the next tab in a dialog box	CTRL+TAB or CTRL+PAGE DOWN
Switch to the previous tab in a dialog box	CTRL+SHIFT+TAB or CTRL+PAGE UP
Move to the next option or option group	TAB
Move to the previous option or option group	SHIFT+TAB
Move between options in the active drop-down list box or between some options in a group of options	Arrow keys
Perform the action assigned to the active button (the button with the dotted outline), or select or clear the active check box	SPACEBAR
Move to an option in a drop-down list box	Letter key for the first letter in the option name you want (when a drop-down list box is selected)
Select an option, or select or clear a check box	ALT+ letter, where letter is the key for the underlined letter in the option name
Open the selected drop-down list box	ALT+DOWN ARROW
Close the selected drop-down list box	ESC
Perform the action assigned to the default command button in the dialog box (the button with the bold outline ¾ often the OK button)	ENTER
Cancel the command and close the dialog box	ESC
In a text box, to	Press
Move to the beginning of the entry	HOME
Move to the end of the entry	END
Move one character to the left or right	LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW
Move one word to the left or right	CTRL+LEFT ARROW or CTRL+RIGHT ARROW
Select from the insertion point to the beginning of the entry	SHIFT+HOME
Select from the insertion point to the end of the entry	SHIFT+END
Select or unselect one character to the left	SHIFT+LEFT ARROW
Select or unselect one character to the right	SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW
Select or unselect one word to the left	CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW
Select or unselect one word to the right	CTRL+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW

Mega Machu Picchu

Get yer mega photos right here!! That's right, ladies and gentlemen - 1.5 Giga Pixel photos of Machu Pichu (Peru).

Over 400 images, Over 1500 Megapixels !!



P.S. Try saying "Mega Machu Picchu" really fast over and over again ...





Link: Mega Machu Picchu - 1.5 GigaPixel

The most beautiful images you can find

A site that lists the top images currently available on the net (this is via a voting system, so it is actually the top pictures that people have voted for).



Link: http://thefairest.info/top.html

Amazing photo of the Earth

This photo is just too good !! Click for a bigger picture ...



Link: Amazing photo of the earth (NASA)

The 10 Best (and 10 Worst) Companies for Customer Service

A list of the companies that treat their customers like kings. Also the other side: companies that treat you like dirt.



Obviously, go to the top 10 and beware of the bottom 10.



Link: CRM Lowdown: The 10 Best (and 10 Worst) Companies ...

Java: Sun GPLs Java

My, how times change!! Sun absolutely refused to make Java open source. Now it is doing it :-).
Anyway, better late than never.

Link:  Sun GPLs Java

Guidelines for being a good corporate citizen

Guidelines for being a good corporate citizen

These are general guidelines for being a good corporate citizen. Taken from a news group thread in my office.

Note: I work in a software firm in India. But most of these guidelines are general purpose and universally applicable.

1. If someone is parking his/ her vehicle do not come in intimidating distances till the other person is done. If you have a driver who is waiting in the car, make sure that your car is not obstructing path of others.
   
   
2. If you are taking the elevator please see if someone is coming or trying to get the elevator, rather then pretending not to see and poking buttons on the Blackberry. Everyone's time is important.
   
   
3. In elevator if standing close to the buttons ask which floor. This will not make you a liftman / lift operator but demonstrate that you are a good person. If someone asks you the floor and pushes button for you please say thank you.
   
   
4. While waiting for the lift (elevator) please see to it that people in elevator come out first
   and you provide ample room to them.
5. If you are stepping into any confined zone, please let people in that zone move out before you move in. Basically wait for people to exit. Walking into a lift, corridor, lobby, aisle or conference room all fits.
   
   
6. Always stand in queue for anything (taking food in the cafeteria, etc.). Do not cut in line.
   
   
7. If you are parking your bike make sure you park it straight and such that it takes only 1 bike space (park it on the main stand).
   Don't park it haphazardly and take up 2 bike space and leave only that much space between bikes as is required for easily taking it out!
   
   
8. Talk softly on the phone. The phone mics are very powerful and you don't need to talk that loud for the other person to hear. Also consider other folks sitting in adjacent cubes.
1. Put your cell phones to "vibrating" modes as soon as you enter office. No one, repeat no one, is interested in hearing your "just downloaded fantastic mp3 tune". It is very, very disturbing - especially while you are concentrating on something.
2. Put your ringer volume at reasonable levels on your desk phone, especially when you are not at your desk.
   
   
9. Switch off phones or put them on silent during all-hands, meetings etc. It is not only irritating to others, it is an insult to the speaker.
   
   
10. Don't chat in groups in pantries - it causes lot of inconvenience to others who come for tea/coffee/snacks.
    
    
11. Don't send huge emails' (even work related) - it is a royal pain to download them at home on slow speeds. Not everyone has a broadband connection! Have a central place for documents, and send out a link in the email. It also keeps the network happy!
    
    
12. If you spill liquid on floor, make sure it is mopped up by the office support staff, before you leave. Or clean it yourself.
    
    
13. For smokers - throw the stubs in dustbins / ashtrays. The smoking zone floor is not the right place.
    
    
14. If you read newspaper kept in the common area, make sure to re-arrange it properly when you keep it back. No one likes to read a crumpled, unsorted newspaper - even you don't!
    
    
15. Treat the pantries' as you treat your kitchen - keep them clean, and tidy. It does not take much effort to close the lid of the biscuit box, and keep the used cup in the wash-basin! Don't keep the used cups' at any place in office - especially conference rooms.
    
    
16. Switch off lights in the conf. room once you are done. Also make sure to wipe off the white board, before you leave.
    
    
17. Respect every person in the office - including the office-support staff (which includes, but is not restricted to, office-boys, cleaners', drivers, security personnel).
    
    
18. While parking, honor the words of the security personnel - and don't try to be oversmart.
    
    
19. DO NOT *spit*. Anywhere.
    
    
20. Avoid pressing buttons to call multiple lifts simultaneously.
    
    
21. Please ensure that the discussions on any topic, however profound/ technical intensive are not done near the workplaces in loud volumes. You may be disturbing people. Best way is to put conference rooms to use for this purpose.
    
    
22. Stairs are there for a purpose other than having coffee on. And leaving the cups on the stairs, is not only unacceptable, its also dangerous for people who use the stairs. Same goes for the terrace, balconies, etc.
    

BSOD screen saver

BSOD screen saver

One of the most infamous items in the computer industry is the BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death) from Windows NT. Sysinternals has come up with a screen saver that mimicks a BSOD.
Get it for old times' sake :-).

Link: BlueScreen Screen Saver v3.2

Classic Insults

Some great insults throughout history.

Link: Reluctant Nomad: Insults - they just don't make them as they used to

Technical: Optimizing Page Load Time

Technical: Optimizing Page Load Time

Some nice tips on optimizing the time that it takes for your web application's pages to load.

Link: Optimizing Page Load Time - die.net

Internet Explorer 7 released

Internet Explorer 7 released. Go get it !! :-)

Link: IEBlog : Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP Available Now

Download location: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/default.mspx

How to Do Cube Roots of 9 Digit Numbers in Your Head

Cube roots? Hmmm .. don't know if we need it that much in day-to-day life. But knowledge never goes to waste ....

How to Do Cube Roots of 9 Digit Numbers in Your Head

The Amazing YouTube Tools Collection

A list of some great tools for YouTube.

The Amazing YouTube Tools Collection

Firefox 2.0 Review

A review of the upcoming 2.0 release of Firefox.

Link: Firefox 2.0 Review

The Worlds Biggest Container Vessel

Look at the size of this thing !! Humongous !!

Link: EMMA MÆRSK

Linux Crash Top 10 Images

Even Linux crashes. And so, we have a site that lists top 10 images of a Linux system crashing - from within aeroplanes to even at a Linux rally :-).

Link: Miguel Carrasco's Real World: Linux Crash Top 10 Images

How to Paint as Bob Ross with Photoshop

A nice tutorial that could make decent artists out of people like me who have absolutely no artistic talent ...

code404 - How to Paint as Bob Ross with Photoshop

Timeline for the end of man's traces

Timeline for the end of man's traces

If all of mankind died today, when would all traces of our existence on Earth disappear completely?

This picture shows the estimated timeline for the final end of our traces on this planet. We really do pollute this planet badly :-(

(Click on the image for bigger version)



Original link: timesonline.co.uk image

Google's forgotten (secret) pages

Google's forgotten (secret) pages

Some interesting pages on the Google website that not many people know (at least, I didnt ...)

Link: Google’s 56 forgotten (secret) pages, part two -Cristian Mezei

World-Wide Sushi Restaurant Reference !!

World-Wide Sushi Restaurant Reference !!

Ahoy ye Sushi eaters !! Here is a list of restaurants all around the world where you can enjoy your fill of Sushi...

Link: Welcome to the World-Wide Sushi Restaurant Reference!

Here's why you hate Mondays

The answer to the age-old question : Why do we hate Mondays so much???

Here's why you hate Mondays - National - theage.com.au

Great Buildings

Some great architectural wonders ... look and you may like

Link: Great Buildings Online - Master Buildings List 2006.1010

10 reasons people make stupid decisions

10 reasons people make stupid decisions

A thoughtful article on why people behave the way they do, especially when it comes to making decisions ....

Link: Bad Analysis: 10 reasons people make stupid decisions

Top ten geek business myths

A nice article about the Top ten geek business myths. You may or may not agree with it, but it is  definitely worth reading.

Link: Rondam Ramblings: Top ten geek business myths

A Pale Blue Dot

A Pale Blue Dot. That's what the Earth looks like from space. And so much bloodshed just to be the masters of a dot. Makes you think ...

Link:  A Pale Blue Dot

Google crawls into source-code search

Google searches will now give you source code directly !!. No need to code.
"Programming is waste, do only copy-paste" !!

[print version] Google crawls into source-code search | CNET News.com

Some quotes I like --> Part 2

Some quotes I like --> Part 2

These are some of the quotes that I like. This is part 2 because I have posted some by Winston Churchill already .

So here goes:

1. "What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite."
                   -- Bertrand Russell, "Skeptical_Essays", 1928
   
   
2. Majority, n.:
           That quality that distinguishes a crime from a law.
   (Unknown)
   
   
3. It is said that the lonely eagle flies to the mountain peaks while the
   lowly ant crawls the ground, but cannot the soul of the ant soar as high as the eagle?
   (Unknown)
   
   
4. Conscience is a mother-in-law whose visit never ends.
                   -- H. L. Mencken
   
   
5. People often find it easier to be a result of the past than a cause of the future.
   (Unknown)
   
   
6. An idea is an eye given by God for the seeing of God.  Some of these
   eyes we cannot bear to look out of, we blind them as quickly as possible.
                   -- Russell Hoban, "Pilgermann"
   
   
7. The law will never make men free; it is men who have got to make the
   law free.
                   -- Henry David Thoreau
   
   
8. Cherish your visions; cherish your ideals;
   cherish the music that stirs in your heart,
   the beauty that forms in your mind,
   the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts,
   for out of them will grow delightful conditions,
   all heavenly environment;
   of these if you but remain true to them,
   your world will at last be built.
                                        - - - James Allen
   



9. Nothing is faster than the speed of light ...
   To prove this to yourself, try opening the refrigerator door before the light comes on.
   (Unknown)
   
   
   
10. Politics is like coaching a football team.  You have to be smart enough
    to understand the game but not smart enough to lose interest.
    (Unknown)
    

Windows: Open command prompt via Windows Explorer and other tricks

A bunch of tips and tricks for Windows. One of my favorite ones is where you can get a "Open Command Prompt here" menu option via Windows Explorer.

<SNIP>

Q: how do you change the default location for the command prompt?

A: The best way I know of to do this is just to open the prompt from
within Windows Explorer. The following Reg changes will cause an open
command prompt here message to appear in the right-click menu.

REGEDIT[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\DosHere]. ...@="Command
&Prompt Here"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\DosHere\command]
@="C:\\WINNT\\System32\\cmd.exe /k cd \"%1\""

</SNIP>


Link: Windows XP Tips and Tricks

10 Things That Will Make Or Break Your Website

A very nice article that anyone who has a website, or codes web applications should read.

Link: 10 Things That Will Make Or Break Your Website

Mouse Print: Read the fine print before you buy the product

Mouse Print: Read the fine print before you buy the product

There is a lot hidden in the fine print of many products. So be careful.

This site lists a lot of "read-before-you-buy" items: Mouse Print

What is that process running on your computer?

If you quickly want to know the exact nature and purpose of any and every
single process that is - or should not be - running on your PC, then this site is for you.

ProcessLibrary.com - The online resource for process information!

How to Create a Product Box in Photoshop - WikiHow

Want to create a "product box"? You know, the box like thingy that shows a product such as software. This site gives step-by-step creation instructions using Photoshop.

Link: How to Create a Product Box in Photoshop - WikiHow

A great site to send free e-cards from

This is a site I use regularly to send free e-cards. Considering that they are free, the effort that they put into them is amazing.

Note: I am not getting paid to advertise this site. I use it, I like it, that's it :-).


Link: Hallmark E-Cards
(Select "Free E-Cards" from the links on the bottom of the front page)

Amazing photo of the sun

This is a really nice site !! It is the "Astronomy Picture of the Day" site from NASA. They have a different picture everyday. Here's one of the good ol' sun.

Link to Sun photo: APOD: 2006 September 21 - Sharp Silhouette

Daily photo: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/

An Insider's Guide to Food Labels

What is exactly inside your food? Read on ...

(Warning: Some things may upset you .... )

Link: An Insider's Guide to Food Labels

Changes to US Daylight Savings Time rules from 2007

Summary:

Daylight Savings Time (DST) rules for the US are going to
change from 2007.

From 1986 to 2006 DST has been the first Sunday in
April to the last Sunday in October.

 
But starting in
2007, DST will be observed from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday
in November,
adding about a month to daylight saving time.

 
More info:
 

1. http://www.infoplease.com/spot/daylight1.html
   
2. http://www.energy.ca.gov/daylightsaving.html 

3. For anybody that deals
   with Java (developers/QA): IMP: http://java.sun.com/developer/technicalArticles/Intl/USDST/
   

Classic Computer articles from IEEE

Classic Computer articles from IEEE

IEEE computer has identified 4 of the most influential papers that it has printed over the past 40 years. Worth reading.

Link: Computer magazine - Classics

Caught on tape: Infamous gaffes

Some of the most infamous gaffes made by famous people throughout modern history.

The best one:
------------------
Former US President Ronald Reagan's warm-up joke before a radio broadcast.

During the sound check he announced: "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased
to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia
forever. We begin bombing in five minutes."


Link: BBC NEWS | Europe | Caught on tape: Infamous gaffes

A sad sight after the end of the Ganapati festival

In India, the Ganapati festival is held every year. After the festival ends, the idols of Lord Ganesha are immersed in the sea. But these idols are mostly made of non bio-degradable materials. So they don't dissolve. And so the lovely images of the God become twisted and macabre.

SAD ....

Link: Ultrabrown : The Battle of Kurukshetra (updated)

Global Fire Power

GlobalFirepower (GFP) provides a analytical display of
information based on sources from all over the globe. You can compare countries side-by-side on factors such as

• Yearly military expenditure
• Aircraft
• Missile defense systems

etc.


Link : World Military Strength Ranking

Unfinished Tolkien work to be published in 2007

Snippet from the news site:
--------------------------------------
An unfinished tale by J.R.R. Tolkien has been edited by his son into a
completed work and will be released next spring, the U.S. and British
publishers announced Monday.

Christopher Tolkien has spent the past 30 years working on "The
Children of Hurin," an epic tale his father began in 1918 and later
abandoned.

Link: CNN.com - Unfinished Tolkien work to be published in '07 - Sep 18, 2006

The World's Most Photorealistic Vector Art

This is really amazing. These are not photos / drawings, but images generated using vector art. Forget the technical part of how they are generated. Just enjoy the pictures ....

Link: Basang Panaginip: The World's Most Photorealistic Vector Art

Basic rules of email writing

Basic rules of email writing

This post is pasted from an email which my wife had written. (I won't disclose her name and email id ;-) ).

Good stuff. If people follow these rules in their professional career, it would make everyone's life much better ...

It is imperative that we all know certain basic rules about email writing.

• In the To field, always include the name(s) of the person(s) who is(are) expected to take action on the mail. If your name is in the To list of any received mail, then you are expected to reply and/or take action on that mail.
• In the CC field, always include the name(s) of the person(s) who is(are) NOT expected to take any action on the mail but are only in the loop for sharing the information. If your name is in the CC field, you need not reply and/or take action on the mail, but you are still expected to READ it! This is mostly for non-participating audience in a discussion or for senior members such as lead and managers.
• Please note that people have mail rules or filters defined based on To and Cc fields in their mail clients. They may only read mails where their name is in the To field on a daily basis and others they may be reading at later time. So if you need someone’s immediate attention, make sure you include their name in the To field.
• Only include those people in the Cc list, who really need to know about the mail. For eg., if someone has completed their induction session for a new joinee and is informing me, my name should be in To list and the new joinee’s name and his/her coordinator’s name should be in the Cc field. No one else needs to be copied on this information.
• Do not use too many informal or casual language, emoticon, exclamation marks in your mail. Do not mark anything in CAPs or BOLD unless you want attention brought to it. If you use it too often, people will start recognizing it as your style and will not take it to mean emphasis when you REALLY want to emphasize something.
• Try to keep emails to the point and short. Structure the mail into logical points and insert paragraphs where necessary. Your aim is that the recipient should read your mail. Make it easy for him/her to read!
• Run a spell check before sending. There is a facility to do this in Outlook.