Persona Profiling of Users

There has been tremendous motivation to figure out ‘persona’ of users of Internet through information gathered from the web. This information can be from their blogs, comments on other’s articles, home pages, purchase patterns, etc. One recent work has been discussed here.
Unless one is careful, one can reveal traits that can be exploited by others. On the other hand, knowing that such profiling is being done, one can create a ‘virtual aura’ that is beneficial to us.

Will Internet maintain Network Neurtality

Check out this article about how Corporates are going to stiffle Internet for general public and make huge profits. 

Also check Save The Internet site to fight for network neutrality. 

Edsger Dijkstra

Dijkstra started as a first ever programmer of a computer from 1952-1962.
This kindled his interest in computer science and one of the most important and still a very open problem that he tackled is — will this computer program do exactly what I intend it to do.

He was the inventor of shortest path algorithm carrying his name, semaphores and many other core computer science ideas that we take for granted.

He advocated structured programming and promulgated the need for 'Discipline of prgramming'. This changed the move from 'ad-hoc' programming languages such as Fortran to very structured languages such as, Algol, C, C++ and Java.

One of my favorite Dijkstra's quotes is one to a promising researcher, who asked how to select topic for research:

Do only what only you can do!!!!

The more I think about this quote the more pertinent it is, and in a way defines what 'doing research' is all about, and what makes you a researcher.

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A comment from one of the readers -

If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it? – Albert Einstein

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This where the 'profound' nature of Dijkstra's quote becomes apparant — knowing – 'what only you can do is the key' – what are your strengths – weaknesses, what kind of problems do you like to solve, etc. 

Like Google advertises — 'we have a problem with your name on it". It is like stating these are the problems you are most comfortable, happy, and interested in addressing.

Fiftieth Year of Mayabazar

Mayabazar is the all time favorite telugu movie. This movie – from first scene to last scene is nearly perfect. The acting is phenomenol — with Savitri being absolutely outstanding while switching from Sasirekha to Gathokatcha almost seamlessly.

The picturization of 'Lahiri, Lahiri' song on a full moon day in black & white is fantastic in terms of clarity. The music, songs and the pure humor makes it a complete family entertainer.

I have known people who have seen this movie more than few thousand times.

Plog

Plog allows you to organize photos taken through cameraphones, create a storyline, and share these with others.

With a cameraphone one can shoot movies and recently there was an award given to the best cameraphone movie. It was two minute duration movie .

This is where – anyone, anywhere can get realistic visual perception of what others are seeing. It is not unlikely for a person to go to a shop click few images, send it to spouse for suggestions (through sms) and proceed with purchase of items.

One can also have cameraphone photos/video clips to be automatically posted in blogs for others to see. So, in your next vacation, others can see the photos as and when you capture them in your blog.