Planet

by Kulbir Saini on BC, Computers, Fun, Google, Internet, Life

My Googling Stats

Thanks Tifosi for tagging me for this.

Google Search Stats

Google Search Stats

Observations

  1. Top queries suggests that I care a lot about my name in Google search!
  2. Top queries also suggests that I tend to care a lot about the visibility of the work I do.
  3. Top sites stats are awesome! I visit my own sites more than orkut and any other website.
  4. November has to be my lucky month!!
  5. Sunday is a jackpot and Monday goes in hangover!
  6. It seems I am most productive after returning from Coffee Shop at around 11PM as the mid-night stats outperform every other hour! It suggests that I should visit Coffee Shop more often!

I tag ZenWalker!

PS1 : Cleaned my room after 7 months!!

PS2 : Song of the B.Tech. : “Rumors” by “Lindsay Lohan”.

PS3 : Felicity is not coming. We are going there!!!

PS4 : Posting after 20 days 🙁

 
by Kulbir Saini on Fun, Life, Tips n Tricks

Innovation and Invention

A few days ago, I attended a PPT (PrePlacement Talk). Frankly speaking, it was the only talk that turned out to be of some use of all the talks I attended till date. The speaker was a Vice President of the company. While delivering the talk, he reached a point where he started explaining the different between Innovation and Invention. And the explanation was mind blowing. I thought I will share it with everyone 🙂

Invention

Invention is something which creates the need. For example,

  • Edison invented the electric bulb. And suddenly everyone felt that they needed the bulb for light. Before the invention everyone was happy with candles, oil lamps and whatever else. So, the invention of bulb created the need.
  • Graham Bell invented telephone and everyone was dying to get a telephone connection. So, it again created the need of a telephone connection.

Innovation

Innovation is something which is created by the need. For example,

  • Within few years of invention of bulb, people felt that the light from the bulb hurts their eyes. And they started feeling the need of something which will not affect their eyes and will also serve as a source of light. So, somebody came up with a fluorescent lamp. The need forced people to innovate.
  • With increasing popularity of phone, people felt the need of phone on the move. So somebody came up with cordless and then mobile. Again forced innovation.

All that is fine but then what is research???

In case you have further insights, please share 🙂

 
by Kulbir Saini on BC, Computers, Fun, Internet, Life, Servers

The best new year gift

We just received a mail from IIIT-H help desk stating

New year special proxy server has been created for all users as gift from
IIIT Server Room staff. There are no moderations done on that proxy so all
websites are accessible. Even better there is no connection limit per IP
or per user on the new proxy.

Proxy is accessible at IP _SNIP_ on port _SNIP_. Please feel free to
download as much as you want from this new proxy server.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Regards,
IIIT Systems Help Desk

Probably the best gift I have ever received.

 
by Kulbir Saini on BC, Fun, Life, Tips n Tricks

Auto Spell Checkers are bad, sometimes

Auto Spell Checkers in Firefox, Thunderbird, Spicebird, Tomboy Notes and whatever else have totally changed the way I write English. Previously (two years ago) I used to make tons of spelling mistakes while writing blogs but these days I hardly make a mistake while blogging, sending mails, taking notes etc. But this enhancement in technology has made me dumber. Previously, I was confident about the spellings I knew but now I am not confident about spellings of anything I spell. Today, I was writing an application (for what?? secret 😛 ) and got damn confused about spellings of “committee”, “admission” etc. (double m, double tt, double s ?? 🙁 ). After two failed attempts, I wrote the application in word processor and took a print out. Damn easy, huh!!!

 
by Kulbir Saini on BC, Fun, Life, Linux

Long Time No Post , Quick Update

I have been too busy to write a post on this very blog 🙂 Here are quick update.

  • Released a few versions of youtube_cache in last couple of weeks. Youtube Cache now supports caching videos from 10 websites. A few ISPs are using it.
  • IntelligentMirror also received updates.
  • Placements are here. And I am still f**cking with this caching thing. Too addictive.
  • Inclination towards higher studies as more and more companies decline campus recruitment. How tough GRE can be?
  • Sudden fear of losing all the friends sucks big time 🙁
  • Proxy war with a professor. Just kidding 😀
  • No outing in last two weeks.
  • Mahaveer’s Compete India is doing really great 🙂

Rest laterz.

 
by Kulbir Saini on Camera, Google, Hacking, Hardware, Life, Tips n Tricks

Camera Recovered

My new camera fell down on Nov 5, 2008 from a height of almost 5 feet in switched on condition while clicking random pictures. The shock caused a severe damage to the lens cover. The dented lens cover didn’t allow the lens to come out of the camera. It was a shocking moment for me as I purchased it only a month ago.

Today, I gathered some courage and took the camera to Sony Service Center near Hyderabad Central knowing the fact the damages caused by dropping are not covered under warranty. The guy at the service center after inspection for few minutes said, “The entire lens has to be replaced”. I was shocked as only the lens cover was damaged and not the lens itself. I asked the approximate cost knowing the fact that it would be damn costly affair. He said gracefully, “Only 4500/- plus service charges and service tax”. I was dumbstruck. WTF!!! I moved out of the service center to breathe some fresh air.

I decided to check out the price at another Sony Service Center. There is another Sony Service Center near Hotel ITC Kakatiya (thanks to google local for the location 🙂 ) which is at a walking distance from Hyderabad Central. When I inquired the price for lens replacement there, the guy said, “8000/- to 10000/-“. I said, “f**k off”!!!. I would buy a new one for ten grands. Then I told him about the offerings by the other service center. He checked some details on Center’s LAN and found out that it would cost 6000/- including everything.

Pissed off by the price, we (Mahaveer was with me) started moving back towards central. I was left with no option other than spending a nice amount of 5000/- for the camera repair. But I thought of trying my luck yet another time (Linux has taught me this “don’t give up policy”). This time I approached the shop Third I Digital in Hyderabad Central. I bought the camera from that shop. When I told the guy there about the happenings. After checking the camera, he suggested, “Try to fix it yourself. Take a needle or something with a pointed edge and remove the dent. Lens will open and camera will work fine. Otherwise you’ll have to spend 5000/- anyway. Just give it a shot”. Something sounded good to ears after a long time. Packed my camera and we left for City Center. Had burgers there and returned to IIIT.

At room, I took a blade (shaving) and fixed the dent. And the camera is working fine now. I am feeling releived now 🙂 A blade worth five thousand.

 
by Kulbir Saini on BC, Camera, Fun, Life, Photography

The Indian Aviation Show 2008 at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad

Today (October 18, 2008) Indian Aviation Show 2008 was open for general public at a nominal price of Rs. 150/- as a ticket. We (Me, Sambhav, Mahaveer, Romit Pandey (UG2K7), Manish Sharma, DJ Ranga, Deepak, Prateek) left for the Begumpet Airport at around 9:20AM. As the roads were almost free due to Saturday, we reached Begumpet at 10:10AM. The place was crowded as hell (literal meaning of hell is not intended :P). We somehow managed to get tickets quickly. But the queue to enter the airport premises was real long. Almost more than 1500 people were in line at any instant of time. Romit, Manish and Mahaveer managed to get in quickly by switching lanes. We (the unlucky ones) had to wait for some more time. We finally switched lines and got in at 11:10AM. A deep breath after an hour of frustration. I entered an airport for the first time and was surprised to see the awesomely f***ed up security. You can carry anything you want. Its ok that the airport is not used anymore but in situations like these when you have thousands of people in airport, the security should be tight and everyone should be screened well. Anyway, after getting in we started clicking pics as I was ready with my digicam 😀 The first picture I clicked is of an helicopter named Dhruv.

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Dhruv Helicopter

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Dhruv Helicopter

After that we were roaming around clicking everything possible. There was an exibition of different planes/helicopters/private jets etc. All in all it was a nice show and worth visiting. Below are few more shots from the show.

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Helicopters

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Helicopters

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Kingfisher

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Kingfisher

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Air India

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Air India

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Air India

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Air India

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Sports Star Plus

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Sports Star Plus

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Liberty XLE

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Liberty XLE

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Bharat Earth Movers Limited

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Bharat Earth Movers Limited

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Bell Helicopters

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Bell Helicopters

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Bell Helicopters

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Bell Helicopters

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Bell Helicopters

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Bell Helicopters

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Messed Up

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Messed Up

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Indian Airlines

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Indian Airlines

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Kingfisher

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Kingfisher

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Kingfisher

Indian Aviation Show Hyderabad - Kingfisher

 
by Kulbir Saini on BC, Computers, Fun, Google, Hacking, Life, Success

Almighty linked lists

As the time for placements has finally come, I am trying to train myself for the lame questions that companies usually ask instead of asking things related to the real talent.

I am a bit (a bit????) paranoid about pointers, linked lists and stuff that involves pointers. I couldn’t really keep up with the data structures because I learnt to use this WONDERFUL language called python. I was not a bond in C/C++ but my skill level was good enough to write basic codes. Though I didn’t submit all my programming assignments, I used to write C/C++ codes for fun especially during third and fourth semester when I was awesomely obsessed with Object Oriented Programming and classes in c++. But I never used pointers even in that period. After fourth sem, I completely switched to python quitting c/c++ totally. I have been doing fun things like my Google Summer of Code, IntelligentMirror, Youtube Caching and other private stuff in python since almost one and a half year. Python is a real handy language when you want develop  projects quickly.

Anyway, I thought I’ll give c/pointers another shot. I picked up EssentialC, Pointers And Memory and LinkedListBasics from Stanford CS Library. Read first two of them from start to end without missing a single word. Read 5-6 pages from Linked List Basics and then thought of coding a very basic linked list with few operations. But unfortunately couldn’t do so even after fighting for one hour. Fifty percent of the time, i was fixing my code because I wrote the damn thing in python style formatting, forgot to declare variables before using them and blah blah… In the meantime Pankaj pinged for the BC session. When I told him the same thing, he said he implemented linked list few days back using arrays … OMG!! pretty easy. huh!! After we returned from canteen, I gave it one more shot. BINGO!!! I did it this time 🙂 I finally wrote some code in C for linked list which finally worked 😀

Loving pointers a bit and looking for exploring more.

 
by Kulbir Saini on BC, Food, Fun, Life, Review

Four Seasons / Hyderabad House / Mak’s Kitchen

October 10, 2008

I was in Yuktahaar mess with Deepak Vig. I picked up plate to fetch some rotis from the basket and my phone rang. It was Pankaj. I immediately understood his problem. I received the call and he asked for going out to Four Seasons to have some biryani. That mouth watering word biryani took control over me. I returned the plate back to mess guy. I accompanied Deepak for the dinner but didn’t have anything. We walked down to NBH main gate. Gaurav and Kiran Dandu was already there. I told them about going out and they were already waiting for someone to join. Finally me, Pankaj, Sachin, Ajay Somani, Gaurav and Kiran left for four seasons.

We reached four seasons at almost 8:00PM. The place was totally full. And when we queried, the attendant said that it will take almost an hour to get a seat for six people. We were hopeless. All of us dying of hunger. Though we didn’t want to go to Hyderbad House because Biryani at that place sucks pretty much, we decided to checkout. We entered the place and as expected we were the only people there apart from one family. We took seats. But to our surprise they had only Mutton Biryani. I wanted to cry 🙁 Hungry!!!!

We walked out. And while walking different people suggested different place from Ginger court, McD (by me 😀 ), Hyderabad House near Lakdi Ka Pul, Mak’s Kitchen etc.. Finally we decided to go to Mak’s kitchen which is beside Temptations in front of Four Seasons. The place was average. Others took soup, it was below average. But biryani was good. It felt like having biryani after a life time. I still remember, the OBH mess once started offering biryani in lunch and dinner daily. I had biryani in lunch and dinner continuously for two weeks during that period.  Good old days 😀 In the end the person at Mak’s Kitchen forgot to bill me and somani for the food. Nice 😛

After that we had ice cream at Temptations and headed back to THE holy place on earth, IIIT Hyderabad 🙂

PS : Have a lot to write about.