The world, how it works, surroundings, myself, etc.

Wednesday, April 06, 2005

My first job refusal

Lately, I too joined the ranks of people who can claim to have the honors of refusing at least one job in their career. Trianz, the Bangalore company for which my "Video streaming to a PDA" was going on, offered me a position in their company, which of course I refused. I have to complete my MS at my institute. But it feels good!

Monday, April 04, 2005

3 things my batchmates will miss terribly

There remains a mere 5 days before the end-sem exams end and my batch people start leaving, many of them forever. I try to enlist 3 things @ IIIT that people will miss terribly. But the good thing about life is that it goes on; people forget things, adapt to changing situtations and woes or otherwise, most things are forgotten.

1. Internet & Computer Services
A reasonably fast 24x7 internet connection. Even though an internet connection is perceived as a do-or-die necessity for a computer institute, there still are so many institutes that don't have a browseable internet and workable computing services. Besides, every user generally has near-to-nobody privileges on his/her system so that all that one might be able to do without interacting with the sysadmin is chat, browse, etc. But at IIIT, a student is the master of his lab system, and it's no surprise that all experiments of formatting, partitioning, OS-ventures are done on lab systems with illustrative efficacy.

The habits of pine, w, talk, write won't be forgotten easily as will the habit of being online on 200, the number which has a meaning quite different from just a double-century. It's our primary mail server (the IP actually) and every soul in IIIT beats with the same resonance when mentioned of 200.

2. DigLib and other collections
Want a software, song, or document/documentary? The idea of \\ will take time to evaporate from the minds. Apart from the ghostly gigantic DigLib, the numerous local collection have so much an integral part of life at IIIT that one doesn't realize the necessity of copying things onto one's own system before viewing. For most, such distributed access of docs/videos will remain forlorn sweet memories to sigh upon.

Starting with windows simple sharing and moving to advanced NFS file sharing and versatile samba sharing graduating over to the DC++ sharing, the network provides an ocean of its own timbre.

3. Hostels
Our hostel is remarkably different from those in other institutes. We have no warden. Even the one who would answer to the call of a warden isn't exactly what one expects from wardens: he isn't involved in dictating terms or even framing unecessary curbing rules. The hostel doors welcome round the clock (I've never seen it closed ever). A 24x7 unlimited supply of electricity and water is more than enough for ANY political party to claim victory. For long after coming to IIIT, I used to notice that even on the rare occasions when electricity used to blink off, it invariably came back before the fan hopelessly ceased its turns.

As the ticks of the clock grazes forward, it leaves behind some bitter, some sweet memories. Life doesn't stop. Nostalgic memories of college life will forever be related as one of the most exciting times where the mind is without fear and the head is held high.

Farewell '05

It was my batch's (UG2k1's) farewell on March 30th. The gaudy atmosphere was dazzling with the suits and sarees that my batch mates put on. Aditya Maheshwari, with his speech, went like:
I'm Aditya Maheshwari, Roll number 200101xxx. Very soon, this roll number will no longer be called out during attendance....
The already nostalgic air around gripped with intense feelings of the realization of separation after 4 years of company. Every human, however rough-hearted would have got sentimental at the occasion.

Then followed Imran, a bit nervous, but with the hefty personality of his, his speech worked a charm of its own, as he carried on with his characteristic tapori style talk.

The speech from the students were followed by speech from the Director and PJN sir's speech was filled with characteristic sarcasm and it lightened the atmosphere after the hefty nostalgic-mesmerization that had preceded: "Aditya Maheshwari spoke as if someone was dying," began sir, "but every weekend I see hoards of alumni in our campus; so they'll always keep coming..."

The formal stuff lightened to an informal students-only gathering, which had the quiver and provocation of an occasion such as a farewell and also forms an interesting part.