Deepanjan Nag's Magnum Opus

The much-hyped Mozilla-based Flock browser is finally downloadable. I'm not impressed.

A news site that describes itself as " a new blogging venture designed to bring together top online writers, journalists and commentators under a single umbrella, " is scrutinizing my blog to include me as one of its contributing writers. I've been asked for a report on the traffic my site generates. This is how the revered Cnet describes the endeavor: A group of bloggers including mainstream journalists from outlets such as CNBC, The Nation and The New York Times are banding together to strike a blow at established media and pick up some ad dollars in the process.

Vanity Fair is not a 'small' book. It's bulky and one needs patience to read it cover-to-cover, and that's a virtue I never had. After a long hiatus, I finally decided to continue with the book this week and though picking the lost thread wasn't easy, I did finally manage to let the plot twine around myself. Project Gutenberg is an online endeavor in documenting the classics and Vanity Fair is one of the 16,000 books to be thus privileged. I tried continuing with the online version during office hours at their site, and to my pleasant surprise it wasn't half as difficult on the eye as I had imagined. So that's how I hope to consummate the hallowed novel, reading the book at home and devouring its online avatar in the office!

After Prateek, it was Ritesh's turn today to execute the same telephonic prank on me regarding relocation...and I fell for it once again! I fear one of these days a genuine call will go hopelessly wrong!

Firefox has witnessed its 100 millionth download.

It's almost a month since I 'lost' my glasses and I'm now used to my slipped vision. However, I can't procrastinate buying a new pair much longer.

My computer system has been restored...but the entire experience has shaken me badly.

Reached home @ 6:45pm, only to find Santosh snoring. Met Manilal in the adjacent room and downloaded Google Earth on his computer. I was stunned to learn that the bugger had never had a hands-on experience of the phenomenon that had taken the world by storm. Downloading done, we swooped in on Bangalore, London and some other places. If only we could travel that easily. Unfortunately, there are biological limitations. The body can withstand only a maximum of 11g. Lingered in Manilal's room for some more hours before retreating to my room. Sleeping beauty was still snoring with gay abandon! Just how peacefully he lay while the storm of change was ravaging the world. Anyway, his slumber soon ended and I motioned him to reach out to Manilal and his computer for something wonderful, a suggestion he instantly heeded. Night time was right time for Anand to continue with where he left off the previous night. We discussed how weird the professors in BIT were and buttressed our allegations w...

Raveesh Neeraje's reply mail has offered me temporary respite. The consternation was so unsettling that I read Vanity Fair's Chapter #14 with great asperity yesterday. Anand's late night character sketch of his BIT classmates was a comic interlude I couldn't have done without. Serendipity struck with me and Santosh bridging the rift that had drawn us apart during the past few days because of a misunderstanding. And need I add how much of a pleasure it is to chat with Sameer?

...& I can't shed light on the incident because I'm incapable of making defamatory statements against any individual or institution in my current capacity as a techie. But I'm saddened at just how far some people would go to make infinitesimal gains. Deplorable, that's what it is. The culprit should be defaced publicly. Unfortunately, our toothless law is completely incapable of dealing a fittingly blow to such degenerated forms of life. In the meantime, my PC won't boot.

The power supply to my computer is busted...and that renders my desktop inaccessible. I've called the tech support guys but no one has showed up yet. I'm accessing the Net via Ajay's machine. Abhishek has received a mail intimating his being hardlocked into a Mumbai-based project. So the poor chap will probably have to relocate to the financial capital of India. I hope a similar fate doesn't await me!

I'm an elitist! Want proof? Click here .

It seems Ajay is the only one from our batch to be selected for the Data Archiving project. All my colleagues tried frantically to be relieved from it; it's too mundane, they would say. I didn't have any such reservations and remain inert to the flurry of unfolding events. Anish suggested I personally call up the PM to apply for the project. I didn't want to look too desperate(I still have some pride left!)...and that kept me from heeding. So I'll remain cozily harbored in my office alcove, at least for some more time!

My take on the recent turn of events : IIPM’s tall & lofty claims in its larger-than-life ads. are a farce and anyone but the most thickheaded can see thru its schemes. On second thoughts, maybe IIPM can indeed teach the IIM’s a thing or two about management. After all, it did help spectacularly launch the career of a mediocre student (Arindam Choudhry) with flawless precision! That’s HR management at its best! I hope they are equally adept at crisis management!

As usual, I took an autorickshaw to my office this morning. The tariff meter seemed to be in a greater hurry than the rickshaw itself. I watched in horror as the meter(mechanical, not electronic) kept ticking at a furious pace. While the fare was expected to be Rs21 at the most, it shot up to Rs26.50! Great! By the way, all the mechanical meters are made in Pune! The roads in Bangalore are a real boneshaker. By the time I reach my destination, every organ within my body seems out of place!

Main Building Kimaya I spent some of the best years of my life here.

After what seems like an eternity, the IM world is gradually inching towards interoperability. Yahoo! & Microsoft have reached a deal that will allow their instant messaging programs to talk to each other. This is expected to be in place by June 2006. It's time for AIM & Google Talk to join the gang. Although Google is already using open standards that would allow compatible messengers to communicate with it, I'm not sure Yahoo! and Microsoft would be interested in taking it into their fold. AOL is already being sold in bits-&-pieces and Microsoft and Google are in talks with it for a stake. How things shape up remains to be seen and could well herald a new direction for instant messaging. One mustn't forget how ferociously AIM had protected its turf in the past. It's the original foe of interoperability! AOL then proceeded to buy the world's first and easily the best instant messenger of its time (ICQ)...and thoroughly ruin it. Even looking at the empty...

I've just booted my PC and it's as silent as a grave. Gradually, the exhaust fan in it will pick up speed and soon I'll be reminded of hurricane Katrina!

The office wears a deserted look on account of today being an optional holoday (Dussehra). Most of my colleagues opted for the holiday, though they didn't opt to officially apply for it! Most vehicles are adorned with banana leaves or garlands at the fore end.

I learnt that he's in Jamshedpur. He asked me to go for the project. If only my office address wouldn't change! Sigh!