WWW - What? When? Where?

If it wasn't for Tim Berners-Lee, you wouldn't be reading this blog the way you are doing now. Since the time it was created in 1989, and later released in 1992, the World Wide Web has grown leaps and bounds to what it is today. It is simply amazing to know that the www reaches far and wide and has over time evolved to be one of the most simplest tools that one uses for just about anything imaginable.

In keeping with this trend, it is interesting to note the significant role played by the internet in the very recent US elections. BBC reports that one quarter of the voters received election news and updates online and a remarkable one in five internet users accessed election news everyday. Now, considering that the US forms only a few hundred millions of the world population, this is a sizeable reach. This undoubtedly helped increase the popularity votes President Obama gained, among other payoffs.

The Democrats had used the internet advantage during the 2004 elections too, when it was primarily used for fund raising. But the Republicans outsmarted them by developing a highly effective electronic database that enabled them to reach out to individual voters and address their issues, in the long run, gaining their support. The Republican victory by a narrow margin in that year is just another example of how complacency and innovation on the internet, when put to test, can bring about incredible results.

Fastforward 4 years and the trend hasn't changed. Only, this term, the Democrats were more innovative and exploited the internet to come up with Telephone canvassing. I call this innovation, because telephone canvassing per se, does not guarantee voter confidence in the candidate. Gaining new voter confidence was the idea and effective mode of communication in the canvass was the key to achieving this goal. It also won the Democrats the popularity of many more citizens who untill then were reluctant to vote, but were now willing to try the Democrats in office.

Winning though innovation is definitely the icing on the cake. It doesn't take a scholar to see the way internet has made life easier for the larger mass. It has for me too, if not for all. If it wasn't for online transaction process, I would still be standing in those long queues to pay my telephone and electricity bills. If it wasn't for e-commerce, I'd still be crowding that prized mall to make a purchase on a discount sale. If it wasn't for e-books, I'd still be spending considerable time, browzing newspapers or frequenting the library for new releases. Not to forget the spared days and months of my parents' efforts to scout for my better half. Online dating is the trend that is here to stay. ;-)

Last but not the least, imagine the amount of time I would have wasted writing copies of this scrap and posting it to individual mail addresses. With innovative internet, the planet had definitely become very accessible. It's now a small world..... unless you have to paint it... Well, this too could be reality in the years to come...

Ratatouille...another day at work!!

Remy gives an oscar winning performance in his latest hit "Ratatoullie". Aspirations and dreams abound, he sets out to accomplish his interminable desire to become one of the greatest chefs in Paris. This quest brings him in acquaintance with Linguini...and then, the rest is history. With his talent, Remy puts the cullinary world of Paris in a tizzy while adding to the fame of Gusteau's restaurant.

Sounds like one another of those verbose reviews of the celebrated movie. This undoubtedly is one of the best movies, packed with the right blend of theme, passion and humour. But Ratatoullie took me on a totally different ride- the one to which I could connect to .. with my day at work.

Sitting at my desk, staring expectantly on the computer screen, I was in the midst of one of those times when lunch breaks and tea breaks just pass by without you having made your presence in them. Window shades drawn, I could see the sun retiring for the day and the birds making their way back home. So also the staff and the office space wore a deserted look. " Happy weekend!!" said Tom, probably the last one to leave before me. "Have a great time..", I said,"Squeaak!!". Hey... I didn't make that noise..

As Tom made his way out, I got back to business. Through the corner of my eye, I spotted a little bump. I turned to find a little head popped up through the void between the wall and the raised panel of the cubicle. " Remy..!! ", I thought, as I saw the little pest staring intently at a colleague's workstation, as if at loose ends. He turned to me and quickly scurried away.

Could this be the Remy of the IT industry? I couldn't stop but think about this utopian possibility. A provincial rat with dollar dreams, who holds Bill Gates in great regard, and despite his family's wishes, made it all the way into the IT industry, only to be dejected to see the dismal state of its workers. I am pretty sure, this little brat was strategizing to change the state of affairs by throwing in some magical ingredients into the soup we were in and in the process, becoming the unsung hero or our success stories.

The time seems right. With the apparent slowdown of the IT industry and quite a few Linguinis being hired, one shouldn't be surprised if the next great breakthough comes from the inexperienced lot, with a little magical hand lent by the Remys of the industry. With a little "food" for thought coming through the huge volumes of books written for "dummies", and a little "hands on" on the key boards, I don't see why they will not make good assistant developers...

Cheers..

Have we met before?

Hi. My name's Bopanna. Hard worker, passionate, keen learner, painter, humorous are some of the traits I'd like to associate myself with. I did my schooling in Navodaya Vidyanikethana, Bangalore, then went on to finish my pre university education from St. Joseph's College, Bangalore. To pursue my interest in machine design, I took up Mechanical Engineering in M.S.Ramaiah Institute of Technology,Bangalore.

My interests lie in travelling, reading, Numismatics, getting lost with friends. I look up to my parents, good teachers and friends with great regard. Just love them all.. :-)

Well, that's pretty much about me... Watch out my space for more of my views...
Cheers to bloggin...