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Showing posts from 2009

How are we after one year?

Today is another 26/11. Change? Figure in the year column of date has changed. Now it is 09 instead of 08. Remember same date one year ago? Mumbai and India saw the deadliest terror attack with surprise and agony that lasted almost 60 hour. Hundreds dead and wounded! Jawans shahid for Matrabhoomi! I also felt in the same way as thousands others. 365 days have been passed since then just like sand particles through a tiny hole. From morning newspapers to all-day news bulletins, all are filled up with the stories related to 26/11. Has something really changed in a year? Doesn't seem so. Some quotes: "I would prefer Sandeep to be at home." "When I went to Taj to see the spot where Sandeep died, the highest executive of Taj asked me, who Sandeep?" -Father of Late Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan "Why we? Why were we targeted? Who is responsible for this situation?" - Wife of Late Inspector Vijay Salaskar (As noted from Jindagi Live program on IBN7 dated 26/11/20

Releasing Anumaan-a predictive text entry system

Today Anumaan (alpha-0.1 version) has been released by C-DAC, Mumbai as a part of its activities and commitment in the area of accessibility. Anumaan is a perspective-based, on-screen predictive text entry system for GNOME desktop. Basically, it is an extension of an Input Method (IM) mechanism (on GNOME desktop) in the sense that it extends its (IM) notion by including the power of text prediction. It has support for UTF-8 unicode encoding. The system allows users to train it and personalize and as per their writing style into different named domains. Hence, it adapts to user's writing style in some sense. Although, the current version does not support live mode adaptation, still a user can train a domain as many times he likes. Anumaan is designed for a (text) sequence prediction based on a certain Context.The context can either be a partial word context or a partial sentence context. Therefore, it is intended to help people suffering from different kinds of motor disability by

Railway week: Now Rajdhani is the victim

On Friday, it was the Thane local train accident that caused disruption in the routine life of Mumbai people, again on Monday, they once again suffered by the strike of Central Railway motormen. Now, on tuesday it was the turn of Bhuvneshwar-Delhi Rajdhani Express, when it was abducted either by naxalites or by some naxalites sponsored group near the Jhargram station in West Bengal. Really, this as a railway week :). No, No don't misunderstand :), it is actually :(. In all these incidents, the ultimate sufferer in the poor common man (R. K. Laxman listening?) and culprit who? - The establishment who has the responsibility of manging all those tasks that affect our lives in way or the other, either directly or indirectly, or our so called destiny. Why common people should suffer? Today's incident is serious. An elite train is hijacked by a group. They write slogans to release their leader onto the walls of the train. The visual of these activities are flashed across all channels

From CST to Kharghar on 23 Oct., 2009

Local is the life line of Mumbai and if this life line gets even a single cut into its body, how chotic life can be in Mumbai, it was evident from scenes spread over CST to Vashi to Thane. Yesterday, in afternoon, when I saw the news of crashing of a pipeline over a local train in Thane, I didn't give much attention to it. But what I saw on CST in the evening, while trying to catch a Panvel-bound local to come to Kharghar returning from Mumbai Central, I realized how wrong was and perhaps Railway machineary was also not able to properly assess the seriousness of the situation. Normally, one is able to get on the train on harbour line rather comfortably from CST. But, the first Panvel-bound train I saw was jam-packed. I left that thinking of catching another one. What a big deal it is, was the thought. But I was amazed on seeing the crowd onto the platform. It was a "Jan sailab" indeed. As the next train came, people rushed madly towards the train just to board any how. Th

For club or country?

For club or country? Posted using ShareThis

Google makes it easier to search for what’s really, really new

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Google makes it easier to search for what’s really, really new : " Google announced several refinements to its “search options” feature today, which give users more control over the kinds of the results they see in Google. The most interesting addition, especially for folks interested in the potential of real-time search , is the ability to look at search results from the last hour, or from the date range of your choice. Google already included the ability to narrow results to the past day, week, or year in its initial set of search options , but the “past hour” feature is a real step up in timeliness. This is still distinct from real-time search, though, since the results come from Google’s standard web crawling, rather than instantaneous tracking of conversations on sites like Facebook and Twitter, as Search Product Manager Nundu Janakiram tells The New York Times . Another new feature lets users control how many shopping sites they see in their search results. If you’re actual

NASA Instruments Reveal Water Molecules on Lunar Surface

NASA Instruments Reveal Water Molecules on Lunar Surface Shared via AddThis

XlitHindi extension for OOo released by KBCS, CDAC Mumbai

KBCS division of CDAC Mumbai has released its transliteration extension for the OpenOffice writer. This tool enables to write in Hindi very easily without knowing the Hindi typing. It is very much helpful for the people using Hindi for the e-communication and documentation.More details of the English to other Indian Language transliteration system can be read at: http://www.cdacmumbai.in/xlit . To download the extension and other details, visit : http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/project/xlithindi .

भाजपा-२० साल: उत्थान से मानसिक दिवालियेपन तक

साल १९८४: इंदिरा गाँधी के पक्ष में सुहानुभूति लहर, कांग्रेस की सबसे बड़ी विजय और भाजपा, लोकसभा में सिर्फ़ २ सीट। साल १९८९: राम जन्मभूमि में शिलान्यास, राजीव गाँधी की हार, वी.पी. की सरकार और भाजपा, लोकसभा में ८४ सीट। उत्थान की शुरुआत | साल १९९०: राम जन्मभूमि आन्दोलन, आडवानी की रथ यात्रा और भारतीय राजनीति यहाँ से दो खेमो में विभाजित हो जाती है| भाजपा बढ़त लेना शुरू कर देती है। हालाँकि जन्मभूमि आन्दोलन की परणीती १९९२ में बाबरी मस्जिद की विध्वंस के रूप में होती है। पर तब तक भाजपा अपनी जगह ले चुकी होती है और "पार्टी विथ अ डिफ़रेंस" के साथ सामने आती है। देश कांग्रेस के विकल्प के रूप में भाजपा को देखता है| उस समय में "चाल, चरित्र और चिंतन" पार्टी के मुख्य आधार होते हैं, और मेरे जैसे कई नए वोटर पार्टी की इस छवि से प्रभावित होते हैं। सन् १९९६ में जब मैंने पहली बार वोट दिया था, तब से अब तक मैं भाजपा को ही वोट करता आ रहा हूँ। सन् ९६, ९८ और ९९ के चुनावों में तो वाजपेयी जी की लोकप्रियता शिखर पर थी और उसके सहारे पार्टी भी अपने उत्कर्ष पर पहुँच गई। अभी सन् २००३ तक ऐसा लगता था की द

IPL III to kick off in Hyderabad, new venues unveiled

IPL III to kick off in Hyderabad, new venues unveiled

test post

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Century's longest solar eclipse

Tommrow morning (of 22.07.2009) will witness the longest solar eclipse of this century. In India, this will start around 5:30 a.m. and will reach to totality around 6:30 a.m.. The total solar eclipse ( 3 min. 30 sec.) will be seen in a belt starting from western part of India to the distant north-east . This includes Surat, Vadodara, Indore, Bhopal, Varanasi, Patna, Darjeeling and Dibrugarh. In rest of India, it will be partially visible. Right now, I am in Mumbai (where % will be 96.6) and its raining here. So, in the early hours whether I will be able to see it, only clouds will tell. I am keeping my fingers crossed. However for online coverage, check on http://mashable.com/2009/07/21/solar-eclipse-online/ This eclipse will be the longest seen in India since Aug. 18, 1858 and the next big one will be on June 3, 2114. In this way, it is a once-in-the-life opportunity. Still today, there are many superstitions are associated with this normal celestial event, about which I have written

Solar eclipse and India

Three points come to my mind for the possible subject of this post. All three relate to quite different domains. First is : the possible impact of new 10 Rs. coin in the buying behavior of Indian consumers. Second is: the surprise retirement of Andrew Flintoff from test cricket about which I came to know, when I switched on the television listen to the news this evening. Third is: the total solar eclipse on 22nd of this month and how it is being considered in India. I wanted to write on all three. But, third seems more appropriate. Although, solar eclipse is a common phenomenon, but in India, centuries old superstitions still exist. This eclipse is of its own kind as next one will be in 2034 in India, twenty five years later. Hence, most of us have one possible last chance to see it in their life times. As, this may be a good experience to watch. But important is, still in 21st century, superstitions are deep rooted in Indian society. Psychologically, everyone fears from any kind of lo

राहुल द्रविड़ की वापसी का मतलब

तो कल चैंपियंस ट्राफी के लिए भारतीय क्रिकेट टीम के तीस संभावित खिलाड़ियों की घोषणा हो गई | आप सोच रहे होंगे की इस में कौन सी नई बात है । यह तो एक औपचारिकता है जो की पूरी होनी ही थी । परन्तु जो गौरतलब है वों राहुल द्रविड़ के नाम का उस सूची में होना । लगभग दो साल के बाद राहुल द्रविड़ को एक दिवसीय क्रिकेट टीम की सूची में शामिल किया गया है । इसके क्या मायने हो सकते हैं ? वैसे तो क्रिकेट समीक्षकों की इस पर अलग - २ राय हो सकती है । फिर भी लगता है की हाल ही में संपन्न टी२० विश्व कप में भारतीय टीम की असफलता का असर टीम चयन पर भी दिखता है । इस पूरे कप के दौरान मध्य क्रम खासकर उन खिलाड़ियों जिन्हें भारतीय क्रिकेट का भविष्य कहा जाता है , बड़ा ही लचर रहा | शायद इसी के द्रष्टिगत चयनकर्ता मध्य क्रम में स्थायित्व की तलाश में हैं । और इस के लिए राहुल द्रविड़ से अच्छा खिलाड़ी कौन हो सकता है । अब राहुल द्रविड़ का चयन टीम होगा या नहीं यह

Socket Programming Tutorial

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Interaction Design & Psychology (2002)

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New Can, Old wine

On the road to the Suiside

The loss is ‘just deserves’ for the team and its captain who chose to treat Lord’s as a laboratory to conduct experiments when common sense cricket would have been enough. Fielding first, sending Jadeja (25 off 35 balls) at 4 ahead of Yuvraj (17 off 9 balls) and Yusuf Pathan, when the scene was set for the in-form hitters to explode, bowling Yuvraj ahead of Harbhajan and fielding like novices, India, it seemed, only had one plan—to crash out. (Courtesy: Times of India)

From ICL to ICCL

NCOSS-09 concluded successfully on May 26, 2009

NCOSS-09 was successfully concluded on May 26, 2009. This two day conference was organized to provide a plateform to showcase the work or research being done in open source with respect to various verticals like knowledge management, e-commerce, Indian language computing etc. Experts and distinguished professors expressed their views on open source through invited talks apart from paper presentations under various vertical-specific sessions. The common view point was that India must play a crucial role in the adoption of open source world wide. Although there are many initiatives both in government and private sector, but still a lot more is required to be done. Apart from paper presentations, demo hall session were also organized as a showcase of open source technology. Pre-conference tutorials held one day before i.e. May 24, 2009 also received good appreciation from the audience. In the last, during the panel discussion, views were expressed on the various barriers in FOSS adoption.

NCOSS-09 begins on 25/09/2009

NCOSS-09 begins at CDAC, Navi Mumbai on 25/05/2009. This conference will provide a platform to showcase niche technologies being developed in the area of FOSS and discuss about open source softwares in various verticals like knowledge management, e-learning, e-commerce, Indian Language Computing etc. More details on http://ncoss.cdacmumbai.in .

Welcome to NCOSS-09

Last three days to go for NCOSS. For latest updates visit http://ncoss.cdacmumbai.in

One interesting yatra vratant

http://mallar.wordpress.com/2009/05/04/

Call for Participation : NCOSS-09, May 25 - 26, 2009, Navi Mumbai, India

Call for Participation NCOSS-09: National Conference on Open Source Software May 25 - 26, 2009, Navi Mumbai, India. Organized by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, Mumbai Supported by IEEE Computer Society, Mumbai and Chennai chapters & CSI, Div II on Software & SIG-OS Media partner Linux for You The National Conference on Open Source Software is intended to act as a forum for promoting adoption of open source softwares and solutions in different areas, by sharing experiences in solution selection, customisation/adaptation, etc. Over 110 papers were submitted to the conference from all over India. After a rigorous international refereeing process, about 30 papers have been selected, which will be presented during the conference. Conference Programme : Paper Presentation in areas including e-Learning Collaboration Technology Language Com

AI today

Read at: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=software&articleId=332273&taxonomyId=18&intsrc=kc_feat

From 2008 to 2009

So, the second last year of the first decade of 21st century has dawned and 2008 is over. At this moment, how I look at 2008 : A year which can be attributed as an extraordinary one at personal level, because, In the month of May, My sweet little daughter was born and that gave a new meaning to life. On the other hand, in social aspect, this was a year which saw so many incidents which were not so good. This was a year of calamities (natural or man-made). Terrorism has come to our neighborhood and now it is being treated just like a routine crime. Perhaps, next time, It may be in our houses too. God knows! This was also a worst year with respect to economy. Major financial players at world level are part of the history now or some may be in time to come. However, as said there is always light at the end of the tunnel, so was in the case of unpardonable Mumbai attacks. The unity shown by the entire nation once again shown that India is able to face and handle any type of crisis. Hope, 2