Friday, June 29, 2007

Ayurvedic chikitsa

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Traffic Gaadegalu

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Thursday, June 28, 2007

Open High Availability Cluster

The product I worked on for 2 years in SUN, is now available for the open source community.

Solaris Cluster made first contribution of source-code to the OpenSolaris community.

http://www.opensolaris.org/os/community/ha-clusters/


check out these cool videos on Solaris cluster



Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Customer satisfaction and Indian Banks

As there was never any competition, Nationalized banks in India never cared about customer satisfaction. But today, the Indian customer is more demanding. He has a wide range of banks to chose from. The Nationalized banks have to gear up for the competition.
I have a bank account which I have been operating from my childhood. As I grew up and started working, I started banking with private banks in India. The banking experience is so different now. The biggest advantage that the privatized banks have over the Nationalized banks today is phone banking and Internet banking. Nationalized banks are catching up but have a long way to go. I am really happy monitoring my account status, transferring funds, paying my utility bills, credit cards, etc., sitting in one place. I don't have to go to the bank. Now most of the Nationalized banks have core banking installed. I can transfer funds from my accounts with private banks to these, but I am still afraid to do so. The reason - no customer support (call center). Today, if I transfer funds between two privatized banks, I have a transaction number, through which I can always track the status by phone and Internet. But with nationalized banks, I have to run to the bank which is located in the other part of the city and when I land there, I have to go through a big Que, figure out whom to talk to and go past other hazels, only to realize that no one in the bank has a clue on whats happening. I have sometimes come across bank managers in Nationalized banks ( I really don't want to name the bank, but it is one of the biggest banks in India) who don't know how ECS works. For the same reason,I have to go to the bank every month to deposit cheques to repay my loan.
I do most of my personal work on the weekends including my bank work. But, when I land in these Nationalized banks on a Saturday with queries, the bank employees and managers (including chief manager, housing loan manager, and other managers) rudely ask me to come back on a weekday, because they have a lot of customers to cater to on the weekends. Is it my problem that the bank has more customers on weekends and they cannot handle them. Is it my problem when bank employees take vacation during other long weekends and summers. I always thought that I (customer) was the king. But, while dealing with these banks, one has to forget it. It was a surprising that when I went to the bank manager for a personal loan, he ignored me. Upon insisting, he asked me to come after a month and he would think over it ( couldn't expect that from a manager). I had to go to a privatized bank. They even sent a person over to my office. He made at least 4 visits to my office, to give the application form and collect it. He even filled up the form for me. Now who's the loser. And yes, I do repay my loan through ECS. Today a big chunk of the corporate world goes to private banks for housing loans, due to convenience, even thought the rate of interest is a little higher. People are ready to spend a few extra rupees for more services.
When I speak to some of these bank employees about why they treat their customers like this, they say that most of their staff is old and won't change their way of work for today's demanding customer. One classic defence they have is, 'we cater from pensioners to farmers. Does your MNC bank cater to them. Because we have a huge customer base, we can't scale up to those levels of MNC banks. MNC banks only cater to corporates'. Well that's your business decision to support farmers and pensioners. You have now a bigger reason to change. You have a huge customer base, don't lose them.
As a final note to these banks - Wake up and act fast. Customer is the KING. Treat him well, else he will chose some one else.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Mungaru Male review

Yes, over all a watchable movie. A movie that can be watched with your family.
My personal rating - Average
Actor Ganesh and director Yogaraj Bhat have tried to replicate the Sharukhan-Karan Johar combination. Ganesh has desperately tried to imitate Shahrukh khan, putting up that sympathetic look/smile in every scene. He reminds me SRK when he tries to spread his arms wide open and the camera revolving around him. He has done it atleast a 2 dozen times.

There are lots of reviews on the web which are full of praises for this movie. This had set a very high expectation, though I had been asked to watch the movie without too much expectation.
The movie sequences were quite predictable. By interval I was under the opinion that the movie was crap. I even messaged some of my friends who had recommended this movie to me about how I felt. Some messaged back that I should watch the movie till the end before I passed my judgement, and some said, that I don't deserve to watch a good movie like this and should get out of the movie hall.

What created the above impressions are the following scenes.

- When a man falls in to manhole, does he think about cleaning himself or does he think about the girl.
- Hero sees the girl only once and that too for a short while and later makes heroic attempts (thats his job) putting his life in to danger, to recover a hand kerchief, when his mother is waiting alone for him in a deserted street. We see such stupid scenes in many Indian movies.
- When the hero feels very deeply for a rabbit just within 2 days of meeting and makes that desperate attempt to save its life by running on a railway track (even if you and I don't, the heroin is definitely impressed by this).
- when you see a train which is less than 50 mts of stopping not to slow down.
- I don't know any temple in karnataka where people carry their loved ones till the top of a hill. All the men were carrying women so effortlessly (my wife was giving me those nasty looks)
- When people speak to him, Ananth Nag replies as though he heard everything even though he is deaf.
- A scene is created where both hero and heroin get wet and the heroin has to change her clothes and look hot (an old movie trick used in many Indian movies. How can one forget Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore in Aradhana)

People generally tell me that I pass above comments because it is a kannada movie. I wouldn't have done that if it was a bollywood movie (they say). But thats wrong. Anything that is not up to the mark and take the movie goer for a ride will be critisized.

What pissed me off most about the movie was the death of the rabbit. Why did the director have to kill an innocent creature which really didn't have any significant role.

The Jog falls scene has been well shot. Songs are excellent. It is a good attempt from the director, but has to work on these small issues. The movie goer cannot be taken for a ride. I am happy that a kannada movie is breaking all box office records. This movie has pulled not only kannadigas but also non-kannada speaking crowds to the theathers which is remarkable. The movie industry should go ahead and make a lot more good movies.
Feel free to put your comments on the post, but please read the first line of this post before that.

volunteering at SUN

Working at SUN is not just about coming out with cool technologies, but also contributing back to the community.
We mobilize employees to visit a blind school, senior citizen home, and school for poor children. They do this at least every quarter. They support the old age home, "Shambavi Home", by sponsoring all the medicines required by the residents throughout the year. Last year, school children from an orphanage were invited to the Sun campus giving them a sense of what work is like in a corporate environment. The volunteer team also treated the children to fun--complete with a movie, magic show and sweet feast.

The volunteer team in India is committed to social responsibility. Their commitment, high spirit and team work is something to emulate. They make a difference!!!

Read more about Sun India volunteering team. I am proud to be a part of this team.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

whats new on my blog

Yesterday I have made a few changes on my blog.

1. ClustrMaps
Site meter kept count of how many people visited my blog. Many people complained to me that they could not view my blog completely as the site meter was stopping them from scrolling down.This was mostly the problems faced by IE users. The blog worked just fine with Firefox. Now I have decided to try ClustrMaps. It gives a pictorial represntation of the site hit count from different geographies.
I had around a 1000 + hits on my blog before I removed the site meter

2. Google search
I have added google search tool bar on my site. One can search the web, as well as through my blog.

3. Google Ads
I have added Google Ads on my blog. If one visits my blog, then he/she will see ads from Google. If anyone clicks on it, I make money. This is a cool feature introduced by Google. All one needs to do is sign up for it and Google will take care of placing the right Ads on your site.
Read more about Google Ads on https://www.google.com/adsense/

Let me see if I can make some money here ;)

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Hilarious... Lovers converstaion over phone

Got this as a forward.Don’t take seriously….Just for fun…..



THIS IS A TYPICAL CONVERSATION of Lovers in Kannada.....

Note: 1. Conversation madhye within brackets irodu manasina maathu

2. Love maaDtha iroro baykonDre naan enu maaDakke agalla


She Gives a Miss call to Him....and he calls her back..

She: Hello!

He: (Ayoo..ivatten kuiytalo.... ) Hi ...en helu..?

She: enu illa sumne call madde...

He: ( Call yavag madde.. Miss call thane kotte... ) oh...ok ..en madtidde chinnu??

She: ig tane oota aytu honey..nin en madtide?

He: nandu ig tane oota aytu.. iga...."kunidu kunidu bare" haadu keltide
Fm nalli

She: nice song..

(And then she hums the line "Mungaru maleye enu ninna hanigala..")


He: ( Allen eeli kichugdtidya?? ) hey!!!! Nin isht chennag haadtiya? Nang gotte irlilla

She: *giggles*

He: Hey. Innond sala hadu pls!

She: illi ella malgidare..amel ella bhaya padtare..

He: ( Correct...Avru yavdo mohini pishachi ankotare... ) Come on! Please!

She: hogo. I don't sing that well

He: ( Adu oorge gottu... :-) ) It was really sweet. Please hadu dear

She: nangeno odd agide anstide chinnu

He: adral enide chennage hadtiyalla

She: neene helbeku

He: ( Nana? Nan bere daari ildira helde.. ) iga haadtiya ilva?

She: yako thale tintiya

He: Sigh! Ok

She: I don't have that great voice

He: ( Donkey kooda nachkolo voicu.. ) hmmmm

She: sari ishtond keltidya... onde ond stanza hadtini ayta??

He: ( Innen kaadidyo.. ) Great!!!!

She: yaav haadu haadli ?

He: ( Nin yaav haadu hadidrenu...nan nidde antu haalagoytu... )Hmmmm. "Nimmbe hanninanta" from Premaloka?

She: Nice song. But nange lyrics gypka illa

He: ( Text book bitre ningen gypka irutte helu... ) santoshakke hadu santoshakke?

She: illa ade haadu haadtini

He: ( Ella onde yaav haadadru kivi kedutte?... ) Cool


(She clears her throat, hums a line and then)


She: hey beda chinnu. Am feeling very shy!

He: haadu haadu.. nina haadina savige nanu mulgi mulugi telabeku

She: nodu galatey shuru madtidya...

He: ( Gottaytu thane ... mattinenu..: ) )No no. neenu shy andyalla adke. Trying to make u cool

She: Hmmm

He: please haadey

She: naale haadla?

He: ( Haaaaa tappskonde guru.. Escape... ) sari maa ning yavag haadbek ansutto avagle haadu

She: Hmmm

He: Good night

She: Good night

She: Sweet Dreams.. Take care...

He: ( Jeeva ulitu... ) Sweets dreams to u too...


After a while She calls He (tat never happens, she gives only a missed call),,,,


She: Hey..Malagbitya

He: ( Illa current kandu hidita iddini... ) Illa ma.

She: En maadtidya..

He: ( NaDu rathirili enn ice-pice aa aadakagutte... ) Match nodta idde

She: sari neen Match nodko

He: ( Avaglinda ade madtiddey... )Hey. Its ok. Hale match thane.

She: alla. Did u feel bad I didn't sing?


(Since it is a tricky question, He thinks for a while)


He: (Bad ah, this was the luckiest day in my life, since you didn't sing :- ) Bad anta nanenu helta illa. But I want you to be comfortable first. naale hadtini andyalla. So, me waiting..
(ivattu tappskonde ankondidde .. :-()


She sings 1 stanza from the song

Thoooo......... ....


He: Wow. Too good!

She: sullu. Nangottu nan voice eshtu kacchadvagide anta

He: ( Ningu Slef realization ide antaytu.. :-)... )Hey you really sing well.

She: hogo helbekalla anta hing ella heltiya

He: ( Chi Kallli, Correctag kandu hididbitte..... ) Che! Che! Nin voice sari illdidre nanu istott keltane irlilla

She: Hmmmm

He: nin ishtu chennag haadtiya anta gotte irlila ( Matte gottagodu beda.. :-(:-( )


She: Hmmm! Sari good night.. ninu malko..

He: ( Nin haad kelde mele .. innenu nidde kathe ashtte..) Good night!

She: Take care

He: You too

She: Hey....

He: ( Ahaa... ivlu bidolla thande,,, )Ah.. helu ..

She: chinnu nijvaglu nan voice chennagidya

He: ( ....halagogu, nin voice record madi ondsala kelu ) nijvaglu! Ofcourse.

She: bari sullu

He: ( Ivlajji !!!!!!! inn nidde madok bitilandre......... ) Not at all. You sing very well

She: Hmmm. Eno heltiya. Good night.

He: Good Night!!