Hare Krishna....

This gives me taste of Spirituality.........

My First Breath as System Analyst and Project Manager

Since I have joined my bachelors, I always wanted to do something different, something uncommon. This semester was the best opportunity to take what you want and think till you can. In database and software engineering I Courses, which are both 4 credit hours courses, one can take the project to its limits but of course semester was bit heavy to being over-optimistic can be very precarious specially when I have some GPA sensitive issues as well.

Never mind, I started brainstorming for project in summers as most of time I was free during that time but couldn’t reach consensus with two opposing cerebrum of my brain. Suddenly, I came up with situation where I needed to rectify the 14 years old system of CEO of company who has been very reluctant adopting the changing and demanding technology. His DOS based application for company having revenues more than 30 Million PKR inspired to design the system. - By the way it was small error for which I was called to emend which was caused by Power Failure. Coming to point :


Bingo……………!!!


That’s what I was looking for damn. I convinced the person for need of new system though he has been hesitant to change the system that he has been running since he actually started his business but somehow agreed on term that “I will try only if I liked it.” Though this wasn’t good for us and neither it is trend of IT industry. But we have to take his words as we had no option.

We, my group consisting of 2 other fellows of mine, did the system analysis at his office. I was very enthusiastic about it as it was my first experience of my life, may be the first baby touch of something which will mature as my career, my profession, my passion. It was 45 minutes session which I guess went really very well apart from few juvenile hindrances done by Saim, as usual. Coming to my experience now regarding this job of System Analyst:

1) Strong listening skills – You must give attention to user so that he feels your commitment towards your job.

2) very and I mean very strong Communication skills – Sometimes you need to ask business sensitive question that you can’t put directly, thus asking in smart way is key here.

3) It requires good interaction skills – this is not as communication skills, good interaction is how you deal your client technically, professionally and personally.

4) Good pitfall skills – sometimes you got to apply some unethical thins and this is what “pitfalls” defines here. In order to arouse your client, you should know how to tell one thing in 10 different ways.

5) Trust Factor – The best thing you can get from client is his/her trust on you and your organization and that’s what we lacked as we were 21 years kids trying to do the job of big sharks.

6) Good PR (Personal Relations) – If you have this, damn you have one the most important thing to be successful System Analyst as this project is the best example of how PR can make your life easy.

7) Knows how to make Opportunity – If one has only this thing in his bag, I guess he has almost everything to be good System Analyst and Project Manager. A good system analyst must know how to make spacious room for project even though there is no need of it. See, this is business with very sensitive profession as well. He shouldn’t never ask “where is the opportunity, directive or Problem?” but if there isn’t any then make one that’s what you are here. If there isn’t any problem to solve then show the situation in problematic way, if there isn’t opportunity then create one. I know it sounds unprofessional, unethical and unprincipled but if one knows these skills then it is not.

I don’t know what lies ahead for me. But I am seeing myself growing in this profession. I hope I will get the right path to groom myself.
And yeah as far as this project is concerned, the best thing about our client he has no time issue so we can submit when we are ready. So this thing has reduced our burden and hopefully he will successfully deliver this project with end-to-end solution. Of course, I also would like to take the opportunity to thanks our project supervisor Sir Ubaid Aftab Chawla who is helping us in every thick and thin situation. And I hope we will be able to fulfill his all optimistic hopes that he has from us.

PTCL Smart TV

Smart TV…? Thinking what it is this? Damn, It is Pakistan’s first IPTV (Internet Protocol Television). I hope you are aware of this thing, if not then I am here for you:
First of all, beginning with IPTV simply means transferring of Audio and Video data over internet. You can watch TV on computer, TV set (through set-top box) or even cell phone. It revolutionizes the world of television which we have been using it since our birth. May be this is new for Pakistan but it is quite prevalent in USA. Indeed, Indian market is already facing immense competition (Dish TV, TATA Sky and now Reliance) with marketing involvement of brand ambassadors like of stars like Shah Rukh Khan (for Dish TV).

Specifically speaking IPTV majorly includes:
• On Demand Video Service
• High-Definition TV
• Pay-Per View
• Paying of channels that you want to watch
• Scheduling of programs according to your time

Though it is coming with DSL package at this moment thus wouldn’t be available to larger part of Population of country but hopefully PTCL (Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited) will increase its connectivity soon. But even coming to Karachi, Most people are not opting for this because of:

1. PTCL’s creditability issue (destroyed by the admin before privatilization)
2. Unavailability of major Indian channels (Star Plus, Zee TV) because of being official Banned from Information Ministry
3. Discomfort ability with new technology (as it is always been)

The way to success:

PTCL’s main competitor is not World Call which is also offering cable tv with its internet service but local cable operators who are covering the 97% of market with their cheap service. Thus PTCL has to majorly focus on local cable operators who are providing all channels (even banned one) with effective customer support as they don’t have big network to cover up.
The only way to forward in this regard is:

1. Official Un-banning of Indian channels or making sure strictly it is strictly followed by cable operators as well.
2. Improving their credibility with the help of focused marketing
3. Proper awareness of advance features of Smart TV as they have been lacking the proper marketing strategy so far.

I am sure, IPTV is the future of television in Pakistan and already PTCL has taken first step to make sure that future belongs to them.

- For me It’s not bad to use monopolies until and unless it doesn’t hurt customers or general public.

Long March - Long Struggle

It has been more than 5 months since I have written something on politics not because I lost the taste of it but because I want to believe that everything is going right or going to be right. But today’s situations again brought me to the point where I am unable to hold my nerve. Even I haven’t read my favorite editorial for more than a month now.

Recently, the long march was being taken place in all over the country. This long march was for the freedom that people of Pakistan want and deserve for last sixty years, for the expression of their frustration that they buried under their hearts for last 6 decades, for the bringing the revolution for which I always write and dream about. The long march has given me the hope of bright future of Pakistan. This long march has promised to change the trends that have been followed since the creation of Pakistan.

This long march which initially seems to be for the re-instantiation of deposed Supreme Court judges has awakened this dormant nation which seems to loosing its hope freedom and justice. Long march started from Karachi destined to parliament in Islamabad. Every day and with every step people were joining them and flowing to support them.

At last when they reached Liaquat Bagh, Islamabad - the same place where Late Benazir Bhutto lost her life - after the revolutionizing journey of the nation, the crowd was roaring, the voice which can be heard through out this country, like never before in its history. It was history in making since I have never seen any one talking like this about the running president of Pakistan in his face. I appreciate and salute the courage, patient and struggle of our judges and lawyers who have continued this war of nation without firing any bullet.

This struggle has become more than the re-instantiation of judges now, it’s about the struggle of 160 hopeless poor people whose wishes has been buried by their every ruler that came to rule them, it’s about the faith in judicial system of Pakistan which has lost its creditability in eyes of those for whom it works. No matter what will be outcome of this war but people of Pakistan has proved that they are not dead nation, they can and will fight for their rights.

My view point: What I see is different thing now, I don’t see Mushraff being overthrown by the 2/3 majority of parliament because if PPP wanted to do this they must have done that by now. They want a working relationship with him which is in favor of Pakistanis on short term as the economy and external threats are quite graver this time. But on long term, the overthrowing will make the history as this has never happened before and will set the new trend of positive politics. May be new government will break-up with this but I am sure they will again come in the power with more majority. But PPP seems to be choosing the former option. The working-relationship with mushraff will be –ve message to supporters of PPP and they may loose the next election because of it as PML-N played its cards really very well by first resigning and then leading the long march. I am sure PPP would be considering this thing really very seriously but if you ask any wise person they will suggest you that PPP has chosen the right thing as new political dilemma will put this country once again in economical chaos. The progress of last seven years will be lost in months. But thinking politically will make PPP to choose opposite way. Now it will be really very interesting to see how PPP will cope up with this politically and economically as well. I support ruling party’s decision to work with Pres. Mushraff as the people are more concerned about their bread and butter than the revolutions of country.

-Pakistan Paindabad.

Once 21

Everybody cross through this phase of life where you actually have taken enough rides of life that you can sit down and review it. Today is my day, Today is 9th June ’08 and it has been whole 21 years, 10 hours, 47 minutes and 50 seconds since I have joined this world in its struggle of life. In short today is my birthday since I born on 9th June ’87 at 10 am. So happy birthday Avinash…!!! I am neither a philosopher nor a deep-thinker but it’s just that I am reviewing my 21 years of my life that I haven’t made much difference to this world. Actually I have nothing much to write today as I have nothing to regret in my last 21 years of life. Hmmmmm….. Do I? Let me re-think again. Hmmm… so far nothing comes to my mind but it never means I haven’t done wrong anything in my life but I never mind saying sorry for anything I do wrong. Hopefully, there is no one on this planet who is hurt by me unknowingly or knowingly. If there is someone then I have just one sentence "I am sorry and now come and hug me." Thanks to God for giving me full time loving family who is always full of fun, joy, support and purity. So Happy Birthday you lucky Boy and best of luck for your next 21 years because this time you have to write our own history instead of reading others. Hugs and kisses.

Eye on India

My Trip to India was more than a fun actually but I tried to sneeze into the world’s largest growing economy. I tried my best and every moment I was trying to figure out why they are going good even though they have graver problems than ours. So whatever I am going to write is under the code of conduct of Journalism and totally Unbiased.

I’ll be reviewing both the good and the bad that I noticed.

Goods:

Education: If anyone asks what is the best thing about India? I would say education. It’s not the quality but the system. I reviewed books not thoroughly though but at least it gave me idea what actually India wants from its future. The primary education books were of fine quality from curriculum point of view. There was a good emphasis on science education which is basically future of any era. Coming to Board system, it was divided into two; one was state board system which was not considered as the best and other one was CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education)- the same as Federal Board over here. But there was eye-catching difference between CBSE books and State Board books and their paper-pattern as well. The best thing was there wasn’t any concept of cheating over there. Defining briefly, in CBSE studying smartly was the key factor to success rather than studying and remembering more like in board system.

As far as University/College level education is concerned, it is almost the same everywhere in the world. The difference can be the kind of faculty available and the R&D opportunities being provided or cultivated. I didn’t feel any difference between the technical education over there and here in Pakistan. The subjects were same; books being followed were same and even the course outline was the same. But the difference was there wasn’t any concept of GPA over there but percentage system except in IITs where there was GPA system. There were more colleges being affiliated to a university rather than hundreds of universities for instance, 283 engineering colleges of Tamil Nadu were affiliated with ANNA Univeristy, Chennai and almost 500 different kinds of colleges were affiliated with Bombay Univeristy. And actaully this was good but it increase harmony as students of those 283 colleges were getting the same degree and they all give the same exam unlike here where there are chain of univeristies rather affiliations. So in this way, new and good colleges will groom faster depending upon their results because the parameter for measuring the quality of education is same.

Another and may be the best thing about Indian Education was “Cheap”. The best education was accessible to even lower middle-class if not lower class unlike in Pakistan. Fees of even the best schools were bearable. I.e. my two cousins in Chennai pay only 15K (each) per annum when they are in the best school of the city unlike in metro cities of Pakistan where 15K is fees of one month alone (i.e. KGS, Lyceum and many more).

The only bad thing in education system was the trend of coaching centers. This thing is pointing to the emptiness being left by the school system i.e. in US there is barely any concept of Coaching and tuitions it’s because their schooling is so strong. I myself have gone through this phase of life, so I know how dependable coaching can make you sometimes. In Mumbai, parents were flowing here and there to get the admission of their child in the best coaching centre submitting the fees of whole 2 years together. Coaching is more of a wastage of time if one gets even moderate teacher in school.

I have also witness the side-effects of this good system. Kids were being buried with the high hopes of parents. JEE, Medical, CAT, MSCE, AIEEE, AIMS, IIT, IIM, NIIT and blah blah blah. Parents were stressing more on the degree which is hot in the market irrespective to the skills of their child. I noticed this thing almost every where. Very few schools were providing counseling though but I met one counselor, she says “Actually students are less willing to utilize us”.

But still this promising system was working fine for the government and the economy and that’s what has been and will be the secret of success of India.

-This series of articles ll be continuing. I’ll be covering other good and bad aspects of India. If someone want to add or rectify something he or she is more than welcome.

The Art of Blogging

Blogging is very common though but still irrelevant to lots of people especially in south Asian countries. For instance, in my university batch out of 120 students only 3 owns a blog though we are students of technology. The major reason isn’t they don’t like to write or they don’t an art to write but it is they have never enjoy writing. Even I don’t consider myself as a writer but I love and enjoy writing. I love to express as every human does but every person has different way of expressing himself. When I started blogging, I remember, it was hot sunny day; I was thinking why should I write? In technical terms, why should I blog? Truly speaking, I didn’t have any answer because I didn’t have any reason actually. My first blog “No Theory in LOVE” Theory was more or less like a joke from writing perspective.

Before moving on, I want you to know basically what is blogging?

Merriam Webster: ‘A Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer.”

Wikipedia: ‘Is a website, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video.”

In today’s world, blogging has become trend of expression. Expression of freedom and I don’t mind saying that blog has been the best product of web 2.0 so far. It actually fulfills the promise web 2.0. People have started expressing their political views, technical gossips, health mania, religious dilemmas and much more. Not only do those, but even governments don’t ignore them. Take the case a Saudi blogger who was put behind the bars last year only because he wrote on US-Saudi relations which US didn’t like much. Big corporate giants and small fishes, both using the blogs as new way of marketing. Take the example of vista team, they own a blog where they put updates frequently and answer the questions of people as well. So blog is not a one-way communication only.

The best about blogging is, it is something which you can show your grand children, funny haan!!! It is, I know. But it is true as well. For instance it has been almost a year now since I started my blog and sometimes I go back and read to previous articles, something’s really make me laugh. I mean, Wow. But it still feels good. I am wondering how about reading this same article or blog in age of 60. Isn’t it exciting?

Coming to point, some one asked me recently “what you get from blogging?” I replied ‘start blogging first’. Really, there is no answer to a question when it comes to expressing your emotions and feelings. I love blogging especially when I feel stressed. It makes me feel relax. Sometimes I reply to this question, ‘I don’t want a girl friend that’s why I blog’…Sounds strange haan - An stupid answer to an stupid question.

There are lots of advantages of blogging; prominently it inspires you to read. When I started blogging, I not only start thinking about my next article but I also started visiting many blogs and I really read a lot after that. Secondly, it improves your writing skills exponentially and the best thing is even you don’t notice it. In the first few months of blogging, there were few visitors on my blog even some harsh days makes the counter zero. I feel disappointed but now my blog has enough visitors which really push me to write more and more. Thank you all. After this journey of a year, I noticed there is a good way to raise blog readers that is “Tags”. The better your tags are the better the trap is and yeah pictures as well. Understanding the Google’s image searching algorithm, which functions mostly on text even when you are looking for a picture, this thing helps you as well because I tried it and I become quite successful in it. For instance, the header picture of eyes present on my blog, I renamed it to beautiful picture believe me alone on this I used to get on average 30 visitors daily using Google’s image searching.

So blogging is bit a tough nut to crack in the beginning same as like opening any new business. It teaches you to be patient. And yeah last but not least it grows your friendship circle.

Happy blogging.