Technical Writing Salary Survey

If you always wondered if you are being paid your worth or if you are in the right salary bracket, then here is a small way of doing that:
Go to the following link and participate in this year’s salary survey. The result of the survey will be published during the 2009 STC Conference.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=BE2OWaAd2f4QazPiKAfAhw_3d_3d

You listening, Mr. Politican?

BJP vice president, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that if some women wearing lipeestik (lipstick) and sunglasses protest against politicians, they don’t represent the mood of the entire nation; he couldn’t be further away from the truth.

Yes, I agree that Taj being the target of the terror attacks, is a popular destination for the rich and well-heeled, and scores of victims were from the privileged class. This has ensured more footage for the English speaking suave denizens of Mumbai and media has been highlighting their anguish with zeal.

But the protests on the streets are writings on the wall for politicians like Naqvi. The issue, that these women wearing lipstick and sunglasses are raising, concerns each and every citizen of this country - be it the autowallas, cabbies, constables, or the guy selling pav bhaji. It is also the voice of families of security guards who died on duty at the Taj, the stock broker from Colaba, or the sister of a Bollywood actor. It is also the voice of the families of the young girls at the front office at Taj, the co chairman of Yes bank, and the food critic from Times of India.

Sometimes, I wonder why there were no politicians in the Taj that fateful Wednesday evening.

Mr. Naqvi continued, “These people are holding candlelight vigils copying western culture”.

But nothing can be further from the truth. I do not understand what is so western about holding candle light vigils to mourn innocent victims of this dastardly act? I wish our security agencies had adopted one third of the professionalism of these western law enforcement agencies and we might not have had to see that day of terror in Mumbai.

Large numbers of politicians come into politics because they want to make it big in life. Nothing wrong with that, except they throw to the winds all values and morale in their quest for money and power. So when we have such politicians become a chief minister or a deputy chief minister or member of the cabinet, what have we? A toxic potent that can eat away into the very fabric of democracy on which our nation is built.

And that is our angst against you Mr. Politician!

We all know that elements in the Pakistan government with perhaps tacit approval from the Zardari’s government were involved in the terror attack and we also know that nothing much is going to happen even if we give Pakistan all the evidence and proof that Pakistan was involved in this strike.

What? Do you really expect India to go to war with Pakistan? And even if we do, what good is it going to do us? Push back our economy by 20 years and completely wipe out our economic gains?

Going to war with Pakistan is one option we have, but it’s the most dangerous and possibly the last resort.

So what can we do now? It’s you Mr. Politician that I want. And if you pea brained morons cannot think of how to deal with terror, here you go:

Form a federal agency to fight terror: Keep it away from the control of the Home Ministry. The agency must be headed by a Director and report straight to the Prime Minister. All other agencies, such as IB and RAW must report and feed intelligence input to this agency. The director can be removed anytime by the PM in consultation with the President. This way we have a check and balance in place to prevent the Director from going against the PM. We don’t want another ISI.

Secure our borders: Both land and sea. Provide more patrol vessels, more aircrafts for our Navy and Coast guards.

Issue National Identity Card: A single agency must issue NIC for every citizen in the country after stringent background checks unlike ration cards. This activity must be first carried out in the north east.

Remove illegal immigrants: Push back both Hindu and Muslim Bangladeshis back to Bangladesh. No one should be within Indian borders without valid documents.

Enact tough anti terror laws: Tough equals death in any kind of terrorist activity. These laws cannot be imposed on political opponents or people convicted in law and order crimes. Special courts must be set up to deal with such crimes. Trials should be limited to three months maximum.

Revamp customs: The entire customs department must be revamped to root out corruption and rot.

Enact tough anti corruption laws: Corrupt government officers and politicians should be executed based on the quantum of offence.

Regulate Sell of Explosives and Ordinances: Access to chemicals and explosives, such as ammonium nitrate, TNT, dynamite, and anything else must be strictly monitored. Sale and purchase of all such materials must be logged into a central database and personal information, such as address and photographs of the buyer and seller must be stored and updated regularly.

Modernize Urban Infrastructure: Bring up an urban center that is easy to monitor and secure. ID cards for all permanent residents of metros, maybe. Temporary cards for the tourists, business people, and people in transition? Yes. More cameras, more eyes on the urban theatres.

Indoctrinate Alienated Communities: Make minority communities feel safe and secure in this country. Provide incentives for basic and higher education. Create financial institutions to encourage entrepreneurship. It should pay to be a good citizen rather than a merchant of terror. The country should make them feel wanted not alienated.

Prosecute Terrorists in Indian Prisons: All terrorists currently lodged in Indian prisons must be prosecuted immediately to send out the message that we are serious.

Industrial Security Force: Raise a paramilitary force to safe guard large and vulnerable industries, such as IT parks and SEZs. Like CISF?

Sign Alliances and Treaties: India, U.S, Israel, UK, Australia, and any other country must raise a fighting army to liquidate terror infrastructure in Pakistan with or without the consent of the Pakistan government.

Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan - You are here!

Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan is smack on your face. Period. Ever imagined hitting the pillow sloshed – you hit the pillow, feel that dull thud, but relieved that you hit the pillow and not the floor. That you are back home safe instead of lying slumped by the sidewalk.

Read MRM and you feel like being in a shower cubicle. Strong jets of envy, guilt, loath, and raw unbridled desire assault your senses from all directions. And let me tell you those are not nice things. It leaves you seething with desire, eyeing every woman that walks the corridor as a potential game and you feel guilty as hell just reading that stuff. And you would not want to acknowledge these feelings.

So does smoking, drinking, and sex make a woman a bad woman? Not really!

But MRM makes you feel that way. She has this gnawing, revolting shade to her writing where she is almost like a diva writhing with desire, inviting you to fill her, yet you know she is just not that. She has a brain that throbs like a ravenous alien monster (picture “Alien”) – a slime-dripping creature out to snuff your self esteem the second you let down your intellectual guard.

She is analyzing you, checking you out, sizing you up. Sinful!

That’s the dull thud bit.

But it really makes me proud to share the same citizenship with MRM. To know that we have women like her who know what they want (most of the time), have an opinion and are not afraid to voice that opinion, and a mind of their own not shrouded and muddied by cultural impositions or stark western influence.

That we have a generation who are truly representatives of modern India, a nation that does not cow down to self-effacing western idiosycrancies, a nation that commands respect for its human capital, rather than its military might, a nation that sets its own standards, a nation on its way of discovering itself.

And that's the soft pillow bit!

Chrome - the new browser from Google

Well, here is the new browser from google, Chrome. Go play:

http://www.freechromethemes.com/DownloadGoogleChrome.php

Do you guys think, Chrome will save the world from spyware?

Technical Writing: What is it?

Technical writing is a type of writing that tells people how to use a product – any kind of product. Products can range from a Boeing 777 to a PDA phone. User manuals or any other technical writing output not only tells how to use a product but everything else about the product, such as why you should use the product, salient features, limitations, work around solutions, and trouble shooting information - should your Boeing 777 be nosing diving without a warning.

Technical writing output includes documents, such as User Guides, Quick Reference Manuals, and Trouble Shooting Guides. Most product documentation comes under these three categories.

So next time you are unable to add contacts to your new iPhone 3G, you might just be looking for that user manual (iPhone 3G User Manual). And yes, this user manual is a product of technical writing.

People who do technical writing are called pseudo geeks? Right? No, wrong! People who do technical writings are called technical writers or technical communicators. So to have written that iPhone user manual, a group of technical writers would have got hold of an iPhone much before any one of us did and played with the product day in and day out or at least everyday at work. Then they would have put together their observations into a document and created a list called the content outline listing all the stuff you can do using an iPhone and how to do it. For example, the iPhone manual starts with:

Chapter 1: Getting Smacked (started)

- What You Need

- Activating iPhone

- Upgrading from an Original iPhone

And so on.

So there you have it. You have products. You have writers. And when these writers create content to help you use these products, you have technical writing.

Who can become a Technical Writer?

As long as you are good teacher, have an excellent hold over the language in which you are writing, and you love technology or willing to delve into the technical abyss, you can be an effective technical writer.

To start as a technical writer, know the basics:
Communication Fundamentals
*Communication Models
*Factors affecting communication
*Verbal and non-verbal communication

Grammar
*Nuances of English Grammar
*Global English - US & UK English
*Comprehension
*Active and Passive Voices
*Gender Fair Language

Technical Writing Tools
*FrameMaker
*RoboHelp
*Epic Editor
*Quadralay webworks
*Author IT
*Captivate
*Snag It

Professional Qualifications Required for Technical Writing

Anybody with good (read excellent) written communication skill and a perennial urge to learn technology can be a success in technical writing.
Having said that, I would like to highlight that like any other specialized field, technical writing has its own set of academic specializations. Technical writers with an engineering background and good language skills are a sought after lot. However, if you have mastered your arts and know your Plato from your Aristotle, you can still make a geeky bard.

Watch this space for a lowdown on the top ten courses for technical writing and where to get them.

But Pappu can’t write saala!

As a documentation manager, I have had enough opportunities to interview people for technical writing positions. And to me, each of these candidates are interesting in their own ways – some are smug like a Cheshire cat, some oh so docile, and then there are others who would start interviewing you back.

Last week I interviewed this dude, yes, I call him dude with a purpose. He was dressed to kill (impress?), got this Yankee twang, and his attitude was contagious. The interview process started with a telephonic round and I must say he impressed the hell out of the HR lady. She passed him on to me. After my call with him, I was sure that we could move him to the next round where we meet candidates in person.

I asked one of my peers to have a chat with the dude and let me know what she thinks. After 15 minutes, she comes back all mighty impressed but with a rejoinder, “if this guy does well in the written test, you will never have to worry about low visibility of the tech pubs team. This guy can be an ambassador for the team and his communications skills are excellent”.

Music to my ears? Definitely! Personally, I like vivacious types and dude seemed to fit the bill in all respect. He had a great attitude, knew the nuances of tech writing, and replied positively to all the typical yada yada you ask a prospective tech writer.

So, armed with my conviction that we have a good candidate, I fixed a date and asked dude to take a writing test. Dude was a little hesitant about the test but accepted to take it anyway.

I sent out the test to our in-house editor, a person with immense experience in her job, and I had also added a foreword about how we all liked this guy. After evaluating his test papers, she sent back a detailed feedback and ended her message with the note, “whatever you say, Joy, but this Pappu can’t write saala!”

I am extremely sad because I kind of liked Pappu!

Who is a Successful Technical Writer?

I have been talking to a very senior technical writer recently. I asked her who according to her is a successful technical writer. She said, “A successful technical writer is a star in the eyes of the development team, meets quality and time parameters, and conforms to the common rules and regulations of the organization”. A star in the eyes of the development team? Would not being a star among her peers and immediate manager be a wiser prospect for a technical writer?

“No”, explained my senior writer friend. She continued, “This is because in most cases, a tech writer must have her work validated by a developer. If the developer is happy, the person might send a note of appreciation to the writer and also cc the writer’s manager. So you see the writer not only buys brownie points with the geek God, but also impresses her manager – all in one shot”.

“When a developer finds the technical writing content of high quality, he/she is left with more time to do value additions on the doc as opposed to making the document technically correct. Some time strapped developers might do no value addition, yet appreciate the writer as they could safely return the document to the writer and feel secure about the technical accuracy of the content. And when external stakeholder are happy, it bodes well for the entire techinal publication team as well and documentation managers love that.”

“And what if the writer’s work involves no interaction with the technical team?” I asked. “In that case, the writer’s work must derive a direct benefit to the company, for example, a well written proposal should help the company close deals”.

“So the idea is to attract positive feedback”, I said trying to get her right. “Exactly! The idea is not only to do things to attract positive feedback, but also convert the feedback into rewards!

“How”? I asked. She said, “Look, when you receive positive feedback from stakeholders (people who directly or indirectly benefit from your work), you can use these feedbacks to back up your ratings during appraisals. So if you have rated yourself 4/5, you can justify your ratings with the feedback you have received – simply copy and paste the feedback into the appraisal form and see them turn into raises and bonuses”.

I said, “All these sound too good and almost convincing, but how do I attract positive feedback from developers?

The lady continued, “Well to start with get down and dirty with technology”. Ask questions, even stupid dumb ones, but ask. You might receive those what-a-moron stares initially. But continue asking until you make sense of what the technology is all about. Draw the big picture and place the finer details within the picture as you go along. Work with the applications, talk technology, and buy those dummy guides if need be. Be persistent!

I interrupted, “ How do I know I am being persistent, that I am learning things”? She said, “Look out for the questions you ask. As you learn more, you will ask smarter questions, more specific questions as opposed to open-ended ones. For instance, instead of asking what is PeopleSoft HRMS is all about, you might find yourself asking how are job profiles set up in PeopleSoft HRMS?”

“So, to be a successful technical writer, I have to ask the right questions and please my developers”, I concluded. “Nope” she corrected. “To be a successful technical writer, you have to not fear technology and be always eager and hungry for more information, better still if you make up your mind to master the technology. “Hold on! I said. She was working me up too fast. “But what if I am not in a product company, but working for a project company where technology changes all the time”. She said, “Chances are that if you master .NET, for example, you will also better understand how other programming languages work, say Java, Pearl, or Cold Fusion.

So the key is not to fear technology but master it! A good technical writer should be able to replace a product manager or a developer any day. Intrigued, I continued, “And what about the other two - quality and time parameters and conformance to the common rules and regulations of the organization”. “Lets keep that for another day, Joy, I really have to rush now”. I can’t wait for that another day.

User Productivity Kit (UPK)

Oracle’s User Productivity Kit (UPK) is a multifaceted eLearning tool that can be used to record steps and play back the steps in exact sequence in various interactive modes, such as See It Mode, Try It Mode, Know It Mode, and Do It Mode.

What makes UPK unique, compared to other screen capture tools (Viewlet Builder, Captivate) is its ability to display appropriate text, such as menu and menu item names captured during the recording.

For example, if you set up UPK to work with MS Word, and you want to record the steps to print a file, then UPK will not only capture steps to print but also display in text the menu, menu items, and window names involved in printing the file.

So to print a document, you would go to File menu, select Print, choose a printer name in the Print dialog box, and click OK. When you use UPK to capture this series of steps, UPK will record the sequence of events and display the following text messages in bubble boxes:

1. Start by navigating to the File Menu.
2. Select Print.
3. Click the Name drop down list.
4. Select Printer 1.
5. Click OK.

Because UPK automatically inserts textual content, it minimizes chances of edit errors and increases productivity by allowing you to record several tasks within a short period. UPK also allows you to edit your recordings if you have missed a step or captured a wrong step.

To know more about UPK, go to:
http://www.oracle.com/applications/tutor/user-productivity-kit.html

To have your common UPK issues answered, visit:\http://www.oracle.com/applications/tutor/upk-faq.pdf

Software Documentation Process

So you are ready with your product about to be to released in the market. The QA testing is complete and results look good. But hey, hold on a second! You are missing something. What’s that, Oh Good Lord, what’s that? Its user documentation, people!
Agreed you built the coolest product in town that allows your customers to integrate that PeopleSoft Financials accounting system with your Siebel CRM. But how on earth are your users ever going to use the damn product until you have user manuals telling them how?
What follows is a condensed description of the software documentation process followed in most product companies around the world.


Understanding the Documentation Process
The user documentation process ensures that you have a set of standardized support documents to assist your customers use the product. A product not supported by good documentation is a dead product. Therefore, reliable product documentation is not only crucial for your customers, but it also decides the fate of your product in a competitive market.
This article helps you understand the documentation process followed in most product companies across the globe. Although, companies might adopt different flavors of the documentation process, the basic flow remains the same.
Determining Product Readiness
At this stage, make a decision to follow approach 1 or 2.
You might want to choose approach 1 if your product is QA tested and ready to go to the market. Identify a writer and hook the writer up with a Subject Matter Expert (SME). Since you will be at the end of your product development cycle, the writer will have a ready product to play with and learn the product on the job, reducing the learning curve.
If you are at the start of your product development cycle, you might want to choose approach 2. Large product companies identify and train a team of technical writers at the start of the product development cycle. Writers are invited to crucial design meetings and encouraged to review and provide feedback on design documents. In such cases, writers start to work on documentation at the same time when developers start coding the application. Source documents, such as functional and technical design docs form the major source of information for the writers in this model. Writers also interview SME(s) to know about the product.
Reviewing Market Requirement Documents (MRD)
Most companies collect market requirement documents to give a direction to their products. MRDs are a reliable source to understand the philosophy behind the products. Writers can use these documents to create scenarios and highlight product relevance to users.
MRDs also provide the framework for functional and design documents down the stream.
Analyzing Target Audience
The writer along with the SME does a target audience analysis and establishes the profile of the user. MRDs are a great source to understand target audience.
Users of a system are not all the same. The writer must structure the doc to cater for different user tasks and different levels of expertise and experience. It is particularly important to distinguish between end-users and system administrators:
End-users use the software to assist with some task. This may be flying an aircraft, managing insurance policies, writing a book, etc. They want to know how the software can help them. They are not interested in computer or administration details.
System administrators are responsible for managing the software used by end-users. This may involve acting as an operator if the system is a large mainframe system, as a network manager is the system involves a network of workstations or as a technical guru who fixes end-users software problems and who liaises between users and the software supplier.
Determining Documentation Types
Depending on your audience, you can choose to have several types of documentation. If your audience largely consists of novice users with limited experience with a computer, you might want to create an introductory manual, such a Getting Started with the System guide. Documentation deliverables can include, but not limited to:
· User Guide
· Implementation Guide
· API Guide
· Online Help
Creating/Writing the Documents
After you have decided on your documents, set up a team or engage a single writer depending on the volume of work. Best practice at this stage includes drawing a schedule and managing that schedule to ensure that your documents are of high quality, technically accurate, and on time.
There are several documentation tools. Examples include:
· MS Word
· FrameMaker
· AuthorIT
· Epic Editor
· RoboHelp (for Online Help)
If your documents include large number of pages, use Frame Maker 8.0, the most recent offer from Adobe. If you need XML output, use Epic editor. If you want to tear your hair out, use MS Word.
Reviewing Documents
Set up a process to ensure all documents pass through language and content edit. Ideally, language edits are done by language editors based on in-house style and standards guide or widely recognized style guides, such as Strunk, MS Manual of Style, and the Chicago Manual of Style.
Send all documents for technical edit to ensure that the content is correct and syncs with the product functionality. A good user document is one that is referred to as the source of truth by everyone in the company.
Testing Documents
It is a good practice to QA test documents, such as Installation guides and Quick Reference guides. This way, you get to squash the bugs even before they are reported.
Publishing Documents
Once you are done testing and finalizing your document, you need to publish the documents for your users to access. The most common way to publish is to create PDF files and burn it along with the product CD or upload the PDF files on the web.
So there you go! I have outlined a basic documentation process. There are many more components to the process that need attention depending on the size and commitment of your company towards documentation.

Zlob DNS Changer

You definitely know you are infected with a virus when you browser gets redirected to a wired looking IP address on its own.

There could be many reasons why that happens, one being, the Zlob DNS Changer. Zlob DNS changer usually comes in as a Trojan when you download video codecs from the Internet.

How do you know its Zlob? Run Spybot and you should know for sure if it is Zlob.
If you are sure about Zlob being the culprit, download the following software:

HijackThis
HijackThis lists the contents of key areas of the Registry and hard drive--areas that are used by both legitimate programmers and hijackers. The program is continually updated to detect and remove new hijacks. It does not target specific programs and URLs, only the methods used by hijackers to force you onto their sites.

ATF Cleaner
ATF is a new, freeware, temporary file cleaner for Windows, IE, Firefox and Opera with a simple, easy-to-use interface.

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware is the next step in the detection and removal of malware. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware monitors every process and stops malicious processes before they even start.

F-Secure BlackLight
F-Secure® Internet Security 2008TM provides a complete and easy-to-use protection against all Internet threats, whether they are known or previously unidentified.

Installing and Running the Search and Diagnosis Software
After you have downloaded the above software, install them on your machine.
Installing HijackThis
To install HijackThis:
Double-click the .exe file you have download in your local machine and HijackThis does the rest of the step to install itself.
Run HijackThis and view the log. Check for registry entries that you think are weird or do not belong in your machine. Always backup your registry before you start removing registry entries. If your log shows entries as shown below, then you sure have something serious to deal with:
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{0F8B5758-CA74-4CFB-BE0E-BE8C21A76C61}: NameServer = 85.255.116.98,85.255.112.6
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\Parameters: NameServer = 85.255.116.98 85.255.112.6
O23 - Service: Windows Tribute Service - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\kdzwn.exe At this stage, you choose to seek help from the professionals at http://forums.spybot.info/ or if you are feeling very confident and lucky, perform the following steps:
1. Run the ATF Cleaner.exe.
2. Double-click ATF Cleaner.exe to open it.
3. Under Main choose, Windows Temp, Current User Temp, All Users Temp, Cookies, Temporary Internet Files, Java Cache.
4. *The other boxes are optional*.
5. Click the Empty Selected button.
6. If you use Firefox, click Firefox at the top and choose Select All.
7. Click the Empty Selected button.
8. NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click NO at the prompt.
9. If you use Opera, click Opera at the top and choose Select All.
10. Click the Empty Selected button.
11. NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click NO at the prompt.
12. Click Exit on the Main menu to close the program.

Installing Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
1. Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
2. At the end, be sure a checkmark is placed next to Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, and click Finish.
3. If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
4. Once the program has loaded, select Perform full scan, then click Scan.
5. When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
6. Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
7. When completed, a log will open in Notepad. Please save it to a convenient location. The log can also be found here: C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\Logs\log-date.txt
8. Please post contents of that file & a fresh HijackThis log in your next reply.

Installing F-Secure BlackLight
1. Load F-Secure Blacklight into a new folder C:\Program Files\Blacklight.
2. Start in this folder fsbl.exe and close all other programs.
3. Accept the agreement and click Scan.
4. After the scan is finished close the window.
5. The log will be fsbl-XXX.log in the Blacklight folder. In place of XXX there will be some numbers.
After you run HijackThis, open the log file. The log file should display registry entries similar to the ones shown below:
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{0F8B5758-CA74-4CFB-BE0E-BE8C21A76C61}: NameServer = 85.255.116.98,85.255.112.6
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\Parameters: NameServer = 85.255.116.98 85.255.112.6
O23 - Service: Windows Tribute Service - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\kdzwn.exe

To remove these entries, start HijackThis, close browsers and other windows and Click fix checked.
Creating and Executing Batch File
1. Open notepad and then copy and paste the bolded lines below into it. Go to File > save as and name the file fixes.bat, change the Save as type to all files and save it to your desktop. (If you are still unsure on how to do this there is a little tutorial with pictures here)
@echo off
sc stop "Windows Tribute Service"
sc delete "Windows Tribute Service"

2. Double-click on fixes.bat file to execute it.
Viewing Hidden Files (Vista)
1. Open Folder Options by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clicking Folder Options.
2. Click the View tab.
3. Under Advanced settings, click Show hidden files and folders, and then click OK.
4. Delete following file if found:
5. C:\Windows\system32\kdzwn.exe
6. Reboot the system and run Blacklight again.

These steps should remove Zlob DNS Changer completely from your machine. For additional security, ensure your Java Runtime Environment is updated to 6.0 or the most recent version available. Also, reset and re enable your system restore and download SpywareBlaster.

Pick of the Week: Magadha Riviera

When you cut the marketing hoo-ha and look into the real deal, Magadha Riviera seems quite a neat property buy. At Rs. 3000 per square yard (negotiable) and loads of other freebies thrown in, this project is worth a deal.

Magadha Riviera is situated 15 km from the Shamshabad International airport. Although most of the approach road is yet to get that expressway look, the prospects of this project as a future residential locality seems quite promising.

Currently, Magadha has several 1000 to 300 square yard plots available as shown on its website.

Website: http://www.magadhaprojects.com/SLGallery/index.html

Contact: Neeraj [neerajag@gmail.com]
Mobile: 9866999220.

Highlights
DTCP approved
Immediate registration facilities provided
Landscaped gardens
Tree lined vistas
State-of-the-art street lightning
Underground drainage
Black topped roads with sidewalks
Jogging track
Solar fencing
Round the clock security
Club house
Aircondition gym
Spa
Tennis court
Swimming pool
Library
Party hall
Cafe
Lounge
Children recreation zone
Guest rooms
(WI-FI)Wireless Internet

Instructional design - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Came upon this set of instructions somewhere. Me thinks this is an excellent example of the good, the bad, and the ugly in instructional design:
USER-FRIENDLY
C:\ DUR
Command not found. Try retyping
USER-HELPFUL
C:\ DUR
I don't understand DUR. Do you mean DIR ?
USER-UNFRIENDLY
C:\ DUR C:\ DUR C:\ DUR C:\ DUR
USER-HOSTILE
C:\ DUR
Ha! A mistake! I'm sure you meant to say FORMAT, so that's what I'll do.
USER-INDIFFERENT
C:\ DUR DUR?
USER-PATRONIZING
C:\ DUR
Now, that's not quite right is it? Let's try again; this time, use the manual that the nice salesperson gave you when you bought me.
USER-OBSEQUIOUS
C:\ DUR
I'm so very, very sorry but I don't understand that. I'm sure it was my fault, but if you would please try again I'll do my best.
USER-SARCASTIC
C:\ DUR
Well, Look who's made a mistake then. Very unusual, I don't think.
USER-INSULTING
C:\ DUR
Fuck off
C:\ DIR
Fuck off
USER-SMUG
C:\ DUR
No
C:\ DOR
Nope
C:\ HELP
No C:\ PLEASE
Not unless you give me a 300Mb hard disk to live on
C:\ BASTARD
Abuse will get you nowhere
USER-ANALYTICAL
C:\ DUR
What makes you say that?
C:\ A TYPING MISTAKE
How long have you been making these mistakes?
C:\ BANANAS
Do you like bananas?
C:\ I LOVE THEM
Why do you bring up the subject of love....etc?
USER-McDONALD
May I help you please?
C:\ DUR
I'm sorry but that command is not available at this time. Have a nice day.
C:\ DIR
Will that be an MS-DOS directory?
C:\ YES
To read here, or for printout to take away?
C:\ HERE
Thank you. Have a nice day.
USER-MEGALOMANIAC
C:\ DUR
Don't bother me with trivial requests. I'm busy.

How to File RTI Applications

If the application is related to a state govt, you need to file it in the respective department. Anything related to central govt can be filed in GPO.
Procedure:
1. Approach the nominated information officer in the department.
2. Get the RTI form (if any) from the officer.
3. Normally the form asks five simple questions including - info requested, period for which info is requested, your name, your address & reason for requesting the information(not mandatory).
4. In case the department doesn't have any application form, submit the request on a plain paper with the above 5 information.
5. Along with the application, submit a "postal pay order" of Rs. 20. (Karnataka govt has reduced this further to Rs. 10; not sure about A.P.)
6. Take a copy of the application and have it attested by the information officer - with date of submission on it.
You should get appropriate info within a month, else you can raise the issue to Chief information commissioner.
Watch this space for all the details on Right to Information Act (RTI).

Turning Off that Beep in Dell D620 Laptops

You are in a library. Silence all around and people engrossed in books or feeling each other up. You installed this cool new software and need to reboot. So you power down and then power up. If you have a Dell 620, you might be clasping your hands against your ears in anticipation of that loud beep. And ear phones too? You are probably looking at 15 days before you go deaf.

So here's how you can disable that beep:
1. Open Computer Management and click Device Manger.
2. From the Console menu select View > Show Hidden Devices. You can only see this option once you have selected Device Manager.
3. A new item appears in the Device Manager Panel: Non-Plug and Play Drivers.
4. Expand the menu, find Beep and right click.
5. Select Disable.

Go back to living a normal life!

STC 2007

They said it would be an hour and a half flight from Hyderabad. The plane bunked to the left and then to the right until we could see tiny spots of green masses rising out of the sea. As the plane lost further altitude and the clouds cleared, the tiny green masses morphed into small islands dotting the Goa coastline. Some of these islands had beautiful white sand beaches while the others had ragged stone edges. Either way, the view was spectacular.

From the plane, the view of the coastline was divine. Green cliffs with grey houses, long dark tug boats and cargo carriers, small fishing boats, and the blue sea. I wished we would continue circling the airport, but the plane had already begun its descent towards the runway. The blurry golden-green paddy fields rushed up on us as we lost height. The plane now ran parallel to the paddy fields.

Huts, rusting tin barricades, construction sites ran along the plane and then the thud followed by the screeching of burning rubber against the tarmac and the sound of the air resistant flaps opening. I felt as if the plane would fall apart and fling me out of its torn body, but that did not happen. Instead the plane ran for several meters, the flaps held against the wind creating a deafening sound as if a demon’s belly had been ripped open and then the silence, almost therapeutic. We were in Goa for the 9th annual STC conference.

As we walked from the plane to the arrival lounge, I could not help but notice that the mood around had changed. It felt happy and gay. Gloomy faces lit up and crying babies smiled. As we stepped into the air-conditioned area, I saw on my right, a village woman squatting on the floor selling fish. I was aghast. How could the authorities allow village women to sell fish within the airport area? But my dismay turned to amusement as I realized that the squatting women selling fish was made of clay and placed at the strategic location to welcome tourists. Goa had me intoxicated, already!

We walked further into the airport, turned a right, then a left, climbed down a flight of stairs into what looked like the lobby of a midsize hotel – the airport’s luggage carousel area. The belt hadn’t started moving yet and then suddenly as if on a cue at our arrival, the carousel groaned and rolled lazily spitting out luggage – quite grudgingly.

And so we waited. First on the left leg, then on the right. Cursed. Cursed some more until I saw my dark green travel weary Samsonite roll towards us. We collected our luggage and walked out the EXIT door into a horde of unshaven, tired looking but grinning chauffeurs from various hotels in Goa. No one grinned specially at us or waved a meaty hand, no twinkle of recognition. I did not see my name on any of the placards displayed. There was no welcome committee, no chauffeur in white, no mid segment AC car waiting! The travel desk had messed up again!

Hotel Mandovi, the hotel we were booked into for our Goa stay has a Tempo traveler, referred to as the “Coach”, to ferry guests to and from the airport once everyday. Although the travel desk had warned me before that Hotel Mondovi provides no car for airport pickup, the Coach was surely a let down. No air conditioning and very cramped.

We were the last passengers to be picked up from the airport and the bus was already filled to its full capacity, but for two cramped seats at the back. We had to share space with a huge suitcase and couple of travelers bag. But we were in Goa and the scenery outside compensated for the discomfort of the rear seat. Pinky and I settled down for the long ride to the hotel. Travelling time from Hyderabad to Goa – a little over 45 minutes. Travelling time from Dabolim airport to Hotel Mandovi – 1 hour 30 minutes. Somewhere in between, Pinky started to feel giddy and I thought she might actually puke. Thank God, she held herself.

After we reached the hotel, we checked in and one look at the deluxe suite washed away all our angst against the “Coach”. For Rs. 6500 a night, we had 1000 sq feet of carpet area all to ourselves. The suite was divided into three sections – bedroom, a sitting area, and living room to entertain guests. We just went wow!

By the time we settled in, it was dark. I was very eager to meet Dude, my very good friend from Delhi, his wife and the kid. I have been hearing about them for years now and just couldn’t wait to meet them. I called up Dude and arranged to hook up with them at Cidade de Goa, the resort where Dude was staying. Cidade was also the venue of the 9th annual STC conference.

We hired an OMNI van, one of the several four wheelers that run as taxis in Goa. The driver called himself Joaquim and I heard that as Jamiroquai – the Grammy Award-winning English funk / soul / disco band. So Joaquim finally drove us to Cidade de Goa near Dona Paula. We drove along the river Mandovi for a while and then we could see the beaches of Miramar for a good part of the ride. The view was like mint tea after a long tiring walk.

The first thing I felt about Cidade de Goa was the breeze and the smell of sea. The lobby was well coordinated and the color of the flooring and the white of the ceiling were bathed in a dull lighting creating an intoxicated atmosphere. Everyone seemed to be in the throes of an unseen ecstasy as they walked, talked, laughed, checked-in, checked-out, or simply lounged around.

As we waited for Dude, I already started seeing familiar faces I know from past STC conferences, ex-colleagues, and friends. One thing that calls me from within to attend the STC conferences is the opportunity to meet old friends and colleagues, Dude being one among them. It’s always a pleasure to meet these people and spend time with them.

Well, I am not too sure if I ever “network” or even understand the real meaning of networking or if networking would ever help me land a job should I be looking for one.

FUCK! This is getting too long and winding. Kibitz time…………..

And yes, before I sign off for the day, I met this “auntie” type at STC. I had been reminiscing to Dude how we got Jamiroquai for 700 bucks from Mandovi to Cidade and had him wait on us for five hours. Dude agreed that it wasn't a bad deal and told the same to the auntie who was whining (read showing off) about how she spent 10K just on cabs. Pat comes the reply from the auntie, “Was it an AC or non AC cab?” I told her it was an OMNI, as non-AC as they can get. “Oh, that’s why you got it for 700. I can never imagine a non-AC cab in Goa”. Go jump, bitch!

*Auntie wears glasses, had a big bindi for her small forehead and she acts like she owns half of the company, wherever she works*. Me thinks, the word Bitch was coined just for her. Perfecto!