21 May 2010

Drupal rates disconnect

There is a huge disconnect between american and asian market (mostly indian) when it comes to rates charged by drupal shops, I have not seen indian drupal shops charging over 40-50$/hr however established and number of years they have been in business. North American and European clients usually turn towards India, China to cut their costs and is but obvious that an attempt for straight comparison would be stupid, but even when you talk about proportions the best shops have a difference of over 6 times when it comes to per hr rates (50$/hr in comparison to 300$/hr) 

Why do you feel there is so much difference? Some things that comes to my mind:

1> The perception that going to india/china means multifold cost cutting.

2> Perception (and to some extent the fact) that the efficiency of these shops is much less than that of american/european counterparts (I am actually interested in efficiency aspects and how it affects the rates) 

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21 May 2010

All your bases are belong to us -- Explained!

I have often used this iconic expression without worrying much about its origin until last night, the expression stems out from a broken translation of a japanese game called "Zero Wing". I find it very cute, the etymology of this expression. To put things in context the scene goes on like this (from wikipedia) -- 

Original Script Original English Translation Correct English Translation
機関士:何者かによって、爆発物が仕掛けられたようです。 Mechanic: Somebody set up us the bomb. Engineer: It appears that someone has planted explosives.
通信士:メインスクリーンにビジョンが来ます。 Operator: Main screen turn on. Radio Operator: The main screen is receiving a visual.
CATS:連邦政府軍のご協力により、君達の基地は、全てCATSがいただいた。 CATS: All your base are belong to us. CATS: All of your bases are under our control.
CATS:せいぜい残り少ない命を、大切にしたまえ・・・・。 CATS: You have no chance to survive make your time. CATS: Make the most of these last moments of your lives.
艦長:我々の未来に希望を・・・ Captain: For great justice. Captain: Our hopes for the future

This is funny and cute and is a classic tragedy which became one of the most interesting internet memos. (Source -- wikipedia)

 

16 May 2010

Hate is a lie -- Polyglots unite!

One of my favorite videos on approach to programming, the notion that there is no silver bullet to programming and there will never be one perfect language for all your needs is the mantra a polyglot lives by. For me a polyglot is an open minded infidel who sees his world beyond hate and security, he is someone who understands that perfection is not achieved by ant like dedication. He bend his tools for the purpose and not the other way round. 

Foy Savas on polyglots unite --- ( There is a much better slide-video sync version at infoq ) 

 

4 May 2010

Cave Diving -- Who is in?

Recently Vikram sent me a fwd'ed e mail full of amazing wtf pictures. This is called cave diving, so who is in?

                                                       
Click here to download:
Cave_Diving_--_Who_is_in.zip (1585 KB)

27 Apr 2010

Do you really think matches are fixed?

Cricket is involuntary to us, we dont make plans to watch the game and definitely dont count it as a distinctive social activity. Whenever our heroes are playing we end up watching the game or inquire about it as its part of our life. We know that fielding cant change during the free hit or how many men would be inside the circle during the power play, name of a player is engraved in our minds after his first match, there is no better ice breaker between a father and son than a game of cricket. We sure love our cricket and live it as life.

There has been a lot of talk about match fixing in the recently concluded IPL, specially after the modi impeachment by media. There have been reports of modi revealing the outcome of match to his betting front way in advance and hence making serious money. These reports would also mean that matches have been fixed, the same game played in front of hundreds of millions of cricket lovers was fixed and pre planned. These I think are serious allegations, not only against one man, but against the heroes we revere and against intelligence of a cricket lover.

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22 Apr 2010

Beauty in destruction

For some reason, all I can remember looking at these pictures is fight club and the dialogs from the movie. 

 Pictures taken from boston.com  

                                                               
Click here to download:
Beauty_in_destruction.zip (5307 KB)

21 Apr 2010

Hardly Toxic

Is not the mountain far more awe-inspiring and more clearly visible to one passing through the valley than to those who inhabit the mountain? 

Pictures of Eyjafjallajökull before the volcanic eruption.

       
Click here to download:
Hardly_Toxic.zip (5856 KB)

Dipen Chaudhary's Posterous

Mid 20's in love with movies and internet and in process of building a company called QED42