Are you Google Oriented Programmer?

I wanted to keep the title as 'Are you GOD?"... then decided to keep it verbose

Who is a Google Oriented Developer?

Developer coding a Ruby controller method for getting the user details from a back-end API, starts to think through.. how it should be coded & puts in something like this..

get :user_details
....

end

When he tries to access it, gets weird errors & is puzzled what is wrong?... then immediately goes to 'Google' & searching "padrino get method"... looks up the first suggested example & codes it correctly...

get :user_details do
   ....

end

Is there a problem in looking for tech answers in Google?

• It's not a problem.. when you look for solving a previously unsolved issue
• But it's waste of time, when you look for simple / obvious things in Google... like abov
• It's a problem because you loose the train of thoughts on the coding / project & could get distracted

Alternate theory on using Google for any tech questions

• You don't have to remember things that can be found on Google!
• I get the solution quicker, than struggling to debug myself

Middle ground / my point of view

Now comes the tough part, to share my personal point of view on this subject..

• Basic language syntax should be learnt / kept in long term memory by the developer
• Reserve the Google search for things that are not standard / basic part of coding to do
• Do get back to code / project, after the required code example is found

 

Thanks

Bhaskara

great place to work!

What does it take to build a great company / place for each & every individual you would hire?

I think, above question is on every lead / manager / exec of the company -- is there a simple answer : No

Few things that I would like to share -

• Walk-the-talk -- do it yourself, to show / set the example of how you want the organization has to be
• Listen to people -- have the say from each person in the company
• Measure people, for they have been brought on-board for -- keep the expectations set with the person, clear at time of hire & use it for subsequent reviews
• Integrate people / teams -- break silos in the organization & ensure.. people go along together
• 360 degree -- attempt for having an open 360 degree feedback to every person on the company, it would help people get perspective from others

Do leave your comments... if you have suggestions / feedback.

-Bhaskara

GoogleTV for emerging markets...

GoogleTV can be good for emerging markets (to India, for sure) - as number of households with DTH Set-top boxes are higher than Broadband subscriber base & the power of delivering internet (both text & video content) will be a great way to make people become net literate... I know the GoogleTV, may not be aimed at personal consumption of internet on TV & more targeted for family / group viewing, but it could well be the way to market in India.

Now, is there at an alternate way to make the solution available... for India - as the GoogleTV enabled Set-top boxes might be at least 4 - 5 yrs away from being affordable to Indian consumers.

I think yes, using streaming internet as video technology by the DTH Companies... could it be considered as one of the VAS in STB to open any website page & browse the content?

Challenges... adoption of MHP Standards in STB & percentage of compliance is key!

Goods & Service Tax in India, scope for new product?

New Products / Innovation can happen, when we see a gap in the industry or because of some major policy changes introduced by the government, this was explained by Surya Narayana (Head of NSRCEL, IIMB Incubation cell for entrepreneurship) in a idea pitch meeting at NSRCEL. I think, one such major policy change is happening in Finance domain of India - Introduction of GST (Goods & Service Tax) from April 2011.

I'm not an expert in Finance domain & my knowledge of implications on process (invoicing / taxing) is less, but from the extent of debate / deliberation going on between state & central government it is going to be a major shakeout of existing procedures. Also, one of the first few Indirect Tax Codes that will have state & central government share of the tax amount.

Who are best suited to create a product that might help companies / finance auditors / government? - putting together a team with best of brains from Finance Industry (Chartered Accountants, specialized in Indirect Tax Codes) & IT Industry… can help brainstorm / conceptualize a solution that could be proposed as a solution to companies / auditors / government to enable GST transition.

Is this best suited for bigger IT companies or can start up participate? - there is definitely an advantage for big established product company to venture into this, because of government pre-conditions on existing revenues, strength of company etc (as part of any eGovernance Project bids), a startup can definitely participate indirectly through a big IT company (for government projects) or consider a pure retail play by building a next generation billing / invoicing software that provide GST compliance for the businesses.

I have been following GST thread for a while, looking out... if any IT startup, jumps into this - likely there are few startups into it already!

Good luck!

-Bhaskara

Banks & Khaayal Aap Ka?

Generally speaking, if a customer gets a good experience after visiting a service oriented shop / establishment - then there is a high probability it's a owner run shop, but in today's world of organized retail / chain of stores… you will mostly run into employees of the company & their attitude to offer a good service… seem to be less - is it because, it's hard to measure by their employers & employee care least about it?

In such scenario - ICICI Bank in India has taken a brave step to project as if their employees care, a whole lot more about their customers at the bank - is this too ambitious for becoming successful? It might look like, but it's a great move at setting higher standards in public eye & pushing / motivating their employees to reach the new high

My personal experience of visiting ICICI Bank… thrice over past 2 weeks, has been below par experience of my interactions with the bank associate at the counter. I wish them good luck to reaching up to levels projected in their "Khaayal Aap Ka" Advertisement campaigns.

Well educated & service industry employee needs to put smile & courteous approach towards their work, irrespective of the first impressions of reading the customer who walks in at the counter & their mood at the given moment.

-Bhaskara

Is your idea a parasite?

As a startup (or person with an idea) with plans to build a New Product, need to evaluate if the developed product has to depend on some existing product or service for it to be made operational or succeed in the market. The degree of dependency should be well analyzed & right kind of partnerships or discussions with potential companies should be made… at every stage of new product development.

I'm using the word "parasite" here for the ideas that completely dependent on other service / product for their existence, for example - several ideas or applications dependent on Twitter , in open consumer or enterprise space. In the consumer world (like Twitter or Facebook), the eco-system nurtures other ideas to grow around them as it only makes them look even stronger & the parent will extend benefits to favorable ideas within the eco-system.

Let us debate the potential approach to tackle the "parasite" situation in enterprise space & dilemmas a startup would go through in reaching a decision:

• Selection of the right company / product to keep as base to build the sample (use specifications) for your idea. Should this be based on personal interest of the founder among the marker players?
• Right time to present the idea to the company - is it too early to explain at the stage of conceptualization, because of the likely chance of the company doing it in-house, after rejecting your partnership?
• Seeking the advice of valuable advisors for your idea - seem to be first step, that would help in validating of the idea. Preferably a person who might be in non-exec position of the company or a retired individual. Also, an option is to seek help from critics or reviewers of the industry to signup as advisors?
• Lastly, getting the required product specifications (before speaking with the company) to start research or build your product around it… is a tough challenge. One option, could be to make a key hire as founding member from the company to your startup?

I don’t have any right / wrong answers to these questions, throwing open to think out loud… as I find myself in such a situation, sometimes.


-Bhaskara

IPL3

It's summer & it's IPL time… probably IPL is getting hotter than summer hotness in India, by the year. Several people have written about valuation of IPL as brand, money making machine, best timeslots for advertisement, way it's pulling even non-cricket lovers etc, - all these are true… I'm only going to talk about macro situation that helped IPL (as a business) & raise few questions.

I think few people may know, ICL by Subhash Chandra was the first to introduce the cricket league in India & ONLY reason he failed was because of "authority" from BCCI - warning any players joining ICL league to be dropped / not allowed into official India team to represent the country. This authority of BCCI, is the macro condition that helped IPL (as a business sense) to build a similar league… and snubbed ICL. Is BCCI a government body? NO, it's run as a trust with big money in coffers that attract the politicians & big names from heading the body. I have only seen one person from government questioning the way IPL is being held by BCCI… that's MS Gill, Sports Minister - stating the conflict of interest from internal BCCI folks, either owning / representing as IPL Franchisees & potentially manipulating the rules to their favor?

Don’t get the feeling that I hate IPL / being a sour grape… I'm happy India & BCCI has been innovative in creating such a great event… that directly & indirectly generated so many jobs, money flow apart from opportunity for the youngsters to play at such competitive levels. But, I'm only questioning… what has IPL given back to community of Cricket or Sports in general? Few ideas to suggest…

• Upgrade the stadium facilities to state of the art, so people can really enjoy watch matches from stadium & not just double the ticket rates every year
• Build new cricket stadiums in smaller towns - have we not seen lot of talent coming from smaller towns? With better infrastructure… we should see more talented players?
• Shouldn’t BCCI nurture & support other sports along? - instead of just selling all the AD Revenue to commercial - can they spare few minutes to encourage other sports or events?
• Can IPL associate with a noble cause? - AIDS Awareness, by sharing the implications of AIDS or sharing story of an affected person... before every match? I know it may not sound good to hear sad things... but we need such measures to curb growing AIDS in India

I have seen startup companies adopt philanthropy as part of company culture from start, that has helped them give something back to community as they grow & make space for themselves. For a business like IPL, in India… there are several such noble causes that IPL can associated with or the franchisee owners? If only, the authorities open their eyes.

IPL is great… I enjoy watching RCB matches, once in a while during weekends - have a great summer & enjoy!

Thanks
Bhaskara