Back when coding was fun

There was a time when doing a project meant fun, rather than “completion-within-a-deadline”; there was a time when mere curiosity taught me a lot more than the will to learn, and “work” was`nt quite referred to by that term.

I don`t know why but i associate almost every song i hear with a person i know, an event in my life; sometimes even food and aroma.

One look at my first project while listening to one of my favorite songs during high school, brought back loads of old fond memories. C++ was the first language i had ever learnt. And my high school project was a simple, yet elegant Library Management System(along with ol` pal Aju). I had learnt a lot during the course of doing that project and it had taken us around 3 months to complete it. I remember checking the internet back then for ideas i could implement; but remember not liking any i had come across(maybe its `cause my googling skills were`nt half as good back then, dunno). However, the resource i had used to the fullest was the Turbo C++ Documentation. By the end of high school i had gone through all the documentation in Turbo C++ about graphics programming. Minimize resource requirements, Maximize Output. That seemed to work all the time.

Now, i never really was interested in graphics or the GUI aspect of programming(i still am not); i`d done the GUI part in the Library Management system just for the kick of it. And now, its been ages since i`ve coded that way.

College was a place where i was overwhelmed by the technologies and the limitless possibilities around me; and i started utilizing them – one by one. During my first year, i played and experimented with a lot of technologies around me; there were people who could clear half my doubts, books and magazines to double them up again. It must have been the most productive part of my life where i actually enjoyed getting to know stuff so much. From here, later on, spawns my ambition to work in the area of Information Security.

As time passed on, i got my hands on a handful of projects, doing them was fun at the beginning but then my attitude towards programming started changing slowly. I regret saying this, but from then on projects started becoming mere endeavors to learn something somehow AND put it on my resume. I resent saying that, but that is the truth.

All of this sudden realization, thanks to a song and one of my most prized pieces of high school code.

Now, i`ve decided to work on a web application(GUI again), just for the hell of it. I know i`ll learn loads, but thats not the point anymore.

`coz this time its for the fun in it.

something i`ve never quite understood

I`ve been to various FOSS conferences and i find few aspects of open source software interesting. However, what i fail to understand is why 90% of linux users i`ve met, seem to hate windows even while :-

1. Theming their linux distro to look like windows.
2. Sub-consciously admitting to the fact that Gates HAS done a good job.
3. Realizing that the linux environment is HOPELESS for gaming(comparison with windows).

Common conversations(sometimes heated discussions) regarding the matter, which take place every now and then(some i`ve been a part of, others i`ve quietly watched), can be summarized into a small conversation as follows…

me:- why do you hate windows so much?
them:- windows is closed. they need money for what they`ve done.

me:- well, have`nt they done a pretty neat job?
them:- no, they haven`t. linux is more user-friendly.

me:- WHAT?
them:- yes, i do find linux VERY user friendly.

me:- oh, fine. And is this “user-friendliness” the reason why you love linux so much…?
them:- no. i love it because it`s open source.

me:- oh, and have you ever considered contributing\contributed in any manner?
them:- not really… i mean, not yet.

It`s almost as if claiming to use linux(AND hate windows), makes you seem like a geek with “over-developed” brains. This is a open remark against all those who support open source without actually understanding the underlying ideology or contributing to it in any manner. If your belief in FOSS is strong enough to blame windows of a bad ideology, then i wonder how the ratio (contributing to FOSS : blaming windows) gets to be so small.

my views…

I love linux.
FOSS… ? i find it interesting; just don`t think its “interesting” enough to accept as an ideology.

what do i believe in?

Making money on what you`r good at is no crime. Smart people have been doing it over the ages, and will continue to do so. Wasting your breath criticizing them is just not gonna help. Linux is a good effort which improves with every new release. But, it`s different from windows in almost ALL respects. Kindly, stop the damn comparison and for the love of God, stop trying to make one look like the other!!! Appreciate the differences.

Think about it. `n if you think its the truth, live with it.

what is takes to become an analyst?

ever seen die hard 4.0?
now if you are a wannabe-hacker who draws inspiration from movies;  i`d suggest you stop reading here and move on to other pages of this blog(or even other blogs; because i can`t help you).

just bear in mind

1. don`t expect too much of yourself in a short time. hacking isn`t  just about enforcing rules(or breaking them; as the case may be). its an art which requires skill and practice.
2. you need to learn to take different perspectives.

hope these pages help you get better that me(if you are not already) at what i do best.