Monday, May 21, 2007

Does history repeat itself???


Then:

I remember very well the first time my Uncle(Harind) took me to Elliots aka Besant Nagar beach along with my younger brother(Vineet). We drove to the beach. Walked on the sands and cluctching my Uncle's hand me one and my brother the other dived in to the bay of bengal. For the next one hour or so we were totally enjoying the dive into the beach when a wave approaches and go along with the waves holding on to the hands of uncle. What fun we had!!!The event is etched in my memory even though it was some 14 -15 years ago.

Now:

This time me the same uncle and his kid(Rohith) went out the same Elliots aka Besan Nagar beach. (One of the best ways of drowning your sorrows is to look into the sea and think about nothing else other than nature and natural wonder. Looking into the sea make you feel so small and hence reduces your burdens). This time around I was holding my Uncle's son's hand and he was doing all the diving around in the water. Does history repeats itself?. Had a wonderful time with him. Also wanted to get back to those days where u just dont have to bother about anything else. I did not even realize that my trousers were getting wet and I had my new mobile phone in it. When I realized it; it was too late. But it doesnt really matter does it; I can buy any mobile but moments of happiness are more precious.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Seven Stages of a Software Engineer


Seven Stages of a Software Engineer:

1) In the first stage when a guy, mewling and puking as in he asks every one around how the systems works and stuffs, comes into a project with a lot of DREAMS and ASPIRATIONS to enhance his resume and if possible sneek in an onsite opportunity.

2) In the second stage he learns more about the technical side of the things. Explores the system and goes to its depths to find out how the hell the system works. He listens intently to what his stupid managers have to ditch out to him(Some are good but most are not. My first manager was a dude; so was my mentor luckily).

3) Then comes a stage where he goes beyond his duties to do whatever his superiors say to him. Like he mite be asked to do excel sheet work in the pretext that it would improve his management skills at least thats what most of the stupid managers
tells. He doesnt have the guts to say that "I am a DEVELOPER treat me like ONE; I would do only coding of which I am expected and only expected" instead he becomes his OFFICE BOY doing all his dirty work like fillling out excel sheets again thinking
that he would please the manager, or thinking that 'Why should I get into the bad books of the god damn manager', or thinking that it will really improve his management skills which it surely wont, or even thinking that by doing the dirty work would fetch him an onsite opportunity, sadly it does not work that way.

4) Then comes the stage when his colleagues start to influence him to beleive that the picture is not as rosy as the manager potrayed it initially. And even they have gone through the same shit and still are sitting at offshore, have not been promoted to Leads and effective this project does not add any thing to resume either.

5) Finally the bubly kid grows up, starts forming union of sorts with the team mates and he too cribs big time about the project and passing on the buck as good as he can to the new entrants.

6) Then comes a stage where the kid err now adolescent grows out to become an adult. He tells his manager he wont do his work and its his(manager's) responsiblity to do the his work and he cant cheat the adult now telling that "Dirtly work would improve his so called management skills". He tells him that he would work only for the time thats specified in the companies contract. If at all critical issues then fine but if not he would get to office and leave office on time and not to be contacted outside office hours regarding meaningless bug fixes. Now the manager reponds telling that the adult "HAS DEVELOPED AN ATTITUDE PROBLEM".(If a s/w has an attidude which every would have then it is deemed as ATTITUDE PROBLEM if its not convenient to the manager. If it brings him more profit then you are the best. If you use it against him you are termed as a rebel and not fit. What Nonsense!!!!!)First one shoud ask him to check labour laws and then speak. It is exploitation if the manager asks his sub ordinate to work beyond the time and forces him to stay. Come on a software engineer is not a slave to
his manager. Both are working for an organisation and both are salaried. Here s where the old management principles comes "People quit the managers not the organization".

7) Finally the software engineer is released from the project goes out as a full grown adult having his PRIORITIES and ATTITUDE right to the serve the organization in a far better way than his first project. And in which stage are you in?