Are You Ready For The Evolution?

Windows Vista has officially arrived, finally! But only for the corporate users. The company has announced the business availability of the Windows Vista operating system, the 2007 Microsoft Office system and Exchange Server 2007.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates had told shareholders on Tuesday that Windows Vista could be the company's biggest product launch since Windows 95 debuted more than a decade ago. Unlike the previous Windows launches, Vista's debut has been divided into two extravaganzas. While on November 30, Microsoft unveiled the corporate version of the new OS (along with Office 2007). The bigger rollout is scheduled for January 30 when Vista will be officially launched as a consumer product.

Microsoft has a big surprise up its sleeves for the consumers as Vista’s availability in five variants with aggressive pricing has no precedent in Microsoft’s product history. As Vista goes Corporate, here’s recapitulating all that is new with the operating system: interface, security, search, system requirements, and the various flavours.

Graphics
Desktop windows and icons are visually richer, an attempt by Microsoft to make computer use more intuitive and free-flowing. A desktop "sidebar" grabs data from the Internet to deliver customizable information at a glance.

Search
For those who find locating their things on a PC quite a task in Windows, here's help. Vista makes searching faster, more prominent and powerful, letting you hunt for desktop files and data in applications at once. A reactive ode to Google desktop search!

Security
Windows traditionally lets programmes running on the desktop access information stored all over the PC. Vista essentially seals off the core of the operating system, known as the kernel, theoretically reducing the damage a rogue programme can cause. It includes some basic anti-virus protections out of the box. It also lets corporate managers disable a PC's USB port, preventing workers from slipping data out on portable drives.

System resources

Vista can take advantage of portable flash drives to put frequently used applications in a sort of holding pattern there, making it much quicker to launch those programmes and putting less strain on the juice-sucking hard drive.

Interface
Office 2007 has done away with long-used menus in the Office programmes, regrouping them in a "ribbon" atop the screen that is designed to make it easier to find all the software's capabilities. Excel offers new ways of colour-coding data for at-a-glance presentations. E-mails and other items in Outlook can be tagged with an array of colours to better categorise and manage information.

Collaboration
Word makes it smoother to circulate documents to colleagues for review. Excel enables spreadsheets to be shared in a format that is interactive like the traditional Excel files but hides secret, often valuable formulas used to calculate data. Outlook adds new ways for incorporating scheduling and to-do lists in e-mail.

File format
Office documents will now be saved in the XML format, which will make it easier to search their contents and transfer them to other applications.

System requirements
To run Windows Vista Home Basic, the minimums are an 800 MHz or faster processor, 512 MB of memory, graphics hardware capable of SVGA (800 by 600) resolution, a 20GB hard disk with at least 15GB of free space, and a CD-ROM drive. For those who want Vista's Aero interface, they will require a graphics card that can handle DirectX 9 graphics APIs with Pixel Shader 2.0 3D texturing, has a Windows Vista display driver and at least 128 MB of graphics memory, and supports 32 bits per pixel. Users can also go for PC Pitstop's Vista readiness test, which will give them a brief comparison of their system's hardware to Vista's minimum and recommended system requirements. Microsoft's own Windows Vista upgrade advisor provides a thorough assessment. The programme scans the system and prepares a report analyzing its system's basic hardware compatibility (CPU, memory, and disk space), and details if the installed applications and drivers will work with Vista.

Flavours
Unlike Windows XP, which came in only two retail editions--Home and Professional, Windows Vista will come in five retail flavours. Microsoft has also released two OEM versions: Media Center Edition and Tablet PC Edition. For home users too, there's Home Basic and Home Premium.

We the people...

We the people of India, solemenly declare India....

Isn't this the very first page of the constitution... ?? The very first line of the preamble of our constitution on which the world's largest democracy rests.

India. Population surpassing a million. Politicians surpassing a few hundered but ruling the people who are numbering more than 10 times of what they are. 60 years of Indian independance and the people have been neglected to so much that the only day they are made to realise that they are the citizens of the largest democracy is on the day of elections.

Life, otherwise, is usual.... or It was usual. The people of India have finally realised that the preamble meant something.. it means that the largest democracy belongs to the people themselves.

2006 has been hailed as the year of the citizens not only here in India but also all over the world. The TIME magazine, put a mirror on the cover of the magazine giving the award of the person of the year to YOU... a common man, who has risen above the stature of an unknown entity. Every person has been hailed a link towards development of the world.

In India, the citizen movement started with the earnest, and for a nation who has idols in the film industry, found the movies leading the way. The likes of Rang de Basanti and Lage Raho Munna Bhai... forwarded the peace marches and revived the Gandhi culture. A nation which had been divided over issues came together to fight for justice for the likes of Jessica Lall, Pridarshini Mattoo. The Youth for equality, showed that no matter what, The gen X would stand up for their rights and stand united in that effort.

For a commom man in India, life is no bed of roses but, today he is ready to fight for the roses that dont come his way. India is finally waking up from a slumber that the Independance put her into.

Our country is finally coming of the age.. Hail the new India.. and hail the Indian.

Give it all a break.. please...!!!

"Nahin... aisa nahin ho sakta hai..."

"Main... uske khandaan ko barbaad kar doongi...."

That is a part of the daily dosage of high family drama that comes in the Television, 7 days a week.. and 24 hours...in most of the channels. And just incase you have missed an episode, dont worry.. now you even have hotlines on which you can call and know what happened in your beloved serial.

I would rather like to call em "Serial Killers".... absolutely... killing every reason and logic that can ever exist in this world.

I am a too be lawyer and my father is a lawyer.. and as far as I have seen, divorces are neither so easily filed nor so easily disposed. Yes.. even with the speedy judiciary. I just wonder, that how easily.. divorces are given and how easily marriages happen. Oh... and that too not second or third.. but nth marriage....!!!

These serials were meant to be a sourse of our entertainment and catering to family audiences... but what exactly are we putting across the children who are exposed to the likes of Tulsi, Parvati... Saloni???

That in a world where there is cut throat competation... we should be so good... that be it murder... rape.. extrotion... if the motive was good... then you'll simply get away with them.

Imagine leaping twenty years.. and in some cases fourty years but there is no change in the society.. the thinking and above all....no change in hair colour or the health of the grandmother.. or the great grand mother. When did age defy the rules of nature.... even with botox??

Where in the Indian society.. do we find that getting married so many times is allowed?? Extra marital affairs being sanctioned by the people.. and illegitimate children being bought up with the legitimate ones???

I agree that there are villages that might have redundant norms and value systems.. but today in the 21st century with education.. and exposure... do people follow these decayed norms??? Where are girls considered as backward.... and where do you find girls getting rejected because their skin colour is dark???

Gimme a break... this is the crap.. that we are watching everyday.. unfortunately....I too have to watch... as the T.V. has to be complied to with my grand ma's need....who btw.... aged with time beautifully.....

Pravah '07

So, the ball finally starts rolling! The machinery behind our college's first ever technical festival, Pravah '07, has finally been oiled & all set to shift gear. People have started to brainstorm, planning out how to sell ideas to the top echelons of the most coveted companies. We even plan to organize seminars, so as to train the uninitiated how to talk, sell and bargain. Just chalked out the names of the expected events, last night. Damn, had been awake till 7:30 am & then again wake up at 9:45 am to get ready and attend classes. After this, I gotta prepare a powerpoint presentation which the sponsorship guys gotta carry to companies. Even need to arrange for a film festival. Phew! Quite a lot to work on, isn't it?

Oh, I almost forgot, Pravah '07 is slated to be held on 29th - 31st March, '07. As for the events, I shall be listing them down once I get the ppt presentations done. For now, I've got loads on my hands. And to top this all, there're my classes, Warcraft sessions and of course, gotta spend some quality time with my girlfriend as well!

We've been brainstorming about something for quite some time now. What after Pravah? I mean, the fest in itself is no big deal. However, do we just keep it at that? I had been wondering if we could print up something like a magazine, reporting the whole event, showcasing award winning projects and even a vote of thanks towards the organizers. People say, the cost's gonna soar then. Rather, people suggest that we conceptualize everything digitally & distribute as a pdf file. However, the majority of the crowd deems it unnecessary. What about you? What do you folks do when the tech fest in your college gets over?

So, as you can see, there are quite a few things that need to be thought upon. Ain't too sure how things are gonna materialize at the end, but I'll sure as hell try to give out my personal best. As for the rest, let's leave it all to the Devil!!

Last month Chronicled

So, finally the 'New' Year's arrived! I can even see Sakshi writing a post, ushering in the 'New' Year to this beloved blogpage of ours, as well. Well, kudos to you, gurl! Without you, this page would've remained stagnant for ages, thanks to my lazy ass!

Well, anyways, the point that I wanted to raise up was that what is so new about this 'new year'? True, folks do make 'resolution' but how many of them do you actually follow? I remember, after the college started, people continuously asking me about this year's resolutions. I got so pissed off at one time that I was forced to announce, "This year's resolution for me would be not to make any more 'new year resolutions' ever again!" ;-) I just can't figure out the very purpose of it all. Yes, I agree, for all you uninitiated out there, you'd at least go on a self evaluation trip once in a year. But then again, c'mon dude, what the heck? Since when have we started imposing things onto each other? Yes, for me, even this is imposition, never mind the intentions. I mean, if a dude wishes to live all his life in self-ignorance, who am I ask him to start re-evaluating his own affairs? And I thought I live in Democratic society!!

Okay, enough grumbling now! Actually, I shouldn't really have any grudges against 'new years'. This festive season, I've spent one of the worst as well as the best winter ever. Wondering how that happened? Well...it's just that I had to stay back in my college during the winters. Check out my 100th post for more on it. Anyways, after that 'bad patch', I happened to shake a leg at Tantra, one of the most happening discs (and I haven't been to many till date) in kolkata, with a few friends whom i met after more than 10 years! Then there was my cousin sister who opened a Pandora's box for me. After getting that wonderful & rare glimpse of the current teen life & trends, I realised it's gonna be a real tough time by the time I have kids of my own! Trust me, until now, I was too keen to have a few lovely kids of my own, someday....but after a few insightful plunges into the abyss, I guess I'd rather prefer to get an adult kid right away, if I ever do.

And after everything, there was this lovely trip to Digha, a sea beach in West Bengal, with my parents. Yes, just me & my parents! No extended family, no friends nor any siblings. Sounds boring? Well as for me, I certainly had a real good time. True, we did have one or two "discussion sessions", you know, the kind you'd expect between any dad & his 21 yr old son! Yet, it wasn't all that bad. And well, what I enjoyed the most was my way back to college, all alone. Actually, it was Monday the next day and I just had to attend the classes. So, ma n dad had left for Kolkata and I boarded another bus, on ym way back to Jamshedpur. I was absolutely clueless about the route, had 2.5K in my wallet, all in cash and tot op it all, I had been pining for a smoke all the way. After getting my supple ass all red in the bus for 4 consecutice fucking hours and 4 more on the train journey, standing all the way, by the time I entered my room, I was no better than an over used towel. Despite all the hardship, the thrill of treking the route back to home was what kept me ticking all the journey. I wish I could post the pics here, but the cam remains with Dad. Hope he mails them to me soon.

Now, an update on our college events. The socio-cultural festival, organised by NIT Jamshedpur, Utkarsh, is on its way. Students have already started to put their minds together for sponsorships. The dates fixed for the fest are 12th - 15th March, '07. Moreover, for the first time in the history of our college, we are planning for a tech fest that is yet to be named. The events for both the festivals are yet to be finalised. However, I thought I'd make a mention here about them so that, just in case you're interested in visiting or participating, you might let me know & I shall surely send out invitations on your way!

Well, that is it for today, i gotta rush for lunch now. Love you all.

Adios!!

Its a BIG bad (cyber)World....

Rape.. Murder... theft.. robbery.... these are crimes that we have come face to face with.. in our everyday lives. If not in any personal incident then thanks to the increasing media coverage the newspapers provide for the same.

How often have we remarked... ufff.. how mean is this world.. and I wish that the dreaded criminal is cuaght soon. But what if there is no trail that is left by the criminal... what if despite you being in the possession of the the valuable item, still lose it...??? These face less crimes are happening even now as I type this... crimes which happen in the world of www.

There are two theives in the world- The smart and the dumb. A dumb theif would get caught and a smart one gets away with it. A criminal in the world of cybernetics is the smarter version of his dumb associate who may take away tangible objects worth crores but wil get caught. This is what my prof told to us in our introductry class of Cyber laws and crimes.

3042000000000 this is the number that is associated with the amout of cyber crimes that have happened.. and 20% of this volume is handled by India alone. Business worth crores has been damaged due these white collered crimes, which ofcourse include the much hyped hacking, espionage, logic bombs and yeah pornography. Just a few to name. The greatness of these crimes is the faceless criminals and the lack of boundary.

When we talk of the internet.... we talk of limitless boundries... Internet knows the concept of possession but unfortunately it doesnt comply with the rule of ownership. Nobody owns the internet as of now.. yeah the governments do have a lil control over it.

Today sitting at my home in India, I access servers all over the world.... every day when I open yahoo i am accessing a server sitting in the US of A. I am not restricted and neither are you. But these limitless boundries, this freedom has given rise to the crimes in the virtual world, where no regulations can work...

Today going down the street, if offered a original apple iPOD for free, my common sense would refrain it for taking it, but this same commonsense goes down the drain when it comes to the world of the internet. Every time u or me download anything- movies/videos/songs for free... we are downloading with them viruses unknown to us,to our naked eyes.. and unfortunately there is no dettol soap to kill these deadly viruses.

My prof, made a very chilling prediction and it said- that by 2009 all the news papers every day would carry front page news of cyber crimes.

And all I'll say to this is- Be scared.. very scared... and Be very careful.

A Day in My life....

For a girl travelling in the local buses.. across the borders (state borders).. what's new??? Well it so happens that the girl is me.. and I stay in the Rape Capital.

New Delhi, apart from being the the capital of our nation, its earned the nicke of being the rape capital as well... and its true to its name. I am sure that there are people who follow the news of the rapes happening here....

I go to a law college in Ghaziabad, that is a travel time of appx 1.5 hours one way. And that too in the public transport. Its been almost two years now that i have to travel from my house to the bus depot n from there I have to travel in an auto.. the phatphatia auto that seats like 10 people. In these two years I have not actaully sat and thought about the travel experiences that I have had. To be really frank, I was so involved in college.. that I never gotto think about it.

But now that I was actually travelling a few days back, on my usual route... I was struck by the reality that damn... how many times have I just ignored the lewd gestures that have been passed on to me.. or how many times have I actaully gotten up from my seat in the bus coz the male bus traveller sitting next to me is trying to squeeze me to the corner.. and trying to act really smart.

This made me wonder that- I am a very ordinary looking girl and these things happen with me... and there are girls much better looking.. I wonder what they go thru. And what do I say about the super frustrated men of the age group of 45+ and who also don't shun... at the thought of touching a young girl who could be of his grand daughters age.... now how bad is that????

Life has never been easy... what a cliched line, na.. but this cliched line goes thru my mind everytime... a person comes in extra close proximity of my body with the dumb excusable expression of bus being tooooo crowded.

But can anything be done about it???

I wonder...just wonder... how much more??? Even after the so called measures that have been taken.... women here still feel unsafe....