Project …..

First some background ..

In early 2008, a friend came to me with a problem. Working in a charity organization she needed some help analyzing data. She were looking for something that would help them track donations, spending. Unfortunately, even charity organizations need to pay for such software specifically designed for them. Some soft wares do offer discounts, however just buying software is one part of the total expenses.

My friend’s organization was getting software at a discounted rate, however what they did not realize at that time was that such software come with maintenance  charges. Very few companies make money out of selling solutions directly, most profits are made by maintenance charges which vary from a basic minimum to 25% of the software cause whichever is higher. Provided you want maintenance of course.

A quick look into the open source market revealed that even though there are solutions available in the market, most are geared towards making one buy the enterprise version. The modules are not exhaustive and offer only basic functionality. So a few of us got together and decided to create a complete open source solution. It would be free to download and use, and have the look and feel of a professional solution.

Since most of the team was working in product companies, we realized that we would have to design an entire new framework based on open source solutions so as not to clash with propriety software.  So what followed over the past one and a half years was research into technologies that will hopefully be the in thing in future, revisions and revisions of what the framework could be capable of, interrupted by of course, the recession ( a few changed jobs), the mergers (twice in a year for one of us), accidents (85 kg fatty and the driver swears he never saw me 😦 )   . However we have just put in the last finishing touches to the core of the framework and are developing the admin module. On the side we have been talking to NGO’s and charity organizations to find out what they need in terms of IT.

Unfortunately, we don’t really have a name for the framework yet 😦  Having vetoed the names of all girlfriends, ex girlfriends, wives and other such we are really having trouble with the name.

So here is something which we hope you all will help us in. Suggest a name for the framework. We will be using the framework to design the modules however we would really like a general name since the framework can be used for other applications as well.

Some guidelines

1. The name should be of 2 syllables preferable or 3 syllables max.
2. It need not mean anything but if it does something close to what we are trying to achieve, props to you.
3. If it has humor factor  even better, we love humor.

Thanks for your help in advance.

If you want more information about the project or would like to contribute in terms of knowledge of NGO’s and their requirements please feel free to contact me Sandip. We will shortly be unveiling a page about the project and you will be able to follow it here. And yes, we are proud to be associated with enagar.com and it will be where we move forward with our project.

A Love Triangle that withstood 67 years

Its official, the longest running love triangle is finally heading towards a conclusion. Generations will wonder why it finally ended. Newsites are running pools on who the lucky couple should be.  The majority heavily favours the cute,  middle class girl next door against the snobbish, rich and beautiful.

On September 8, 2009 it happened; millions were shocked, dismayed. The blogs, sites screamed defiance.

And then in October every one raised the same question again. In true Krzysztof Kieślowski style (Blind Chance), we glimpse the different lives based on different choices.  Inspired by Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” as well as the Gwyneth Paltrow movie “Sliding Doors” and the song “Both Sides Now”, writer Michael E. Uslan explores how decisions affect our lives.

The dice has been cast, the redhead, freckled Archibald Andrews is getting married. The Riverdale High kids grow up 68 years after they were first intorduced in 1941.

And with finishes a part of  childhood. Childhood of people who grew up with it, whose kids grew up with it, then their grand kids. If there was anything guaranteed was that Archie would never grow up.  It was a love triangle that spanned generations. Unlike other love triangles , this was a blurred triangle. While Betty did pine for Archie she did go out with others as Archie didn’t reciprocate all the time. Veronica would date others of her class (read snobbish, rich Reggie Mantle 😀 ) and Archie, well Archie could never keep his eyes from any pretty girl that came his way.

With the years that passed Riverdale High underwent a transition, the 2000’s  saw the inclusion of minority characters. I stopped following Archie a decade earlier as the price went up and the number of pages shrunk. I outgrew it as well. This piece of news however, brings back memories, of bartered comics and pleading with Mom to buy the latest  comic. A revived intrest to see how the unfinished business ends. In a way you want it to continue, even though you laugh at the absurdity of a love triangle lasting so many decades.

How will it end. Will it be Betty, or will it be Veronica? Or maybe in this era of equal rights the two girls choose different paths? Or like Run Lola Run there is a third scenario? Forget Superman marrying Louise, The Invisible Girl and Mr. Fantastic the comic marriage of the all times is here.

FootNotes:

Tom Tykwer’s Run Lola Run starring Franka Potente is the current masterpiece of multiple lives of our generation.

South Indians and Hindi

First of all Hindi is not our national language, so it is not necessary for people to know it.

However as this guy rightly points out, there are a few barriers to speaking in Hindi as well.

Hindi and Me

So next time feel a bit for those guys who only learn Hindi in school.

Resume Writting Tips

Humanize your resume

tell us what u have done
way to a winning resume

video on online resume

The silent Majority

T V R Shenoy writes an excellent article about the religious majority.

The Silent Majority
Their silence is letting the small brand of extremists hijack the religions.
It does not help that the religious leaders are sitting mum.
By sitting mum they are actually giving their support to these extremists.
Like a naughty children who does not get rebuked by their parents extremists are having a field day.

It is time for the religious majority to stand up and be counted.
Why do you think that the religious leaders are not taking a stand?

BCCI Inbox

For the fans and followers of Indian cricket and its bumbling administration.

BCCI Inbox Spoof

History

The flames have died out. Yet still within the burning embers we hunt. History is written by the victors, but within these embers the clues stay. What happened to the losers ?
How much is myth and how much is the truth.
What is the truth?
Where is the truth?
Do we have to believe all that has been told?
Am I being unpatriotic as I search for the answers. Am I ridiculing my religion my value system. If it is so then let it be. I cannot be or will be a part of a system which lays its foundation on lies. Am I so moralistic ? No I am not. Morals are a pennies worth to me. What is it but that which I have been taught as a young child. I refuse to believe all that has been blindly accepted. For within me still burns the fire. I cannot just accept everything as the others do. Living my life as per others wishes. Doing things because others do the same. I need to know. And the need drives me here. The pages of our past. Glorious past as they call it. I am not sure I am not certain. To put in distinctively as Pegasus once asked.
Did the metal age come to all parts of the world simultaneously ?
Did Buddhism die out in India so easily?
Why weren’t Ram and Krishna Gods before the Bhakti movement?
And so it begins