Victory!

First the LOI series, and now this! Premature celebration, perhaps, but what the hey!

Scoreboard!

A pity I didn't see this day's play. A bigger pity I won't be able to tomorrow's!

Oh yes, I almost forgot. I'm supposed to have a new blog. But don't expect too many posts there..

Presentation - 2

So how come the same definition of 'good handwriting' doesn't extend to the computer lab as well? Here's an example :-

/* Start

c:\path>square
enter the no5
the square is25

c:path>skware

Enter a number :- 5

The square of 5 is 25.

Stop */

Now, obviously, the second program's output looks better. So why does the person who wrote the first program get the same marks as the guy who wrote the second? Why not give more marks because it 'looks nicer'? Never happened to me even once. Even though my programs usually 'look nicer', and my VB forms are all aligned properly.

Knock knock. Hello. Computer teachers. How about trying to acquire some 'computer' aesthetics?

Presentation

Why is it that teachers are so hung up on handwriting? I've never got it. I mean, it's ok if you're in a design course or something, but I've never understood why it is such a big deal at the school or college level. The argument that teachers correcting your paper have little time to read it properly is frankly really sad. It reflects poorly on them. It reflects poorly on our education system, which, incidentally, I feel is quite adequate.

I mean, read our frickin' answers! I personally know a lot of people who get away with murder in their answer sheets. Now obviously this rant is because I have handwriting that sucks, but it is not illegible. But I do a lot of hard work to study, and write answers that make sense. And obviously I expect them to get read. If you studied really hard, learnt all kinds of stuff, and painstakingly put it down on paper in reply to questions that have been chucked at you, and then a teacher comes in looks at your paper for about a minute, puts a few red lines through it without even so much as bothering to read the answers, what's the point? Of education, of examinations, of work?

If so many people get good marks just by answering alone, that presentation just *has* to be seen, well...MAKE THE BLEEDING EXAMS TOUGHER! And don't bother if a pile of people flunk. That's too bad, buddy, pull yourself together for the re-exam, and the future toughies. If a *HUGE* pile of people flunk, then the Univ should do one of 2 things :-

1) Go over the nature of the papers and the manner in which they've been corrected

2) If that yields no satisfactory results, go over the quality of the *colleges* themselves, and stop thinking a professional education is a fundamental right.

Anna University should take a cue or two from the ICAI. The exams are tough, but the people who end up clearing them ultimately end up doing pretty well in their life. In the current scenario, can the University claim the same thing? Mr. E.B.G, think!

Long time

I know I know. It's been ages since I've updated the blog. But then that's pretty much in keeping with what I said in my first post. Since my CBT Lab, not too much has been happening. Unless you want to count the Computer Club do at MIT, Chromepet. I went to the same event last year, but even though it was pretty bad by a lot of people's standards, at least I didn't walk out feeling totally disappointed. And that was in spite of coming only second in the Gen Quiz. But this year was...oh dear..

I got up nice and early (not really) and puttered my way there, only to find that the crossie was a 'daily' thing, and not a proper event. And the tech crossie was scrapped. After mostly fiddling with it for a while, I gave up and went on to better things. (Cycle rides in the sun! Whee!)

I finally got back for the quizzes (Tech, Linux and Gen) only to see that the Tech quiz was really sad (most Qs flicked from a Data Structures text), which was predictable. I was really looking forward to the Linux quiz, as all Linux users can be said to have a semblance of intelligence. But once again, the less said about the quiz, the better. It wasn't so much techie, as it was an orientation course in UNIX basics. Oh yeah, and I simply *must* mention that they asked to identify Linus Torvalds in the visual round. A normal pic too, not some bearded hippie-type, or a diaper-clad infant. Hmm...

Anyways, we (me and Vinod) ended up winning the Gen Quiz, and I was really looking forward to the Rs. 375 (my share of Rs. 750). When we left after the valedictory, we found, shockingly, that Rs.750 = Rs.350 + 2 T-shirts. Really now!

After that awful day (no, actually, lunch was pretty decent..), I'm seriously rethinking going to any event at MIT again. I think the place is overrated..

Waiting for my call

My lab exam (Software Components) has just concluded, and I'm sitting around waiting to be called for my viva voce. Surprisingly, I finished the programming part really early and went on to wasting time in the library. I guess I'm still on a high following the Indo-Pak match.

That was probably the scariest ever match I've seen in my lifetime. I mean, hello. 350 is a winning score pretty much anywhere in the world, and against any other opposition, Australia included. But, apparently, not in Indo-Pak matches. The levels of motivation achieved by the cricketers involved is simply phenomenal. I mean, how can you explain it? It is war. And don't let anybody tell you otherwise. All the "They are so much like us. We are naturally friends." is nothing but PR BS. And everytime Sourav/Wasim say "It's just a cricket match." implies that it is most definitely not that. Can anybody seriously say that this so-called "just a match" is capable of elevating the performance levels of the players to such towering heights? Does anybody deny that beating Pakistan gives infinitely more pleasure than beating any other country. I still know people who don't mind that the general Indian performances in the '92, '96 and '99 World Cups didn't matter, because Pak was beaten in all of them. This is certainly not just another game.

As an aside, has anyone else noticed how Indian victories are generally close matches? A crushing victory, with total Indian domination in all departments, is still missing. Not counting non-test playing nations, of course. (Even in those cases, some victories have come tougher than they should've.)

All in all, I'm a true fan of Indian cricket. When they win, I celebrate. And when they lose, unlike some other people I know, I don't swear at them for doing something they shouldn't have, and instead grieve with the team..sound corny? You decide.

Sitting in the lab...

I've just added comments! Go wild, people! (Right now, all 5 of you...my self-marketing skills still leave a lot to be desired..)

Anna University has announced dates for my lab exams, but not for the theory yet, which sucks, 'cause I want to book tickets to Bombay ASAP, and avoid the mad holiday rush and the EQ worries.

i've just downloaded a couple of files (or maybe 6..same difference) but I haven't brought a CD-RW with me! Damn it all to hell and beyond! So this means I'll have to do all the burning stuff on Tuesday..I could try on Monday, but we have model pracs.

I know all that must've been pretty boring, but in my current state of mind, it's all I can think of. Unless you want to know that I *didn't* go to HCE yesterday because of reasons better left un-mentioned.

Met Brindha and Ramya today in college. They're working in iNautix and Wipro, respectively, and basically en route to piling on the dough. But all that's unimportant. What *is* important is that I finally got my slambook back! After like a year, nearly..

One major shortcoming I have (can't be used in interviews though) is that I never know how to finish any of these entries of mine...

Finally!

After weeks of tinkering with the template and cursing a screwy lab Internet connection, my blog is finally up!

I expect updates to occur only at sporadic intervals, because I'm too cheap to spend on cybercafes, and hey, why not use my college facilities to the fullest, eh?

As mentioned, I'm typing this out from college lab, and was interrupted earlier as a prof wanted me and Vinod to go to Hindustan College of Engg. for some science quiz. Hoo boy. I was told Vinod had pre-approved the plan. I'm fairly sure he did it just to get out of college, and an exam.

These days, anytime someone mentions another college, I feel slightly sore that I have to use either public transport or the college buses. I should be riding a bike, damnit! Kawasaki Boxer, to be precise. Go here for further details.

I think I'll sign out now, and mull over whether to work on my mini-project at all, and get down to studying for a test to be held later in the day..