Why I believe Google+ will succeed where all the other social networks tried by Google haven’t
Google+ has been making the rounds these days, the funny thing being people apart from the techie circle have actually grasped it, seen it, played around with it. From most accounts, it seems eons better than what Google came up with before, whether it can take down the reigning duopoly at the top is another question. However, I’d like to try and drive into why it may become successful.
There has been a lot of emphasis on social networking in Mountain View these days, so much so that Google employees had their bonuses linked to it and Google’s accomplishment in that field. It seems that’s how much of a threat Facebook and Twitter were being perceived as. And so you could say, if you pour enough dollars into something, sooner or later, you’re going to hit gold. But I think there was something different this time around.
It seemed a bit like, in the last three or four years before the step-down of Eric Schmidt, Google had seemed to believe in its own hype about itself. That they were amazing, awesome, that they had reached the top, and were just going to dominate from now on. Then what can happen, the drive to innovate and create dies down a bit, you get into a comfort zone, or you start to believe you’re too big to fail. One thinks that Vista was such an example. That is why Wave, and Buzz were just unleashed on the world, there was no measured approach, it was just “this is awesome, and people WILL like it, because we’re Google”. This time around, much more measured, much more cautious, and the product seems to be much more, for a word, ‘developed’. One is reminded of the Gmail launch, when Hotmail was running dominant, and it looked like no one could touch it, when little by little, people switched over to Gmail and then massed.
To go back to the thought of the fare this time being more developed, one only has to see that Google Wave and Buzz were good ideas however one believes that’s just what they were, ideas. No thought had really, or it felt like no or very little thought had really been put into how they were going to fit into the existing ecosystem. Whereas, with Google+ one gets the feeling, the developers/programmers have sat down, and come up with a list of why Facebook/Twitter are popular, and their weak points, and then figured how to improve upon it. There seems to be a definite USP to Google+, if someone asks you why I should I switch. You can say something apart from “because it’s made by Google, and by definition, it’s great,” there are actual cogent reasons for why you should/could switch. Something that Mac users rarely provide but we’re getting off the point.
So, in summary, Google’s social prowess seems to be growing. Too early to say whether this is IT or not, but they seem to be going about it in the right way.
Saturday 16 July 2011
Thursday 12 May 2011
Turning and Turning in the Widening Gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer
Things fall apart; The centre cannot hold
And anarchy is let loose upon the world.
-WB Yeats..The Second Coming
Hey guys, The poem above very much reflects my thoughts at this moment, spurred on as it was by the dreadful events going on at Celtic, and with Neil Lennon. The falcon is very much a creature of the falconer, very much under its grasp, it hunts when the falconer wants, it goes and comes at his beck and call. However the poem above twists this and asks what if the falcon can't hear the falconer. What if after having loosed this idea/creation/concept, you can no longer control it.
On the news today, there was a report of a guy who jumped the railing and tried to accost Neil Lennon on the pitch itself, fortunately nothing happened. But I would venture to say that this person would not have done so under normal circumstances, i.e say Rangers and Celtic didn't have this huge rivalry between them, and the derby day tension hadn't been played up to the max. This guy probably, in my opinion wouldn't have done that. When they we're amping up the rivalry for the derby that day when this all erupted, from which the aftershocks are still being felt, no one thought that it would lead to this kind of sectarian violence and death threats.
Secondly, another example which I'm sure everyone will have thought off, the atom bomb, or more precisely the splitting of the atom. I could be wrong, but I seem to recall Einstein regretting the fact that he had ever worked on the splitting on the atom. The co-conspirators (for lack of a better word) in the Manhatten project, seem to be quite taken back as well at the gross level of destruction at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. When scientists, and mathematicians were calculating/figuring out how to split the atom, I wonder how many of them thought of the untold destruction that it would wreck on the world.
Thirdly, and a bit more fluffily...Harry Potter, or more specifically the Harry Potter Fandom that seemed to just come into existence somewhere between the third and fourth books, and gather steam in the long space of time betwen the fourth and fifth books. The volume of fanfiction, fanart, and just in general, fan love for the series propagated itself towards the characters of the Harry Potter series in a very interesting if a tad weird way. Draco Malfoy, became the undisputed hero of the fandom and to further mix it up Harry and Draco, a male/male pairing became the most celebrated couple. Pairings started abounding like anything, slash started multiplying, and characters that had barely lines or two lines written on them in cannon had entire lives, entire character histories established, and then expectations set for certain characters SHOULD act. I would be quite impressed if J.K Rowling had forseen that.
At the end of it all, one wonders if this is why naysayers are needed especially when anything new comes out. Because 'nothing ventured is nothing gained' but then again 'a bird in hand, is worth two in the bush'
The falcon cannot hear the falconer
Things fall apart; The centre cannot hold
And anarchy is let loose upon the world.
-WB Yeats..The Second Coming
Hey guys, The poem above very much reflects my thoughts at this moment, spurred on as it was by the dreadful events going on at Celtic, and with Neil Lennon. The falcon is very much a creature of the falconer, very much under its grasp, it hunts when the falconer wants, it goes and comes at his beck and call. However the poem above twists this and asks what if the falcon can't hear the falconer. What if after having loosed this idea/creation/concept, you can no longer control it.
On the news today, there was a report of a guy who jumped the railing and tried to accost Neil Lennon on the pitch itself, fortunately nothing happened. But I would venture to say that this person would not have done so under normal circumstances, i.e say Rangers and Celtic didn't have this huge rivalry between them, and the derby day tension hadn't been played up to the max. This guy probably, in my opinion wouldn't have done that. When they we're amping up the rivalry for the derby that day when this all erupted, from which the aftershocks are still being felt, no one thought that it would lead to this kind of sectarian violence and death threats.
Secondly, another example which I'm sure everyone will have thought off, the atom bomb, or more precisely the splitting of the atom. I could be wrong, but I seem to recall Einstein regretting the fact that he had ever worked on the splitting on the atom. The co-conspirators (for lack of a better word) in the Manhatten project, seem to be quite taken back as well at the gross level of destruction at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. When scientists, and mathematicians were calculating/figuring out how to split the atom, I wonder how many of them thought of the untold destruction that it would wreck on the world.
Thirdly, and a bit more fluffily...Harry Potter, or more specifically the Harry Potter Fandom that seemed to just come into existence somewhere between the third and fourth books, and gather steam in the long space of time betwen the fourth and fifth books. The volume of fanfiction, fanart, and just in general, fan love for the series propagated itself towards the characters of the Harry Potter series in a very interesting if a tad weird way. Draco Malfoy, became the undisputed hero of the fandom and to further mix it up Harry and Draco, a male/male pairing became the most celebrated couple. Pairings started abounding like anything, slash started multiplying, and characters that had barely lines or two lines written on them in cannon had entire lives, entire character histories established, and then expectations set for certain characters SHOULD act. I would be quite impressed if J.K Rowling had forseen that.
At the end of it all, one wonders if this is why naysayers are needed especially when anything new comes out. Because 'nothing ventured is nothing gained' but then again 'a bird in hand, is worth two in the bush'
Saturday 2 April 2011
Why I might understand why some people don't like Sport
India wins the World Cup, amazing day, great day...But strangely when I should be glorifying in India's win, and rejoicing that for once the team I support won, with me watching live, (Arsenal, Minnesota, Orlando Magic), I can't help but actually understand the viewpoint of people who don't like sport or who don't understand the attraction of sport and it's effect on the populace. India won the World Cup, it was awesome and all...but the world kept turning, the Earth didn't move, Nothing significant happened, The clocks ticked around like usual, As the statistics go..in those 8 hours that it took to watch the India-Sri Lanka final (which was an amazing match btw)...80 people died in Africa if what I read about a person dying in Africa every 6 minutes is true that is. Why is it that I spend so much time on sports, why does it determine my mood, and moreover why do I get so emotionally invested. It's just a game, they're just the best players of that particular game playing out there. I'm sure for them, it's hugely significant..achievements, dreams, raison d'etre for playing...etc, etc, etc.
I suppose one could trot out the old maxim of when Tendulkar scores a century, the poor man on the street who has had one meal of daal-chawal (lentils+rice) today, he'll be happy despite being hungry. Other reasons have included, as the Pakistani captain said "for this one month, the whole country has forgotten all it's divisions, Shia, Sunni, and come together to support us wholeheartedly". But in the end, it's just a moment.
And I've come to the realization, that watching sports shouldn't impact that much. You should savour the experience, but not get so involved that say if Arsenal draws AGAIN...and Man United somehow comes back AGAIN from 2-0 down to win 4-2..shouldn't matter that much.
Uh huh...:D
I suppose one could trot out the old maxim of when Tendulkar scores a century, the poor man on the street who has had one meal of daal-chawal (lentils+rice) today, he'll be happy despite being hungry. Other reasons have included, as the Pakistani captain said "for this one month, the whole country has forgotten all it's divisions, Shia, Sunni, and come together to support us wholeheartedly". But in the end, it's just a moment.
And I've come to the realization, that watching sports shouldn't impact that much. You should savour the experience, but not get so involved that say if Arsenal draws AGAIN...and Man United somehow comes back AGAIN from 2-0 down to win 4-2..shouldn't matter that much.
Uh huh...:D
Saturday 8 January 2011
Monday 22 March 2010
People of note...
Bit of a sad article this one, spurred on by a certain person's love of Justin Bieber, who shall unnamed. One thing that I've noticed is that humanity, its actually funny to refer to all people that way because it almost seems to give the feeling that humanity is united, tends never to be together in things. A bit clumsily phrased, but let me give an example that hopefully will iluustrate the point. In India, there was a man called Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, otherwise known as 'Mahatma' Gandhi, the father of the nation, who delivered us from colonial subjugation by starving himself. However, there are people in india, that let alone praise him, actively hate him and his contribution to India. My point is that, has/is/will there ever be/been a time where the voice of 'humanity' has spoken one message, if a person's contribution as great as Gandhiji's to India, is not universally recognised in India, then it would seem no..
However, there has been one thing that seems to have constantly drawn people together, no matter what caste or creed. Hatred. Particular examples include Taylor Lautner, Robert Pattinson, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Paris Hilton, anyone whose won X-Factor. Sure, one could definitely argue that these people have their fans, Twihards and all. However, one gets the feeling that the 'haters' don't actually know anything personal, about the celebrity, they just hate the attention they get. Before Robert Pattinson became R-Patz, he was a perfectly respectable English actor, who had a small role in one of the Harry Potter movies. I really would like to know why people hate them? Or indeed why people love them?. Do the fangirls screaming for the Twilight cast, or frantically texting into X-Factor, actually appreciate the craft of the person, are they grouping for the feel of being surrounded by people doing the exact same thing, or are they attracted to broad shoulders and a handsome face?
To sum up, you might say, that people are too diverse to come together, come from too many different backgrounds, have different cultures, customs and strictures to ever come to agreement. Nevertheless, most people still talk of certain things being intrinsically bad, Unforgivable. Things that are universally good, that everyone would agree on, do they exist? My last question. Is is easier to judge than to appreciate?
However, there has been one thing that seems to have constantly drawn people together, no matter what caste or creed. Hatred. Particular examples include Taylor Lautner, Robert Pattinson, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Paris Hilton, anyone whose won X-Factor. Sure, one could definitely argue that these people have their fans, Twihards and all. However, one gets the feeling that the 'haters' don't actually know anything personal, about the celebrity, they just hate the attention they get. Before Robert Pattinson became R-Patz, he was a perfectly respectable English actor, who had a small role in one of the Harry Potter movies. I really would like to know why people hate them? Or indeed why people love them?. Do the fangirls screaming for the Twilight cast, or frantically texting into X-Factor, actually appreciate the craft of the person, are they grouping for the feel of being surrounded by people doing the exact same thing, or are they attracted to broad shoulders and a handsome face?
To sum up, you might say, that people are too diverse to come together, come from too many different backgrounds, have different cultures, customs and strictures to ever come to agreement. Nevertheless, most people still talk of certain things being intrinsically bad, Unforgivable. Things that are universally good, that everyone would agree on, do they exist? My last question. Is is easier to judge than to appreciate?
Friday 8 January 2010
It was finally over....
It was finally over, a lifetime of longing, of waiting, of slavering for this one thing. This one statuette chronicled the story of his lifetime. Sacrifice, Sweat, Blood and Tears had gone in to this endeavour. He got up, out of his seat, hugged his producers, no wife of course, hard to be in a romance when you were married to a dream.
He thought of his blessed mother and father, his college girlfriend, his colleagues in Engineering that had gone to do great things, earn money, buy cars, own houses, the whole shooting match. How many times had he doubted himself over the years? How many people had told him, stop chasing this dream, go and get a real job, get married, get settled.
As he stood and made that last golden walk to the podium, his life seemed to flash before his eyes, he saw himself as a graduate scribbling away at pieces of paper in between math lectures, and chemistry lab sessions. Staying up at night, drinking espressos, writing, editing, changing, striving for perfection. His mother had come to see him once, when he was living in and around uni. Had taken one look at him, his room, his unshaven beard, his unkempt hair, the takeout boxes sprinkled around the room, and then had done something he still hadn't forgotten even now. Silently, and without reproach, she cleaned up his room for him, taken him away from his computer, given him his best meal in months, given him some money for clothes and such, as well as giving him a letter that his father written for him. She then left, as unceremoniously as she came after hugging him.
As he got presented with the award, he grasped inside his jacket, and withdraw that slip of paper that his father written for him.
"Thank you, first, Thank you so much but I'm afraid I'm going to read from a speech, since I'm not as verbose as my venerable American colleagues. My father wrote this for me, a long time ago, and I would like to say it now."
He looked down, at that withered piece of paper, and repeated those words, that had kept him going throughout the years, whenever he had doubted himself.
"Dear Rahul, remember this, your parents believe in you and in everything your doing, Love Papa. Ladies and Gentlemen, if I am here, it is my parents' blessings that have brought me here. Thank you"
He looked down at the best director Academy Award, Oscar, the one statuette that chronicled a dream that had encircled his lifetime
A dream that seemed to have come true.
He thought of his blessed mother and father, his college girlfriend, his colleagues in Engineering that had gone to do great things, earn money, buy cars, own houses, the whole shooting match. How many times had he doubted himself over the years? How many people had told him, stop chasing this dream, go and get a real job, get married, get settled.
As he stood and made that last golden walk to the podium, his life seemed to flash before his eyes, he saw himself as a graduate scribbling away at pieces of paper in between math lectures, and chemistry lab sessions. Staying up at night, drinking espressos, writing, editing, changing, striving for perfection. His mother had come to see him once, when he was living in and around uni. Had taken one look at him, his room, his unshaven beard, his unkempt hair, the takeout boxes sprinkled around the room, and then had done something he still hadn't forgotten even now. Silently, and without reproach, she cleaned up his room for him, taken him away from his computer, given him his best meal in months, given him some money for clothes and such, as well as giving him a letter that his father written for him. She then left, as unceremoniously as she came after hugging him.
As he got presented with the award, he grasped inside his jacket, and withdraw that slip of paper that his father written for him.
"Thank you, first, Thank you so much but I'm afraid I'm going to read from a speech, since I'm not as verbose as my venerable American colleagues. My father wrote this for me, a long time ago, and I would like to say it now."
He looked down, at that withered piece of paper, and repeated those words, that had kept him going throughout the years, whenever he had doubted himself.
"Dear Rahul, remember this, your parents believe in you and in everything your doing, Love Papa. Ladies and Gentlemen, if I am here, it is my parents' blessings that have brought me here. Thank you"
He looked down at the best director Academy Award, Oscar, the one statuette that chronicled a dream that had encircled his lifetime
A dream that seemed to have come true.
Wednesday 9 December 2009
Opposites attract?
I was on the train today and I must say, I was struck byd the statement "opposites attract" and I must say I was struck by the inaccuracy of that statement. Of course it may have been spurred on by the fact I had someone who really was the opposite of me, on the train riding alongside me. I must say I did not feel particularly attracted to her, if anything it was irritation and frustration I felt. I really would think that the closer you are in temperament and taste the better you will get along, now people might say that the relationship might get boring and stale but surely its has got to be better than disagreeing on every single thing, firstly I don't see how that would develop into a relationship, and secondly if you did you surely wouldn't have anything left except for the physical attraction since you would disagree on every single thing.
Now perhaps I might change this statement, perhaps a new term should be coined, 'fundamentally similar opposites attract", because frankly I really don't think that people you have a different world view from you surely you will never get along with them, because neither of you can relate to the other person's view, since they're diametrically opposite, however if you were to have a similar situation with someone who was fundamentally similar to you, then surely hopefully be able to see where they're coming from, since you both are coming from the same side, its just that they've interpreted the situation differently.
However, I was talking to my aunt about this, and she said more important than anything else in any relationship, is mutual acceptance. Opposites and such dont't really matter, unless they're huge fundamental ones, and even then acceptance helps more than anything else.
Definitely something to think about, I really would think that more similar you are the better, but i'm sure they're people out there believe differently from me. I'd really like to hear from people who are in a couple, and see what they're thoughts are.
Now perhaps I might change this statement, perhaps a new term should be coined, 'fundamentally similar opposites attract", because frankly I really don't think that people you have a different world view from you surely you will never get along with them, because neither of you can relate to the other person's view, since they're diametrically opposite, however if you were to have a similar situation with someone who was fundamentally similar to you, then surely hopefully be able to see where they're coming from, since you both are coming from the same side, its just that they've interpreted the situation differently.
However, I was talking to my aunt about this, and she said more important than anything else in any relationship, is mutual acceptance. Opposites and such dont't really matter, unless they're huge fundamental ones, and even then acceptance helps more than anything else.
Definitely something to think about, I really would think that more similar you are the better, but i'm sure they're people out there believe differently from me. I'd really like to hear from people who are in a couple, and see what they're thoughts are.
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