There were a few updates on the Official Orkut Blog about the new layout (redesign preview 1; redesign preview 2, a new look) in the past few days. These changes were affected sometime between 1:30PM to 1:50PM IST, in India (I don't think I am one of that "small group of users randomly selected" to test the layout)
The connection is pretty slow at my end today for some reason. And while the site was loading, it looked very similar to Facebook!!
Orkut blog has a post on Orkut being voted the new youth icon by MTV in India.
As soon as I saw the title of this post and the accompanying Doodle, the first fear I had, even before reading the post, was that this would be splashed on Orkut's login page.
And yes, as soon as I saw the login page of Orkut, my fears were proven right. Now, how can someone at Google be stupid enough to do it?
The Marketing folks at MTV would be delighted by the free mileage they must be getting. Orkut attracts huge traffic in India (check this trends comparison on the traffic. Esp. in India) and having your icon flashed free of cost on the homepage is something. I consider it the second biggest and costliest mistake this month by Orkut folks in India, the first was of course the Independence day stunt with really badly created polls (see the choices given in the polls, if you still don't get it read the comments. "I am shocked", " Shame on u" are but a few).
Facebook, here I come!
One of the first issues I faced with AdWords conversion tracking was really ridiculous. I thought we had inserted the conversion code in the right page at the right place. Still conversions didn't show up.
What had happened was that we were using an interface to change the code and all line feeds in the Google Conversion tracking script were converted to break tags (BTW, try entering the correct break tag in Compose mode in Blogger and see if it posts right). The technical guys noticed this immediately but kept saying, "Google cannot track the conversion if the codes have any extra character... " and a Google Engineer said, "the conversion code wont work with the < b.r/> tag." I wonder if they knew the real reason?
A little knowledge of JavaScript cleared the whole issue immediately. The reason, simply put, is that the < b.r/> tags inserted cause the JavaScript interpreter to fail in the user's browser and hence tracking fails. The solution is to make sure that there are no line feeds in any javascript in between your script tags. And make sure all those semicolons are in place too for the tracking to work...
Some over enthused software engineers at Google India pre-announced gifts on the eve of India's 60th Independence day. Turns out its a facility to search the web in some Indian languages and an online transliteration tool. Big deal! The transliteration facility was enabled in Blogger way back.
Plus, I already know a few others who have worked on it way longer and have already released full fledged products. For example, Professor Kalyana Krishnan from IITM has been working on this problem (medium of interaction) for ages. You can read more about the various software he developed on his website. Quill pad made by two of his students (KS and Rampi) has been available for quite some time now and is already integrated with Rediff mail and Bol.
While I was busy figuring out how to embed Google Maps into this blog and changing my templates (previous post), Google announced an easy way out! From yesterday, users can add a map to their website or blog as an iframe into their page code.
Though the press release doesn't list availability in India yet(!), you could zoom into a city map of India at a 15+ level (enough to see all those by lanes) . An option also enables you to easily customize the maps while previewing. A little more understanding of the parameters that are passed and I am sure you can disable the options like zooming in and map type (if you want).
Here are a few methods of including Google Maps into your webpages. So, coming soon my treks, drives and photos of the same on this Blog.
Google has this knack of slipping in improvements from time to time. The only way I notice changes sometimes is thru the font format changes.
Now, in the AdWords Campaign Summary page, there is so much information that it is sometimes hard to notice a changes even if they are staring in your face. No wonder they have a Account Snapshot page as the first thing you see when you log in as an option.
For instance, the new CPC site targeting option is now available in India for testing. I completely missed it till I got a mail from the Google Account Manager (it might be invitation only at this point of time).
Changing your existing Site Targeted CPM campaigns into CPC based ones is a little tricky and read the instructions before you blindly change as your CPM bids (optimized over time?) are deleted.
Among other things Adwords...
- exporting to Google Docs option now available
- forcing users to shift to AdWords editor, a few days after announcing AdWords Editor 4.0. Wonder why? Some issues here, if you are upgrading from earlier versions, you might have to manually uninstall and delete previous version before installing this version. Really wonder why?
- changes to Top Ad Placement Formula
Note: All links in the posts from now on will open in a new window.
Google adds StarOffice to its pack, its collection of free software. Though Star office costs quite a bit ($69.95), its free with the Google Pack.
Just beware while downloading as it has a huge installer (~140 MB), and it can be a bit slow during use. Comparison of features between various office apps here.
What I am interested though is, Google's version of why it didn't choose OpenOffice, the slightly stripped down LGPL version of StarOffice.
Note (17th Aug): The comparison page link given above compares various office productivity apps. Its pretty old (created in May 2005) and the versions reviewed in there are as of that date. Thanks to the reader for pointing it out.
Red Cross image courtesy WikipediaMay 8th 2002, the International Red Cross Society themed its World Red Cross Day as “Stop Misuse of the Red Cross Emblem” (the Geneva Convention of 1960 restricts the use of the emblem).
From then on, only personnel of the Red Cross Movement, the Army Medical Corps, the Red Crescent Societies and a few other bodies were allowed to use "its emblem" in India. With this, all Chemist and Clinical establishments in India moved over to a Green Cross.
Turns out that Johnson & Johnson has been using the red cross since 1887. This was "much before" the chartering of the American Red Cross, (found in 1881 by Clara Barton ?), which it is suing now because they have licensed the trademark to several business for commercial purposes.
There is a nice PR battle going on between the two organizations. Most important is the Red cross' allegations that, "J&J demands that the Red Cross, stop the Red Cross and its licensing partners from using the Red Cross emblem permanently on first aid, preparedness and related products sold to the public". While J&J maintains, "The goal of this civil complaint is to restore the long-held legal boundaries surrounding the use of the Red Cross trademark" which has been established between both organizations during the century old strong cooperation.
I think, currently, it is J&J - 1 and Red Cross - 0. Thanks to Mark Everson, the Red Cross' president loosely stating, "For a multi billion-dollar drug company to claim that the Red Cross violated a criminal statute, . . . simply so that J&J can make more money, is obscene." So much for the nuances in languages in Red Cross' press releases
Update (13th Aug '07): Kilmer House (one of the many blogs of J&J) has an update on the who issue with some background.
I work for J&J currently. These are my personal opinions and don't have anything to do with the company stand.
Today, collections of data are distributed across individuals and communities. Semantic Interoperability of Metadata and Information in unLike Environments, an MIT project aims to develop tools (open source under BSD-style license) based on Semantic Web technologies for improving access, management and reuse among such distributed digital assets.
The project also aims to implement a digital asset dissemination architecture based upon web standards. The dissemination architecture will provide a mechanism to add useful "views" to a particular digital artifact (i.e. asset, schema, or metadata instance), and bind those views to consuming services.Here is a great example of one of the SIMILE project put to work. All M&A by Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and Amazon to date.
Searching for some information on baby care on Google, I noticed a malware message below a search result. Now, its a serious blot to the image of a baby care manufacturer that proclaims its products to be safe :).
Pun apart, its the fist time I noticed such a message in Google search result. Started around August 2006, they now show a malware warning below the title of the search result which the Google blog says is for, "protecting Google users by showing warnings before they visit dangerous sites."
In this matter too, Google seems to have taken an attitude akin to its YouTube policy of appeal and we will review your request. In this case a third organization called StopBadware.org. Searching for this particular site in their database reveals that the site has note been evaluated yet nor appealed.
I wonder why Google doesn't directly report a site to StopBadware if its spiders detect something malicious?
As an aside, there is a plug-in for IE and Firefox called SiteAdvisor, that provide safety ratings for sites (has a compiled list of sites) by displaying different colors (green, yellow, red) next to the search results.
I smell some thing fishy reading Wojcicki's interview on Reuters.
" What we are very careful about is traditional behavioral targeting," Wojcicki said. "Nothing is stored, nothing is remembered. It all happens within that session."How long is a Google Search session? I have heard various numbers ranging from 8 minutes to 15 minutes on an average depending on the country. Now thats a lot of time and a person can be doing tens (if not hundreds) of queries in that time. I personally think there is something profound hidden there. Correct me if I am wrong.
I haven't given many interviews in my life, but the few I have given were really agonizing. After going thru the entire interview process, there are just a couple of companies that I have felt bad about not being able to make into. For all others, I praised my stars for not 'making it' and joining those 'great' people(who interviewed me) in their work.
The first thing that you notice is the arrogance of people, especially Indians. However lousy the job, you see, you have made the mistake by applying and showing your interest. The fact that you are at their 'mercy' will be rubbed in at every given opportunity in the process. The first manifestation is the adherence to time. 80% of the interviews I gave, have started late. Late by a few minutes to half an hour. Worst still, a couple didn't start at all. I of course, was on time for 99% of them and had to while away (even as I write this, I am waiting for a call, its already 30 mins late and I guess it will never happen). 100% of all Indians who I met/talked to subsequently, after the delay, didn't apologize. And 100% of the Foreigners who I met/talked to subsequently apologized for the delay, some profusely. And mind you, the lowest rank any of these Foreigners was holding was that of a Country Director! I wonder when we Indians will start appreciating the value of time of others!
Then what hits you is the non existent HR. I think that HR in every company in India is populated with the most idiotic and lazy people on earth (sorry if you belong to that breed. I will hold my opinions till I find enough good HR people). The fact that the recruiting company itself doesn't trust them comes out clearly, when the only HR person person you hear from is on the phone scheduling interviews. I have had an experience when the HR person contacted me and sent me a case almost 8 months after I applied. Prompt action, I must say. Sample this gem, "Just Suppose, Clouds had strings attached to them which hang down to earth. What would happen?" Shows how much work they have been doing of late to dream up that question. Then there are the standard questions you would have tired of. (Business Week summarizes these questions and my attitude to these in a good way). Lastly, they have the liberty to come up with the most ridiculous statement to reject a candidate. Something like, "on the personal side... well... the bonding... it didn't click." What better do you expect from them - they are HR people after all.
There of course is the famed process of selection. If you are an MBA, take it that there is no process. Case studies, role plays, problems, psychometric tests, everything and anything can be thrown at you depending on the whim of the person interviewing you. The best thing to do would be, expect the unexpected - don't prepare. For a start, the processes I have given start from one interview to thirteen interviews (this could have been more). Totally personal to totally technical and in some random order. And every time, I have been told that this is a 'structured' process and has been carefully made for the company to screen and select the right candidates. Right then, the only question I have when I hear this is, why are there so many stupid people in your organization inspite of this process?
The last thing is the closure of the entire interview process. The thumb rule in India is that you will never be notified that the position has been filled. While I can understand that communicating the bad news that you haven't made can be tough. But, as I said earlier, its really insulting to leave people in the lurch after the entire process. Worst still, giving ridiculous reasons like, "Sorry about the delay in the process. We do keep the candidate posted about his/ her candidature. Unfortunately with this position, we seem to be stuck, since there is an organisational restructuring that is taking place. As of now, we are unsure about how long this will take. Everyday we are awaiting some news about the position. It is unfortunate that we are unable to do speed up the process. Please bear with us." Yeah, we will grin and bear it.
I don't think that most companies in India realize that this kind of behavior leaves really bad taste in one's mouth for a long time and they can loose some really good talent for a long time. Joel Spolsky summarizes it in a nice way in his article, "I always leave about five minutes at the end of the interview to sell the candidate on the company and the job. This is actually important even if you are not going to hire them. If you’ve been lucky enough to find a really good candidate, you want to do everything you can at this point to make sure that they want to come work for you. Even if they are a bad candidate, you want them to like your company and go away with a positive impression."
BTW, all things quoted in this article are my real experiences from a handful of interviews I have given to date. Watch this space for more on interviews.
Kernal trap has this nice node recalling the origin of linux.
I am sure every Linux enthusiast has chanced upon the "Hello netlanders, Due to a project I'm working on (in minix), I'm interested in the posix standard definition" mail. Nonetheless, its nice to go thru those early emails on Linux again.
Plus bonus at the end of the article, the version 0.01 of Linux.
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