Marriage with Microsoft,My second Job offer,Part 1 :)

Micosoft and me ,we have a great bonding.Not from now, but since a decade ago.Let me rewind the pages of my life and present to you all.

My Story Begins:)

#June 2000
I am from a middle class family and I got my education from the best school of my City birgunj,It is a gateway of Nepal and business hub.We assume daily more than millon dollar transactions takes place at birgunj which is just a sub-metropolitan city.Computers were new at that time and we couldn't afford them or you can say I was in mere class 6 and my dad was reluctant to buy on the first go.He asked me get me a BASIC COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE degree from CSE,A computer training institute and then he will be sure that we will use the computer properly:).Till then I was devoid of computer at my home but luckily I had a Cyber Cafe(CC) just below my house and the owners didn't know anything of computers.One fair day, I was passing by that CC and my brother AMIT BHOJANIA(Delhi) asked me to made an email ID ,which was my first email ID (nikhil_18_4@hotmail.com) His Id was amit_18_4@hotmail.com.I blindly followed the legacy of " _18_4 " blindly as I love my brother alot.Soon I started catching up.Internet was NRS 60/hr that times and I started using Internet and MSN Chat.I spend most of the time in that CC,learning and teaching newbies.It was like every regular user thought that I was the boss of that Cafe.I more person I would like to mention "Sushil Agarwal"(in mah facebook friendlist).He is gem of a person,a geek and too creative.We both met,started getting deeper and deeper in computers.Those days computers were very low end and IE didn't clear temporary internet files automatically so we(I am sushil) had to regularly visit Client machines of Cafe and fix them up.We were so called tech bouncers there :).People ask me why do i have a typing speed of 54 words/min.I tell them its since 2k2.We used to call Bill G as "Bill**"(As being close to bihar but respected him like anything,sorry no offences intended) tried making few sites like Khakhor.com(chat startup) but lacked time and proper knowledge.The CCafe boss thought we use internet for free and asked us to do some job.Opening sites for newbies and do some typing/printing jobs.I was having no problem as I got time to sit with computer,my mate :).I started suffering from Intejavascript:void(0)rnet fever,High and very High.We both used to hack passwords Keyloggers,snapshot taking bot,I remember the site (alpinesnow.com and many).I completed my Basic computer course too :).

Happiest movement of my life,my first computer machine :)
My dad on dhanteras'01,I was at my shop handed me a Rs. 55k bundle and told "Go and grab the best system you want".I purchased the system and life was awesome henceforth.My sister gifted me AOE(Age of empire) CD on my birthday :):).I skipped lunch ,dinner ,tutions and played that game.It was great fun :)For me computer was Internet,Windows office,music,Hacking from websites(I downloaded songs by disconnecting the net when I was playing a song on embedded real player online by availing the link after DC) and loads of fun.Literally I knew what programming is but I didn't know how it is done or what are the syntaxs and I was passionate about hacking accounts ,playing games(AOE,motorcross midtown madness,road rash etc)& learning Windows architecture(System,system32,temporary internet files folder etc.).Beleive me people I have used almost every edition of windows(98 I loved it,Me(explorer.exe error),professional WIN2000(cool),WIN2000server(didn't use much),WINXP and now WIN7 :)) and office.

My motivation towards what I loved to do.:)
I wanted to do computer engineering any how.I started researching how to grab a Comp. Sci degree.I started researching online.I found B.Tech with Science background is the only way and respected comp. sci degree around the world.People asked me before appearing class 10 what you will choose I replied Science.They suppressed me by telling you won't be able to cope up,It's not for you,take a commerce degree and handle your business.I din't like them then I ran away from that place of discussion.I started focussing on my studies,knew things won't be easier but I was confident enough to cope with it.I spend less time at CC more on studies.

Fast Forward :)
I gave my 10th board,12 from Delhi and that line by people that I won't be able to cope up was a source of inspiration and dedication.I couldnt grab a good seat on the first go and got NIT Durgapur in 2007.On the very first day ,I saw Microsoft visited this college and hiring few students and hence I thought I got my Ramp to get loaded into the proper locomotive :)

Journey at NIT Durgapur :)
It was a difficult path although I covered and finally reached here.I was very unsatisfied with the college and the standards(now It has been completely transformed and getting transformed).I didn't repeat the mistake bought a laptop in the first year itself and started using it :):).In a farewell party to the batch of 2k8 @Nepal family we boozed.After that I broke around 4-5 beer bottles(my seniors told me next morning when I asked why my hands were burning) fighting between Microsoft and open source(I supported Microsoft like anything,I am a die hard fan).We discussed all tech stuffs there like Vista file search is far advanced than XP search,Why it failed etc.Saurabh dai,Bibek dai If you are reading I hope you can recall.Then I met priyanka and got motivations from my seniors(TOPCODERS ..nitdgp,rajatag12 ).They guided me through repeatedly saying Comp Sci<->Programming.My love for coding and programming increased exponentially and I enjoy doing that.People criticized me, friend didn't like me thinking I didn't give them time.But dudes I don't know where I was in 2nd and 3rd year.I was like LOST!! I was so involved with my work and love I couldn't Context Switch.You can call it as Hibernation :P.We prepared ourselves,coding,spending time in library learning,giving big shot semesters and scoring 9 pointers :):) and on 5th august 2010,I cracked Novell:).In Convo2010 sushil dai visited ,I was tensed about future of Novell,he told me very confidently that in anycase won't be joining Novell:).I knew something else is waiting for me.So I didn't treat any of my Nepal family mates,friends and people at my home.And it's 18th Jan'11 and Microsoft is visiting:):).I will cover the interview experience in next part.Till then goodluck guys.Hope you enjoyed it.

Novell Interview,first Job offer

It was a Thursday morning 5-8-10 and Novell was visiting my campus,NIT Durgapur.PPT was scheduled at 8 am and I reached there few mins late as I always do and soon it got started.Novell's products and services includes virtualization,Identity management,cloud computing,networks and other data centre services summing upto 65 products.I was always inclined to all these keywords and finally I decided to head for written test.PPT lasted for about 1 hr.
We all headed towards written test venue.Question booklet and answer sheet were distributed.There were about 7-8 sets of test booklets.Details :

It included 3 sections:
Section 1: Aptitude(Included sentence ordering,quant ) -15 quesns.
Section 2: System concepts(Included questions on DS,complexities and recurrence equations,few basic fundas of computers like microprogrammed and stuffs,questions on timeslice etc.).-20 quesns.
Section 3: Programming(C programming outputs and questions on precedence order).15 quesns.

All together there were 50 questions which had to be done in 60 minutes.Instructions were given one should give 20 mins each for all the 3 sections .Cutoffs will be decided for each sections and I followed the same.60 mins flew away.I didnt realize.level of the Paper was average.I fould verbal a bit time consuming.Rest everything was a cakewalk.So I suggest you to complete all the sections and get back to verbal part at last.
Next was PI.I returned for Lunch and was very excited to know about the results.One of my friend announced my selection in the hostel mess and my heart started pumping faster.I finished my lunch and was on with my last minute preparations.16 people were shortlisted.Interview schedule was from 12 noon to 7 pm and every one was scheduled with a gap of 30 minutes.My interview was at 2.15 pm .It was running late and started at 3:10.I entered the room,shook hands with everybody,got seated,presented my resume and questions started flooding :).First I was asked about my project.Then they asked me to tell somthing about myself and about my field of interest.What I love to do and all.I answered "problem solving".Hence,I was asked to write pseudocodes for the problems .About 4-5.Then they asked me to define few string library functions such as strcpy,strncpy and few others.Few DS implementations,sorting algorithms and technical was over.:):) Then they started with HR questions.Included questions like my achievements,something like I would like to go back to the past and change,why do you want to join us and all .Last few questions were do you have any other offer? wanna go for higher studies? .It ended all well.I received a T-shirt titled 100 in 100.After that I was restless and waiting for the results.Now time was moving very slowly.I had my dinner and I my friend called me around 9:30 pm and congratulated.I was asked to reach the same PI room for some formalities.We all reached there,clicked photographs and they presented us a lappy bag and a jean shirt.Both are cool.After this it was all fun and frolic with few hits and I slept peacefully.The day ended well with my new facebook status msg ,new gtalk msg stating my new professional destination NOVELL INDIA DEVELOPMENT(SOFTWARE) PVT. LTD. ,Bangalore(a city were I always wanted to be after being a computer engineer).Thanks to everybody for your wishes.In zest it was all fun and the life moves on.

Delhi-ite Old,Then and Now!!

Hey Guys, This is one of my poetries ekdum dil-se.It may not look like a poetry to you still it is very close to my heart and "Delhi".After reading you can estimate how much I love the capital of this country and the pride to be called as Delhi-ite after staying just for 2 years(2004-2006).Kehte hai na Delhi se "Pehle nazar mein pyaar ho gaya tha" .Wish to reside again and,if the lanes of my fate takes me there.

I will try my level best to visit Commonwealth Games,2010.Delhi you rock!!

I had written this on 3/25/2006.

Delhi-ites @ 1990's

Delhi-ite woh jo rehta hai red tape capital main,crores ki bheed main,traffic ki reel main,khaadi ke vastron mein,investment ke sapne main,media ki dhundh mein,chawri ki chaal mein,qutub ki taal main, walled city main nach raha hai.

Delhi-ites @ 2000's

Delhi-ite woh hai nai millenium se lambi umeed main,metro aur markets ke bante bigadte plan mein,tod phod ke bheech main,career ki khooj main,call centre ki shifts main mobile phone ke saukh main,flyover ke swaad main chalo delhi ke abhiyan mein,pani ki killat mein,mehangai ki jillat mein ,sheela ki chaal main thidak raha hai.

Delhi-ites @ 2010's

Delhi-ite mast hai metro ke supersonic jaal mein,greenery ki khushbu mein ,commonwealth games ki chakachaundh main ,media ke saye mein,flyover aur underpasses ke saath main,modern airport ki mauj main,economy ki boost main,6 lane road ki lap mein,auto mobile ke fleet main ,outsourcing ke monopoly main ,world city main rehta hai ..........

How was it?

Me and iPaneer :For all the food freaks

Hey folks.On the verge of completion of my 3 years of Engineering ,my stay in this city "Durgapur" is also turning 3.I am a complete foodie and being a veggie by birth I have a soft corner for Paneer :).From Birgunj to kathmandu,Delhi to Darjeeling,Kota to kolkata and atlast to Durgapur I have gulped them everywhere.Last night I saw a dream .The dream goes like I met a paneer representative called himself as "iPaneer" (A fat man in his 40s with a big cubical tummy and football shaped mouth gave expressions like Paneer pasanda.)I had a short but sweet conversation with him .As he wanted feeback about successors located around the world and treating the bellies around the globe.I wanna present you an excerpt from the talk.
iPaneer: Hello nikhil ,How are you?

Me: Hey.Who are you? who seem to be very funny!!How do you know me?

iPaneer: I am iPaneer.Noways,It's the way I am.I am seen your name in ATM reciepts when you pay at Restaurants and on feedback forms.

Me: Ohkie.Why are you named iPaneer?What do you want from me?
iPaneer: Actually my name was Paneer but due to sudden advancements among you guys like phone changing to iphone,similarly i20,ipad,K800i etc.I thought of adding an i infront of my name.isnt it sexy? I am available from Russia to Malasia,Australia to India and almost everywhere.Just wanted to take a feedback from you,if you don't mind.

Me: Why me?You can go to frequent travellers,chefs etc.

iPaneer:No, either they are busy or have just tasted only one kind of paneer.I want a versatile consumer who have tasted both Hall-9 paneer and Grand Hyatt's Paneer.Can we proceed?

Me: Sure.

iPaneer:Let's begin .How is paneer associated with your life?

Me:Actually it is insaperable.Being a veggie ,we are confined to malais,mix veggies and paneers after we go out to eat.Life is so miserable.I wish cook invent more and more recipes of paneer.Remembering from the days of buying 250gm of paneer (asked by mom) ,ordering at hotels to eating So called Paneer at Hostel we have a great association.

iPaneer:Which have been the best place you have consumed paneer so far and the test reminds you now?

Me:Last Durgapuja I had paneer chilli at Junction5,Birgunj.It was simply awesome.Soft as valvet and really yummy.

iPaneer:Give a oneliner on paneer of different places.

Me:Birgunj introduced me to this stuff called paneer,Kathmandu assured me "Hello Indian food is awesome here" ,Delhi and kota reminds me of Dhaba typo paneer masala ,do pyaza..umm... Durgapur Hostels "We prepare paneer items but donno how to prepare :)" and restaurants speak "let's rock in all the flavours".

iPaneer:Why did you mention durgapur hostel so explicitly?What is so special about them?

Me:The paneer items which we have it here ,are not worth to be called as paneer items.Hard paneers,in their half cooked state and pathetic.I fall in the sea of my riverie that this is the paneer I liked so much..

iPaneer:I will give you 30 sec .Name as much as paneer items you can.

Me: paneer butter masala,paneer do pyaza,pasanda,sahi paneer,paneer sikh masala,paneer bhujji,paneer tikka,panner mix veg,paneer dosa,matar paneer,paneer sandwitch.Paneer pakoda,paneer kofta.ab baas...YUMMY :P...

iPaneer:Can you suggest some slogans,promotional schemes,marketing ideas to go Global?

Me: Sponsor T20 it will be a biggest hit.You can ask Sachin Tendulkar to promote Paneer Sandwitch if he wishes.then sky is the limit?
Next you can do is you can provide paneer coupons and sign boards specifying "Paneers are sold here". I think it will work.

iPaneer:Any suggestions?

Me: Please broaden your scope of recipes,we have very few items to choose from.Next is growing paneer prices are restricting the consumption to upper class of society only.There should be proper training sessions for Chefs,NITDGP cooks and homemakers.Free paneers on sundays :)

iPaneer: It was nice meeting you.

Me: Same here .See you soon.

And then the alarm clock rings.....and it was already 8. 1st class...RUSH!!

why Internet in the hostels of NIT,Durgapur is slow??

Hello guys you must be having a mysterious question going in your mind all the time when you experience a slow net in the hostels of NIT,Durgapur.I am going to talk about reasons,solutions ,challenges and your contribution related to INTERNET(via LAN).First of all I would like tell you the source of information mentioned in my post is a discussion with Prof. C.Sarvanan ,System Manager ,NIT Durgapur.
Current scenario: We are having a bandwith of 70 mbps (30 Reliance +40BSNL).Unmanaged network,poor cooling facilities,power consumption is reaching to its saturation point(and 2 new hostels coming up).
Recently we are facing a new problem specially during late nights due to poor DNS service of BSNL.When we complained them about the problem they provided with 2 new DNS hosts and still there is no improvement in the speed.
Compiled Reasons:-
1.DC++, gulping up all the bandwidths and slowing down the internet.
2.Chances of Ping flooding.
3.Network viruses ,torjans etc.(will minimized if we all start using LINUX).
4.Only 40 mbps of BSNL line is supplied to Hostels(10.0.0.1 series) and rest 30 mbps is supplied to Academic building and deparments(172.16.64.1 series).left unused in the night time.
5.Poor monitoring of every ports of every room.
6.Single proxy for all the hostels.
7.You all are familiar with work culture of West bengal.Companies respond for service request in 4-5 days.
Solutions :
1.Instead of DC++ there will be a saperate Server hosting TBs of online intranet space and will be serving all the download requests.
2.Ping and icmp will be stopped.
3.if all of us use LINUX distros.
4.There is one and only one line of 70 mbps which will be supplied 24/7 to hostels.
5.Network structuring is being done so that any room using more than allocated b/w will be barred from internet.
6.A single proxy for every 4 hostels.
7.Software firewall is set up.
Request to all:
1.He has pointed out that video servers are running in halls esp. 4,5 which is detoriating the Speed.
2.Co-operate for 2 months more by the time another vendor takes up the responsibility and manage servers and LAN together.
3.People interested in Networking,Security are welcome to support.
He expressed that there is huge potential in GNU/Linux Users group which can join hands and sort things out.Any suggestions/comments are welcome.

MUKTI'10 5-7 FEBRUARY COUNTDOWN BEGINS...

A WARM HELLO to all Open Source community Enthusiasts,Hardcore & Learning coders ,Developers,Designers...Introducing a Fire storming Carnival of Free & open source software....If you play with PHP ,sleep with C/C++,drive on Python and dance in the tunes of Drupal.......THE GAME IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!!!! Pack your equipments,gears,bags,laptop(definitely) and rush to NIT Durgapur...between 5-7 February!!
::::HIGHLIGHTS::::
1.Talks from eminent personalities like Pradeepto Bhattacharya(the face of KDE in India),Shabbir Keriwala,Arun Ravindran are due.
2.Hands on Workshop on Linux Securities & vunerablities by Sedulity Group ,Delhi & FOSSEE(These folks will take a two day workshop on Python on 'FOSS in engineering education'.).
3.100% Exitement packed events
3 ON-LINE Events (FREEPL,CodeCracker & Online treasure hunt) & following :-
a.Brain-mesh(Web Designing competition)
b.In-canity(C/C++ Coding competition)
c.OpenPaper
d.Konfigure
e.Rush Hour
::::UPDATES::::
1.Problem statements of the events are out.
2.FreePL Online is up & running http://freepl.mkti.in
3 Online Treasure hunt will be starting from 1st Feb.
4.Keep Checking the website for details....(HTTP://mkti.in)

See you there in the fest premises..Signing off!!

Fire in the Slums of Kolkata. A personal View

Fire In the City ,Fire Fighters Helpless

12th Jan '10 is an upsetting day in this so called civilized society.Basanti Colonies,a slum in north kolkata caught fire .Slum dwellers were found running helter-skelter to save their lives.Domestic cylinders were acting like explosives. Unfortunately,by the time fire control guards reached the venue everthing was reduced to debris . They had to meet too many hurdles to reach the affected spot. .Eratic auto rickshaws ,cycles let the blockage hindering the fire menreaching the colony.The inferno was turning vigourous and its smoke could be seen from the blockade point and barricade cleared after the drivers rushed to save their homes and families. Next was TC squatter blocking the way due to protest against transcending prices.Same story repeated and fire fighters were not allowed to proceed even after many requests. Finally when the fighters reached the venue and only salvage operation was left. Poor slum dwellers rushed to save their belongings but all they found was the remains of their property ,food,clothes . They were left ina mitigated condition as thier valuables matters a lot to them unlike that of white collar and higher civil societies. Moreover the people heading towards airport,school children and travellers were also disrupted.The slum dwellers at last occupied the nearby railway station as a temporary shelter. Now, who is to be blamed for this devastation? You , me actually all of us. Public infrastructure like trains,roads,hospitals,school should not be targetted to show up our agony or the demands before of the government.Their can be other means too. Any ambulance carrying a serious patient would'nt have been able to make its way to the hospital in proper time.The patient must be sharing the same human rights as we do,don't we? To have an ideal civil society weeds in ourselves are needed to be chopped off before we point finger on others.
Note: References from TOI.This post is no way related to political scenario but an effort to spread a message.