My new bike... i'll post its review after it completes its first 500Kms.

"F R U S T R A T I O N " of a SE

Recently I have been seeing and thinking why are software engineers so frustrated. I have seen people getting frustrated when they are on bench which is understandable. But the same people gets frustrated when they are assigned projects. They get frustrated when get into testing project because they wanted development project.
After getting into development project they get frustrated because development project requires them to work long hours. They get frustrated when they don't get promoted, also they get frustrated when are promoted because they have to handle managerial work along with normal work. They get frustrated when they don't get onsite opportunity, they also get frustrated when they get it. Because once he is onsite, he cannot take leaves, has to available most of the time in day, no home food, etc. I have seen some who visit their parents every weekend still crib that they don't get to go home because they don't have enough leaves. I have seen them even complaining that why don't company open its branch in their home town. They crib when they get 5% increment, they even crib when they get 13% increment. The list goes on and on and on.... They question is why. Why are they so frustrated? Why are they always cribbing and cursing?

What I found was very simple. They don't have any hobbies or extra activites to do. Most of the people just work their sorry asses in office and then return home. They will have dinner and sleep. At the most watch that stupid entertainment box call TV, which shows destruction of earth every other year, which shows alien invasion and they are stealing farmer's cow. They don't read, they don't watch good movies, they don't have interest in anything. They are frustrated because they are not content with themselves.

I am no big philosopher to answer all the questions but this seem so obvious. People who are frustrated with not getting development projects are most likely who are not good at it. This causes them double frustration as they are not getting what they want also they don't know to it if they get it. What I feel is every person should have some hobby. Let it be watching stupid saas-bahu serials, but they should have some. I personally have few hobbies. As relevant from my previous blog I am learning chess, I am also learning guitar. I also like to read novels. After coming home from office any two of these hobbies takes away my rest of the time and I sleep happily thinking I have done something productive or learnt something which I didn't know.

I certainly feel and believe that if these people get on with some hobbies their frustration levels will certainly decrease making their work place happier.

Learning to play chess.....

I am a big fan of Japanese Anime and mangas. Few months back I watched a anime called Naruto/Naruto Shippuden. One of the characters named Shikamaru caught my attention. He was show as a lazy bum but extremely intelligent. His intelligence was displayed by showing him playing shogi(a Japanese version of chess). I don't know why, but this character inspired me to learn chess. It was because i was lazy or as intelligent as he was shown. But just because I spend most of my day's time sitting around in a cubicle with computer in front of me( I am a software engg btw). Because of this reason mainly, I wanted to learn and play chess. So this was why I started playing chess.

Even though it may seem,after reading this that I am a very good player, well I am sorry to disappoint you, I am not. I am no where close to be decent player. This is why I want to write this so as to show myself and other my journey in chess. Shortly after getting inspired, I started playing chess online where I was brutally defeated and humiliating told that I cannot play chess and have to improve. This was when I started to search for e-books on chess or any kind of tutorial. I found ample of e-books but I was amazed that none of the books I found were remotely teaching how to play chess. They were just some strategies used by players when they advance in the game. Shortly after getting disappointed I found a game called ChessMaster Grandmaster edition. This was exactly what I needed. This game has everything what a beginner wants to learn in order to play a chess game. It teaches;

• The basic rules for each piece.
• The way to develop a piece.
• Using a team work of various pieces to attack opponent.
• The openings of the games.
• Has various levels of oppnents to train with so as to gain confidence.
• Saved games of various great players and grandmaster.

I started with from the basics, learning the basic rules. The rules from pawns to queens and concepts like forks and en-passant. As I can make out is that I am improving steadily. Few days back I was easily beaten by a player of rating 600 now I am giving hard time for players of rating 800 and above. I am still learning and improving.
I will keep posting my improvements and journey in the world of chess.