Government of India recently introduced a dedicated symbol for its currency (Rupee). Rupee (Rs.) is being used by several other countries including our neighbours Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka & others. So having a dedicated symbol for India becomes necessitated for it to be differentiated from others. Initially I was sceptical about this symbol, considered this to be a publicity effort by the central government and that the symbol has to be accepted by all language speakers in the country. In the last few weeks as I see the growing usage of this in Media and elsewhere, I am convinced that this is a welcome move and it is needed to reinforce India’s growing Economy and its importance in the World stage.

Now the question is how do you start using this in PCs.

- Some companies immediately on government announcement shipped font files containing this character. Two of them (Foradian, Artech) have mapped this symbol to ~ (Tilde character above the Tab key in your keyboard). This is nothing but a Quick ‘n’ Dirty temporary fix. I will not recommend this as it doesn’t provide any interoperability. At the worst it can be used on Presentations and Brochures for display only. 

- The proper process for using this character is that Unicode consortium & then ISO have to give it a unique number (location ID in the code-chart), which they have done tentatively in their recent meeting in USA. Department of Information Technology announced that Unicode has allocated U+20B9 location for the new Rupee Symbol unique to India. The existing location of  U+20A8 (that displays Rs) will still continue for use by others.  Now this has to ratified and published in their upcoming standards document and then Software vendors (Operating System mainly) have to implement this by shipping this Glyph in their default fonts and enabling typing of this character in their Keyboard Inputs. This is the only route to ensure that your documents (Word files, Excel spread sheets or even a webpage) having this character will show up the same in someone else PC.

A company called Foradian Technologies have released here, a free software to type the new Rupee Symbol and display it according to the proposed Unicode location, making this symbol available before it gets Operating System vendor official support.

திரு.பழ.கருப்பையா எழுதியுள்ள ”எல்லைகள் இல்லா இராம காதை” என்ற இந்தப் புத்தகத்தைப் படிக்கும் வாய்ப்பு கிடைத்தது. தனக்கு மிகவும் விருப்பமான கம்ப இராமாயணத்தை எளிமையான முறையில், உதாரணங்கள் பலக்கொடுத்து அனைவருக்கும் எட்டும் வகையில் தந்துள்ள ஆசிரியரை நாம் எவ்வளவு பாராட்டினாலும் தகும். நல்லதொரு புத்தகம், அனைவரும் படித்து மகிழலாம்!. புத்தகத்தில் இருந்து சில உதாரணங்கள்: “எவனுடைய ஆட்சியில் அரசு ஒவ்வொரு காரியமும் செய்து முடிக்கும்போது, மக்கள் அதைத் தாங்களே செய்ததாக நினைக்கிறார்களோ … , அவனுடைய ஆட்சியே சிறந்த ஆட்சி என்று சீனத்துத் தாவோயியம் கூறும்!” “இத்தாலிய நாட்டு மாக்கியவேலி உலகப் பெரும் அரசியல் விற்பன்னன். அவன் மன்னன் என்னும் உலகப் புகழ்பெற்ற ஒரு நூலினை எழுதினான். அரசியலில் வெற்றி ஒன்றுதான் குறிக்கோள்; அதை அடைய எந்தப் பித்தலாட்டமும் செய்யலாம்; யாரை வேண்டுமானாலும் பலியிடலாம்; கருவுத்தை எந்த வகையாலும் நிரப்பிக் கொள்ளலாம்; அரசியலுக்குச் சூதும் வாதும் சூழ்ச்சிகளும் தான் முக்கியம்” ”ஏதோ திருவிழாக் கூட்ட நெரிசலில் சந்தித்த ஒருவரோடு பேச முடியாமல் கழிவதுபோல், இராமன் கைகேயி சந்திப்பு கழியக்கூடாதே!ஆனால் அப்படித்தானே நடந்தது” “பழைய ஏற்பாட்டின் (old testament) இறுதிக் காலத்திலும் புதிய ஏற்பாட்டின் தொடக்க காலத்திலும் ஏரோது என்ற மன்னன் இருந்தான். அவனுக்கு ஓர் ஆசைநாயகி இருந்தாள்... ஒரு நாள் அந்த ஆசைநாயகியின் மகள் நடனமாடி மன்னன் ஏரோதை மகிழ்வித்தாள். ஏரோது தன்னிலை மறந்த பெரு மகிழ்ச்சியில் ‘நீ என்ன கேட்டாலும் தருகிறேன், கேள்! என்று பலர் முன்னிலையில் ஆணையிட்டு வாக்குக் கொடுத்தான்” “குடியாட்டிகளிலும் இளவரசுப் பட்டங்கள் உண்டு; மணிமுடி மட்டும் தலையில் வைத்துக் கொள்வதில்லை. குடும்பங்களின் ஆட்சிதான் இப்போதைய குடியாட்சி. குடி என்பது குடும்பங்களையும் குறிக்கும் தானே! … ஆகவே அன்றும் இன்றும் அதிகாரம் என்பது அரசபோகமே!” ”வால்மீகி இராமனையும் சீதையும் முன்கூட்டியே ஒருவரை ஒருவர் கண்டுகொள்ளும்படி செய்யவில்லை… கம்பன் சங்ககாலம் போற்றிய அன்பின் ஐந்திணையைத் தானும் போற்றுபவன். தமிழினத்தின் வாழ்வை ஒழுங்குபடுத்த ஒல்காப் புகழ்த் தொல்காப்பியன் எழுதிய பொருளதிகாரத்தைப் பெரிதும் போற்றுபவன்” “…குடியாட்சி முறைக்குக் கொள்ளி வைக்க வந்தவன் சீசர் என்பதனால் புருட்டசு சீசரை எதிர்க்கிறான்… ஒன்றுக்கொன்று நேர்மாறான வாழ்க்கைப் போக்கினர் குடியாட்சிக்கான போரில் ஒன்றாக இணைகிறார்கள்…. இங்கே சீதையை மீட்கவும் அறத்தை நிலைநிறுத்தவுமான ஒரு பெரும்போரில் சுக்கிரீவனோடு வருகின்றவர்களையோ, தன்னோடு இதில் இணைய விரும்புகின்றவர்களையோ தராதரம் பார்த்துக் கொண்டிருப்பது இயலக்கூடிய செயலுமில்லை; அறிவான செயலுமில்லை” ’குழு அரசியல் (groupism) ஒரு கட்சியை மொத்தமாக வலுவிழக்கச் செய்துவிடும்! எதிர்க்கட்சியின்மீது ஒன்றுபட்டுப் பாயவேண்டிய அம்புகள் பிளவுபடுவதால், ஒருமைப்பட்ட தாக்குதல் நடக்காது” “எல்லாப் புகழும் அல்லாவுக்கே என்று இறைமையைத் துதிப்பது வேறு; எல்லாப் புகழும் தலைவனுக்கே என்று தன் புகழை மட்டுமே பாடியாக வேண்டிய கட்டாயத்தை ஏற்படுத்துவது வேறு!”

I noticed in the US Consulate (Chennai) FaceBook page they are showing in Consulate Library as part of their Saturday Matinee the movie “Abyss” by Titanic & Avatar fame “James Cameron”.  I was not sure whether it will be worth the effort to go for it – there may be too much crowd and long waiting (as the show is free for all), painful security restrictions at the consulate gates. In the end it was all easy. I went in about 45 minutes before the show, spent the time in their well-furnished library reading books, then went to the auditorium 10 minutes and movie started early. Security was smooth – you should ensure you carry a valid Government ID with Photo, any cell phones you can deposit in the gate and collect back (I didn’t take that risk, left my cell phone at home), no parking available near-by so leave your vehicle behind and go by Auto-rickshaw or Bus. 

As far as the movie “Abyss”, it was taken in 1989 before Titanic. It was happenings inside an underwater Oil rig several hundred feet below sea level on a mission to check out a nuclear submarine that crashed. The highlight of the movie is the deep underwater scenes all brilliantly taken by Cameron. A diver going more than 16,000 feet underwater in a wet suit breathing liquid and encounter with Aliens who save the entire team – both of which are beyond what we may believe, but nevertheless nicely told. I didn’t know about this movie and I would have missed it, had it not been for the special show by the US Consulate today, thanks to them.

In YouTube now, I saw these videos on the “Making of Abyss”. This shows the tremendous effort the film crew made in shooting this film, with hiring an abandoned Nuclear Power plant!

I am a fan of Bruce Willis and I enjoy Tracy Morgan on screen, so I had good expectation about this movie “Cop out” and I wanted to see it, which I did today. After seeing the movie, I should say I am pretty disappointed. The story, action, comedy were all below average – nothing that impresses you. The movie is about two NYPD cops who get into trouble with their unconventional approach to catching crime, the plot was how they get into a mess with Drug Mafia  and finally kill them all.

I remember when Windows 95, the themes (desktop wallpaper, icon packs and sounds) were a craze. You had a whole load of beautiful themes distributed by Microsoft and more by third parties. But over the years the interest for themes dropped, mainly due to the inertia associated with change and we all became used to the standard dull defaults. Windows Vista was the worst offender in this with the most boring set of themes ever shipped by a version of Windows – it took the remaining charm out of themes.

Now with Windows 7, Microsoft seems to have turned attention to making Themes interesting once again. The other day I noticed two new theme sets online, one titled “India” and other “Colors of India” – both showing the essence of India very nicely. Later I found more beautiful themes, like the Bing’s Best for Japan and more.

If you are still using default theme, it is time you changed it. All it takes is a right-click on the Desktop in your Windows 7, select Personalize, then clicking on “Get More themes online”. And remember to download Themes only from Microsoft.com website for safety.

கார்த்தி மற்றும் தமன்னா நடித்த இந்தப் படத்தை (பையா) இன்று பார்த்தேன். பீமாவைப் போலவே எதிர்ப்பார்ப்புகளை கிளப்பி ஆனால் ஏமாற்றம் அடைய வைத்த மற்றும் ஒரு படத்தை கொடுத்துள்ளார் இயக்குனர் லிங்குசாமி. படம் முழுக்க காரில் சென்றுக் கொண்டே இருக்கிறார்கள், இல்லை ஒரு இருபது பேரை அடிக்கிறார் நாயகன். ஒருவிதமான பாவனையும் இல்லாமல் பாடல்களில் மட்டும் ஆடிப் போகிறார் நாயகி. நாயகனின் நண்பர்களின் வேலை இடங்களில் கேள்வியே கேட்க மாட்டார்கள் போல, எப்போதும் வேலையே இல்லாத நாயகனோடு செல்பேசியில் பேசுவதும், உதவி செய்வதும் தான் அவர்களின் வேலைப் போல.

கார்த்தியிடம் இன்னும் பருத்திவீரன் சாயல் (பேச்சிலும், முகப்பாவனைகளிலும்) போகவில்லை, அதை அவர் முற்றிலும் மறத்தல் படம் பார்க்கும் நமக்கு நல்லது!

After being indecisive for few months now, I decided to buy my first e-book reader last month. I went with Amazon KindleDX – the model prior to the newly released Kindle Wi-Fi (which got released few weeks after I bought KindleDX). I didn’t go with Apple iPad - it doesn’t have e-ink and so not easy on the eye, heavier than KindleDX (iPad is 700 grams and KindleDX is 535 Grams) and is a first generation device compared to KindleDX. I didn’t go with the competition like Nook or the Sony Reader because of my loyalty to Amazon – I am always impressed by their excellent customer service, world class self-service website and above all I believe they will surely survive and continue to grow in the expected churn in this industry. Above all an e-book reader is all about the choice of titles and ease of purchase. And I am not a fan of reading long chapters in any LCD/LED displays.  

I ordered the device from Amazon website with my India Credit Card and had it shipped to my Chennai address. I got the device on July 13th (3rd business day from 8th July when I ordered)) – unbelievable. I was charged in total $530.70 (Device was $379, Shipping $13.49, Import Fees Deposit $138.21) for the device & shipping.

My observations of using the device for last few weeks:

• Out of the box, the device came preconfigured with my Profile (username and password) stored. So nice of Amazon team. I am sure no other OEM does this, even though they know everything about us when we order it on their site. The device came in a minimalist eco-friendly, easy to open packaging 
• Amazon has published clear and easy to understand instructions for customers from outside USA, including India. Every other American e-commerce firm I know of, is focussed only with USA and for them customers from outside USA will be treated as “Aliens” 
• The Text to Speech feature where by it reads out a book – though I was sceptical of it, I found it to be very usable
• The in-built dictionary (Oxford English) is a great feature. Many a times, I am lazy to pick up a dictionary (Even though my firm LIFCO publishes one for last 50 years) and refer for the word I didn’t understand. With Kindle, I just need to move my cursor to any word and the full meaning is shown at the bottom of the screen.
• The device, the feel of it and ease of reading is better than I imagined. I wish the device had touch, the buttons were Car Friendly (especially Text to Speech Pause/Play, Volume), a little bit lighter. I didn’t miss Colour display as the sharpness of the e-ink was as good as printed paper
• The auto-sync feature with the other devices for my account. I got the Kindle App for PC and iPhone installed and I was thrilled by the feature where in the pages I have read to are automatically synchronized between the devices
• The other day I was in a local book store and I liked a book, I could easily browse the same on my iPhone Kindle App (we won’t be carrying our Kindle device everywhere). Then I bought it from iPhone and had it shipped with 1-click to my Kindle device at home. Before I reached home, using Whispernet I found the book already downloaded and ready in the Kindle Device
• NewsPapers and Magazine are priced too high for an Indian customer. Selection of Indian Authors and titles are currently very limited
• Ability to back load (copy) any PDF file from your PC to Kindle using USB. I loaded all my unread issues of IEEE Spectrum and actually read few of them over the weeks
• No native support (Especially in Web browser) for Indian Languages. Indic Unicode displays fine in files saved as PDF (Adobe Acrobat)
• Nil charges for Whispernet Data Transfer for browsing the catalogue, buying and downloading of books in 100 countries including India
• KindleDX doesn’t have a Wi-Fi connection, having it would have made downloading of books and casual browsing faster when I am in a Wi-Fi zone like my office or home (The newly announced model has Wi-Fi feature, but a smaller display)
• The device charges through its MicroUSB Port using any standard USB charger

The title of this book “Veronika Decides to Die” is a sure put-off for many. I picked it up because of the curiosity due to the off-beat title and the book was by the world famous Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho of “The Alchemist” fame. When I started reading this book, my wife looked at me puzzled on what I am doing with a book titled “… to die”. After reading the book in entirety, which was a delight as Paulo Coelho is a master story-teller, you realize the book is all about Life and living it, rather than anything about Death. In a gist, the book is all about following your heart, speaking out your dreams and going for it, mainly living each day to the full.

The story is about Veronika a young, beautiful woman from Ljubljana, Slovenia. As I started reading the book, the first thing that interested was where is this city – Ljubljana (I have to refer Wikipedia on how to pronounce this). The way the author describes about the city, its beautiful city centre and its statue of France Prešeren, you get so impressed with the city which very likely you haven’t heard before.  

After reading the book you will be sure that Hollywood will make it into a movie and they have done that, see the trailer here. I read some reviews on the movie, the plot seems to have been changed to USA, so I am not sure I will like that after reading the book.

Saw this movie “2012” today in DVD. It is yet another Dooms Day movie that predicts that the world will end soon, this one says it will end in 2012 courtesy the Mayan calendar. Roland Emmerich, the director who created many other doomsday films like Independence Day (1996) and The Day After Tomorrow (2004) has directed this thriller. The story is about an American geologist learning from an Indian astrophysicist that neutrinos from a massive solar flare are causing the temperature of the Earth's core to increase rapidly and very soon the whole of earth’s surface will change without recognition. World will be flooded up to Mount Everest in height and will wipe out civilization. Based on this information international leaders begin a secret project to ensure humanity's survival by being locked in board ships called "arks" that are constructed at Cho Ming, Tibet in the Himalayas.

Just like many other Hollywood movie, this one too has Los Angeles & Las Vegas being destroyed first due to the catastrophe; does even the nature start with a sorted order on wealth and wealthy?. There are lot of missing dots and questions in the story line for me – if the “Arks” are the way to safety, why do they need to delay till last minute to begin boarding and why board it in Tibet?; If the earth surface is opening up and gobbling everything, how come Curtis family alone escape it in all the instances; Flying obviously seems to be the safe route, if so why Curtis family alone are in the air, why not many other thousands of private planes around the world and so on…

I liked the scene where the American Chief of Staff first seeing the “Arks” in China remarks something like “You got to leave it to Chinese to build something this massive, which I thought was impossible in the timeframe”, indicating that China is world’s factory even for a project as important as saving the humanity. The movie does make the viewer ponder (philosophically) what each of us will feel/do when we know that the whole world is going to get destroyed shortly and there is little we can do about it. 

Overall the movie was quite enjoyable and nicely produced. Worth watching if you like science fiction.