My Quora Posts

I’ve been writing on the Quora platform since Sept 2015. So far, I’ve answered questions relating to Infotech, Philosophy, programming how-tos, databases, carnatic music, books, art, literature and  “homework-assignments disguised as questions”. Some highlights.

1. Database Design (1, 2)
2. Project Management( 1, 2, 3 , 4 , 5)
3. Neuroscience
4. Software Process
5. Programming Tools
6. Philosophy (1, 2)
7. Existence
8. Parallel worlds

Enjoy my pastime!

Innovation Track Records of foreign vs. India-based tech firms

Innovation Track Records of foreign vs. India-based tech firms.

1. IBM – The IBM 360/370, mainframe computers, mini-computers(AS/400), The Personal Computer, Ted Codd and the Relational Database Theory, programming languages like Fortran, PL/I and myriad others, The Compiler Discipline, the Backus-Naur form, Virtual Storage, Deep Blue, Watson and countless others.
2. Apple – The Apple II, The Macintosh, iPhone, etc.
3. Microsoft – Visual Basic, Internet Explorer, Office Suite, SQL Server, and so on.
4. Borland (Heard of it ?) – Turbo Pascal, Sidekick, Paradox, Software Lifecycle managers, Delphi and so on.
5. Digital Equipment – PDP-11, Vax/VMS, Ultrix etc
6. AT & T – Unix.
7. Sun – Java
8. Oracle – Databases
9. SAP – Enterprise Systems.
10. Google – Should I list ?
11. Nokia ?
12. Samsung ?
13. Commodore – Heard of it ?
14. Atari – ?
15. Sony – ?
16. Du Pont – ?

India:
1. Infosys – Finacle ?
2. Wipro – ?
3. TCS – ?
4. Biocon – ?
5. Ranbaxy – ?

Both in quantity and quality, it is the consistent difference between mountains and molehills. Why the difference ?

Because the education and entrepreneurship Eco-system in independent India was
1. Mug-and-vomit in exams.
2. Do Thy Karma, fight for Thy quota, and exploit Thy permit as licensed.
3. Practice victim-hood and live with rations.
4. Do not question teachers, seniors, bureaucrats, policemen or any other authority figures.
5. Divide against your own people, form identity-based groups.
6. Pull down anyone trying to get up, like the unfunny joke about the Indian crabs.
7. Grease and lubricate the rules and regulations system.

This was not due to our innate inferiority, but a fostered Nehruvian cultural policy. NRN realizes it, he is the product of the same culture.
His sense of inferiority in our society is correct, as seen from his track record. In fact, he worships the protestant work ethic and considers that to be the key to greatness. I agree with him, except that the creative part has nothing to do with a religious work ethic.

While in “phoren” countries, the systems foster and demand this – you better do something new and big. All the time.