The Right to Stupidity
I wonder why we can’t make Cigarettes, Bidis, and Ghutka illegal. A little Googling reveals that the government does not have the guts to do so:
- The Indian government considers Tobacco as a legal, agricultural product.
- Cigarettes contribute nearly 10 per cent of total excise to the exchequer. [Link]
- The Indian government has invested 33% in equity holdings of India’s main tobacco companies. [Link]
- Tobacco industry gets every type of subsidy from A to Z and from Z to A — agriculture, seeds, transport, water, electricity, the works. The total estimates have never been calculated.[ Link]
- ITC alone employs more than 20,000 people. So, if we made Cigarettes illegal, thousands of people will lose their livelihood. The government obviously does not want to get into this issue.
- Other than that, the bulk of India’s domestic
Chrome Issues and Defects
You must have read enough about Google Chrome so I am not going to humor you with the basics.
Upload Images feature does not work in Blogger.
I tried twice but failed. I use a custom domain and not blogspot (that is obvious, I know). Are the above really issues or is it just me? Let me know.
P.S. No RSS auto-detection? I thought this was 2008!
Recommended Books on Usability
write to me: sumank [at] gmail [dot] com
Dear Adobe
Product/Program managers come up with a million reasons why they could not go to users while building the product. I have heard some really stupid reasons from Project Managers: “We don’t have the time. We want to ship on the so-and-so date!” is the classic refrain. Most product managers are still stuck in the stone age of software design: the 90s. They refuse to budge and the result is, well, predictable. Products that irritate users. Stupid products. And, and, and, your competition gets amazing publicity: One of the users of Dear Adobe site wrote:
Try to beat FoxIt Reader for size and load time. Go ahead and try.
Dear Adobe lists gripes against Adobe products. It makes for some fun reading but it also sends an ominous signal to Adobe. Listen to users or perish.
Comics and Technical Communication
As always Google breaks away and uses a comic strip to do a launch-promo for its – hold your breath – web browser! Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to Chrome.
Maybe, just maybe, comics can be used for Quick Start Guides? Place Mats?
Write to me: Sumank[at]gmail[dot]com
The Great Himalayan Bird Count 2008
Prateek posted this on the BNG Birds Yahoo Mailing List. If you are a birder, you wouldn’t want to miss this:
The Great Himalayan Bird Count, Winter of 2008 is planned on the most popular trekking trails situated in the valleys of Yamuna; Bhagirithi; Bhilingna; Ganga; Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers in Garhwal.
- The Bird Count Dates are: 14th to 17th of November, 2008
- The bird count will start and finish at Dehradun
- We propose 15 Groups undertaking 34 different treks of +/- 10 kms each between 14th and 17th November 2008 (Each Group size will be a maximum of five birders plus 2-3 urban school students) local village youths and govt. school students will join the trails at thecount destinations itself.
- We are involving young school children because we at ARCH feel that young minds More...
Oriental Magpie Robin
When the Universe Unfolds…
The universe works in weird ways. The markets are looking up. We won a Gold in Olympics. That’s fucking historic. You know? The medal I mean. The markets were buoyant because of the medal? I would love to think so but I know not many would like to believe me. But, I believe this day is a turnaround day for the country my fellow citizens. Drink a 90. Celebrate. Savor the moment.
P.S. Abhinav Bhindra is very, very cool. I love his unruffled, cool demeanor. God, man! he made it look like he got his monthly haircut and was walking out bored! Hats off sir!
