ASAP… EOD… FYI… FYA

These are some very commonly used words in memo messages and emails, and practically these work as a lubricant in the software industry. All the day to day crisis must be dealt ASAP and till EOD. All the memos which need to be circulated for the good of no one are marked FYA or FYI.

As soon as you get to enter the office and check your mails, there is always a ASAP mail waiting to pounce on you. Now what exactly is ASAP ? -- As soon as possible.

But lets see it this way, try saying out “as soon as possible” it sounds docile, almost like -- “Hey, Whenever you get a chance”. But when it’s “ASAP” it sounds hostile, almost unreasonable, like “Better be it possible sooner”. And when some people try it like this -- “A-S-A-P” it is obnoxious.

The same is true with FYI, every time I see or hear it, my mind goes: “Sorry, but I don’t really think your words are that informative, so don’t FYI me!”

And just run your thoughts and ask yourself when was the last time anyone worked for a client when it wasn’t urgent, in their eyes at least. There was once I had received a defect where this client of mine mentioned the details with a post script saying “Get it done Super ASAP”. And now what is that???

Just think over it, ever noticed when people saying “Can you do this as soon as possible?” The logical the answer would be “No.”

I think the best interpretation to “ASAP” is “As Simple As Possible”. Or if we want to really use it then it can be “as soon as humanly possible”, probably because the urgency is indeed lost otherwise.

The only constant is change

All of us in the software industry are very aware of this concept, we live and breathe it.

The software business has got to be one of the most dynamic of careers, and I say that with the utmost of pride and contempt. All the technology changing like a roller coaster and all of us trying to run with it. Especially due to the super competitive environment, its all what is required to let this industry grow.

There are times that people successfully are able to really ace the technology only to find that the industry has moved on and the technology has changed considerably or the problem set itself has changed. Software developers have a rather daunting task keeping up with all of the technologies that they are supposed to be using.

When I had joined this job, and on the orientation day I was told that they look for “Life long learners”. I used to wonder do I really need to sit and study all over again even after having a difficult time at college, and yes it was true, learning here never stops. There is not a single day that I walk out of office without learning something new. And this is the only thing which is making me tolerate this kind of work.

Anyways lucky to be, I am working in a technology which hasn’t changed since in about 30 years. Its not that there is nothing to learn, there is, a lot of it. Vision plus or as in mainframes is an ocean of knowledge and no one can master it. It is just that I am a small fish in this huge ocean, and surely this being a challenge to dog paddle in these vague waters, it somehow feels good to learn something for real for the first time in my life.

Not the one who has been or can be a technical person for long while, am just waiting for the right time to let see where the waves take me.

And yes one thing that I am sure, that here or not – one this that is not going to stop is learning. As the only constant is change.

Quote Unquote

"The only constant is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be."
— Isaac Asimov

Monthly Recap

Long time that I had posted here, just all so busy with work.

So lets see what all did we miss here:

- Hyderabad Bridge is falling down: Very strange to see an engineering debacle in the age where at the same time elsewhere in the world we have engineers aiming the sky.

- More traffic jams: More diversions, worse roads and shortage of traffic controllers.

- A Twenty20 wonder: The country danced, sang and applauded together for our Men in Blue when they hit the world for a six.

- Match made in heaven: Indo-Pak Cricket match and that too a T20 Final. What else can you ask for? And then India taking the cup – wow!!!

-More N More work: It’s been a long while that I was able to come home when the sun was still out, just a parameter of how hectic my work is getting to. And again the same question still remains “What am I getting onto with this??”

Well yes that’s it; I guess nothing much more has happened actually.