काला अक्षर भैंस बराबर!!!

Long before the advent of digital and printing technology, paper used to be an expensive commodity. Reserved only for select few - recording philosophy and religion, and  the truths and legends of history. And the actual process of writing words was no less than an art - taking its sweet time and efforts. Gutenberg came along and invented a method of easily 'mass production' of written word - history was never the same again. The proliferation of knowledge that happened after, was one of the turning points of mankind.

But, there still was a divide - haves and have not’s situation... for many, written word was still "kala akshar bhains barabar" (the title of this post)! And there were some deviant minds, which misused this great invention also... Spreading lies and deceit!!

Times have changed, so has the notion of knowledge. Written word is now digitized. At the click of a button you have access to knowledge of thousands of years... Not just that, but also views and opinions and news on real-time, global basis...

Thus, technology can be a great enabler. But, even the best of tools can do no good, if you can't use them! And use them wisely!

Many of the readers of this editorial would be familiar with the difference between machine and machine-tool. If not, let me explain... Machine is any man-made device which reduces human effort, while machine-tool is something which is used to make machines. A machine cannot make another machine, whereas machine-tool can make another machine-tool. Similar to this, every new development that happens, makes use of a huge number of preceding technological iterations. Some technologies provide the means and ends, while others lay foundations of future technologies, yet to come.

There are many techno-geek jokes popular amongst engineers. "If automotive technology advanced at the rate of IT, a Rolls Royce would have cost few pennies!". "How would a computer engineer fix a broke car - he would shut down Windows and restart it!".

Few centuries ago, even flying was a dream or a wild fantasy, no less than a joke. Now, it's not only a norm, but considered to be one of the fastest and safest mode of transportation! Not without its fair share of mishaps. Self-driven autonomous cars are already here... So are drones... Space travel for masses... Almost all of us have in our pockets a device, (which could be used to broadcast or receive information), with better computing power and graphics unimaginable, super-expensive even for scientists few decades back... And many other ideas and inventions waiting to happen. But does technology really drive this innovation?? May be not! But, it's absence surely retards the progress!!

With these enabling-tools at our hand, rather fingertips, we shouldn't restrict our horizons of innovation. We need to dream big. Dreams that take away our sleep. Float crazy ideas which people may laugh at - but don't stop there, make them work. Stay foolish, stay hungry!

Came across this response in the latest AMA session of Bill Gates… an interesting point in line with current post…

Is Life an Equation?

How nice it would have been if biological evolution, morality, ethics and human relations were governed by equations. Equations like the ones governing laws of physics and marvels of engineering.

While few mortals are worried about who said what and why, and why me ... others spend sleepless nights wondering what is happening to world and humanity ...

Why is life so mysteriously difficult to comprehend??

Al said it long ago, "Any stupid can make things complex, it takes a real genius to simplify things". I feel and wish, I could simplify the complexities surrounding me, at the very least, if not the complexities around the world! But I confess being driven to stupidity every now and then, either willfully or forcefully!

That's the beauty of life, I guess. Wish I had the wisdom to appreciate it in a better way... with some simple equation ... but life is never fair, the two sides of the equation are never equal! To find the correlation is even more difficult!!

So it continues ... the journey of exploring the mysterious equations... from unknown to the known!!! Some day perhaps I would understand...

Link to similar posts 

Why I love Android?

To be written when I have some free time :)... 
Been long long since i wanted to write about this topic....
This post has been overdue for long time now. Finally!!!

My Android-love has... kind of... subsided and so has my Apple-hatred. Not that these things are no longer interest me, but have kind of realized that there are many more things to life, than just technology. Yes, of course - in Steve's own words - I still want to make my dent in universe. But, I'm equally convinced, that malaria won't go away by looking into the sky and hoping that balloon enabled internet/wi-fi would get its medication.

While technology can be an great enabler of solutions, it requires a human genius to put it to proper, good use. And a marketing genius to earn humongous profits out of it. To think of beyond profits and enable masses to use and play around with it, goes beyond technical/marketing genius. And after being there and having done that, if someone turns towards philanthropy, we're talking of a different level all together! That's a story for another day...