2006 | ...The LuminaR...

Wii, A Wiision with Wiisdom..

Posted by Prashanth | Filed under Uncategorized

Ahh.. after reading so much about the Nintendo Wii on the web.. I just want to buy myself one.. or perhaps I just want the WiiMote and the Nunchuk controller that comes with the Nintendo Wii.. a seriously revolutionary way of controlling the games..

The Wii..

Allow me to present a video here to make my point clear..

[youtube="http://www.youtube.com/v/54Ky2Pg4w-Y"]

The Nintendo Wii isnt just a media centre.. but it is also a Physics Laboratory..

The Wii sports an accelerometer and motion sensors in its controller to add more life to the games than any other console before.. the Wii controls the game the way you move the controller physically. Must be real fun..

Another video that hit my head was.. the RoombaWii..

Roomba is a a robotic vacuum cleaner.. which a geek by the name Chris Hughes fingered in to control the robot with the Wii controller.. the video is blelow.. and if any of you lurkers are interested.. they can download the source file for the program from the link above..

[youtube="http://www.youtube.com/v/mj4lsNw3IG0"]

The developement of the PS3 or the XBOX360 was in my regard Evolutionary.. but the Nintendo Wii, even though lacking the power and frills of the former.. the gameplay however is Revolutionary..!!

Read more | Comments (1) | December 29th, 2006

COC Book Launch..

Posted by Prashanth | Filed under Uncategorized

Remember a few days ago.. I had written a post on Conspiracy of Calaspia.. an unreleased book which I got hold of..?? [If not, click here..]

A lady from the publishing house by the name Rajni Bahri.. found my post using a Google Alert system.. and commented on that leaving her Email.

She actually invited me to visit the book’s lauch on Dec. 19th.. and then I mailed her asking her for details.. and so the venue was Lodi Restuarant, Lodhi Garden at 6:30 sharp..

So punctual I was.. I went there and.. what happened there made me feel like.. “Blogging is the best thing I have ever done..!!”

So the launch ceremony started with the Publisher speaking some great words abt the book. Then he called in the chief guest.. Mrs. Shiela Dixit.. to speak a few words..

I never thought a book launch would be accompanied with Guests like her.. so the event started out with me standing at a distance of a few inches from the Guptara twin authors.. but still hesitating to speak to them..

Then the authors were on the stage.. answering a few FAQs.. asked by the host of the event.. Anjali..!!

The twins answered them in jestly manner that too in a great blend of Swiss, Britain and Indian accents.. One notable question was.. “How did you feel after being rejected by publishers so many times before actually getting the book printed..??”

Their answer was really memorable.. they said that they approached publishers since the age of 12 for the book.. but they were rejected so many times accross the span of nearly 5 yrs.. that the book has been now completely transformed with improvements.. They even thanked the publishers who rejected them and said this.. “If it wasnt for you.. our book wouldnt have been as good..”

And after that the audience were given a chance to ask them a few questions..

I raised my hand.. but someone else got hold of the mic before I did and asked the same question that I wanted to ask.. “How did the twins manage to write a book together… with different writing styles.. etc..?”

So I had to make up a question before they finished answering it.. and even listen to their answer.. I raised my hand next and asked.. “Why did you guys choose fantasy as ur genre even though topics like controversial mystery such as the Da Vinci Code are more popular and fast-on-the-racks these days..??”

They answered it.. I really felt happy as i thought it was a silly question.. and I may get an answer like one of those Sania-Sprite TV Commercials..!!

I got a very nice reply for that which made me very happy..!!

Then.. the part of the event for which I was waiting for.. the time to get my book autographed by the authors. So I jumped up at the stage just when even Ms. Shiela Dixit was going to get her book autographed.. and got it signed.. (whooppy.. )

And then Ms. Rajni Bahri came up to me and asked my name.. I said “Prashanth” (in a quizzical way as I didnt know who she was and I was actually looking for Ms. Rajni) and she said.. in an excited manner.. “Thanks a lot for coming, I was hoping to see you here.” Wow.. that felt great..
And then she called the twins.. “Come for a picture with this young man.. he was the one who wrote on his blog about the book..!!” The twins on hearing that said.. in sync “It was Youuuu”.. that felt godly..
I had a wonderful time there.. I would like to thank Ms. Rajni a lot for inviting me for a such an extraordinary event like this..

…..The thumbnails below can tell more abt this.. Anyways.. sorry for the blurry photos.. as I wasnt the only guy with a camera there.. the others were pushing me around. (Click on them for a full view..)

Read more | Comments (9) | December 20th, 2006

Code Wars 2006.. Soooo BIG..!!

Posted by Prashanth | Filed under Uncategorized

Ha.. a nice tagline for a seriously ‘mast’ event like this… I must say.. it was Big.. well not as big as the organisers’ head.. but still.. I loved it..!!

So before I tell more.. let me give the lesser computer enthu. visitors an introduction to the code warriors clan.. the others can just scroll down..

The Code Warriors.. (for dummies)

Code Warriors is an SDK developed by Metrowerks for C++ programming.. Other than that.. it also refers to the more famous computer clan of DPS Vasant Kunj..

The clan being one of the most brainy.. with a high geek population and more importantly treasured alumini.. just like the Dynamix.. but more in numbers..

Having made friends and acquaintances I was almost at home over there at the DPS VK premisis.

The School.. the Event..

What can I say about the school.. it was one of those love-at-first-sight affairs for me..!!

The School is simply beautiful.. really good.. and as the tagline says.. SOOO BIG.. awesome.. check the bird’s eye view below..

With so much of horticultural work done there.. even Mughal Gardens behind the President’s place would be envious.. (well.. that just went too high..!!)

The place looked great.. it looked ALIVE.. thats the best word I can think of about that school. Thats all.. I can say abt the school.

[Just because the school has got praises from a person of an extremely high intellectual regard.. it doesnt mean that you readers go and join there.. after all spare a seat for me atleast.. ]

DX has some history with the Code Wars.. we were the overall winners for the Code Wars 2005.. thanx to our really Dynamic Alumini. So the ‘leftovers’ of DX went this time in the year 2006 to give their best shot.

DAY I..

Started off with the registrations.. we distributed our group after we reached there..

So I decided to go for the Quiz.. the Crossword (C/W).. the n-Crypton..

The event started off for me with n–Crypton.. as you must have decrypted this from the name.. that it was an encryption-de-encryption event.. the skills you need.. just pure cerebral material.. the Gray one..!!

The questions were amazing.. although it took us more than half of the event time alloted to actually understand what we were supposed to do there..

It was Sanchit and me.. with a sudden tubelight on, we got 3 answers..

Before we really did that.. we tried out the NTSE’s standard decrypting techniques only to find the moderators giggling inside.. so the result.. not worth mentioning.. but as soon as we submitted it.. we had all the answers getting solved in our minds almost involuntarily.. like the NSA’s TransLTR..!! Bad.. we wanted some more time.. and speaking of time.. the time alloted was 42 mins.. ufff.. H2G2 fans you know..!!

Then came the C/W.. in one word.. the best..!!

Hahahahaha.. our performance in the C/W was a complete oxymoron of what we did in the n-Crypton.. I cant believe.. our brains just worked.. not so well.. as we answered 11 out of 21 questions..!!

We thought it wont be a high score.. but it turned out to be the high’est’ score..!! Hehehe..

Big Big Big kudos to the one who made the C/W.. a friend of mine Mr. Ankur Banerjee.. the C/W was real fun to solve.. and the answers we didnt get were.. ‘Oh.. I knew this.. we could have worked this out’ kind of answers..!!

Although the questions appeared slightely tough.. they were infact quite workable even by a non-techie to some extent.. but the maker made it such that it was a challenge to even the best geeks who put their foot in there.

We had refreshments then.. and I couldn’t believe.. that DPS can give Patties.. Muffins.. and a Tropicana Juice pack.. that too with sauce from a really bad company called PAN.. (why not maggi or heinz?) I am not complaining.. but I really expected a Slice of Italy Pizza..
After having that and my Gobi ka Parantha that I took from home.. We gave the quiz prelims..

My goodness.. was it tough or what..?? We got just 5 correct answers.. and then the rest of the paper was filled with funny answers.. we did that in abt 20 mins.. after which the invigilator who did everything but stop others from cheating… didnt allow us to leave.. she said stay for another 5-10 mins.. (I had my Web-D partner waiting for me there..) So we had no option but to play tic-tac-toe.. while Sanchit and me were at it.. Uma was ROFL..!!

Then I atlast managed to go out.. and enter the Web-D venue.. and let me tell you guys.. once again.. I fell in love with DPSVK..

The computers.. so responsive.. so quick.. just amazing.. Just one problem.. they shortened the web-d time by about an hour due to some ‘unspecified’ reasons..!!

We enjoyed the web-d and it was a great incentive for us to open softwares such as Fireworks.. Dreamweaver and actually learn how to use it.. The topic was to make a Bond (James Bond) Promotional Website..!!

The Results of this day..

Quiz - Qualified..(how the hëll..??)
C/W - Obviously qualified..
GD - Qualified to the finals but didnt give in a podium finish..
DI - Not much luck..
Web-D - no luck at all…

DAY II

This was fun.. I must say..

[Before i forget.. let me tell you abt the event called as the Techathlon, which is a team based event. In this you would be given or you need to find urself clues whever u participate in any event.. after you get that, you need to answer the questions there on the PC kept in the Mini Audi (a really cozy place in DPSVK) using the clues found.]

So first was the C/W finals.. and it was good.. nice and easy.. all workable.. there wasnt a single answer I didnt know abt.. the answers just didnt hit my head there at the right time..

It was great fun answering many questions and opening my ‘podium finishes’ account.. yes I did win in this.. I did come third..!!

The Crossword was really good.. ultra huge kudos to DC and EE.. (thats how CW members like to address them).. We had loads of fun solving a perfect blend of cyptisicy and simplicity in the clues.. and the clues were filled to the brim with anagrams.. really brainy work done by the makers..!!

There was a really tricky question which I would like to mention here.. the clue was.. “The aNswEr was/is/will be 42.” So i answered (read shouted) 42 based on the clue which fit there correctly.. Uma says.. no no.. that isnt the answer and we passed that question to DPS RKP.. and they said.. ‘Forty Two’ and got their (apparantly our) 10 points…

But Uma and Me were just great on the stage over there.. (just for the C/W that is)..

Ahh.. that was really irritating.. and DPS RKP team I.. dont pass for the answers which they didnt know.. they answer it by somehow relating it to Mr. Shivender P. Singh.. (who the hëll is this..??) Each time they did that.. I was LMAO!

Then came the quiz finals.. before which we got a really small microscopic sized Pizzas.. that too when we were so hungry.. (C/Ws are processor intensive) and a tropicana pack.. once again. (Though it was better than our school’s refreshments)

The quiz finals was tough.. really tough..

One notable question was.. How is Kenji Urada famous..??

A guy from DPS RKP said.. He was Shivender P. Singh’s best friend..!!

My goodness… they brought that guy in wherever possible… and throughout the quiz I either said pass.. or I was ROFL. Thats all.. no more details abt this..

After our unsatisfactory performance.. the Code Warriors had a surprise lunch for us.. As I have heard from the DPSites that the hostel food is just edible.. I was hesitating before I actually served something on my plate..

But then I said.. I am hungry.. anything would taste good..

And so it did.. it wasnt bad at all.. we had Pulao.. Raitha, Poori, Aloo, Rajma/Channa, and some desert with Salad. It was quite filling and since it was a buffet.. unlimited servings..!! Nice..!!

So ended our small bond with DPSVK.. with the results..