Just published this on PGPX blog....
As I strolled today evening out from the tunnel to the old campus, flock after flock of birds returned back to the trees. After a day's hard work, they were back to their safe places. The noises, the shaking of trees, the falling of dried leaves continued for a while. As dusk changed into night and the various shades of orange in the sky changed to the cool night....the birds quietened. Just a chirp here and there was heard.
I came back from the stroll, to my room. As a habit, I turned on my laptop, turned on the browser and the homepage came up. Log in and check....no new mail! I checked the internet connection...thats ok. I refreshed the page again hoping it was a cached page. Nope...no new mail.
The birds of PGPX3 had quietened down. There were less than 10 mails in the day. Some of us(including me) were trying to send mails from the first term hoping to see some new conversation on the cyber-lobby of PGPX...
The birds were preparing for the flight home.Some had already flown. I suddenly felt choked.
After a rocking party yesterday night, it was difficult to suddenly swallow the fact that we all will move now. A year full of cases, readings, CP, arguments, business games and unbreakable bonds between such wonderful people and families.
This one year has a special place in our hearts and I know all of us are now unsure about coping with this sudden dislocation from our dear CR11 class.
The birds' nests have moved. Memories linger on...
- Siddharth
Mar 15, 2009
Mar 3, 2009
Subprime Crisis simplified
Check this 11 min tutorial to get the basics on Credit Crisis right. It is simplified, explained lucidly and excellent!
http://crisisofcredit.com/
Rgds,
Sid
http://crisisofcredit.com/
Rgds,
Sid
Feb 20, 2009
Mobile Money Transfer(MMT) - Issues and Opportunities
Mobile Money Transfer or payment using mobiles is an application that is being considered to be the new giant step after the ATM wave in the past 2 decades or so.
Mobiles outnumber ATMs and therefore present a great opportunity for consumers, banking and telecom industry to create a completely new business model for last mile in access to money.
I completely agree with the viability of the model. What worries me is the threat, especially in countries like India. Consider this,
1. In India, a paradoxical thing is happening - both high growth rate of mobile subscribers and high churn rate is concurrently happening. What it means is that subscribers do not bother too much about changing the service providers. Number portability is not widely used, implying that these subscribers change there numbers.
2. Also, a lot of people are not yet sensitized about the usage of passwords. They do not worry too much about telling their PINs. By the way, this includes a certain part of educated people.
I see this as a security issue in using MMT.
Scenario a. Someone changes his/her number and/or service provider but does not update that information at the bank. Who covers for the possible loss? Insurance companies can bring out a product for this part. But we still don't have those actuarial tables for such technologies. I would say, still under hypotheses.
Scenario b. Handset is changed. The problem is much lesser here, yet the handset memory may have sensitive data that can be accessed. One can say that this problem still exists. The difference here is that mobile is primarily for talking, when a malfunction occurs, people are more inclined to get it replaced quickly. I see a problem even when folks go and get handsets repaired at unauthorized places. I dont mean to malign anyone, but if something wrong happens, who will be held responsible?
I can list down few more, but let me jump to the possible solution. Some of these are probably already being discussed.
1. Regulation - Banking and Telecom both should apply.
2. Technology - We have technology that allows only genuine callers with enough credit to make calls. Same logic to be applied here.
3. Customer Education - Problems like loss of handset need to be protected as well. Banks and Telecom Service providers need to educate their subscribers a LOT MORE when they offer this service. And these should not be 15 page "handbooks" sent in mass mail. Probably workshops or easy to read pamphlets is the way to go.
Pooling of statistics on fraud by all vendors should also be mandated by the regulatory authorities. That will reduce experimentation and improve quality of post-facto root cause analysis.
Thanks,
Siddharth
P.S. - MWC/GSMA link on MMT http://www.gsmworld.com/newsroom/press-releases/2009/2560.htm
Mobiles outnumber ATMs and therefore present a great opportunity for consumers, banking and telecom industry to create a completely new business model for last mile in access to money.
I completely agree with the viability of the model. What worries me is the threat, especially in countries like India. Consider this,
1. In India, a paradoxical thing is happening - both high growth rate of mobile subscribers and high churn rate is concurrently happening. What it means is that subscribers do not bother too much about changing the service providers. Number portability is not widely used, implying that these subscribers change there numbers.
2. Also, a lot of people are not yet sensitized about the usage of passwords. They do not worry too much about telling their PINs. By the way, this includes a certain part of educated people.
I see this as a security issue in using MMT.
Scenario a. Someone changes his/her number and/or service provider but does not update that information at the bank. Who covers for the possible loss? Insurance companies can bring out a product for this part. But we still don't have those actuarial tables for such technologies. I would say, still under hypotheses.
Scenario b. Handset is changed. The problem is much lesser here, yet the handset memory may have sensitive data that can be accessed. One can say that this problem still exists. The difference here is that mobile is primarily for talking, when a malfunction occurs, people are more inclined to get it replaced quickly. I see a problem even when folks go and get handsets repaired at unauthorized places. I dont mean to malign anyone, but if something wrong happens, who will be held responsible?
I can list down few more, but let me jump to the possible solution. Some of these are probably already being discussed.
1. Regulation - Banking and Telecom both should apply.
2. Technology - We have technology that allows only genuine callers with enough credit to make calls. Same logic to be applied here.
3. Customer Education - Problems like loss of handset need to be protected as well. Banks and Telecom Service providers need to educate their subscribers a LOT MORE when they offer this service. And these should not be 15 page "handbooks" sent in mass mail. Probably workshops or easy to read pamphlets is the way to go.
Pooling of statistics on fraud by all vendors should also be mandated by the regulatory authorities. That will reduce experimentation and improve quality of post-facto root cause analysis.
Thanks,
Siddharth
P.S. - MWC/GSMA link on MMT http://www.gsmworld.com/newsroom/press-releases/2009/2560.htm
Feb 18, 2009
Good News for mobile customers
Very good piece of news for mobile customers. All manufacturers of handsets have agreed to standardize the charging socket. That is excellent.
The consensus happened at the Mobile World Congress some time ago!
In fact, I have been asked many times by people, why do phone companies do this? There was a lot of merit in the argument for standardization. I guess the only reason this took some time was because the industry is so young. It takes time for such things to happen. Many times, an incumbent in position of strength is not willing to let go. Other times, the companies are simply not talking to each other. Forum's like the MWC are helpful in such case.
I am sure it took longer to standardize usual electrical wall sockets. In fact, even today in India the usual 5 Amp socket comes in 3-4 sizes. Either the width between L-N holes is too small and your cannot plug the pins in OR the diameter of the socket is so large that the pin just falls off...
With mobile phone makers being limited, at least we can be assured that customers don't have to put up with such nonsense.
Here's the link if you want to read more.
Regards,
Siddharth
The consensus happened at the Mobile World Congress some time ago!
In fact, I have been asked many times by people, why do phone companies do this? There was a lot of merit in the argument for standardization. I guess the only reason this took some time was because the industry is so young. It takes time for such things to happen. Many times, an incumbent in position of strength is not willing to let go. Other times, the companies are simply not talking to each other. Forum's like the MWC are helpful in such case.
I am sure it took longer to standardize usual electrical wall sockets. In fact, even today in India the usual 5 Amp socket comes in 3-4 sizes. Either the width between L-N holes is too small and your cannot plug the pins in OR the diameter of the socket is so large that the pin just falls off...
With mobile phone makers being limited, at least we can be assured that customers don't have to put up with such nonsense.
Here's the link if you want to read more.
Regards,
Siddharth
Feb 15, 2009
What a Catch!!! Voges turns it around for Australia in 20-20
You had to see it to believe it!
Setting - New Zealand need 20 runs in 2 overs with McCullum and Elliott on pitch.
19th over, First ball, Hilfenhaus bowls a decent ball and McCullum hits it towards long on boundary. There is Adam Voges at long on with arms high.
He backs up and catches it and the momentum takes him back a bit....HE IS GOING TO CROSS THE BOUNDARY LINE. Is it a six or will he save 4 runs by throwing it in and allow only a couple that are run by the batsmen?
He flings the ball back into ground and goes out of boundary. Now, he has flung the ball high and slow enough. Voges in that 1/20th of a second was already planning to catch it back!
He tries to move in, trips...all elements of thriller. Crawls on knees and CATCHES IT BACK!
Can you believe it! What does Voges have for breakfast?!!! That was some awesome thinking. Too good.
10 balls later, it is 2 balls and 11 runs to tie....The other McCullum hits a 4 and a 6 and Australia win by 1 run.
Adam Voges won the game with that stunning catch. Awesome cricket. Thank God I switched on TV in time!
- Siddharth
UPDATE 1 - Catch the video here - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videoshow/4132669.cms
Setting - New Zealand need 20 runs in 2 overs with McCullum and Elliott on pitch.
19th over, First ball, Hilfenhaus bowls a decent ball and McCullum hits it towards long on boundary. There is Adam Voges at long on with arms high.
He backs up and catches it and the momentum takes him back a bit....HE IS GOING TO CROSS THE BOUNDARY LINE. Is it a six or will he save 4 runs by throwing it in and allow only a couple that are run by the batsmen?
He flings the ball back into ground and goes out of boundary. Now, he has flung the ball high and slow enough. Voges in that 1/20th of a second was already planning to catch it back!
He tries to move in, trips...all elements of thriller. Crawls on knees and CATCHES IT BACK!
Can you believe it! What does Voges have for breakfast?!!! That was some awesome thinking. Too good.
10 balls later, it is 2 balls and 11 runs to tie....The other McCullum hits a 4 and a 6 and Australia win by 1 run.
Adam Voges won the game with that stunning catch. Awesome cricket. Thank God I switched on TV in time!
- Siddharth
UPDATE 1 - Catch the video here - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videoshow/4132669.cms
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