Bhooshan Pandya | Interface & Usability Analyst

I confess that I’ve not come across a superb piece of art called ‘Watchmen’ before. Unlike the west, comics aren’t keenly followed or marketed to a bigger audience in this part of the country. But here’s the thing – it’s usually the artwork that encourages me to buy a comic-book.

The movie version of this comic book was released last year but it’s a misplaced judgment to think that I picked the comic book ONLY for this reason. The artwork of ‘Watchmen’ – colouring, penciling, compositions grabbed my attention, Dave Gibbons has done them so wonderfully. Also all the 12 issues published by DC Comics in a single volume makes it a collector’s item!

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After months of speculation and extreme lethargy, I am finally out with my website. I had been ‘out of business’ since last year when I lost my motivation to write following numerous changes around in my personal life. I decided the only way to get back to good writing was to launch my 5 year old website with a new design.

I did not set out with a firm expectation on what the design should be or how it should “feel”. Before I finalised the current website I had trashed atleast 3 designs because I was not satisfied with the output. Either it was too colourful or murky or it looked very dull. What was my user going to think about me? it was a question that consistently flashed across my mind. So I stepped into the user’s shoes and began thinking critically. The end-result was a minimalist design that goes against all norms of “good” web design which we have come to admire in this so-called ‘Web 2.0′ world. My aim was to reduce the “noise” while providing the right “signals” to the information seeker. I wanted the visual design element to be invisible such that the likelihood of getting influenced by graphics, colours, etc. and being dragged away from the content I wanted to be consumed was reduced. And so here is that website that begs your utmost love, care and affection.

A few things must be said before leaving this website in the good hands. It’s still in a work-in-progress state so expect a few dead links, a few glitches here and there. Most importantly I am eager to know your views on the overall experience so do not hesitate to leave your comments behind. Happy surfing!

I was virtually stunned by this. Being a Windows user all my life I was so sure Mac would have this useful feature but it did not – the rename files feature has long been implemented on Windows. It works like this.

When you move a file that’s going to be duplicated, Windows system asks you if you want to Rename it or let Windows give it a default name — in which case it adds an ‘_numeric’ to it.

Mac does have this auto-rename feature but only for its Downloads. For instance you downloaded a file using the Safari browser, it defaults the name to ‘_numeric’ if a duplicate file is found. That is a boon because users download a whole lot of stuff and don’t want to be bugged by dialog boxes asking for renaming/replacements or whatever.

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Just as there are moments of great achievements in career like a promotion, getting a mac would undoubtedly rank among the higher for me – no less a promotion from a Windows system for me. The journey from knowing a Mac to owning one has been 13 years long. From my first computer lessons on a PowerMac in 1996 to getting a Macbook Pro in 2009. And the moments leading to my first Mac just made it more memorable for me.

FedEx would have delivered the package on March 23rd if Mount Redoubt had not erupted ‘untimely’. All FedEx flights were diverted and the package took a week more than usual for delivery. It was a situation beyond anyone’s control but I was getting impatient. Finally the good news from FedEx that the package had arrived in Regina early morning and was going to be delivered today. No way I was going to miss the delivery schedule (and wait another day). I requested the executive to let me know an hour before the delivery van was at my doorstep so I could go home and she agreed.

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Moving away from Mumbai where I was born and bred was never going to be easy. However It was an exciting idea to battle out in sub-zero temperatures trying to survive under odd circumstances. And Regina or ‘Ra-gy-na’ like the people call it here has given me plenty of reasons to smile.
 
To start with Regina is the capital of of Saskatchewan, a province of Canada. The temperature in this prairie country could be freezing under -40C in the peak season. However when I landed it was -5C and considered pleasant by local standards. Rest assured nothing could prepare you for this climate, not even the warm clothes that were bought off the shelves of the Indian supermarkets as I found out later. I had to bring a Westbeach coat that provided the comfort I was looking for.

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