Google Plus Vs Facebook

When i come down and try to answer this question, I am invariably lost in thought about business model. Google is a data hungry model, which feeds, thrives and survives on data. User data. It all started with Google search engine which crawls through search to make it better.
Then came ORKUT, which did good , and integrated with google made it best thing. Then came facebook and swept the world. People started finding classmates, teachers , long lost friends and even parents of the late. People got into applications, and likes and then came chat. Now its video chat.

In the meantime, linkedIn and twitter came, but FB still kept its place. Google started its small piece of effort. Google Wave ... it waved off without any ripples. Then came Buzz , it still is an extra piece of noise in my gmail account. I hardly use it , but it keeps on adding to distraction. Well to the point, if Google Plus as of now is good.

As compared to facebook ,it has google chat in it. Like it . Not for long. If you enable it, and you have a gtalk / gmail chat running, then u will hear ping sounds more often. It has groups but not apps. One day u want to share a piece of news with a group, u post it for them. But if you think there is someone else who would be interested in that news, either you have to add him/ her up your group or let it go to all. Reposting and long procedures.

Video chat will take a long time, and there is no feature as group chat as in facebook. There are circles but they are not grouped. If you have an interest based group, then you can post them but not talk to them as in facebook.
The apps in google are not added, and even when they will be , i dont think it will be as wide as in FB. Facebook is used by millions today, and it does not require you to have a gmail account or a facebook account. It gives u a facebook account when u join. Will google plus give you that.
The idea for google plus would be a downturn since it will go to an already established network with very less features.

Now for instance , if I ask you today to delete your facebook account and start using google plus, would you do that if all your good friends are not on google plus.
Honest scare for those people who think a particular person will not add him/her up again will not do it.

As I finish , I will tell you one thing. Adding a person to your friend circle who have not joined google plus will not send them an invitation. Add a person to the circle, create a post and send them email. When the person receives email, he /she opens the post and joins the Google+


G+ ... plus facebook ?

New social network on cards. Second attempt by google (after orkut). Will they integrate Orkut with Google+, that would save me a lot of time to get up and working, and lot of my lost friends back in my circle.

I have used G+ for a few days now, and here it goes, over Facebook:

Chat : GTalk , google chat have been longer than facebook, but still obsolete. There are circles , but no way to chat to people in one circle. I can not be invisible for one particular group in G+.
On other hand, grouping in FB is very logical. It lets me select who all groups see me online , and offline. Then , the groups now have a chat feature ( just like yahoo rooms). So a group with 100 people have 100 people chatting at same time, discussing and feel like in a group. The admins having power to deny chatting rights to people.

Well , while Google takes it sweet years to get the feature in place, does it realize it will have to let commercial people make good money out of it. Let ads come, paid apps and free apps. A thing which will be soon in there, but then there will be ads all over the place. Is google trying to get the apps in place is another question. How will it hook to the framework.

If there ever are groups on G+ , and end user has common friends from 5 different groups, how will that be handled. This can always be nullified saying "we wont have groups (or communities as per Orkut). Can they survive without it.

Since its google product, the crawlers will now be going through Google Plus more than they do to FB, will it not affect the search results. Google Plus feature , which is like "Like" feature of FB, but definitely of some higher value, what is the value.

Is there something other than circles of life G+ has to offer over FB , something which a FB person can't do.

Ignorance is Bliss....

I have observed two classes of people use this dictum frequently.

1. Class who are really ignorant
2. Class who call themselves 'intellectuals'

The former group of people comprise of illiterate people, the oppressed, children, who don’t enjoy the privilege to learn, forced by the circumstances in which they exist. They live in a world of their own. They Work hard during the day and wash away their worries with a goodnight's sleep. Global warming, Terrorism, War, etc don’t distress them. They are ignorant and they enjoy the bliss of not knowing.

The latter group of people claim themselves as 'intellectuals'. They believe in what they think strongly. Refrain from arguments, obstinate about their ideas and bawling out at other's ideas. They are continuously engaged in the process of understanding the truth within themselves. When questioned why they don’t use their knowledge for the up liftment of society, they say 'ignorance is bliss'. They are ignorant and they enjoy the bliss of knowing.

Note: All intellectuals are not ignorant.

To love one's self....

As a stippling I had chosen my idols in life like any one else did. They were people who are enterprising, rebellious and who lived to fulfill all their dreams. And not one un-fulfilled dream remained. I was inspired by their lives. I read their autobiographies. And I realized that all of them were rebels and had never given up on their dreams. I wanted to be them. It was then that I drafted a logic in life. To do complete justice to myself and my feelings. I began to conceive that only if I did justice to my dreams can I do justice to my family and friends. This thought was overpowering. And I began to pursue my dreams. I loved myself. I never sacrificed for the sake of others. I wouldn’t let anyone hurt my sentiments. I loved and worshipped myself to an extent that I never classified my desires as good and bad.

If I think ‘this’ it has to be good.
If I think ‘this’ is good, then I should ‘get’ it.
If I get what I want, then justice is done.

That was the logic I invented to keep myself inspiring for more. I had become pertinacious about the use of this logic. I wont deny my joys in life during that age but I will not accept I was without pain. My definition of love is an experience of bliss. And I knew I hadn’t loved myself. Looking back I don’t think I had done justice to others life around me. I was busy keeping myself happy. I was not contended with my logic. My logic seemed glazed, appeared rather dull and was matchless to my definition of love.

Very recently a realization came upon me in a frisson. It had a more profound meaning.

To love ourself, doesn’t mean fulfilling every random thought that crossed our mind. Self control is a greater virtue than justice. Refraining from adopting all thoughts was self control to me. Self control leads to pure thoughts and pure thoughts to joy.

What's good? What's bad?

A simple incident in a science class in my eighth class created such an impact that I haven't forgotten it till now. It was a debate that no one would have given much thought before - What's good and what's bad? The topic was briefly introduced to us and we began to contemplate in our own little ways. A number of questions rang in my head. 'Is everything we are being taught by our teachers good? Is 'good' limited to what we learn or think? Can we find 'good' really in the world? If they say I am bad, do i really become bad? If I think this is good for me then does it really become good for me?' Being lost in a web of questions sometimes takes you away from the present. Thats when some people are accused as dreamers. And I too have been a victim of such accusations.

A loud strong voice shook me and I got entangled from my question web. A boy had begun answering the question of the day. What's good and What's bad? He simply said ' If a musicain finds a fallen tree, he will think of making a flute out of the wood. That is good. If a criminal see's a fallen tree, he will think of making a gun out of it. That is bad. Good is always better than bad '

All of us gave him our un-divided attention. The stillness of the moment must have made the strong impact. I shall never forget that some things can be told in such a simple manner that no grandeur shall be required to glorify it. Truth when spoken is always like that.

Mind and matter

To classify people under various groups has always been my favourite pastime. I allot people to different categories based on a number of facts and observations. Judging people is always decisive. And the practice of this law regularly has now become a habit. Of course there is no single litmus test and only practice can make one perfect in this interesting game.

Every one of us has apprehensions regarding meeting new people. I categorize people based on Height (short / tall), Weight (thin\fat), appearance (handsome /beautiful /ugly /pretty/cute/smart/pretenders), clothes (clean/dirty), etiquette (courteous/rude), and choice of words (smart/dumb/talkative/silent), perfume (manly/feminine/rough/dirty), zodiac signs, and lineage (rich/poor/wannabe rich). The list continues. And to this new list I would like to add one more basis of classification. Based on the state of matter – as solids, liquids and gases. Eyebrow rising will not help. And I definitely remember our bodies don’t flow like rivers or envelop whole the room when we walk in. But our minds do follow certain properties of the state of matter willingly or un-willingly. I support my statement with a brief introduction to my theory:

1. Solid state: In reality, molecules in solid state are arranged compactly like a pack of cards inside a box. They have fixed positions and are arranged in a precise manner. Too much force when applied can disrupt its arrangements. Rigidity is its property. Accordingly, there are among us people who seem to be chiseled, single minded and absolutely rigid. Extra ordinary forces are required to influence them. They seem independent, self sufficient and in a few extreme situations narcissistic and megalomaniacs. It’s very easy to identify a solid person. Usually alone, doesn’t like shaking hands when introduced, talks a great deal about him/her, doesn’t talk nonsense, intellectual, introvert, doesn’t get emotional, homely, sticks to rules, knows exactly what he/she wants in life and how to get there, hates weakness, doesn’t cry, stern and adamant.

2. Liquid state: Molecules in liquid state can move or slide past one another like a pack of cards just opened out of the box. They usually take the shape of the container and flow easily. Not easily compressible but it’s not impossible. Fluidity is their special property. People who belong to this state of matter are deliquescent, soft spoken, cautious, friendly, a little deceptive, escapists ( you almost think you caught them but they continue to flow through your fingers ), romantic, not easily influenced, day dreamers, Platonists. They believe to move along the direction of the flow, seen in a group star gazing while the others converse feverishly. They have an identity crisis since they think they can identify with everyone.

3. Gaseous state: Molecules can move past one another and there is lot of free space between the particles just like when the fan is switched on and the pack of cards fly everywhere. The molecules occupy the whole of the container. Compressibility is their special property. People belonging to this category are the most easiest to identify. As you are still reading your mind reflects upon the images of such people. Unforgettable and un-forgivable. Amusing, bubbly, free spirited, highly energetic, volatile, crowd pullers, chaotic, un-methodical, elusive, extroverts. Easily influenced by the words and actions of others. And most importantly, they are avid travelers – wanderers, itinerants, vagabonds, beggars, pilgrims, voyagers, adventurers, soldier, sailor, and hippie. They seldom like staying at one place.

When an ice cube is melts, it changes to water and water when warmed evaporates thus passing through all the states of matter. Similarly our minds areinfluenced by the environment, culture, lifestyle and several other external factors and keep passing through different phases of matter. In our personalities there are glimpses of few properties of all the three types but we primarily exhibit almost every time under normal conditions properties of one particular state of matter. Be it solid, liquid or gas.

To be or not to be....

”

Lately I have been contemplating at leisure, trying to find out the answer of a self imposed question. And the question is 'To be a free spirit or a hypocrite'?

A free spirit does not necessarily mean a detached soul or a scholar lost in books or a person who constantly argues with others. A free spirit is a free thinker whose ideals are untouched and original. Of course there is no single idea that is completely 'original' but at least it shouldn't be borrowed. That's where the hypocrite comes into picture. Borrowed principles, stolen thoughts and copied words gives hypocrite the mask that he/she wants to wear.

We have read philosophies of Socrates, appreciated Ayn Rand's ideals and applauded to the theories of Einstein. But how difficult is it to live as a free thinker?

When faced with the harsh realities of a society where bigots have outnumbered mavericks, one realizes to 'pretend' is safer than to 'be'. The reasons may be numerous. We have been programed to like what we know and dislike what we don't. We have been taught to abide to a certain school of thought only. We have been thinking that we are wise and the others ignorant.

Thinking and believing is greatly influenced by learning. When we tend to think that learning begins in school and ends in an university, we fall in to a pattern of life. We stick to a idiosyncratic way of thinking. But when we cross the boundaries into the limitless universe, we realize that learning process is timeless.

As a free thinker, you might be ridiculed, segregated and completely mis-understood by the world but at least you are true to yourself. As a hypocrite you will be crowned to glory, praised by the 'learned' and win laurels but deep within you always know you are a deceiver. Being honest with one's own self is as important as being honest with others.


Aristotle states “The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.”


“You must understand the whole of life, not just
one little part of it. That is why you must read,
that is why you must look at the skies, that is
why you must sing, and dance, and write poems, and
suffer, and understand, for all that is life.

the only other woman in our life will be our daughter.

'The only next girl in my life will be our daughter'. That was the voice which echoed in her mind when her world was being torn into pieces in front of her eyes. Her friend continued talking over the phone 'You don't lose hope already! We will first talk to this @#%$#....' Meera sank into her chair, she was no longer listening to her friend who broke the news that her husband was having an affair.

She shifted her hand towards the table absent mindedly and the framed wedding photograph that was placed at a corner broke with what seemed like a thunder. Meera shook herself and looked down at the tiny pieces of glasses, she caught her reflection on a small wedge of broken glass. 'Do I look ugly?' she asked herself questioningly.

Her mobile phone flashed a message ' 1 new message HONEY'. She smiled at herself in total disgrace and said 'Honey, @#$%#$'. A colleague passed by her cabin and threw her a friendly smile but she only stared back. And in her mind she said 'All men are assholes!' She tried to evade the whole male species for the present moment!

She picked her mobile and was in half mind to throw it down, to see it break into a 100 pieces mingling with the glass pieces and she pictured her husband dancing over the pile with bloody feet. 'That would be a feast to my eyes' she said to herself.
Her mobile rang again. It was her friend Sheela, 'Meera baby I just heard the news. It's so awful this should happen to you....' her voice irritated Meera. 'Buckle up girls, am going to win the man of my hearts and the only other woman in our life will be our daughter.' She banged the phone and wiped a forming tear drop before it spoilt her makeup and stormed the way out to get her man...