ComputingManu: 2012

My Interest in Computers :

I developed a liking for processors and computing technologies during my Masters degree at NUS. Computers now encompass almost every device that that humans use in their day to day life, ranging from a mobile phones, music players, healthcare devices, auto-mobiles, rockets, satellites and what not? . What fascinates me about computers is the plethora of applications they are used in and the requirements each application has on its computing power.

At this point, you might feel that I am a programming geek. Well, sorry but I am not a natural programmer. My programming skills are limited to the simple C language. Do I think that this could be a hindrance while developing a career in computer technology ? Well, may be slightly, but no worries. Ultimately , it is all about doing things that you love to do. I am more interested in the business aspects of computer technology. I enjoy understanding how computers work, and the various methods by which more performance can be extracted from them. I enjoy reading about the new technologies that companies develop for enhancing the performance and utilization of computers and most importantly, how do they monetize their work, how they stay ahead of their competitors, etc. This blog is basically about the latter part.

Your suggestion for me would be to go for an MBA so as to pursue this line of work. Well, there are many reasons why at this point I would not be going for an MBA, but somewhere down the road, I might pursue an eMBA. Right now, I am in the process of laying the foundation for building my career.

The topics that I would be focusing on in this blog are :

a) General microprocessors, like those we see on our laptops,smartphones, tablets, PCs as well as the huge servers that are run by companies like Amazon, Google etc.

b) Operating Systems : Why Operating Systems ? Well, the OS itself is a complex piece of software and is very interesting to study about. I would focus mainly on Unix based systems especially Linux since I am more familiar with its internals . Also, my knowledge on the proprietory OS is limited, compared to Linux.

c) Virtualization : A hot topic in recent times, especially with the development of cloud computing.

Why this website ?

Well, there are a few reasons :

1. One-stop Repository :

Create an online notebook so that I can jot down whatever I learn in a simple language. This would be helpful for future reference as a one-stop repository.

2. Improve my thought process

Writing down whatever I have read about in a lucid style would help in improving my understanding of a particular topic since I believe that a lot of questions arise when we try to express in our own words whatever we know about it. Finding answers to these questions would constitute a part of my learning process as well, thus enhancing my knowledge.

3. Self-Marketing.

I plan to build my career around computers and computer technology. Understanding more and more about computers and the computer industry is what I enjoy doing. Rather than limiting myself to engineering roles, I am eager to develop myself as an expert on the computer industry, the technical term of which would an industry analyst. I see this website as a platform to share my views on recent developments in the industry and get feedback from established experts and other people who share my interests as well as develop and hone my analytical skills from a business perspective. If any potential recruiter in the computer industry is looking to hire someone like me, well, this blog would be a better read than my resume..

4. Develop my knowledge base.

Maintaining a website like this would force me to constantly update my knowledge and keep myself abreast of the latest developments in the computer technology and industry.

5. Improve my writing skills.