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[17th November 2024] Interesting Things I Learnt This Week

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 1. Booleans are a trap : Booleans, while seemingly simple, can introduce complexity and limitations into domain modeling. When used to represent complex states, booleans can lead to unclear code and potential errors. To avoid these pitfalls, consider using enums or enum sets. These approaches provide a more expressive and maintainable way to model complex states in your applications. My Take : I wish I had learned this earlier in life. When working with Google Docs, I realized the limitations of booleans. Expanding boolean-based behaviors often led to adding more fields, making the system complex. Enums would have provided a simpler solution. The problem wasn't just the booleans themselves, but also the need to pass them through multiple layers of the stack, often requiring additional parameters. Another important aspect of enums is the inclusion of an " enum not specified " state. This state explicitly indicates that an enum value hasn't been set, which can be usef

[10th November 2024] Interesting Things I Learnt This Week

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1. One Company A/B Tested Hybrid Work. Here’s What They Found. - Recent research has revealed that a hybrid work model, where employees work from home three days a week, can significantly boost employee satisfaction and reduce turnover rates. This not only improves employee morale but also saves companies millions of dollars in recruitment and training costs. To successfully implement a hybrid model, businesses should prioritize rigorous performance management systems, coordinate team and company-wide schedules, and secure leadership support. Moreover, executives should experiment with different management practices to optimize their approach and maximize the benefits of hybrid work. My Take : There have been too many debates about remote work versus office work. I would have loved to see data comparing the effectiveness of remote, hybrid, and office-based work. I've worked at companies that mandated office work, like Tata Elxsi, where we didn't have laptops and had to rely on

[3rd November 2024] Interesting Things I Learnt This Week

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1. Transforming CSV Files into Graphs with LLMs -  This is a step by step guide including code to transform csv files into graphs. There are prompts, python code and samples provided in it.  My Take : This is an excellent approach to streamlining data cleaning, a task that often consumes a significant portion of a data engineer's time. By leveraging the power of LLMs, we can potentially reduce this effort significantly. However, it's important to note that not all LLMs are equally effective for this purpose. Fine-tuning LLMs specifically for data cleaning tasks could further enhance their capabilities. I'm eager to learn more about this promising technique and its potential applications. Do let me know if have something interesting to share.   2. SOFA Start Often F*** Achievements - The SOFA principle advocates for starting numerous projects and finishing few. This approach prioritizes gaining diverse experiences and skills over completion. By frequently initiating new en

[20th October 2024] Interesting Things I Learnt This Week

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1. Why Founders Need to Focus More on Sales and Marketing - Harvard Business School senior lecturer Mark Roberge argues that every aspect of being an early-stage founder involves sales. But many founders lack an understanding of how to incorporates sales into their ventures. This talks about how to hire for early sales roles, design compensation, and lay a strong foundation for a growing sales team. Hiring the right salesperson is crucial, as they should be skilled in both product knowledge and customer interaction. Scaling sales requires a strategic approach, considering factors like product-market fit and customer retention. The sales compensation plan can be a powerful tool for aligning sales behavior with business goals. While AI is making strides in automating certain sales tasks, the human element of building relationships and understanding customer needs remains indispensable. My Take : IMHO a startup is like an elephant from the story of blind men and an elephant . There are d

[13th October 2024] Interesting Things I Learnt This Week

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1. ROS : ROS (Robot Operating System) is a versatile open-source framework that simplifies robot development. It provides a modular architecture, robust communication mechanisms, and a vast ecosystem of tools and libraries. This comprehensive platform empowers developers to create efficient and innovative robotic systems, from hardware abstraction to high-level behavior control. ROS's flexibility and adaptability make it suitable for a wide range of robot applications, while its active community fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing. My Take:  I recently discovered ROS, which has been around since 2007. It's remarkable that such a powerful tool has existed for so long. Over the years, ROS has evolved into a comprehensive platform, offering a vast array of algorithms to simplify robot development. The ability to run ROS on Raspberry Pis further enhances its capabilities, making it a versatile choice for a wide range of robotic projects. 2. Should we be worried about vega

RIP Ratan Tata

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My career began with Tata Elxsi, right after completing my BE in Computer Science, marking a significant milestone in my career. It was my first taste of the corporate world, and while not everything was perfect, the experience I gained there has been invaluable. I'm particularly grateful to JRD Tata and Ratan Tata for his vision in establishing Tata Elxsi as a pure electronics and software technology services company. In a landscape dominated by consulting firms, Tata Elxsi's focus on technology and product innovation was refreshing. The company's history in India is a testament to its commitment to technological advancement. Founded in 1989 as a joint venture between the Tata Group and France's Thomson-CSF, Tata Elxsi has played a pioneering role in India's IT industry. Though what it started with and how is diversified into a variety of different fields is an amazing story by itself. He was the true visionaries who managed to build not just one but a spectrum of

[6th October 2024] Interesting Things I Learnt This Week

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 1. Stem cells reverse woman’s diabetes - Scientists have achieved a breakthrough in treating type 1 diabetes by using reprogrammed stem cells. A woman was successfully treated by receiving a transplant of these cells into her abdominal muscles. Following the transplant, she was able to maintain stable blood sugar levels without insulin for over a year. This is the first time such an approach has shown to be effective in reversing type 1 diabetes. While this is a promising development, more research is needed to confirm its long-term safety and efficacy in a larger group of people. My Take : This is a groundbreaking discovery. My father, along with millions of others, suffers from diabetes. Unfortunately, due to genetics, I'm likely to join them soon. However, this news offers hope not only for me but also for countless individuals who endure daily injections. I sincerely hope that the cost of this treatment remains affordable. Perhaps the government could intervene to ensure acce