Everyone wants to get into offshore IT business

You meet an Indian who has something to do with IT and you are guaranteed to start up a conversation where they say 'Offshore business is great - I wanna get into it'. I know so and so, I know this guy/this company in India.

Media has always done a great job of glorifying events, businesses, opportunities. Don't get me wrong, opportunities do exist, the problem is no one focuses on the tough parts of -
a) getting into business
b) the business of offshore outsourcing to India

Sure, you're from India and you think you know India. Let me ask you a few questions:

1. Have you ever done business in India?
2. Have you ever done business Anywhere?
3. Have you ever managed people and projects remotely?

If the answer to any of these is NO, just forget it.

Offshore outsourcing is not for the faint-hearted.

The Health Benefits of Fasting

The Health Benefits of Fasting

Significant is the following - 'And finally there is good evidence to show that regulated fasting contributes to longer life'.

Since most of us are not as disciplined in 'regulated' fasting, religions provide this regulatory mechanism by conceiving ideas of 'Agyarus' etc.

Post Image configuration of laptop

The company gave me a laptop (Vista) with a pre-loaded image file. It has most of the software I need, I do have to setup outlook etc. I wanted to see what it takes to setup the laptop, so I'll document it here. I am pretty sure the image file will be loaded many times to update software and I may have to repeat the process.

1. Microsoft Outlook 2007 setup - start time 7:15 am.
1. I am amazed that just by providing basic info about Pop account, it configured the account, nothing else to do.
2. It has Business contact manager, so while trying to setup using 'express' mode, it said 'Database creation was unsuccessful'. Clicked on help - it has some help related to it. For Vista, it says go to SQL server config manager. Click on arrow next to SQL server 2005 network configuration, click Protocol MSSMLBIZ. Then in the right pane, double-click Named Pipes, then click the arrow to the right of Enabled, select Yes. Close SQL config mgr, then retry creating database.
3. So, I tried that, and it did not work because there is NO MSSMLBIZ Protocol! I cancelled the wizard at this point after several tries.
4. Now it gave the option to 'create a new database - MSSmallBusiness. I just clicked on next button, again, same error - database creation was unsuccessful.
5. So, I just cancelled out of business contact manager. at 7:47 am.
6. Now I copy my old outlook files (which are in the Office 2003 format.)
7. As soon as I start Outlook, another error - this time, "Cannot open your default e-mail folders. Errors have been detected in the file c:\users\ (my outlook.pst location). Quit outlook and all email-enabled applications, and then use the Inbox repair tool (Scanpst.exe) to diagnose and repair errors in the file. For more information about the Inbox repair tool, see Help." Wow!
8. So, I search for the scanpst.exe using the vista search box in Start - no-can-do. It is not there. So, back to Google search. Guesss what - it is there.
   

   Scanpst.exe is installed when you install Outlook. It is located at:

   drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE12

9. The mistake I made was that I had deleted the new pst file that outlook created and replaced it with the 2003 pst. Instead, it is better to leave it there, create a subfolder, copy the 2003 pst. So, this way you fix the 2003 pst using scanpst. Then, in Outlook, use File Open to open the old pst file. Once you can see all your emails, then go to Tools-Options-Mail Setup-Data Files- and make the 2003 pst (one that is fixed by scanpst) and make it 'default'.
   
10. Now You're in business.

Vista Windows Mobile Device Center - WM5 Sync Problem

I could not somehow synchronize my WM5 - Verizon XV6700 device with the Vista laptop today. It was working fine few days ago, even with Bluetooth.

After getting frustrated, here's what I did eventually to find that there was a very simple fix. Grrrrrrrrrrrr...

1. Reinstalled entire PDA
2. Reinstalled WMDC
3. I repaired Outlook and did a scanPst (C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MSMAPI\1033

Nothing solved the problem, finally this is what did it.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/devicecenter//troubleshooting.mspx

• Windows Mobile Device Center fails to connect due to the Windows Portable Device driver failing to load. In some cases, you may be unable to connect and only a red X error icon is displayed in Windows Mobile Device Center. This can be caused by Windows Portable Device driver failing to load.
  
  
  • Connect your device
  • Go to Manager (Computer > Properties)
  • Find the Portable Devices node
  • Locate the Windows Mobile device entry
  • Choose to uninstall the driver
  • Reconnect your device