Dec
16
Interesting information on how ISPs selling the surfing history of their consumers.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/03/AR2008040304052.html
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2007/03/your-isp-may-be-selling-your-web-clicks.ars
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2007/03/does_your_isp_s/
In USA, an ISP makes $5 per month per user. Recently I have received emails and other information related to the websites I surf. I wonder what the going rate every month is for my surfing habits. Some alternatives to get rid of this problem is to use encryption or get your own ISP.
Dec
16
From http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?263241
Indian media doesn’t do introspection. We recommend it to others—MPs, political parties, militants, judges, scientists…. They are all advised to look deep inside their own trade and clean up the rot. Meanwhile, the rot creeping into the fourth estate is studiously ignored or airbrushed, usually by organising a “studio discussion” in which the citizen is asked: Does the media need to be accountable? Discussion over. Issue over. Fortunately, even that stratagem is wearing thin. The chicanery is conspicuous.
After some time, it is easy to recognize a genuine story and some thing that has been paid for. The rate varies from Rs 50000 to Rs 2.5 Lakhs or more.
Dec
12
Many internet “experts” talk about mobile internet and banking, but the security of these systems is suspect.
Rs 86000 stolen from ICICI bank account through mobile banking.
From:http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/ArticleImage.aspx?article=12_12_2009_001_029&mode=1
Mobile phones are not secure, I have received strange SMSes from JustDial and DNA , better to be low tech and safe.
Related : http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/LATEST-NEWS/Rs-500cr-land-row-Builder-hacks-into-partners-email/articleshow/5260031.cms
Dec
11
This article on women in the IT sector
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/jobs/TCS-Wipro-Infosys-go-all-out-to-check-high-female-staff-attrition/articleshow/5324809.cms
has some interesting numbers.
At the entry level, the male / female ratio is almost 50: 50 , but at the senior level at Infosys, women constitute less than 2 % ( and many of them will be HR and similar departments)
As mentioned, with a female boss ” Often male employees, are not too cooperative in the team”. So even if you are extremely good at your work, if you are woman employed in any organization (however progressive it may claim to be ) , you will rarely get a fair deal.
In other sectors like engineering (infrastructure) it is worse, engineers are expected to spend time outdoors in the sun, girls are told at some campus interviews ” Girls are like flowers to be kept in a vase, if they go outside they will wilt, so please don’t sit for campus interviews”
Dec
8
From http://cryptome.org/isp-spy/yahoo-spy.pdf
Federal law (See 18 U.S.C. § 2706) requires law enforcement to reimburse providers like Yahoo! for costs incurred responding to subpoena requests, court orders, or search warrants.
• Basic subscriber records: approx. $20 for the first ID, $10 per ID thereafter
• Basic Group Information (including information about moderators): approx. $20 for a group with a single moderator
• Contents of subscriber accounts, including email: approx. $30-$40 per user
• Contents of Groups: approx. $40 – $80 per group
Yahoo is not the only company indulging in these activities. This is the reason having a personal profile on any kind of networking website like Facebook, Orkut or Linkedin is risky, you never know how it will be used or misused. Better to spend a little money and get your own website.
Nov
29
Creating really useful and accurate content takes a lot of time and money. If the content creators don’t make much money, they will not be able to continue for a long time.
http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2009/11/24/is-the-murdock-bing-deal-really-just-about-the-wall-street-journal
If one party is at an unfair advantage, the other party will search and move away as soon as they find a better deal.
Nov
26
Over the last week, I have realized how much freedom of speech you have in India and how much better most large Indian companies are compared to certain foreign organizations in so called democracies.
Even if Rs 3 is wrongly deducted , you can hope to get it back in India from a well run company, but outside India, you are unlikely to be treated fairly and decisions are taken unilaterally. Their lawyers will claim to have made payment, but will not be able to provide any supporting evidence.
If you are dealing with a government organization, you can use the
Right to Information Act
It takes time, but you will get the information you need.
Nov
24
You can never be too careful. When you receive a cheque book, you should always ensure that the cheque leaves are in place.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Woman-swindled-of-Rs-25-lakh/articleshow/5262344.cms
Some couriers will deliver a courier to some other address and then claim it has been delivered to you. You should be alert and register a complaint as soon as you realise some thing is wrong.
Nov
22
There is a big gap in the salaries in urban and rural areas. In small towns and villages, even today a salary of Rs 3000 per month (less than US$60) is considered adequate for a white collar job. The cost of living is also lower.
BPO salaries in rural India
Nov
15
If leads and affiliate sales are a major source of revenue, it is important to find reliable businesses/ websites to work with. Very often, your affiliate commission gets stolen, if the minimum payout is $25, you do not have a single conversion for months once you reach $24. And when you remove the affiliate link from your website, the affiliate manager starts frantically emailing you.
Lead generation is better, you can atleast forward the same lead to another company / competitor and also warn the buyer about the supplier who has cheated you. An example of what people do when promises are not kept.
http://www.david-carter.com/wp/2009/11/the-real-power-of-domain-development/
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