What’s in a Name?

Since in my first post, I’d talked about myself and my interests (maybe without the trailing s), and in a way, given sufficient excuse for my existence, I think it’s time I looked at the blog, from a wider perspective, why I made one, what I’m planning to do with it, and most importantly, why it’s called what it’s called.

Names are, in a way, meant to reflect some aspect about the named, if not describe it in its entirety. This, however, does not mean that a guy named Goodman is a good man, and if, by any chance, he is, we must be inclined to accept that that might be purely coincidental. This observation perhaps directly follows from the fact that not much can be conceived about a person’s attitudes, behavior, manners, likes, dislikes, or anything else, as for that matter, when the person is an infant, or hasn’t been born yet, which is when most names are bestowed on their owners.

On the other hand, when it comes to naming things we create, we ought to pick something descriptive, lest we should look back at a later date, and wonder along the lines of, “what automobiles use carnot’s engine?” Wouldn’t it have been awkward if bicycles were called bags and vice versa? In fact, naming is so important that programmers like myself are advised to stick to guidelines. A variable named bWhetherIShouldHeatTheWaterAndThenPutInTheTeaPowderOrNot makes a whole lot more sense than an a or an i or an n.

So why “Rugged Rat”? I must say, I had a bit of thinking to do before I could write this one. I think a look at the kind of conversations I find myself in every now and then should throw some light on this one.

A typical conversation in the couch in front of the TV:

“Hey, bro, I think I need to do something about my physical condition.”
“What condition?”
“My point exactly…”

Let’s say a potential girlfriend gets a birthday wish from me at 12.00 am sharp. The next day’s conversation would go something like:

“Wow, RR, that was so romantic. I love you!”
“Well, you should… Do you know how much trouble I went through to make that client and schedule it to deliver your greeting?”
“You mean it wasn’t you? Why you… I hate you! I don’t wanna see you anymore!”

That, I guess, should explain “Rugged Rat”: I’m a rat for having been at one end of each of those kinds of conversations, and I’m rugged ’coz I have been at one end of those kinds of conversations. However, in all sincerity, the name has nothing to do with any of it: it was, and still is, just a variation of the name “rugrats”

Why I’m a Computer Geek!

What are you passionate about?

Movies? Are you the kind that, given the name of a movie, or maybe even its initials, starts reciting the entire cast and crew, the result of whose sweat and blood it is that you see on the screen? (I am, though I generally start with the actresses)

Soccer? Has never a club existed that managed to elude your scrutiny?

Music? Well, that’s been around ever since the caveman went about beating monkeys with a stick.

Quite frankly, if you’ve ever looked at somebody, and wondered why he or she is crazy about something, well, don’t. Everybody has their passions, and if you were thinking, “no, I don’t,” well, you’re the freak here.

And if you’ve ever looked at yourself and asked why you were crazy about something, I hope you’ve found some good enough answers.

I’m a programmer, and I make my living, oh wait, I don’t, I’m still in college. The one thing that drew me to computers so badly was that, well, the small box you keep on your desk, or on your lap, or even in your pockets packs more punch than world history, or geography, or perhaps both.

How does a package of circuitry, a maze of conductors dotted with diodes and transistors, a weird looking PCB that’s smart enough (or dumb enough) to recognize (just) 0s and 1s let you listen to music, watch a video clip and check the latest EPL results all at the same time? How do you get to read your mail, or print your resume? What makes your favourite games come to life? (If you answered, a GeForce, I’m with you, buddy!)

The answer lies in software (I’m sure your GeForce came with a CD). It’s those tit-bits of programming marvel that adds that sparkle to your otherwise worthless heap of hardware, that acts as an interface between man and machine (power extreme!*). Trying not to sound too technical, programming is that art that lets those gifted human beings communicate with a computer. Sounds wacky, but hey, you wouldn’t be here reading this without them. Any kind of (useful ) communication with your hardware needs to be done through software. Everything you see on your monitor is due to software. And well, like any energetic youth on the lookout for opportunities, I grabbed it by the throat, and now I’m called a programmer. I daresay the venture has taught me a thing or two about how puters function, among other things.

However, as is the case with many professions, being a programmer is one thing, being a good programmer is another. The learning process never ends, and the strife to become better never ceases. Every day somebody or the other teaches you something new. It’s this very fact that keeps things interesting.

Anyway, I think this’s enough on me. I’ll be keeping this blog alive with more (and much better, I promise) posts.

- a Rugged Rat starting off his blogging streak.

* The phrase “Becoming man and machine, power extreme” goes way back. Ever seen The Centurions? Consult the omniscient wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Centurions_(TV_series)