----BEGIN CLASS---- [14:00] #startclass [14:00] Roll Call [14:00] Jason Braganza [14:00] ritik [14:00] Anjali [14:00] Saransh [14:00] Shubham [14:01] Shivam [14:02] ok, we waited enough. let’s roll [14:02] good evening to all of you :) [14:02] how many of you have read both the links? [14:02] that I asked you folks to read? [14:03] hello! hello! is this mic on? [14:03] i have read both the links. [14:03] I skimmed over them [14:03] I read both of the links [14:04] I have read both of them [14:04] I have read both. Just a transcript of Seth Godin's Akimbo Episode of blogging is remaining. [14:04] ritik, anjali? [14:04] jasonbraganza, I have read [14:04] anjali, yea just those two are enough. read the transcript at leisure [14:04] specbeck, i suggest you go read them then [14:04] and come back with questions in 10 [14:05] we’ll be here [14:05] so today is a shortish thing, because if you’ve read it [14:05] then I hope I have convinced you to write :) [14:05] jasonbraganza, alright :) [14:05] are ya’ll convinced? [14:05] yes [14:06] yes [14:06] yes [14:06] and hopefully you have questions? [14:06] yes [14:06] so [14:07] a shortish session today [14:07] mostly us discussing stuff [14:07] a little bit about me. [14:07] I was a IT Consultant to small and medium businesses until 2018 [14:08] then i had an accident, due to which i had to quit [14:08] so eversince then [14:08] or rather ever since 2020, i have been trying to learn programming and find what kind of work i want to do [14:08] hello everyone [14:08] because i cannot quite travel [14:09] this year after a lot of trial and error, i have settled on doing devops as a career [14:09] which means i am on the same learning path as you [14:09] i am trying to learn programming languages and all that jazz that comes with it [14:09] to try and get a job :) [14:10] some skills that have transferred from the old days are my ability to write and communicate well [14:10] which is why i am facilitating this session :) [14:10] any of you read my blog? [14:10] think i can write well? [14:10] me o/ [14:11] circuitl-, hello :) have you read both the links I sent? [14:11] and the others, please respond :) [14:12] anjali, ritik, shivam, shubhams1? [14:12] yes i have read [14:12] jasonbraganza: i am a regular reader of your blog. [14:12] about blogging, what you write is great [14:12] these are my takeaways, [14:12] 1. just write first, platform next [14:12] 2. leaving our footprints of knowledge and experience through blogging [14:12] 3. like recording our journey of life [14:13] jasonbraganza: yes i've read both [14:13] are ya’ll here on slow connections? or are you’ll multitasking? [14:13] Yeah, you write really nice jasonbraganza. I also had a doubt in the "blogging" blog, it was mentioned to use any grammar website like grammarly or any other on its own website and not downloading its extension. I could not really understand, why so? [14:13] oh ok. you are all here :) [14:13] so another short preamble [14:14] a short passage by Sapiens author Yuval Noah Harari [14:14] The real difference between us and chimpanzees is the mysterious glue that enables millions of us, humans to cooperate effectively. [14:14] This mysterious glue is made of *stories*, not genes. We cooperate effectively with strangers because we believe in things like gods, nations, money and human rights.  [14:14] Yet none of these things exists outside the stories that people invent and tell one another.  [14:14] Ever since the Cognitive Revolution, Sapiens have thus been living in a dual reality.  [14:14] On the one hand, the objective reality of rivers, trees and lions; and on the other hand, the imagined reality of gods, nations and corporations. As time went by, the imagined reality became ever more powerful, so that today the very survival of rivers, trees and lions depends on the grace of imagined entities such as the idea of a country like India and or companies, like Google. [14:14] Or if you are a comic book fan everyone’s favourite anarchist has this to say [14:14] V: Did you think to kill me? There’s no flesh or blood within this cloak to kill. There is only an idea. Ideas are bulletproof.  [14:14] Or if you’ve seen the movie, the denouement scene, [14:14] Creedy: Die! Die! Why won’t you die?... Why won’t you die?  [14:14] V: Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof.  [14:14] just say yes when you have finished with the quotes above [14:16] yes [14:16] yes [14:16] yes [14:17] yes [14:17] yes [14:17] so if ideas and stories are the most powerful things we have … then writing is its *most powerful, most potent* expression [14:17] all the ideas of the ages [14:17] have come down to us [14:17] because someone took the trouble to write it down [14:18] the vedas, the bible, the stoics, the upanishads, and egyptian history [14:18] all of it we know, only because people wrote things down [14:19] Seth Godin’s catchphrase is - Ideas that spread, win. [14:19] but for ideas to spread, we need to write them down! [14:20] and it does not matter what it is. if it is something you want to remember in the future, write it down [14:20] it’ll help you [14:20] and it’ll help countless others [14:20] anyone here heard of Apple’s Rosetta technology? [14:21] no [14:21] ok [14:21] no [14:21] no [14:21] Apple has this tech (ever evolving) that they use when they change processor architectures [14:22] when macs move from PowerPC cpus to Intel cpus, Rosetta enabled powerpc software to run on intel macs [14:22] similarly now [14:22] no [14:22] when Apple is moving from Intel cpus to homegrown ARM silicon [14:23] Rosetta II lets people run Intel mac software on Apple Silicon cpus [14:23] ! [14:23] Rosetta translates one language into another [14:23] next [14:23] the name is an homage to the Rosetta stone [14:23] how well does Rosetta work cause I know arm don't support, yet, all tooling [14:24] Armageddon, we figure that out after the session :) [14:24] for eons, no one knew how to decipher ancient Egyptian writing (heiroglyphics) [14:25] they were like the ancient version of people writing using emoji. all sorts of pictograms and stuff [14:25] until someone found a piece of stone with three pieces of writing on it [14:26] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosetta_Stone [14:26] Heiroglyphics, Demotic and Greek [14:26] and now people knew Greek [14:26] and thus were able to figure out somehow the ancient Egyptian system of writing [14:27] giving us acess to knowledge of close to 5000 years [14:27] the stone itself has ordinary stuff on it, iirc [14:27] just some accounts and tax records and stuff [14:27] but just because someone wrote it down :) [14:28] we can decipher tombs and learn how our ancient ancestors lived and the tech they used :) [14:28] which is why no matter how insignificant you think what your idea is [14:28] if you want even a chance of remembering it tomorrow :) [14:28] write it down :) [14:29] now [14:29] let’s do all your questions :) [14:29] hit ! to ask as usual :) [14:30] no questions till now [14:30] circuitl-, questions on the post i asked you to read. :) not the screed above :) [14:30] oh ok [14:30] questions, doubts, expansion of ideas? discussions all welcome [14:31] ! [14:31] next [14:31] i just have takeaways(as i mentioned before) from that no questions actually [14:31] can i mix technical blogs with all other blogs on miscellaneous topics [14:31] shoot [14:32] ritik, do you have a blog? [14:33] or rather this is something to all [14:33] I do have a made a kind of blog website, but haven't published anything on it yet [14:33] anjali, ritik, circuitl-, shivam, shubhams1, specbeck any / all of you have blogs? [14:33] Armageddon, raises hand for question or raises hand for aye? :) [14:34] jasonbraganza: yes i have one. [14:34] i did setup a blog before, didn't write that well [14:34] oh I'm too scared to ask anymore questions now, it was to answer your question to all [14:34] ahh, :) no no, i got confused is all :) [14:35] as an aside, folks, Armageddon writes beautifully explained articles on devops. look up his blog after the session [14:35] ok so from the looks of it, most of you have not written much. [14:35] yes, it is nice :) [14:35] I have written some technical blogs but haven't published them yet. [14:36] so ritik then here’s an analogy [14:36] do you go to the gym? [14:37] I went, but after this covid I haven't [14:37] ok so what advice would you give someone who has never gone to the gym? or has never exercised in their life? [14:37] i presume it wold be along the lines of [14:37] first - learn to move [14:37] atleast go walking daily [14:38] and do some physical activity at home [14:38] yeah [14:38] correct? [14:38] yes [14:38] you will not debate leg day vs chest day with them :P [14:38] hehe [14:38] similarly with all of you. [14:38] i don’t care what you write about [14:38] you have no writing muscles [14:39] i want you to develop them [14:39] quantity [14:39] over [14:39] quality [14:39] write one sentence if you must [14:39] write garbage if you must [14:39] but have a schedule [14:39] and write [14:39] tell yourself [14:39] or publicly announce to the world [14:39] that you will write twice a week. or once a week. or once in two weeks [14:40] and then stick to that commitment [14:40] as you write more and more [14:40] you will find what you like to write about [14:40] you will also find your own unique voice [14:40] ! [14:40] because in the beginning you will copy the people you like (i know. i have done it when i started writing too) [14:41] so write to a schedule [14:41] in fact, if you want to ramp up quickly [14:41] commit to writing a short tiny blog post daily [14:41] for 30 days [14:42] and then compare day 1 to day 30 and you will be astonished at how much you’ve improved. [14:42] ritik, does that answer your question? [14:42] next [14:42] jasonbraganza, yes and i will surely start writing [14:43] I plan to be very much not get into any trouble at all! But i'm worried about how my employer will feel is i am blogging about the same "subject" as my work. I will of course not leak any proprietary information. [14:44] if pradhvan is here, he will attest to the fact that my coding chops are average. but because i know how to write, it helps me understand code faster and write even code elegantly. [14:44] kiyo, if what you are writing about is a public project, then i don’t see any conflict. [14:45] if what you are writing about is confidential and propreiatary, you can just talk about the field at large [14:45] for e.g. Stephen Wolfram writes book length posts about computational physics and math. never about the tech that enables him to do it. (mathematica) [14:47] also read the fine print in your employment letter :) [14:47] Sometimes it is difficult not to. Especially when the open project plans to interface with frameworks that are closed (say a video DRM system). [14:47] Yes :) [14:47] kiyo, if it is difficult to disentangle, then use via negativa. [14:47] better not to talk about it at all. [14:47] more questions people? [14:48] anjali, i recall you had some. [14:48] ! [14:48] but i have lost it in the scroll [14:48] oh there you are :) [14:48] next [14:48] I had a doubt in the "blogging" blog, it was mentioned to use a grammar checker like grammarly or any other on its own website and not downloading its extension. I could not really understand the reason behind it. [14:48] ok [14:48] when you just paste stuff into the grammarly website. it just has access to the stuff you pasted in for it to check. [14:49] anjali, with me so far? [14:49] yeah [14:50] but when you use the extension, it can read *every* keystroke you type. your amazon queries, your google queries, your twitter or other social media dms and everything else in that browser session [14:50] your passwords even. [14:50] so is that something you wish grammarly the company to have? [14:50] even if they pinky swear, not to abuse it? [14:51] of course, not! [14:51] ergo the advice in that section :) [14:51] does that help? [14:51] Yes, thank you! :) [14:51] ! [14:52] next [14:52] if anyone else had posted questions i hadn’t got to above please ask them again [14:53] how do you keep different and new words in mind like thingamajig, ergo etc.. i know you can get that from books,  but how do you keep them to use at right point [14:53] by writing regularly and using them at the wrong points [14:54] and then realising over time, no, they do not fit there :) [14:54] just practice. lots of it [14:54] ok got it, trail and error [14:54] circuitl-, you in your 20s, safe to say? [14:54] little bit above [14:55] i meant to ask, did u store them in seperate text file with meanings, or just it pop out of your mind while writing [14:55] i am 43. so i have 10-15 years more experience with writing prose at least. plus, english is my first language. so it has been easier for me [14:56] pops out :) [14:56] oh ok great [14:56] supercalifragilisticexpialidocious [14:56] that pops out when i want to show off :P [14:56] xD [14:56] more questions people? [14:57] ! [14:57] next [14:57] Which platform do you think to start with ? [14:57] For blogging [14:58] coming to that in a bit :) [14:58] Ok [14:58] ok folks attending [14:58] i know anjali, ritik, specbeck, shivam, shuhbams1. [14:59] who else is attending the session? [14:59] me [14:59] and circuitl- [14:59] circuitl- :( [14:59] :) [14:59] :thumps up: [14:59] so all you folk, how many of you have blogs already [14:59] as in a place to write [14:59] me [14:59] me [14:59] me [14:59] if i ask to write a post right now, you can just go and bang one out [15:00] me [15:00] anjali, specbeck ? [15:01] maybe [15:01] not now, got my setup deleted in midway [15:01] ritik, the maybe was for whom? [15:01] as in you maybe have a blog? :) [15:01] anjali_kd, have a blog? [15:02] jasonbraganza, maybe was for if you say to write a blog now.... [15:02] any body is fancy enough to have vlogs? :) [15:02] but i digress :) [15:02] Yes. I have written some technical blogs. [15:02] nope [15:02] ok so most of you have blogs setup [15:03] so just continue using those [15:03] and to the people who don’t have one [15:03] i have two suggestions [15:03] 1. go to wordpress.com and get a blog [15:03] or [15:04] 2. ping kushal here and ask him for an account on https://blogs.dgplug.org [15:04] kushal, because he is a an all round good person [15:04] hosts blogs for the young folk here, if they ask him for it. [15:05] so that settles your where to blog question annamalai :) if you have one, use what you got. if you don’t then just use one of the two options above [15:05] jasonbraganza: ok [15:06] also read this - https://janusworx.com/blog/thoughts-on-setting-up-a-blog/ [15:06] which basically says the same thing in more florid prose :) [15:06] more questions? [15:07] no [15:07] no [15:07] so what i would strongly suggest to you, as i close this out [15:08] is to challenge yourself to write a post daily for 30 days [15:08] and post the links in here [15:08] so we can all read it [15:08] and discuss it. [15:08] sure :) [15:09] sure [15:09] ooo [15:09] any tips on subject? [15:09] kiyo, whatever strikes your mind that day [15:09] write about samosas [15:09] write about mark down [15:10] write about the maths that underlies lambda calculus [15:10] write about the history of compilers [15:10] write about packages in Arch Linux [15:10] write about the efficacy of recursive functions at scale [15:11] write about the efficacy of recursive somersaults by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles [15:11] :) [15:11] only when you write a lot [15:12] will you know more about what you want to write [15:12] write about the fact that nothing is coming to mind and this is hard work [15:12] also [15:12] if you write regularly [15:13] would you accept every 2-3 days? I have some very busy days coming up. [15:13] then you get to go to the DGPLUG hall of writing fame. [15:13] kiyo, i don’t accept anything. i have no skin in the game. you commit to yourself publicly or privately the frequency at which you want to write [15:14] and then aim your hardest to hit it :) [15:14] the fact remains though [15:14] that if you garner even a single reader who begins to enjoy your work and cadence [15:14] then they will miss you [15:14] the only reason i write sometimes [15:15] is because kushal pings me. or pradhvan or sandeepk or priyankasaggu or bhavin192 or the others in the channel do [15:16] so i was tellig you about the DGPLUG hall of writing fame :) [15:16] folks who write regularly get invited to our very own planet at https://planet.dgplug.org [15:16] which is a collection of lots of blogs. [15:17] by all of us who are / were here :) [15:17] past, present and hopefully you the future [15:18] jasonbraganza, https://planet.dgplug.org is not working [15:18] i made a boo boo - that is the right link http://planet.dgplug.org [15:18] thank you ritik :) [15:18] you are welcome [15:19] How many of you are planning to stay online (maybe 5 minutes or for 5 hours) after the session today? or tomorrow morning. [15:19] i'll be here [15:19] me [15:20] me [15:20] me [15:20] me [15:20] me [15:20] Okay, that is still a good number. Thank you. [15:21] so before we close [15:21] let me get to Norvig’s lesson. [15:21] it took me two whole years to understand Python. unlike other people who can do it in a jiffy [15:22] but I kept at it. [15:23] and now, just because I took the time to do it, I now suddenly have the superpower to understand and learn other languages pretty quick. If python took me two years, then the basics of Go, and C++ have taken me only a few months [15:23] if you keey at it [15:23] you build a positive ratchet. [15:24] so whether it be writing or programming or any skill you want to learn. keep at it. be slow, be methodical, be consistent [15:24] and with that, I wish you all a good night ----END CLASS----