Thread: life?

  1. #1
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    life?

    hi guys,

    i am a computer science engg. student from india.i started my course 4 years back with a lot of passion and interest as computers and programming was the first thing in my life which gave me feelings of accomplishment. i carried that passion into my studies as well and for the first time in my life, became a good student. i also managed to get into a good indian software company through campus recruitment(thank GOD).
    i have one more semester left now. but the problem is that i dont want to settle down as a regular s/w engg. working for salary,looking for promotions etc. i wanna make it big. i had never been studying these few years i was really enjoying learning about computers.

    now i want to develop something new and revolutionary(eg. facebook). but i am just not getting that start.i am looking for a that small spark for ignition.

    i know some of you guys are already laughing your hearts out
    but please do help me.please tell me where i should start.
    Last edited by theju112; 02-06-2012 at 09:53 AM.

  2. #2
    Lurking whiteflags's Avatar
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    We didn't start the fire / it was always burnin since the world's been turnin / we didn't start the fire / we didn't light it but we're tryin to fight it

    If you want to start a tech company just do it.

    Anyone who knows what the next big tech company is going to be is also wasting their time on our board. At least, I'm not sure how to help you other than offering a ballad and telling you to move your ass.

  3. #3
    Master Apprentice phantomotap's Avatar
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    O_o

    Maybe I'm just being selfish, but if I knew for sure what the next huge item would be I would be implementing it myself.

    Soma

  4. #4
    Officially An Architect brewbuck's Avatar
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    Good idea, good execution, good connections. All three are usually needed for success. Most of us can do the "good idea" part but fail at the next two. Point is, you'll probably need help.
    Code:
    //try
    //{
    	if (a) do { f( b); } while(1);
    	else   do { f(!b); } while(1);
    //}

  5. #5
    spurious conceit MK27's Avatar
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    I hate to sound like a pessimist, but I think doing "the next big thing" in any field depends not only on skill, dedication, vision, etc, but a lot of other factors beyond your control (eg, "being in the right place at the right time").

    Put another way, skill, dedication, and vision might guarantee you the possibility of doing something really well, but that's all. I'll give Zuckerberg and Facebook their due WRT to skill, dedication, and vision, but I also believe there is a significant element of what is essentially luck there; there could easily be any number of other people with just as much skill, dedication, and vision whom you'll never hear of (of course, there are very successful people who claim luck had nothing to do with it and that anyone who put in the hard work they put in would achieve the same results, but that does not make it true).

    Also, the software world has evolved rapidly over the past few decades, and I don't think there are the same opportunities for the kinds of successes associated with a more "pioneering" stage (Microsoft, Apple, etc).

    Which is not to say there are no more opportunities to work hard, or that skill, dedication and vision are not significant. Just be realistic. If you like programming, enjoy it. I'm sure developing the next facebook would be a great experience, but I'm sure there are a lot of other great experiences available on a smaller scale.
    C programming resources:
    GNU C Function and Macro Index -- glibc reference manual
    The C Book -- nice online learner guide
    Current ISO draft standard
    CCAN -- new CPAN like open source library repository
    3 (different) GNU debugger tutorials: #1 -- #2 -- #3
    cpwiki -- our wiki on sourceforge

  6. #6
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    ill be back...

  7. #7
    Registered User VirtualAce's Avatar
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    If you are looking to create the next biggest thing you won't. If you concentrate on making one good thing it might just become the next biggest thing. I am a firm believer that software does not find greatness but greatness finds great software.
    Last edited by VirtualAce; 02-10-2012 at 09:04 PM.

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    I think alot of people go wrong when they think of making something big. I think where it really is is making something big better.

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    I am with the "you don't plan the next big thing" crowd. Just try to become damn good at whatever task or project is in front of you right now. If the stars align such that you have a brilliant idea, the skills to implement it, the help you'll need, and a favorable situation in which to work...well, then it happens. You can only control a part of that "big success" formula, though.
    I made a pair of "Braille Gloves" which have 6 vibration motors in six finger tips and vibrate in the relevant patterns. I have used this to read stuff while out walking. Given there is a fairly well defined programmer-oriented Braille encoding I should imagine it would work in this situation. Diagrams could be a pain still.

    Note: I am not blind but have learnt Braille fairly easily so for me it works quite well

    Disclaimer: I haven't tried this while driving yet...

  10. #10
    That weird Java guy xniinja's Avatar
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    Here is a tip, LOOK AT SOCIETY. I can not stress how important this is, also not trying to sound pessimistic but most big tech companies depend on the fact that about 75% of society (at least in america) is horribly stupid. Don't believe me? Look at the top rated apps on the app store, look at Facebook games, look at COD. What do all of these have in common? The fact that they don't need a lot of brain power to operate. That is most likely the reason you don't see many puzzle games as big hit games (Except Portal).

    If this works or not I am sorry for my Debbie Downer look at society...

  11. #11
    [](){}(); manasij7479's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by xniinja View Post
    Here is a tip, LOOK AT SOCIETY. I can not stress how important this is, also not trying to sound pessimistic but most big tech companies depend on the fact that about 75% of society (at least in america) is horribly stupid. Don't believe me? Look at the top rated apps on the app store, look at Facebook games, look at COD. What do all of these have in common? The fact that they don't need a lot of brain power to operate. That is most likely the reason you don't see many puzzle games as big hit games (Except Portal).

    If this works or not I am sorry for my Debbie Downer look at society...
    [flamebait] Another epic example: (Most) Apple Products.[/flamebait]

  12. #12
    That weird Java guy xniinja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by manasij7479 View Post
    [flamebait] Another epic example: (Most) Apple Products.[/flamebait]
    I was going to say that too LOL...

  13. #13
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    If you want to be successful, find something you're extremely passionate about. Most highly-successful companies don't become immediate successes. Most start with a small number of people who work for very long hours for very low income for many years before breaking through into real success. You need a project or an industry that you are passionate about, or you'll never survive long enough to thrive.

    You need an area where you feel intrinsically motivated to excel, and an area you find personally satisfying to work in. For myself, for example, I could never work in social media because my personality wouldn't find it rewarding. I am the kind of person who wants my work to make a meaningful, positive impact on society, and from my admittedly biased perspective, social media does not have a positive impact on society. So I work in healthcare IT, and it's an area I'm passionate about, because I can see the benefit to our patients in the work I do. Others with different personalities and perspectives on life clearly find social media highly satisfying to work in, and that's great, it takes all types.

    You really need to find what makes you passionate, and work to be the best in that area.
    You ever try a pink golf ball, Wally? Why, the wind shear on a pink ball alone can take the head clean off a 90 pound midget at 300 yards.

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