ATM inventor Shepherd-Barron dies

This article appeared in The Times of India on 21st May 2010 (Fri)

JOHN SHEPHERD-BARRON

India-Born Scotsman Was 84

London: A Scotsman who came up with the idea for the world’s first automatic cash machine while sitting in the bath after he was locked out of his bank has died at the age of 84in Scotland.
John Shepherd-Barron’s “eureka” moment was inspired by a machine dispensing chocolate bars and he later sold his concept to an executive at Britain’s Barclays Bank over a pink gin.
More than 40 years after the first cash machine, or ATM, opened at a bank in north London, customers now have access to 1.7 million worldwide. “It struck me there must be a way I could get my own money, anywhere in the world,” he said in a BBC interview in 2007 to mark the ATM’s 40th anniversary. “I hit upon the idea of a chocolate bar dispenser, but replacing chocolate with cash.”
In the absence of plastic cards, the first customers withdrew money using special checks impregnated with a mildly radioactive material. The machines were designed to recognize the checks and dispense money once the customer had entered a personal identification number (PIN).
Shepherd-Barron’s wife suggested he used a four-digit security number because she said she would never be able to remember the originally planned six digits. The idea stuck.Banks in the US at first gave his invention a lukewarm reception, viewing it as a “wacky European idea that wouldn’t sell in America”, the inventor and businessman said.
Born in India to Scottish parents in 1925, Shepherd-Barron worked for the banknote printer De La Rue and was honoured by Queen Elizabeth for services to banking in 2005.
Although Shepherd-Barron was credited with inventing the first practical ATM, he had a rival for the claim to have developed the type of machine widely used today.
Fellow Scot James Goodfellow, also honoured by Queen Elizabeth for an alternative ATM design, said it was wrong to portray Shepherd-Barron as the cash machine’s inventor. REUTERS

MAKING SENSE OF 3G

This article appeared in The Times of India on 21st May 2010 (Fri).

General About 3G
What is 3G technology and how is it different from 2G?
3G is the third generation of wireless mobile technology which represents an evolution over the existing 2G services provided by operators in India. While 2G networks allow data, text messaging and speech, the 3G technologies allow additional services such as multimedia messaging, customized infotainment, videos, and rich voice
How many countries in the world have 3G networks?
At the last count, nearly 132 countries had 3G networks operational
How many mobile subscribers are there in the world? What percentage has migrated to 3G?
There are nearly 4.7bn mobile subscribers worldwide. Nearly 13% of these have migrated to 3G
What is the growth projection for 3G subscribers in Asia?
One study suggests 570mn 3G subscribers in Asia Pacific by 2013. India is expected to have nearly 6% of this market
Who are the pioneers of 3G technology?
Japan and South Korea are seen as leaders in 3G technology. Additionally, UK, Germany, Italy and US also have widespread usage
Licences In India
How many 3G licences have been given?
Three pan-India 3G licences have been auctioned in 22 circles. In 5 of the 22 circles, a fourth 3G licence has been auctioned. So a total of 71 new 3G licences. BSNL and MTNL already provide 3G services
Why have 3G auctions been delayed?
Till recently, the govt was unable to secure 3G spectrum from the Defence Ministry. The auctions have been delayed more than a year since they were first planned for
Jan 2009
Will competition increase now?
No. Only existing operators have won 3G bidding. In fact, after auctions, further consolidation of the sector is expected within 18 months
Are there rollout obligations for 3G?
Street level coverage in at least 90% service area within 5 years. 50% coverage of district headquarters, of which 15% should be rural areas within 5 yrs Auction Details
What are the payment terms for successful bidders?
Successful bidders will deposit the amount within 10 calendar days of the close of auction, failing which earnest money shall stand forfeited
When will 3G services be available?
BSNL and MTNL already offer 3G services. Other operators may be able to offer 3G services only by end of 2010, but in any case not earlier than Sep 2010
What is the duration of 3G licences?
The right to use 3G spectrum shall be valid for 20 yrs from the effective date. Till the year 2030
Will M&A guidelines apply?
Yes, guidelines as prescribed by DoT. Currently, if two or more operators with 3G spectrum merge, they will be allowed to retain only one 3G spectrum block per service area and have to surrender the remaining
What is Hertz?
Hertz, named after the German physicist Heinrich Hertz, are the measurement of frequency, current, & electricity. Their uses are common in many fields, including sound waves and radiation
1 hertz = 1 cycle per sec (cps) One megahertz is made up of 1 million hertz. In 3G, each operator had bid for 5 MHz of spectrum in the telecom circle(s) of his choice. India has 22 telecom circles

Throwing Light On Knowledge

The following article appeared in "The Times of India - Speaking Tree" on 08th May 2010 Sat.

I like this one.

Throwing Light On Knowledge

G S Tripathi

Knowledge of eternity is sometimes termed as the knowledge of Supreme light. It remains an enigma and is sought out as the ultimate destination by all seekers of truth.
A reasonable understanding of the science of light began with Newton, whose concept of light converged with the concept proposed by Einstein more than 200 years later, of the particle nature of light – although Einstein’s light quanta are different from Newton’s corpuscles. In between the two, there is continuity, a wave, also a nature of light. This is the wave-particle duality of modern physics. Light interacts with matter as particle butpropagates as wave.
Shining light on philosophical aspects of knowledge also has several aspects. In the Bhagavad Gita, when Arjuna sees the cosmic form of Krishna, he compares the radiance he sees to the combined light of thousands of suns. In other words, the cosmic form is the Supreme light, the guide as well as destination of all knowledge.
In the Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga or the yoga of individual and ultimate consciousness of the Gita, Krishna says that He is the illuminator of all light, beyond darkness of all ignorance, and therefore Supreme Knowledge, knowing which, there would be nothing to be known further. He also resides as knowledge in all beings.
Knowledge is continuous; it pervades space and time; it is also discrete, as it is there in every being, all the time. It is the duality of knowledge, in conformity with the duality of light.
The beginning of light as well as knowledge remains as much of a mystery as the beginning of space, the universe, and time. The more one explores, the more the mystery. It’s worth the quest as it signifies progress and expands the territory of knowledge.
Knowledge liberates the mind and knowledge of the ultimate enables eternal liberation. On a similar note, ordinary light de-localises a localised particle; focused and high intensity light can liberate the particle from the system itself. This is the essence of Einstein’s photo electric effect.
In Quantum Theory, a material body can emit light when excited. The excitation can be done by absorption of light. Emission of light can take place also by mechanical, chemical, thermal and even biological excitations. However, all bodies cannot absorb light. Some transmit it and others reflect it.
Similarly, not everyone is capable of absorbing knowledge. The Gita says that the one who is devoted and has his senses in complete control is alone entitled to receive the Supreme knowledge. Hence, in the spiritual context, knowledge is also a form of energy; and it can do and undo things.
Both light and knowledge cannot be absolutely confined, although they could be effectively localised. But one should not lose sight of the fact that while light is a physical entity governed by and conforming to physical laws, knowledge is a transcendental perception.
What are the possible areas of convergence between the material and the spiritual? Synergy is essential for finding meaningful solutions to challenges of life and time.