Managers' Dilemma?

One of the best explanations of Prisoner's Dilemma: (In the words of Douglas R Hofstadter, from Metamagical Themas)---

Life is filled with paradoxes and dilemmas. Sometimes it even feels as if the essence of living is the sensing---indeed, the savoring---of paradox. Although all paradoxes seem somehow related, some paradoxes seem somehow related, some paradoxes seem abstract and philosophical, while other touch on life very directly. A very lifelike paradox is the so-called "Prisoner's Dilemma", discovered in 1950 by Melvin Dresher and Merril Flood of the RAND Corporation.

Assume you possess copious quantities of some item (money, for example), and wish to obtain some amount of another item (perhaps stamps, groceries, diamonds). You arrange a mutually agreeable trade with the only dealer of that item known to you. You are both satisfied with the amounts you will be giving and getting. For some reason, though, your trade must take place in secret. Each one of you agrees to leave a bag at a designated place in the forest, and to pick up the other's bag at the other's designated place. Suppose it is clear to both of you that the two of you will never meet or have further dealings with each other again.

Clearly, there is something for each of you to fear: namely, that the other one will leave an empty bag. Obviously, if you both leave full bags, you will both be satisfied; but equally obviously, getting something for nothing is even more satisfying. So you are tempted to leave an empty bag. In fact, you can even reason it through quite rigourous this way: "If the dealer brings a full bag, I'll be better off having left an empty bag, because I'll have gotten all that I wanted and given away nothing. If the dealer brings an empty bag, I'll be better off having left any empty bag, because I'll not have been cheated. I'll have gained nothing but lost nothing either. Thus it seems that no matter what the dealer chooses to do, I am better off leaving an empty bag. So I'll leave an empty bag.

The dealer meanwhile, bring in more or less the same boat (though at the other end of it), thinks analogous thoughts and comes to the parallel conclusion that it is best to leave an empty bag. And so both of you, with your impeccable (or impeccable-seeming) logic, leave empty bags, and go away empty handed. How sad, for if you had both just cooperated, you could have each gained something you wanted to have.

Does logic prevent cooperation? This is the issue of the Prisoner's Dilemma.

Prisoner's Dilemma is one crucial concept towards the Game Theory.

Now, on to the Beautiful Game:

Last night's drub goalless draw between Manchester United (the new champions) and Chelsea (the defending champions) was probably inspired from this (logical?) non-cooperation principle. Both the managers rested their major players, perhaps in preparation of the FA Cup final at the new Wembley Stadium. In all these game theoretic tactics, to say the least, the fans were at a great loss, as the match ended with a lot of bookings and no goals on the scoresheet!

Perhaps you can sense how boring the game would have been just from the post match report!

A question of self reference

It is not very difficult to think of a question that has a sense of self reference. Coming up with a self referential answer can be tricky (and I am still trying to get better of that trick).

Anyway, the simplest question that I can think of is:

May I ask you a question?

If your answer is, yes: you are conceding that you haven't understood the question! See the emphasis below---

May I ask you a question?

By saying yes, you are allowing the questioner to ask another question, which he never intended to do.

If your answer is, no: you are done in again by the googly, for the questioner has already asked the question and done with it. A no, really doesn't mean anything.

If you decide to remain silent; the question is not answered anyway.

In my opinion, this is a question that really has no answer!

Any takers for this hypothesis?

For Your Eyes Only

Do the following if you have Windows XP as your OS:

1. Right click on your desktop and select Properties
2. Change to the Appearance tab and select Effects
3. Click the Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts checkbox
4. Select Clear Type as the method
5. Click OK and then Apply on the Desktop Properties

If you find the appearance of your desktop rather soothing to your eyes, happily keep the setting.

In most cases I hope the reader would keep the above settings; like I have done!

For a Change

When they say that change is the only constant thing in this world, the question that comes to my mind is, if this is correct.

Shouldn't they be saying, change is the only variable thing in this world. All other variables exist because the underlying entity changes.

If change were a constant, the double derivatives of all the variables would be zero (which is a constant!). But that isn't so :-)

Google Docs

This post has been composed using Google docs and spreadsheets. Seems like a good tool. Try it at docs.google.com

Useful copy-book

Surfing the ever growing Internet, if you come across something interesting, what do you do? You copy the interesting content somewhere. Now, that somewhere just got smart. Try the new google notebook to quickly store clippings, anecdotes, links and what not and carry the notebook with you while you are online.

I am already finding it useful...

Vim

There is this cleaning powder available in market, called as Vim. And then there is the equivalent bar (I know, bar and the original can't be equivalent. Still) called Vim Bar. Both are as good at cleaning your dishes as you are, if not better.

The description applies to the greatest of text editor that goes by the same name. Vim, or Vi-Improved is boon to the tech-community blessed by Bram Moolenaar et. al. Enthusiast users like me will agree with me. It doesn't take long to get addicted to Vim and soon you would expect '/' to work in every other application that you are using. Earlier I had announced my wish that blogger should LaTeX tags. I am adding another side wish to it: blogger should support Vim commands.

For more technically inclined, let me list out maps etc from my .vimrc

map cmth I#<esc>
map <f2> :w<cr>
map <f5> :e!
map bu :buffers<cr>:b
set vb t_vb=
set nu!
set incsearch

Find all of the above too simple and boring?
Check the following of my new learnings:

gUU : make the whole line uppercase.
guu : make it all lowercase.
?/ : search for '/' without escaping (\/)
:g/(pattern)/# : show all the occurences of (pattern) with line numbers in one shot
:g/^\s*$/d : delete all blank lines
CTRL-R CTRL-W : Pull word onto search/command line
gf : open file name under cursor
q: : commandline history Window (puts you in full edit mode) (exit CTRL-C)
gCTRL-G : count words in text file
CTRL-G : prints the current file name
CTRL-A : in edit mode, inserts previously inerted text

Vim in Greek means strength. Remember, it needs to be used carefully and tactfully if you want it to work for you!

Mr. Page

If the Google chief makes a mistake, what would you call it?

A Page Fault!

Contagion

Only the other day, this interesting conversation happened over tea-

Characters involved were a couple of colleague-friends in office and of course myself-

"You still have got the virus problem on your machine?" - me

"Yeah, I still have it. It is intermittent though," -the infected colleague.

"I hope it is not contagious," -me

We are all connected to the network whole day.

"I don't know really...,"

"Who sits next to you? Ask him to be careful!"

The humourous conversation did end at this point. One can't be blamed if (s)he says, "What a bland joke," or one may marvel at how technology-illiterate we have been. All that is justified.

Yet, what mattered the most was, we all just enjoyed with a good laugh.

One doesn't need world class humour-literature to smile. Isn't it?

Feedback

I can point at something. Yet, I can't see what I am pointing at.
I can say. Yet, I can't hear what I am saying.
I can write. Yet, I can't read!

Puzzled? As you can see, there is an obvious issue with the feedback network. If the feedback is erroneous, the output can't be corrected. In my case, I do not even know what the output is!

This is to say that, for a couple of days now I have not been able to view my blog :-)

What difference does that make?

I should start with a question. Have you heard the name: Charles Babbage?

Every now and then, when I key in the letters into the computer, I must, theoretically, be reminded of his invention. I am reminded, although not every time.

Today is significant from that point of view. About 85 years ago, this famous mathematician-cum-mechanical engineer presented his paper on difference engine to the Royal Astronomical Society. Since that day, the age of computing has come a long long way.

And by the way, if you ask what difference did it make after all, the answer is, it used Newton's method for polynomial evaluation that doesn't require multiplication.

All in all, the difference engine of Babbage did make a lot of difference. Didn't it?

Self Reference via e-mail

Link to my old post about interesting sentences is here.

I got the following sentence from Mihir

"I hope I don't any one other than Dhruv."

Subtle, and excellent! This is a quality self reference. Reminded me of the classic, "This sentence no verb."

Self Reference in Action

Today we are advised to work from home (because of tension in the Bangalore City etc.)

Therefore, obviously, there is a high load on the servers that accept the working-from-home connections. Apparently, many employees have been facing "issues" in connecting to office. In order to solve this problem, they opened up more tunnels (meaning more bandwidth and less issues) and sent a mail declaring so.

Now, given that the network is the only source of information passing, this email will not reach the users, and the users won't be able to access the alternate tunnel (... and read the e-mail). This is a classic example of dead-lock in action!

Another example of this can be found in Pressure Cookers - the instructions on how to open the pressure cooker lid are embossed on the inner side of lid itself!

That reminds me of another memory -
My cousin sister was around 2 years old - and I was I think 15-16 years then. When I used to tell her to tell me her secret in my ear, she would move close to me and bring her ear close to mine :-)

Ultra Mobile PC

Check this amazing thing out : Here (Video clip)

Not to mention, it's powered by my organisation!

Bug

There are n types of bugs possible in any piece of code. And the assumption that all bugs can be either fixed or waived is in itself buggy. I am a firm believer that all the bugs can never be cleaned.

Consider this (fool) proof -

A. Assumption : at least one bug exists at the start of the algorithm.
1. set i to 1.
2. Take bug number i. Clean it. In the process, make sure you don't create any bugs.
3. Check are all the bugs cleared?

(yes) - Are you sure that all the bugs are cleaned? How do you make sure of that? So, try finding the next bug. If you are pretty sure, (which can't be!), then this proof is wrong. I mean, there is a bug in the proof!
(no) - Find the next bug. Increment i. Go back to step 2.


So, now having proven that all bugs can not be cleaned, we should get ready to live with them, or get used to them. Here are some of the suggestions for you -

1. Dump your old, ugly scooter. Start commuting in a buggy.
2. Love Bug :)
3. Start communicating in this language.
4. Call your friends with an exclamation, hey (what else?) bugger!
5. Call this your holy river.

---
Read more about the bed-bug "epidemic" in Australia. It is really funny. Here, you may want to fill in the survey.

If you ask me what is my experience with bed-bugs, and I would say, well, I have lost sleep over this matter!. And if you want a real nasty remark about it, please write to me. I'll reply!

Centrino

It all started in the year 2003, when Intel launched its platform called, Centrino. It was seen as a major initiative (or rather fire-fighting from Intel's perspective, at a time when the Mobile computing market was not showing positive indicators) that brought focus back to the Mobile Computing.

When I joined Intel, the only thing I thought that was different from the traditional laptops, was the in-built WLAN. Around that time I was working for another organisation which was designing WLAN chips. And I was part of that design team. Now I know, platform means not only the Wireless LAN, but a whole lot of other things. A platform essentially consists of a processor, the chipset for memory interface and/or the graphics support, and the wireless communicatively. It's not only that, however, a platform means a complete solution for the OEMs, be they small or Big. I guess enabling the small OEMs to design and manufacture a complete mobile computing product has been the key in success of the platform. Intel can provide most of the ingredients, you are welcome to add any spices and then you are ready to cook!

I will not go into details, but I feel, going forward, Intel's platform strategy is certain to see success. Already the indications are that sometime soon the Mobile market is going to catch up with the desktop. I could give another analogy - land-lines (desktop) v/s mobile phones (laptops). Though not accurate in every sense (telephone market is just too huge as compared to the compute market), I guess it conveys the message.

Last week Intel India launched the next generation Centrino platform, called Centrino Duo. There was a big ceremony with high profile press conference etc at Mumbai. Intel India tried to project this platform as something close to Made-in-India. Although Intel cannot claim it with anywhere near the Made-in-India stamp, India design centre has had a significant contribution to the design.

Come next year, I might be able to boast of having done a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent contribution to the next Centrino platform. Till then, it's back to work :)

arey O Samba

Arey O Samba, kitney aadami the?

;)

--

Apparently there is a new shop that has opened near the Mayo Hall, Bangalore. Now considering that Mayo Hall - MG Road is a hot area, this shop better sell or go bankrupt soon. Radio City is airing an interesting advertisement for this store, called Damas. At first I didn't quite get the name right, "The what?" was my reaction. Later it turned out to be, Damas.

Lady A is showing off her new necklace (or neckless?) to her buddy, lady B. obviously lady B grows envy, and asks where did she get this piece? "The-mass", replies lady A.

One should keep in mind that these two ladies are virtually NRI's and don't know much about the local grocery shop, but know where the local WalMart is in Bangalore.

Lady B can't believe her ears, "The-mass London? Dubai?? New York???", each questionmark receives a vociferous NO. Finally she is told "Damas-Bangalore," which is "10,000 sq. ft. of pure glitter".

Casually, lady B inquires, "Do we get everything we get abroad (read, our country) ?"

Now's the real punch: lady A clarifies, yes. Apparently she can choose among, umm, Gold, umm, diamonds, and what's that? yeah, Platinum. The tone of this reply is no different than, "yes- you can choose from aalu, kaddu, aur, apna pyaaz!"

I expected this advt to conclude with "O mere sonaa re sonaa re sonaa", but it is never played.

Be Game

It was almost an year ago when I wrote this post on Game Theory. The topic came back to my mind this morning when I read the news of the year's Nobel Prize in Economics. The Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences goes to Aumann and Schelling for "having enhanced our understanding of conflict and cooperation through game-theory analysis".

I guess this is for the second time, after mathematician John Nash, that the Nobel Prize is being awarded for unparalleled work in economics based on Game Theory. Going forward, it could be a nice avenue to look for a prize (or a prize or two?).

Game, anyone?

My favourite sentences

Taken from Douglas R Hofstadter's "Metamagical Themas", following are some of my favourite sentences---

• This sentence was in past tense.
• What would this sentence be like if "pi" were 3?
• This sentence no verb.
• The whole point of this sentence is to make clear what the whole point of the sentence is.
• I don't care who wrote this sentence---whoever he is, he is damn sexist!
• 'T' is the first, fourth, eleventh, sixteenth, twenty-fourth, twenty-ninth, thirty-third, . . .
• Remember me? I am the one who never made any impression on you.
• Why does trouble always come at the wrong time?
• "yields falsehood when appended to its quotation." yields falsehood when appended to its quotation.
• When you are not looking at it, this sentence is in Spanish.
• As long as you are not reading me, the fourth word of this sentence has no referent.

And finally, the masterpiece:

Only the fool would take trouble to verify that this sentence was composed of ten a's, three b's, four c's, four d's, forty-six e's, sixteen f's, four g's, thirteen h's, fifteen i's, two k's, nine l's, four m's, twenty five n's, twenty four o's, five p's,sixteen r's, forty-one s's, thirty seven t's, ten u's, eight v's, eight w's, four x's, eleven y's, twenty seven commas, twenty three apostrophes, seven hyphens, and, last but not least, a single !

Discovery

While reading "The Emporer's new Mind", I came across an interesting concept :

The question the author puts forward is that, is Physics not deterministic? Everything around us happens according to some laws. Is it not true if I say that some of the laws are not known to the human mind, and not that they don't exist. It is then just a matter of time before all such mechanisms are discovered.

I had attended a lecture on "Einstein - from antiquity and beyond". In that, the speaker explained how time and space are interwoven. One fact which he told, simply fascinated me - The orbit which the Earth traverses day in and day out is actually a curved path in space and time. Strictly speaking, the Earth always tries to move in a straight line, but since the time-space are curved, we think that it revolves around the sun in elliptic-circular track.

It is just a matter of discovery then, and not invention!!!

In context of "earthly" matters, yes. And in case of "heavenly" things, too :)