The year-long 10th anniversary celebrations of PIT Solutions were kicked off in style in January 2010. A grand function marked the start of the festivities. The function was special in many ways – one being that it was a full house with every PITSian present; another was that some of our most special clients and venture partners were there too to take part.
It was 10 years ago, at the turn of the millennium, that a group of young engineers along with a Swiss entrepreneur started up the company at Technopark, one of the few IT parks that existed at that time. The company was named PIT Solutions, taking inspiration from the flurry and efficiency that one can see at the pit stops of Formula 1 racing. Upon hindsight, it is remarkable that the company has weathered two of the most trying periods of global recession, and despite them has grown from strength to strength. This was reminisced in a flashback presentation given by the directors at the party venue.
The rest of the evening was rendered colorful by music and dance programs performed by the PITSians themselves. Some of the programs staged easily rivaled those of hardcore professionals thus proving that techies can be equally adept at the arts too.
Friendship and teamwork drive companies to growth and prosperity. Friendship was the theme of the first item of the evening – a solo song by Anwar. The intensity of the singer matched the depth of the theme of friendship.Taking it on from there were Harikrishnan and Devikrishna rendering a duet, which had the message for the crowd.
The directors of PIT Solutions took over and walked the audience through a nostalgic journey of the past 10 years of the company and the trials and triumphs they underwent in taking it to the present day. Dieter talked about his first meeting with Rafeek back in 1998 through a common business friend. Thomaskutty talked about the chance circumstances that brought him into the startup in the year 2000. Rafeek remembered the early pains of starting up and the difficulties in taking off amidst the global recession of the early noughties. A photo slide show with live commentary by Thomaskutty amused the crowd, especially the veterans of PITS who found themselves featured in the photos.
Over a thousand people have worked and contributed to PIT Solutions’ success over a span of 10 years, but a few people have really indulged more than the others and have become key players through their persistent contributions. Twelve people were on this elite list and were honored by the director board. BijuTP, Arjun, Soumia, Smitha, Ajesh, Lucky, Ramkumar, Aneesh, Nithya, Pradeep and BijuBC were the veterans with between 5 to 10 years of association with PIT Solutions.
Sports competitions were ongoing as a run up to the commencement of the anniversary celebrations, and had generated overwhelming interest and awesome participation. Prizes and trophies were given away to the winners during the function with the guests taking turns to felicitate the winners.
Kathak is a North Indian traditional dance form that is known for it elegant costumes and fast swirling moves. Deepthi, Reshmi and Gayatri dazzled on stage with a grand performance.
Much to the delight of everyone, a magic show was presented by Athira which truly enthralled the spectators. The magician made the acts of illusion even more interesting through soliciting participation by representatives from the audience.
A fun dance followed that used a Russian folk song to sync the steps. The costume itself evoked laughter even before the first steps were planted.The group song that followed had a team of seven humming the tunes of …… through some spirited vocal triumphs.Harikrishnan and Haneesh returned from it to add a duet performance that was an inspirational Tamil song.
Then came the magnum opus of the evening that everyone was eagerly waiting for – a sterling dance extravaganza from the PITS guys and girls. Their relay-style performance to multiple musical scores took every spectator along with and had them humming along and tapping toes in sync.
The kids had a gala time too with their lisped cutie steps in near-to-perfect rhythm to the music beats.The items were well sandwiched with entertainment fillers that really kept the tempo steady throughout the evening.
The Blue Brain Project is the first comprehensive attempt to reverse-engineer the mammalian brain, in order to understand brain function and dysfunction through detailed simulations. The aim of the project, founded in May 2005 by the Brain and Mind Institute of the École Polytechnique in Lausanne, Switzerland, is to study the brain’s architectural and functional principles. The project is headed by the Institute’s director,Henry Markram.
The Chief Guest at the talk was Dr. Jayakrishnan, the honourable Vice Chancellor of Kerala University. Dr. Jayakrishnan also happens to be associated with the Swiss Federal Institute (EPFL), which houses the Brain Mind Institute of which Dr. Henry Markram is the director. He wished the Blue Brain Project all success and wished early breakthroughs in unraveling the mysteries of the mind.
Mr.Thomaskutty Sebastin, Head of Business Development and Partner of PIT Solutions, had the responsibility of introducing Dr. Henry Markram to the audience. Thomaskutty gave a broad outline of the scientific career and achievements of Dr. Markram. He also described how his association with Dr. Markram started during their days at EPFL together.
Dr.Markram through his presentation threw light on the immense complexity of the mammalian brain just by explaining the working of a single neuron. The brain contains millions of such neurons. It revealed to the audience how enormous the task would be to simulate the brain using supercomputers, which is going to be the first step for the Blue Brain project.His simple style of presentation and the rich visuals brought to fore all the facts to everyone, even to the layman present. Dr. Markram also used the occasion to announce that PIT Solutions will build the Internet portal to access Blue Brain. The portal will allow the research community, hospitals, industry and the public to access Blue Brain.The Q&A session that followed the talk was an animated one with a few but a varied array of questions from different sections of the audience. Dr. Markram answered the queries in his typical patient and precise demeanor.
Mr.Mervin Alexander, CEO of Technopark, in his address expressed appreciation and gratitude for choosing Technopark as the venue for conducting a talk on such a path-breaking scientific research project. He brought to the audience’s notice that hosting this talk at Technopark is actually part of PIT Solutions’ tenth anniversary celebrations.
The CEO of PIT Solutions, Mr. Rafeek. K. Mohammed in his vote of thanks mentioned about the association of PIT Solutions with Dr. Markram that has led to PIT Solutions’ involvement in the Blue Brain Project. He also recalled that it is the successful ongoing execution of Frontiers, another project of which Dr. Markram is a part, which has helped to build the business relationship and trust over the years.
The media were in full attendance to cover the talk now converged for a press meet. The talk itself and the impact of the Blue Brain project on humanity and medicine had created considerable interest among the media on the future of the project and the role of PIT Solutions in it. Dr. Markram, Rafeek Mohammed, and Thomaskutty Sebastian attentively answered the queries from the media persons and made lucid the Blue Brain – PIT Solutions connection.
Dr.Markram described about the Frontiers project ,its objectives and scope, and how PIT Solutions has been supporting in the smooth execution of it. He explained how it has led to PIT Solutions’ significant involvement in the Blue Brain Project and shared subtle hints of the scale of the project. Rafeek said that PIT Solutions is committed to provide all the IT support needs that the project may need. He shared the challenges involved in finding and engaging the best IT professionals to work for Blue Brain’s success.
Silverlight for mobile enables developers to reuse their existing desktop code, content and skills, and leverages the flexible .NET programming model.
Microsoft Silverlight powers rich application experiences wherever the Web works including mobile devices. Silverlight provides a homogenous platform for developers to target a large number of devices as well as deliver rich interactive applications with scalable vector graphics user interfaces and mobile-optimized media.
Which handsets will support Silverlight for mobile?
Silverlight for mobile will start shipping on Nokia S60 and Windows Mobile devices first.
What are the main features & benefits of Silverlight for mobile?
Microsoft Silverlight is a cross-browser, cross-platform, and cross-device plug-in for delivering the next generation of .NET based media experiences and rich interactive applications for the Web. On mobile devices, Silverlight provides a homogenous platform for developers to target a large number of devices as well as deliver rich interactive applications with scalable vector graphics UI and mobile-optimized media. Further, Silverlight for mobile enables developers to reuse their existing desktop code, content and skills, and leverages the flexible .NET programming model.
Will Silverlight for mobile plug-in on WM be any different from the one on S60?
Silverlight provides a consistent experience across the Web and mobile devices. The same Silverlight applications will work on both Windows Mobile and Nokia S60 devices.
How can I build applications with Silverlight for mobile?
There is no difference in how you build Silverlight applications across Web and mobile devices. Developers and designers are supported by our world-class tools with Visual Studio and Expression Studio.
How can I learn more about Silverlight for mobile?
Silverlight for mobile is currently under development. Microsoft plan to release the final version in 2009.
How does Silverlight for mobile ensure consistency across devices and platforms? How will my apps work and look the same way across different screen sizes, processor speeds and input mechanisms?
Silverlight for mobile provides a consistent set of APIs across devices. The same Silverlight application therefore works across different devices and platforms. Developers also could easily optimize their applications for the form factor they are targeting.
How does Silverlight for mobile integrate with the standards-based Web?
There is no difference in how you build Silverlight applications across Web and mobile devices. Developers and designers are supported by our world-class tools with Visual Studio and Expression Studio.
How is Silverlight for mobile different from Silverlight on desktop?
The goal of Silverlight is to provide a consistent experience across desktop and mobile devices. Developers will be able to easily optimize Silverlight applications for mobile form factors or run existing Silverlight applications on mobile phones.
What version of Silverlight is being made available on mobile initially?
Silverlight for mobile will be based on Silverlight 2.
Where can I find Silverlight for mobile and associated SDK for download?
Silverlight for mobile is in private testing today. We haven’t announced any further details around availability at this time.
News: 27 Jan 2010, 1653 hrs IST, Joe Scaria, ET Bureau
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: PIT Solutions based at the Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram, which focuses on IT solutions to the small and medium sector, has extended its comprehensive IT support to the Blue Brain project.
The project is the first comprehensive attempt to reverse re-engineer the mammalian brain in order to understand brain function and dysfunction through detailed simulations.
PIT Solutions will continue to partner Dr Henry Markram, director of the Swiss Federal Institute’s (EPFL) Brain Mind Institute, for the Blue Brain project. Dr Markram said the mysteries of the mind could be solved, and that it was possible to have a supercomputer that models all the brain’s 100 trillion synapses.
The project attempts to build a computerized copy of a brain, starting with a rat’s brain, and progressing to a human brain, inside one of the world’s most powerful computers. The project hopes to bring into being a mind that will be able to think, reason, express will, lay down memories and perhaps even experience different emotions including love, anger, sadness, pain and joy.
PIT Solutions CEO Rafeek K Mohammed and head of business development, Thomaskutty Sebastian said the partnership would help the company enter an exciting and niche area in software development. Accordingly, PIT Solutions will deploy its IT infrastructure and expertise in supporting various research programmes undertaken as part of the Blue Brain project.
PIT Solutions officials said the company had successfully executed a number of small, medium and large projects with diverse, cutting-edge technologies over the past nine years.
One of the latest operating systems, Windows7 is getting popular throughout the world. Microsoft believes they are able to cover up the tragedy(?) of Windows Vista OS. Windows XP was very popular than any other Windows Operating Systems and this new OS is expected to be popular more than that.
Here are some of the noted features:
PIN - Keep programs and files handy: pin them to the taskbar or Jump Lists.
SNAP - Instant arrange two windows exactly side by side.
HomeGroup - Share files, music—even printers—in just four clicks.
Play To - Send media from your PC to compatible devices on your home network.
Windows Touch - Touch your screen to resize a photo or map or to quickly scroll through your files.
Let me go in to some more features I noticed. I am on Windows7 Ultimate.
Windows7 looks like Windows Vista. Well, it may be because it is using same kernel of Vista. But there are many additions and you will feel yourself faster in performance than Vista or XP. Gadgets are still there.
I personally felt the setup very simple. But same time I have the information from some website that around 68% problems reported by users regarding this OS is related to installation. Not sure whats wrong.
Introduction of ribbons (the one you can see in Microsoft Office Applications) in Wordpad and MS Paint. Calculator appearance also really good now.
Heard there is an improved firewall attached
Comes with DirectX 11. You know DirectX is the graphics engine behind Windows Operating systems which gives us best experience for user interface.
Dr. Henry Markram, world-renowned neuroscientist and project director of the Blue Brain project, would talk on neuroscience and the project during his visit to Technopark Campus, Trivandrum, India, in January 2010.
PIT Solutions is going to be the web technologies partner for the Blue Brain project, and would be hosting and facilitating a grand event of which the talk will be a part. Eminent personalities and prominent neuroscientists of India are expected to be in attendance at the talk, which would be covered by local and national media.
The Blue Brain project is the first comprehensive attempt to reverse-engineer the mammalian brain, in order to understand brain function and dysfunction through detailed simulations.
PIT Solutions would turn 10 years old on the 22nd of June, 2010. It being the 10th anniversary, celebrations are going to start early and last the whole of 2010.
The celebrations would be kicked off in the evening of January 27th, 2010 at Technopark, Trivandrum, which is the IT campus where the offshore development centers of PIT Solutions are located.
Everybody in the PITS Family and some of the most distinguished clients on visit would assemble at the Technopark Club for a get-together function. The 10th year promises to be a metamorphic one for PIT Solutions through a few joint ventures that are expected to be formed with other IT players during the course of the year.
The management team of PIT Solutions would address the gathering at the inaugural function and share the revised vision, mission and goals of the organization for the next 10 years. Thereafter, entertainment programs will be followed by a sumptuous buffet dinner.
I met a photographer recently. He started talking with excitement about seadragon, from microsoft live labs. Although I represent a microsoft gold certified company I wasnt aware about Seadragon. Bit of a shame;-) In short, Seadragon provides technology enabling web experiences where graphics and photos are smoothly browsed, regardless of the amount of data or the bandwidth of the network. For more info, see http://www.seadragon.com/
Visual Studio is on its way to development centers already. Let us have a quick look on some major features and enhancements this new version give.
Note that the product is still in beta at the time of writing this blog. Also writing everything about this product is definitely out of scope and please use some search engines to find more. Also when we talk about Visual Studio, we cannot restrict ourselves to Visual Studio IDE only but will need to stretch out to .NET Framework 4.0, Visual Basic, C# etc. also.
In Visual Studio, you have these major features available.
New prototyping, modeling and visual design tools for windows and web applications
Create ideas with shared vision with Sketchflow® and TFS (Team Foundation Server)
Multi-core, SharePoint and Cloud (Windows Azure®) programming
Multi monitor support
Isolate Point of failure through IntelliTrace debugger
Visual Enhancements. The IDE is revamped for improved reliability
Support for Test Driven Programming
Others:
Microsoft .NET v4.0: Improved Security Model, Parallel Computing, DLR (Dynamic Language Runtime), Covariance and Contravariants, BigIntegers & Complex Numbers, Tuples,
Visual Basic.NET: Auto-implemented properties, Collection initializers, Implicit line continuation, Multiline lambda expressions and subroutines, Type equivalence support, Dynamic support etc.
C#.NET: Dynamic support, Office programmability, Type equivalence etc.
ASP.NET: New methods for META tags, Browser compatibility enhancements, ASP.NET routing, Charting Support, Dynamic Data etc.
SharePoint: Import, modify, and extend solution packages, Develop with project and item type templates, BDC modesl, Debugging, etc.
Source: Data collected from search engines, MSDN etc.
The Bibus website, one of the biggest and most challenging TYPO3 projects that the PIT Solutions team has undertaken, is now online at www.bibus.hu.
The BIBUS AG Group is active in 20 European countries as a trading, service and manufacturing enterprise with its own companies. They needed a dynamic website based on a robust content management system to meet their ever-changing content needs by virtue of the multi-location and multi-product nature of their business.
A TYPO3-based website was the best solution for their needs. The TYPO3 platform will now ensure tremendous flexibility for Bibus to enhance and evolve the site according to all their possible demands for many years to come.
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