Alignemet and structures.

I was reading some random code on the net and had come across this code snippet at following link.

#define NETDEV_ALIGN 32
#define NETDEV_ALIGN_CONST (NETDEV_ALIGN - 1)


static inline void *netdev_priv(struct net_device *dev)
{ return (char *)dev + ((sizeof(struct net_device)+
NETDEV_ALIGN_CONST)
& ~NETDEV_ALIGN_CONST);
}

The above code is somehow calculating some alignment requirement I was a bit confused on how it is being done.

Always friendly wikipedia answered my queries here

I have been following idea forge for last few years partially because one of its founder Ashish bhat is tech god and inspiration to tinkers like me. I was lucky to meet him during the techfest.

Recenty I was reading interview of one of its founder Ankit mehta and I found it to be very good. His views match mine and it feels good when you read something which matches your view (and is quite contradictory to general view of society and people)

Here are some of his views that I like very much and agrees completely.

"The joy of creating a product gives you the satisfaction which no high-paying job can," he says happily. It gives him immense pleasure to work even if it means working till the wee hours. For him, every day is a chance to strive harder and make his dreams come true.

I would not like to call our venture a success yet. But whatever we have achieved so far is thanks to a patient team, the ability to minimise costs and work with great focus and determination.

We were not a liability to our families; we did not have too many responsibilities so we could go ahead and take risks. More than anything else, we believed in our ideas.

You need patience to go on persevering the goal. Impatience also as it helps to get things done faster. A great team is essential.

India does need many more entrepreneurs. It is not as it we are lagging behind in terms of innovation.

We have products like the Tata Nano built in India. But the basic problem lies in the system. We are very social-centric people. We believe a lot in social status.

Our efforts still remain on how to build this status by buying cars and apartments, and becoming wealthier. In this process, we have lost pride in doing great work.

In foreign countries there is added advantage of proving yourself and your capabilities, in India there is no such compulsion. As long as you earn well, you have a good social status.

I would have got the comfort of a huge salary and other perks in a regular job, but the satisfaction I get now is something a job can never get me. I just need a dignified life. I am okay without a car. I don't consider car a necessity. Good food and a reasonable way of living are what matter most.

His complete interview is available at http://business.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/sep/23/slide-show-1-tech-entrepreneur-with-an-idea-bank.htm#contentTop

I Hope this guys turn out in very successful company (Although they already have).

Action Items

see this conversation between my Team Lead and me.

TL : We are being given three action items by clients , I am thinking of assigning it to you.. what are your current action items ?

ME: I am already testing a fix that I coded last week.

TL : Ok i will assign it to someone else ,

the word action items is commonly used in My current project. I don't like this word as it is a heavy word. This word is being spoken as if we are given an action item to conquer a hill on kargil or carry out a heart transplant operations.