Beyond Crossroads - A Month Goes By

World beyond C++ has been perplexing and kind of intimidating so far. Probably the same reason makes it quite exciting. I mean, it's not like c++ was a cakewalk or something. I had worked hard to get some good purchase on the linux workflow - builds and makefiles and scripts and editors and gdb and the gamut of technologies that make a c++ backend work.

By the way, this 'getting purchase' thing has come from John Krakaur's highly influential Everest disaster saga - 'Into Thin Air'. I was blown away after watching 'Touching The Void' and then was literally breathless reading 'Into Thin Air'. Couldnt put it down. Anyway, I better keep this newfound fascination for mountaineering, for some other time.

So coming back to c++, I never had a full grasp of how much different the world is outside c++. Python, ruby, rails, php, java, javascript, jquery, struts, ejb, soap, xml-rpc, spring, swing, ajax, django, php frameworks .... the world was oozing with tools and technologies for the web platform, and here I was sustaining some glorious yet already-implemented c++ backend for last couple of years. I was happy only learning and reverse-engineering the marvelous architecture, even though I knew it wasnt going to be implemented again.

I kept neglecting my hunch that entrepreneurial chances are more prevalent in emerging technologies, precisely due to their relevant immaturity; rather than in a time tested technology that's losing its relevance over time.

God knows how much time I am going to take to get a grip on this fish-market of web-technologies, but till then it will be very painful to feel so incompetent whenever I come across a fabulous webapp (or framework) and understand zilch about its internals.

These days I feel like some stone-age tribesman from the amazons. Just out of the wilderness and smack into a modern civilization. I know how to make a stone-spear and hunt using it; but hey, these modern civilizations eat processed food and besides have sharper weapons much more effective than my hand-made stony meanie weenie. So where do I go? All that's useful, and left with me, are some leaves wrapped around my waist ...... and some instincts.