Sunday, August 9, 2009

Wrong assumption can cost high

Aug 8th, 2009, I had good experience of wrong assumption. I made one assumption till yesterday that external projector will work easily when connected to VGA port of a Laptop. Yesterday's event proved me wrong.

Yesterday was last and grand final presentation of Open Software Challenge Nepal 2009 (OSCN 2009). saralScrum, my project, was one of top 10 selected for grand final. I prepared all my demo and presentation by customizing a live CD distribution called Puppy Linux. I was very happy thinking wow i don't need to configure any thing at presentation site. I thought i will put my live CD and bang i will be rolling in no time.

At presentation site, I got one Dell laptop to configure my demo and presentation. I booted the laptop with my live CD. I transferred my presentation file to hard disk of the laptop so that my presentation gets faster. I was ready in flash and very confident to give impressive presentation.

After long wait, I got my turn. I took the laptop to the stage. It was connected to a projector and tried to switch the display from laptop to the projector. Fn + F6. NO SIGNAL. Projected screen is BLANK blue screen. My heart sank. I could not believe my eyes. Desperately I pressed F6 and all other function keys few more time but no luck. It is not working. Some one told there may not be driver for that laptop. I had no idea.

I had to say sorry to audience and took laptop back to my desk. In my slot other projects are filled in. Mean time I quickly setup vnc server. Some another guy help me to find another laptop and connected to my laptop with vnc client. It worked but there was still one problem. vnc client showed just a part of my remote desktop screen. It was looking odd. But i had no choice as it was the only option left if i am going to present.

I went back to stage thinking something is better than nothing. I gave my presentation with vnc client showing remote screen by scrolling the screen. Organizer told me to make it short as Chief guest is about to arrive and i don't have much time left. I did my presentation on great hurry. I could not connect to the audience well. After presentation i was supposed to show the demo and face Q/A session but stage anchor told me to stop. Many thanks to audience who supported me and asked anchor to give some time. Then i showed the demo of my project. It is also in very great hurry and I was able to show just a few screens. Final times up and i don't have time left for Q/A session.

Finally results is announced and I lost the competition. In my thinking one of the reason for my failure is my poor presentation. Reason of it is, yes you know it, my wrong assumption.

8 comments:

bibekshrestha said...

Nice post! and yea with smaller distros you can never be assured of anything!
It was a great software never the less, I hope you keep up your good work.

About the anchor cutting your presentation short, its like we're living in an age where people are judged by what type of suit they wear.

Keep writing, and I've subscribed to your blog.

Bibek Shrestha
http://bibekshrestha.com.np

DreamSky said...

Nice to read from your perspective.

I was also hopping that your presentation would go impressive.

Anyways, this competition is not the end but the beginning. Hope to see your project walk further miles..

Regards,
Dhilung (one of the guys who tried to help u on that day :)

Unknown said...

Thank you Bibek and Dhilung for your encouraging words. I am really grateful for your help on that day. I am also thankful to all other people who helped me.

Anonymous said...

1. Figured you wrote blogs. Felt good. Keep expressing. Today's issue has already become a good preaching. You are wiser now.

2. Since you used Puppy Linux, it was not Linux's fault. Keep loving Linux.

3. Some models of Dell laptops have issues with external VGAs. I think you have googled it by now. (That's why things "proprietory" are sometimes so painful.)

4. Running a VNC was a great presence of mind. I don't know why you did not try your friend's machine with Live Puppy Linux though. (Perhaps his was a Dell too..)

5. This is a post that I am madly in love with. Do read when you have time. http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2006/06/how_to_get_traf.html

6. I know you are a star of a kind. You will have another chance and you will produce the results next time. Keep up and do write.

Sumit Shrestha said...

its none of ur fault....sometyme things just gets pretty weird up especially when ur alone giving presentation in a very short duration.... mannn u must had seen me during pre-presentation times...i was just running hither-tither just for demo preparation...i needed xp system but there was none...so i had to get shankar sirs laptop n dat too some hrs b4 presentation began.... after couple of many problems it finally ran in demo...i cannot believe it......its just chance....i can say nothing more...ur n my project were only single developer proj n i really appreciate ur work....i think u must apply ur project 4 use in company level...surely it will rock

regards,
Sumit Shrestha

Chhakku Pakku said...

Your Presentation on SaralScrum was interesting. Of course there are glitches everywhere. For a PM it would definitely give a push to work in a RAD environment.
Good luck & i hope your project would hike extra miles.

Chhakku Pakku said...

Btw, OSCN Finale report is published @ EU : http://www.everestuncensored.org/7621/2009/08/14/oscn2009finale/

Deepesh said...

I've seen your stuff work and you've done an incredible work. You will also be on the top someday.. just keep it up :)