Share via

I am the Empire

  • Article

NH5 to Vizag

5 years back exactly on this very day I walked into Cyber Towers office of Microsoft India for the first time. If someone asked me at that time how long I plan to work for Microsoft, my answer would’ve been couple of years max. I was still a bit suspicious of the evil empire and it took some time for me to realize that “I am the empire”. The 5 years has been a mind blowing journey.

Even though in our industry working for any company for a 5 year stretch is a huge thing, it doesn’t seem so in Microsoft. Our team has 4 people over 20 years and at least 8 people over 10 years.

Some random thoughts on the last 5 years

  1. Made my family relocate 3 cities before settling down in Hyderabad (my wife’s threat that the next relocation would be without her helped).
  2. Bought an apartment
  3. I have a daughter now who was born around 3 months after I joined MS.
  4. Started working in a shared office with Ankur and then worked in various cubicles. Finally I have an office.
  5. 3 job designations. SDE to SDEII to Senior SDE. I am fiercely protecting the SDE suffix.
  6. It’s fantastic to walk into a book store and see books on your work and see screenshots of UI you’ve designed or description of algorithms you’ve come up with.
  7. 327 blog posts on blogs.msdn.com
  8. I still do not use Visual Studio to edit code
  9. Finally gave up on Linux even at home. Bye bye Ubuntu, welcome Windows 7
  10. I have 3 Xboxes in my office and none at home
  11. I use Nokia phones
  12. Made fantastic friends at work and sadly few of them are left with Microsoft India (either moved to Redmond or have left MS). Hello Amit, Srivatsn, Ankur :)
  13. Always wanted to attend a BillG project review but he quit
  14. Got into some email wars
  15. I am no longer the fire-head I used to be. I actually think before I speak.
  16. Went top down from n-tier architectures (TFS), desktop applications (VSTT) and now embedded (NETCF)
  17. I prefer Starbucks coffee now instead of Darjeeling tea

Comments

  • Anonymous
    August 31, 2009
    Just want to add one more items to your list .. 327 WORTH articles and amazing photography !!!

  • Anonymous
    August 31, 2009
    Thanks Abhijeet

  • Anonymous
    August 31, 2009
    Please keep up the good work and let us know all intricacies of .NET framework.

  • Anonymous
    September 02, 2009
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    September 02, 2009
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    September 02, 2009
    Well, really a last one .. Why no XBOX at home ?