Ravi Mohan's Blog

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Saluting Randy Pausch

First read this (via news.ycombinator).

Then see the streaming video. It is terribly slow and broken up on a typical Indian internet connection but just see it anyway. You'll thank me afterwards.

If you are a parent, a spouse, a teacher (of any subject), a student, a programmer, an artist, a designer, a public speaker, just see it.

Dr Pausch, I have never met you but you just changed my life. Thank You.

Update: The video is on YouTube in ten pieces. This is much better than CMU's streaming video, because in these you can load the full video before viewing, go back and forth etc.

9 comments:

Nisha Pillai said...

Thanks for posting this. As for Dr.Pausch, words are not enough.

Anonymous said...

Pretty inspiring speech. Just a thought though - if this person was not dying, would this speech be as inspiring?
Like the speaker's mentor told him - this guy is a good salesman.

Ravi said...

@anonymous,
if he were not dying the occasion would be less poignant. Poignancy is not all there is to the speech (as you noticed).

daneel said...

Hey Ravi

My Prof mentioned this talk today, and then I read your journal. So I had to watch it!

Time well spent!

Btw, I had attended a talk by Dr.Caitlin Kelleher at USC.She is the lady behind the story-telling Alice project Randy mentioned. It was pretty interesting.

Ravi said...

Hey JD,
Long time no see! Glad to be of help!

sunayana said...

Its amazing how many people have seen this and been inspired. I was too.
I visited CMU in October, just a month too late to see it live.
Nice blog btw :)

Ravi said...

"Its amazing how many people have seen this and been inspired."

It *is* very inspiring isn't it? I watch the video when lI think life is being unfair to me.

"I visited CMU in October"

You are still there aren't you? Or are you back in India? How did the paper presentation go?

"Nice blog btw :)"

:-D Thanks!

sunayana said...

I got back a few days ago, it was a one week visit and it went very well.. but I ended up falling hopelessly in love with CMU :P
Do you mind if I link to your blog from mine?

Ravi said...

Sunayana,

(do you have a 2 syllable pet name or something? That's a handful to type :-) )

"it went very well.."
That's awesome! wow ! being invited to speak at CMU ! I am sooo jealous :-D


"but I ended up falling hopelessly in love with CMU :P",

well, write your GRE and apply as soon as you finish your Bachelors! I am sure you'll make it.

"Do you mind if I link to your blog from mine?"

Of course I don't mind! It is a great honour.

I almost wrote a blog entry about how young people should do what you are doing, focus on research and solving hard problems (vs getting another yucky job in the local software industry), but then the nasty side of me took over and decided to let people find their own way!

I am *very* impressed by your work and attitude (and people who know me know I don't say such things lightly).

Anything I can do to help, please ask. No formalities. Use my email id (vs commenting here) if that's more convenient.