In the movie “The Social Network” Mark Zukerburg invites his friend Eduardo to give him his chess algorithm at the beginning of the movie (Mark was drinking, blogging and hacking simultaneously and creating Facemash.com). You may also remember the scribbles on the window:

and

What is this? This is actually the math behind Elo Rating System. Elo rating system is a method for calculating the relative skill levels of players in two-player games such as chess. It is named after its creator Arpad Elo, a Hungarian-born American physics professor.

As explained in the movie, Facemash was quite simple. Not unlike hotornot.com, students went to a page and 2 random images of girls were picked and presented to them. The students then had to click on the hottest girl presented to them and then another set of two girls would be presented asking the students to repeat the same actions they had done. The difference with hotornot was that the girls presented were all Harvard students. In other words, the students were rating girls of Harvard based on their looks (You can imagine why Mark got into trouble).

The Algorithm Scene HD – The Social Network – Eduardo Saverin Facemash

The algorithm used – The Elo Rating system – insured a fair rating and ranking of the girls. A hot girl A winning over hot girl B girl would gain more points than winning (or being picked) against ugly girl C. Same goes for the following: ugly girl C wins over ugly girl D. ugly girl C gains some points in her general ranking. If ugly girl C wins over hot girl A then ugly girl C gains more points because the ranking of hot girl A is much higher than ugly girl D. The previous scenario is roughly what the algorithm implemented by Mark was doing. It was somewhat insuring a level of fairness despite the misogynistic nature of the product.

In today’s society, the Elo Rating system is used by many rating and ranking system to predict the outcome of matches but also insure a level of fairness between teams of different levels playing against each others. FIFA uses it to rank football teams.

You can read more about the system on wikipedia page(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elo_rating_system).

(Courtesy: Prateek, IIT Bombay Batch mate).

No related posts.

Everyone has a good story hidden in their head and there was a magnificent one in Saumil Shrivastava’s too. The only difference is some of these stories get the opportunity of being penned down while some breathes their last in the minds itself. And to avoid the death of that thought this should be followed ‘Write about it by day, and dream about it by night’.

This citizen of Raipur currently in Gurgaon has done one such thing, he has come up with a full fledged novel that took birth in his mind as an ocean of thoughts which he has shared with the whole country. ‘A Roller Coaster Ride- When an IITian met a BITsian girl’ had hit the book stores on June 15 and is playing well in the markets all over.

Excerpts of the interview:

1. What was in your mind when the thought struck to write a novel, like ‘can I really do this?’
Saumil: Honestly speaking, initially I was bit skeptical. I was worried about many things such as how the story would turn out to be and what will be the reaction of the readers. But thanks to Mili, my wife who pushed me motivated, I was able to complete my debut novel without many roadblocks. I’m happy that majority of the readers till date have loved the story. Infact, couple of readers felt that their life is like A Roller Coaster Ride similar to that of the protagonist in the novel. So it is really satisfactory.

2. I have read the novel and I liked the story but I wanted to know why have you portrayed the main character of the novel as extremely foolish in his personal life, like have you met such real life character ever?
Saumil: Not just one many. Right from my college days to my workplace, I have seen so many bright lads make a FOOL out of them going blind in love. It’s not that they were born foolish, but it’s just that when in love many times we tend to lose our identity.

3. Have you started thought processing on your next work?
Saumil: Yes, it should be out in the market sometime mid 2011.

4. How’s the response from readers, any suggestions they gave?
Saumil: My novel launched on June 15. It’s just been two months and the 2nd print is out in the market, so I must say that the response is really encouraging. On a serious note, one common feedback that I have got from different section of readers is: that the novel is “Interesting and Gripping”. So I must say for my debut novel I am pretty much satisfied for now. Definitely, there are some loop holes and some scope for improvement. I would try to improve with every book I write further.

5. Has Chetan Bhagat, by any chance inspired you?
Saumil: Not really. I always dreamt of being a script writer much before Chetan Bhagat launched his 1st novel. But his success did ensure that publishers in India started taking experience-based authors more seriously.

6. What are your passions besides writing?
Saumil: I am quite interested in singing. It’s in my blood. My Mom and my sister they are among the best singers in my home town. One fine day I definitely wish to improve my skills in this area.

I have also been associated with a World Peace Organization, NGO for the past 4 yrs, as I strongly believe when you succeed you should share it with others. So, community service is the best option. It is just a small attempt to return to the society I live in.

Read the complete article and a book review on Central Chronicle.

Related posts:

1. Book Review by VP Dainik Bhaskar Group, IIMA Alumni 1987
2. Acknowledgement
3. Media Coverage

The book ” A Roller Coaster Ride – When an IITian Met a Bitsian Girl” authored by Saumil Shrivastava, alumnus IIT Bombay, is available in NCR (Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida) region. All the major book stores like Om Book Shop, Gurgaon, Delhi; Landmark, Crossword etc. across Delhi.

Online Book Stores

For India:

• Buy at 36% discount from StackyourRack.com. Check here all books by Indian authors .
• Buy at 10% discount from Flipkart.com.

 For India & Overseas:

• Buy at 75Rs from Autsun.com
  
• Buy book at 25 % discount on Infibeam.com . Click here to buy.

Latest Update on 20th Aug. 2010: The book is now available in all the major book stores across India such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Related posts:

1. Buy The Book
2. Central Chronicle – Exclusive Interview with Saumil Shrivastava
3. Book Review by VP Dainik Bhaskar Group, IIMA Alumni 1987

Book Review:

I recommend to ride through exhilarating roller coaster ride of Maddy. This CAMOBS ( campus and first job) novel bridges the gap left by the new emerging IIM – IIT campus experience authors.

Trust ‘A Roller Coaster Ride’ ( RCR) has one of the most exciting twists to the characters. The initial buildup is slow and moves along the predictable path of MUST HAVE A GIRLFRIEND PRESSURE syndrome of these professional colleges, layered with NO PLACEMENT scenario threatening hero and in between BEER AND ASSIGNEMENTS to finally LOVE BLOOSOMING with much in awe women who they meet accidentally.

This is where Saumil Shrivastava makes a considered choice in creating situations among friends, dilemmas where simple decisions are tough to take; trapping you into tranquility of ‘OH I KNOW’ comfort zone. Once there wrapped in this 3rd gear reading – he rips up and turns the story on its head throwing new angles to the whole story.

This makes it a completely palatable tasty treat to reading pleasure. As a story it has EMOTIONS, DRAMA, MYSTRY, CRIME (Yes I consider it so), SEX (or the thought of it), ROMANACE (Maybe in that order), FRIENSHIP and COMFLICT (maybe not in that order) and a STORY in real sense.

Worst thing in a novel is to have your own loyalty as a reader shifting among the characters. You side with some and would want to remain on the same side at least in a love story- but it does not holds true for this. I moved between Maddy, Pooja and Divya. And there is another good thing- the situation- props and locations are so well described that I could walk with Maddy in his office- of H-93 his house- or even share SUTTA (smoke) on terrace.

The last 66 pages to be precise are where the story operates into ‘EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED’ level with the readers. Result you finish the novel with a smile on your face, PAISA MORE THAN VASOL. The reason for its success will be the comfort & emotional touch it has with both male & female readers. The appeal is not restricted to sub-30 age group. It strategically takes on IIT Mumbai students meeting a BITS Girl- working in GURGAON –NCR- a job in IT Sector. Quite a lot of English reading crowd covered in that zone.

This is slow burner and will take some time to get recommended across groups. I do hope CROSSWORD places RECOMMENDED sticker on it soon enough. I know a lot of buyers do follow that simple process.

Yes, it’s his first book, some pieces in sub-plots leave a lot potential untapped. But then you say BALLE BALLE- would want to read the next one.

You now enter into ‘OH IS THAT SO’ and ‘SAALA KABUTER KUCH BHI NAHIO SAMJATA’(Duffer does not under anything) to ‘PHIR LAG GAYI’ (Got beaten once again) to ‘OYE TERI, SAALA YEH TOH SOOCHA HI NAHI THA’ (oh &^%$ I never thought in this direction). I love the last reaction. In my recent readings of nascent breed of authors, the unique track of thoughts en-cashed by Saumil is one of the rarities.

Book review taken from: Sanjeev Kotnala Blog

Related posts:

1. Media Coverage
2. Central Chronicle – Exclusive Interview with Saumil Shrivastava
3. Book Available in Major Book Stores, StackyourRack, Flipkart, Autsun & Infibeam

For the full article click here: The Telegraph

Related posts:

1. Central Chronicle – Exclusive Interview with Saumil Shrivastava
2. My First Book: “A Roller Coaster Ride”
3. Book Review by VP Dainik Bhaskar Group, IIMA Alumni 1987

Pooja: “After you go to Gurgaon, don’t fall for any other girl”

IITian Guy : “I’m not a lover boy; I need to be professional”

Job Interview: “If you have any question then shoot… (I would rather shoot you than shoot any questions.)”

Orkut: “Searched for girls from his caste…after all he was Mamma’s boy.”

H-93 flatmates: “Too irritating for him except one. They seemed to have a life without hitches till he finds out that…”

Bitsian Girl: “Tom boy girl, a Coffee freak who writes an extraordinary script of his personal and professional life.”

Dates: “Hotel Chakras, Mumbai; Orchid, MGF Mall, and PVRs Gurgaon”

Twist in the Tale: “From star analyst, blind dates, to a chain smoker….. but what happened next became an unsolved mystery…”

Related posts:

1. The Author
2. My First Book: “A Roller Coaster Ride”
3. Central Chronicle – Exclusive Interview with Saumil Shrivastava

Related posts:

1. The Author
2. Blurb – “When an IITian Met a Bitsian Girl”
3. Central Chronicle – Exclusive Interview with Saumil Shrivastava

Campus and After - Roller Coaster Ride in The Hindu

Read full article on The Hindu

Related posts:

1. Book Review by VP Dainik Bhaskar Group, IIMA Alumni 1987
2. The Telegraph – A Roller Coaster Ride in the Lime Light
3. Central Chronicle – Exclusive Interview with Saumil Shrivastava