The name is:
Shobha De
Claim to fame:
Author and columnist. Has written the screenplay for the television serial, Kitty Party.
How Net savvy are you? How would you rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10?
I'd give myself a four. I’m reasonably Net savvy. I know my way around the Net well enough to hunt for what I want.
What do you enjoy doing online?
I don't have time for random surfing. I check mail, and there are a few specific sites I log on to if I wanna look up something.
What’s your daily routine like? How much time do you spend online?
I have rather strange Net hours. I am online from 10:30 to 11:30 in the night. If we have to go out or attend a dinner, then that’s the end of my Internet time.
What’s your idea of a perfect Web site?
It should definitely load quickly because I have very little patience. I'm not mad about pictures or colourful sites, but what is most important is that a site should be user friendly, easy to navigate. When looking for something, you should not get lost in the various pages of the site.
Like the other day I was looking through the back pages of The Hindu of two Sundays ago, and it was a nightmare. If you are looking for a specific profile or piece on fashion, you can get so entangled in the sub-sites that you give up halfway.
Any favourite sites?
Google. My computer switches on to Google. It is so informative and user friendly.
Ever been ego-surfing?
Never. I know of people who do and they tell me about it. But personally, I'm not inclined towards it.
Is there something you’d like to buy or sell online?
No.
What’s your favourite Web-based gadget?
Just the regular computer.
What do you like most about the Internet?
The instant communication when you are online. That is a huge advantage as I have family abroad. It is the cheapest mode of communication to anywhere in the world.
What do you hate about it?
The fact that all your hard work can vanish in a moment. The other day I was fighting against a deadline, I had very little time and I happened to press the escape button without saving my stuff. There is no substitute for good old-fashioned writing. I had to rewrite from memory.
Have you ever chatted with strangers?
No.
Is there any one celebrity you’d love to chat online with?
Madonna. I like and admire what she stands for.
If you could change anything about the Internet, what would it be?
I don’t like the cyber world. The Net is too impersonal and dehumanised.
If the Internet didn't exist…
I'd feel cut off from the world.
