gmail.com hacked or my system is hacked?

Going through an interesting experience today. Not sure if gmail.com is hacked or the recent Microsoft security updates introduced a virus into my system. Below is what I see when I try to log into GMail.

The URL shows mail.google.com but the page displayed is Microsoft's page.

Software Product Development Environment Vs IT environment

A major part of my experience in the software industry has been in product development. In the past 4 months, I had my first exposure to an IT environment. Now, as I transition out from this first IT experience, I thought it would be worth while to note the difference between the two environments.

A clarification of the terms I use here. "Software Product Development Environment" pertains to environments where generic products are built to address multiple customer needs. IT or MIS pertains to environments where companies build software specific to a business customer needs.

The differences listed below are based on my limited exposure to IT environments, although I would presume it to apply at most of the places.

1. First and foremost, product companies tend to be more agile, more easily willing to change a process or the product. In case of IT, every change requires a process to be followed. This does not mean that the process is not followed in a product company but the process is much more light weight with minimal steps involved. Ofcourse, in case of startups the process is as light as it can be.

2. Product environments have quicker turn around cycle times. While in IT, since the environment is very process oriented, the turn around times take longer duration. Eg: To add a field to the screen, a requirement is generated, design document created etc.. The whole process is diligently followed. In other words it is very risk aware.

3. Product companies focus more on technology and thereby attract the techies who are willing to take risks to research and be creative. IT shops are more focused on meeting their business customer needs and thereby focus more on business side. After all, the budget for the team is largely dependent up on the business users.

4. Product delivery cycles in Product companies is more stable i.e the development activity does not undergo huge ups and downs in terms of time required. In case of an IT environment, the development cycle gets feverish when delivery dates near while slack off after the delivery.

5. In case of Product companies the requirements cover a larger breadth of problems faced by customers given that problems addressed are for a large set of customers. In IT, the depth of a functionality is

6. Product environments are about IT enablement while IT environments are about IT realization.