Grad project

So, I decided to attempt the graduate level computer vision project for some extra credit. It's due tomorrow and I've been working on it since Friday. I might not make it...

(Hey, they had a few weeks to do this.)

Update: I made it!

The older I get...

The older I get, the easier I fall for illusions -- or so it seems.

Example 1: It's a Small World

When I was in pre-school, I did not fear the small dancing dolls at the Disney World theme park ride.

When I was in lower school, the robotic dolls made me sick.

Example 2: Inverted Face

When I visited a Ripley's Believe it or Not odditorium in lower school, I saw the negative impression illusions as just that, depressions in a plaster slab.

When I visted a Ripley's Believe it or Not odditorium in middle school, I felt like the concave heads were following my every move.

Lisp

So, I downloaded the MIT Scheme package. I played around a bit with the command line interpreter -- ahh, the memories...

I don't really have time to write a decent Scheme app atm. Gotta do homework.

Lisp dream

I just had a dream about Lisp. I was in a programming class: CSE 144. This course doesn't actually exist, but it would have come right after CSE 143, the second CS course required before you can apply to get into the major.

The bearded prof was talking about scheme. At first, I was dissappointed that I would have to use such a parenthesis-filled language to write the assignment, but the professor looked at me funny, and I suppose I must have said, "Hmm, I've actually been thinking about learning Scheme. How convenient!"

Then he gave us our assignment:

When you get a telephone call, the phone rings. Make new emails ring.

I left the class and spoke to some non-CS friend and he said that ringing emails would be annoying. For some reason, I ran back to the classroom to divulge my newfound worries to the class.

Before I could get back the the lecture room, which looked oddly like Mrs. Benzinger's room at ODLE, I had the thought that woke me up: "I should blog this."

Ok don't laugh

Ok, don't laugh, but I think I just got some insight into LISP. LISP is trees! You stick your inputs at the bottom of the tree (the leaves), and then they "flow" to the top(the root), where you get your answer.

All signs point to LISP?

I guess I've been reading a bit too much Paul Graham and Philip Greenspun lately. I'm considering taking up either LISP or Scheme, the languages of parenthesis doom.

However, I've also seen the power and simplicity of Python (for building web frameworks), and I'll have to admit that I've seen far more impressive Python web apps than LISP ones.

Hmm, Python or LISP?

Bait tips for UW recruiters

Bad bait:
Papa John's
Dominos
Pizza Hut

Good bait:
A buffet of food from all over the Ave
Several boxes of Chipotle burritos
Not Pizza

MacBook Ideas

So, I was thinking about why Apple did not release 12" and 17" Powerbook replacements. I'm beginning to think that, instead of just having different sizes, the unreleased MacBooks could have vastly different functionality.

They could make the 12" a convertible tablet with special features for road warriors.

They could give the 17" a TV tuner, a blu-ray disk drive, and perhaps an HDMI/DVI connection for HDTV, making it the ultimate portable AV studio and DVR.

(Analog TV should be gone by 2009.)

Apple

When I purchased my Powerbook 12" in high school, the only complaint I had was that it was slow.

I guess Apple heard me =)

The new iMac and MacBook Pro are amazing.

If I get the internship, the next thing I'll get will probably be the MacBook Pro.

Edit: My friend told me to wait for Merom... hmmm.

AAPL (Apple Computer)

Today, Apple released their first Intel-based computers, the iMac and the MacBook Pro. Coincidentally, their share price closed at $80.86. (The model number of an Intel processor.)

Winter Quarter Class Schedule

Course	Title	Meetings
		Days	Times	Location	Instructor
CSE 451 A	INTRO OPERATING SYS	MWF	230- 320	MGH 231	LAZOWSKA,E
CSE 451 AB	INTRO OPERATING SYS	Th	230- 320	BAG 261
CSE 455 A	COMPUTER VISION	TTh	1200- 120	EE1 037	SEITZ,S
CSE 481 B	CAP SOFT DESIGN	TTh	900-1020	EE1 037	ANDERSON,R
T C 231 H	INTRO TECH WRITING	MWF	130- 220	LOW 217	LARSON,J

This is my current course schedule. However, I'm thinking of concentrating on computer vision, so I'll probably drop operating systems.

Update: I dropped OS. I will probably still attend lecture since the Prof is really good.

Changing a tire in the rain

Today, I changed my mom's tire, on the side of the road, in the rain... I've never changed a tire before; so, when I had to change one on the 4000lb car, I was terrified (in a calm, collected way).

Toshiba Tecra M4 Tablet

Thanks to CSE481b, I will be the owner of a brand new M4 for the remainder of this academic quarter.

I received the tablet a few hours ago through the departmental equipment borrowing system. After the novelty of being able to draw on the screen wore off, I realized that most applications are rather terrible on the tablet platform. Using web browsers is a pain, file navigation and menus are not pen-centric etc.

However the tablet does have one good app, Windows Journal. Journal is like the classic notepad, but it's pen instead of keyboard based.