Alright. So I know now to speak correct english:
"Liz and I went to the park" as opposed to "Me and Liz went to the park."
"Liz gave me the ball" as opposed to "Liz gave I the ball..."
But I didn't know, and now I do know, that...
"Decimate" means to destroy 10%, while "obliterate" means to destroy 100%.
"e.g." is used to give examples, "i.e." is used to explain something.
"Irregardless" is not a word.
"Affect" is a verb. "effect" is used more as a noun than verb.
Its "6AM", not "6AM in the morning" because 6AM = morning.
All curteosy of the Encarta Encyclopedia.
Thanks Microsoft & Encarta!
john
Tuesday, August 20, 2002
Thursday, August 15, 2002
Last night, a bunch of the engineering school friends all got together for dinner. It was cool, to catch up on all the things that happened and laughed about the stupid things that we did back in school... It was great. One of them got married, and the rest of them are still the same, working for their respective companies. Its pretty cool.
In amist of all that, I didn't get a chance to call Liz last night. You know the funny thing is that I really missed talking to her last night. I went to bed thinking that something was missing - like I haven't completed my day yet or something like that. Its really interesting!!! I guess I feel that way because it was 1) a break from my normal routine, and 2) I just miss her lots (yuck! that was such a mushy comment!!).
Anyways, definitely calling her today. :-)
love ya, pooh bear
john
In amist of all that, I didn't get a chance to call Liz last night. You know the funny thing is that I really missed talking to her last night. I went to bed thinking that something was missing - like I haven't completed my day yet or something like that. Its really interesting!!! I guess I feel that way because it was 1) a break from my normal routine, and 2) I just miss her lots (yuck! that was such a mushy comment!!).
Anyways, definitely calling her today. :-)
love ya, pooh bear
john
Friday, August 09, 2002
Found this interesting site on the web: X-Box Hacking
First off, I don't have an X-Box, not intend on getting one (unless its really cheap), and even if I do get one, I probably won't hack it. I have no access to Japanese games anymore anyways. Plus, it just takes too much time. As if the PS/2 isn't keeping me busy enough.
BUT, reading about the technology used to HACK the X-Box and the technology inside the X-BOX is really interesting. I came across this article by Andrew Huang, who published his first X-Box hacking paper: Keeping Secrets in Hardware: the Microsoft XBox Case Study. Just reading about all the technology thats inside the X-Box is very exciting. After all, I do the same thing at work, just in a different kind of system. That, and I design, not hack.
I guess the moral of the story is how selfish humans are. We go through great length (like Microsoft) to protect the "data" so that no one else can see what genius inventions other people came up with. We go through layers and layers of encryption just so others wouldn't be able to know what it is. Why? Economic reasons, of course. If people don't know how it works, then the only way to play XBox games is to buy it straight from Microsoft, helping Microsoft making millions of $$$. In the process, Microsoft probably spent millions of dollars and weeks to come up with a scheme to "hide" all this information, only to be broken in by a MIT professor. Just goes on to show you, that no matter what you do, there is always a way around it. :-)
You know, I can't wait until the day that information just flows, for free, and we humans don't take adventage of one another. Rather, we use the knowledge and expertise that is shared amongst everyone to propel our society forward to bigger and better things, and we give credit (in both $$$ and recognition) where its due. As for me, I try to buy origional DVDs and play original PS2 games, along with NOT downloading MP3s and actually buying the CDs that I want to listen to.
john
First off, I don't have an X-Box, not intend on getting one (unless its really cheap), and even if I do get one, I probably won't hack it. I have no access to Japanese games anymore anyways. Plus, it just takes too much time. As if the PS/2 isn't keeping me busy enough.
BUT, reading about the technology used to HACK the X-Box and the technology inside the X-BOX is really interesting. I came across this article by Andrew Huang, who published his first X-Box hacking paper: Keeping Secrets in Hardware: the Microsoft XBox Case Study. Just reading about all the technology thats inside the X-Box is very exciting. After all, I do the same thing at work, just in a different kind of system. That, and I design, not hack.
I guess the moral of the story is how selfish humans are. We go through great length (like Microsoft) to protect the "data" so that no one else can see what genius inventions other people came up with. We go through layers and layers of encryption just so others wouldn't be able to know what it is. Why? Economic reasons, of course. If people don't know how it works, then the only way to play XBox games is to buy it straight from Microsoft, helping Microsoft making millions of $$$. In the process, Microsoft probably spent millions of dollars and weeks to come up with a scheme to "hide" all this information, only to be broken in by a MIT professor. Just goes on to show you, that no matter what you do, there is always a way around it. :-)
You know, I can't wait until the day that information just flows, for free, and we humans don't take adventage of one another. Rather, we use the knowledge and expertise that is shared amongst everyone to propel our society forward to bigger and better things, and we give credit (in both $$$ and recognition) where its due. As for me, I try to buy origional DVDs and play original PS2 games, along with NOT downloading MP3s and actually buying the CDs that I want to listen to.
john
Wednesday, August 07, 2002
Ok... This is going to sound Nerdy, but I really like technology. I think its really neat.
I went to a series of training seminars that ended today which talked about cable modem transfer protocols. In it, there were quite some discussions about S-CDMA, which stands for Synchronous CMDA (Code-Division Multiple Access). We hear about CDMA all the time (you know, in Cel phones! That's how Qualcomm was able to get their stock up to $600/share!). So I finally understood somewhat of how CDMA works. Its pretty cool! It takes narrow-band of information, multiply it by a certain "code" and then transmit it on a particular channel in a certain timeslot. Up to a set of cel phones can do this all at the same time, in the same timeslot. There is no confusion when that happens because of the "codes" that the signal multiplies to are Orthagonal (i.e. mutual exclusive, as in no dependency on each other). Anyhow. the adventages of CDMA is that it buys you SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) so that you are more immune to noise.
I think thats how it work. Its new to me, and not easy to swallow and remember. I'm sure I'll learn more in the days to come!
john
I went to a series of training seminars that ended today which talked about cable modem transfer protocols. In it, there were quite some discussions about S-CDMA, which stands for Synchronous CMDA (Code-Division Multiple Access). We hear about CDMA all the time (you know, in Cel phones! That's how Qualcomm was able to get their stock up to $600/share!). So I finally understood somewhat of how CDMA works. Its pretty cool! It takes narrow-band of information, multiply it by a certain "code" and then transmit it on a particular channel in a certain timeslot. Up to a set of cel phones can do this all at the same time, in the same timeslot. There is no confusion when that happens because of the "codes" that the signal multiplies to are Orthagonal (i.e. mutual exclusive, as in no dependency on each other). Anyhow. the adventages of CDMA is that it buys you SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) so that you are more immune to noise.
I think thats how it work. Its new to me, and not easy to swallow and remember. I'm sure I'll learn more in the days to come!
john
Tuesday, August 06, 2002
Hsin and Dennis went to Thunderhill Raceways today. I'm so jealous. I wish I can take a day off and go racing....
I've been trying to figure out what to get for myself as a present since I got my first paycheck. Yikes! There are lots of things that I want, like a new cel phone, new rims for my car, some more upgrades to the Miata...etc. I've thought about it quite a bit and I think I've decided to use it to replenish my savings account that I had to deplete due to unemployment. I think thats a good choice, as right now - who knows if one's paycheck is their last one with that company?
Getting laid off (or company go out of business) officially sucks, I've declared. Looking back on it, it really sucks. Don't let other people tell you otherwise. If you are a worry wart like me, it sucks. :-)
john
I've been trying to figure out what to get for myself as a present since I got my first paycheck. Yikes! There are lots of things that I want, like a new cel phone, new rims for my car, some more upgrades to the Miata...etc. I've thought about it quite a bit and I think I've decided to use it to replenish my savings account that I had to deplete due to unemployment. I think thats a good choice, as right now - who knows if one's paycheck is their last one with that company?
Getting laid off (or company go out of business) officially sucks, I've declared. Looking back on it, it really sucks. Don't let other people tell you otherwise. If you are a worry wart like me, it sucks. :-)
john
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