Email message on how to use the coffee maker
==
... we had a problem with the use of pre-ground coffee...:
Beans (never ground coffee) go in the righthand side.
Water goes only in the lefthand side water reservoir.
If you wish to use the PRE-GROUND COFFEE feature, rather than having the machine grind beans for you, you may place NO MORE THAN TWO LEVEL SCOOPS (see scoop in cupboard) of ground coffee in the ground coffee funnel (See 8 in Fig. 1, attached).
If you place any coffee in the ground coffee funnel you MUST press the "Pre-ground coffee" button (See h in Fig. 3, attached) on the front panel before you press the 1-Cup or 2-Cup buttons, otherwise the machine will attempt to grind additional coffee and will overfill the mechanism.
NEVER pour unmeasured ground coffee into the ground coffee funnel.
If you don't know how to use a particular feature of the machine, the instruction manual is in the cupboard next to it...
Thanks!
==
What is truly important
As I have suggested, coffee is one of the common fuels at PARC. So, people take it very seriously when something happens to the coffee maker.
Also a nice touch to include attached diagrams in the email.
Lucky I drink tea...
===
P@P
Showing posts with label Life at PARC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Life at PARC. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Vacation and TMT Conference
Vacation
Will head out for some quality family time. See you guys in a couple of weeks.
Morgan Stanley's 2010 Tech Conference
Are you attending this year's Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference? If you are, let me know. I will be there and it would be good to catch up.
===
P@P
Will head out for some quality family time. See you guys in a couple of weeks.
Morgan Stanley's 2010 Tech Conference
Are you attending this year's Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference? If you are, let me know. I will be there and it would be good to catch up.
===
P@P
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The proud, the few, the (PARC 2010) interns
PARC Internship
Yes, we do "interns". As a matter of a fact, this is a pretty good opportunity to work with some of the top names in a field, do interesting work, visit the San Francisco bay area, meeting interesting people, and get paid for your work.
We have opportunities in hardware, software, social science, and business.
More information and how to apply for the 2010 PARC Internship.
Life at PARC as an Intern
Here is quick glimpse of what interns did at PARC in 2009. Look forward to good stories from the class of 2010 interns.
===
P@P
Yes, we do "interns". As a matter of a fact, this is a pretty good opportunity to work with some of the top names in a field, do interesting work, visit the San Francisco bay area, meeting interesting people, and get paid for your work.
We have opportunities in hardware, software, social science, and business.
More information and how to apply for the 2010 PARC Internship.
Life at PARC as an Intern
Here is quick glimpse of what interns did at PARC in 2009. Look forward to good stories from the class of 2010 interns.
===
P@P
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Parties and other good thoughts for 2010
White Elephant
Like a lot of places, end of the year means office parties. This year, we played White Elephant.
After some cunning stratagem in the face of fierce competition, I am glad to report that I come away with the biggest prize, an electronic bug killer.
The question now is how do I slip it into the next White Elephant exchange. Thinking...
Happy 2010!
Happy holidays and look forward to a fruitful 2010.
===
P@P
Like a lot of places, end of the year means office parties. This year, we played White Elephant.
After some cunning stratagem in the face of fierce competition, I am glad to report that I come away with the biggest prize, an electronic bug killer.
The question now is how do I slip it into the next White Elephant exchange. Thinking...
Happy 2010!
Happy holidays and look forward to a fruitful 2010.
===
P@P
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
How many computer do you need in a room?
Million instructions per second (MIPS)
It is one of those inevitabilities working in technology. I recently found myself surrounded by 5 computers in my office. Two desktops and three laptops.
One desktop is my official office machine. I also have an official laptop for mobile computing, viz working from home. I acquired a second desktop to test out some beta software where I don't want to accidentally compromise my official machine. Then, I am testing two laptops right now because I am managing a conference where PARC is attending.
How many keyboards can one person handle?
I think the first take away is that I need to train my toes to type since two hands simply are not sufficient for the task. The second take away for me is that I am probably in possession of more computing power on my finger tip than the entire world had until the 1970's. Final take away? I need to get a life. :-)!
===
P@P
It is one of those inevitabilities working in technology. I recently found myself surrounded by 5 computers in my office. Two desktops and three laptops.
One desktop is my official office machine. I also have an official laptop for mobile computing, viz working from home. I acquired a second desktop to test out some beta software where I don't want to accidentally compromise my official machine. Then, I am testing two laptops right now because I am managing a conference where PARC is attending.
How many keyboards can one person handle?
I think the first take away is that I need to train my toes to type since two hands simply are not sufficient for the task. The second take away for me is that I am probably in possession of more computing power on my finger tip than the entire world had until the 1970's. Final take away? I need to get a life. :-)!
===
P@P
Monday, November 16, 2009
R2D2 vs. C3PO
Star Wars
I re-watched Star Wars: A New Hope over the weekend. I suspect it would not come as a surprise that I am a star wars fan being in Silicon Valley. More broadly speaking, Silicon Valley is full of people who are of the same ilk.
This reminded me of a chief scientist friend of mine who works in the Los Angeles area.
What?
One time he wanted to highlight what he was vs. was not looking for in a particular technology. To give it more texture, he said "this is like getting C3PO when I wanted R2D2."
And, instead of light bulbs in the room, he got a lot of blank stares.
(For the uninitiated, C-3PO and R2-D2 are two major characters in the Star Wars series.)
--
I am happy to report that in a recently visit to Silicon Valley his audience got the droid reference with knowing smiles.
===
P@P
I re-watched Star Wars: A New Hope over the weekend. I suspect it would not come as a surprise that I am a star wars fan being in Silicon Valley. More broadly speaking, Silicon Valley is full of people who are of the same ilk.
This reminded me of a chief scientist friend of mine who works in the Los Angeles area.
What?
One time he wanted to highlight what he was vs. was not looking for in a particular technology. To give it more texture, he said "this is like getting C3PO when I wanted R2D2."
And, instead of light bulbs in the room, he got a lot of blank stares.
(For the uninitiated, C-3PO and R2-D2 are two major characters in the Star Wars series.)
--
I am happy to report that in a recently visit to Silicon Valley his audience got the droid reference with knowing smiles.
===
P@P
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
What do Mr IP and Mr TCP talk about?
Hero Worshiping
Vint Cerf, commonly referred to as father of IP, came to talk at PARC's Forum last week on the topic of "Information on the go".
Before the Forum talk, he came to visit with PARC and mostly hung out near the area where I sit. So, for a while, my area was pretty busy with people coming by to say hi to Vint.
Naturally, more as a brush with greatness opportunity, I emptied my mug and decided to go to the same area for a bit of star sighting.
What do father of IP and father of TCP talk about?
In case you do not know, Van Jacobson, father of TCP, works a few doors from me.
So, as I was doing my beverage refill, Vint, Van, and a couple other people were making tea and chatting. So, what do those groundbreaking great minds spending their time chin wagging about at PARC?
Eggs. How to prepare an egg. Specifically, comparing methods in making softboil eggs - how to get a hard yoke, a soft yoke, or a runny yoke.
Now you know.
===
P@P
Vint Cerf, commonly referred to as father of IP, came to talk at PARC's Forum last week on the topic of "Information on the go".
Before the Forum talk, he came to visit with PARC and mostly hung out near the area where I sit. So, for a while, my area was pretty busy with people coming by to say hi to Vint.
Naturally, more as a brush with greatness opportunity, I emptied my mug and decided to go to the same area for a bit of star sighting.
What do father of IP and father of TCP talk about?
In case you do not know, Van Jacobson, father of TCP, works a few doors from me.
So, as I was doing my beverage refill, Vint, Van, and a couple other people were making tea and chatting. So, what do those groundbreaking great minds spending their time chin wagging about at PARC?
Eggs. How to prepare an egg. Specifically, comparing methods in making softboil eggs - how to get a hard yoke, a soft yoke, or a runny yoke.
Now you know.
===
P@P
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
What is truly important
Fountain of productivity
It should not come as a surprise that coffee is one of the major fuels behind PARC's work. Similarly, it probably is not a surprise that there is a fairly nice coffee maker that would grind coffee beans on-demand in one of the common areas.
So, what happens when the nice coffee maker breaks?
Coffee maker updates
The coffee maker broke recently and there has been a ground swell of low-level anxiety. Not being a regular coffee drinker myself, I did not even know the thing was not working at first. Then, I noticed that, in the weekly lab meeting, the status of coffee maker became a prominent item that everyone seemed to pay particular attention to.
Not that I am suggesting there was ever a threat of a full-blown riot by the frustrated coffee drinkers. On the other hand, I am glad to report that we now have a fully functional coffee maker again.
===
P@P
It should not come as a surprise that coffee is one of the major fuels behind PARC's work. Similarly, it probably is not a surprise that there is a fairly nice coffee maker that would grind coffee beans on-demand in one of the common areas.
So, what happens when the nice coffee maker breaks?
Coffee maker updates
The coffee maker broke recently and there has been a ground swell of low-level anxiety. Not being a regular coffee drinker myself, I did not even know the thing was not working at first. Then, I noticed that, in the weekly lab meeting, the status of coffee maker became a prominent item that everyone seemed to pay particular attention to.
Not that I am suggesting there was ever a threat of a full-blown riot by the frustrated coffee drinkers. On the other hand, I am glad to report that we now have a fully functional coffee maker again.
===
P@P
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Seeking New Obsessions at Lunch Time
From Burning Man to chili pepper
When I joined the table, the conversation was on Burning Man and how participants frowned upon commerce/barter. It then drifted to the bartering spice trade between East and West. Logically, somebody next mused on the impact of Columbus landing in the America through the lens of chili pepper and the resulting culinary traditions around the world.
Human perceptions
With spices, the group got interested on the question of taste. In particular, unlike sight where three colors are enough to fully represent the human experiences via the RBG colors, taste has more receptors and we have not figured out how to fully represent it in a repeatable manner. Wine, for example, is magical in that precise way.
Seeking new obsessions
One person got pensive for a second and declared that it may be time to take on wine tasting because we at PARC spend a lot of time understanding and advancing specific domains. So, it would be the same process with wine tasting albeit more physically oriented.
To that idea, I, helpfully I think, suggested that tea, coffee, and cheese tasting should also be added to the candidate list.
===
P@P
When I joined the table, the conversation was on Burning Man and how participants frowned upon commerce/barter. It then drifted to the bartering spice trade between East and West. Logically, somebody next mused on the impact of Columbus landing in the America through the lens of chili pepper and the resulting culinary traditions around the world.
Human perceptions
With spices, the group got interested on the question of taste. In particular, unlike sight where three colors are enough to fully represent the human experiences via the RBG colors, taste has more receptors and we have not figured out how to fully represent it in a repeatable manner. Wine, for example, is magical in that precise way.
Seeking new obsessions
One person got pensive for a second and declared that it may be time to take on wine tasting because we at PARC spend a lot of time understanding and advancing specific domains. So, it would be the same process with wine tasting albeit more physically oriented.
To that idea, I, helpfully I think, suggested that tea, coffee, and cheese tasting should also be added to the candidate list.
===
P@P
Friday, August 28, 2009
Nice Shirt!
Nice shirt!
I was walking down the hallway recently and somebody called out "Nice Shirt!" An unanticipated small ego boost(*) aside, I immediately looked at what I was wearing. A plain old shirt it was.
It got me thinking though. What is the dressing norm at PARC?
What are you wearing?
So, I did an unscientific survey of what people at PARC are wearing while walking from pod 6 on the first floor to pod 1 on second floor.
--
(*) I went home and asked the boss. I am definitely less of a slob than before. Good to be grounded.
===
P@P
I was walking down the hallway recently and somebody called out "Nice Shirt!" An unanticipated small ego boost(*) aside, I immediately looked at what I was wearing. A plain old shirt it was.
It got me thinking though. What is the dressing norm at PARC?
What are you wearing?
So, I did an unscientific survey of what people at PARC are wearing while walking from pod 6 on the first floor to pod 1 on second floor.
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
Long Sleeve Shirts Short Sleeve Shirts Polo Shirts T-Shirts | 2 2 4 2 |
--
(*) I went home and asked the boss. I am definitely less of a slob than before. Good to be grounded.
===
P@P
Friday, August 14, 2009
Virtual World for a Neophyte
Video Games
I got recruited by an intern to participate in a study on virtual world. What specifically sold me on the idea is that I would get to play a "video game" - given my last formal training in video game dates around Donkey Kong on a hand-held.
Before the experiment started, I confessed to my lack of gaming context. And, with a knowing glance, the experimenter quickly gave me a tour on how things work in virtual world. For example, to navigate forward, back, left, and right, the keys are, respectively, W, S, A, and D.
At the end of the experiment, I was asked to fill out a questionnaire by hand. Again, with the experimenter's knowing glance I pre-apologize for my chicken scratch's illegibility and suggested that the collection be done via a keyboard next time.
A world of neophytes subjects
Later I found out that these were two of the most common concerns with PARC participants - don't even know the rudimentary controls and type better/faster than hand-write.
But, hey, the game was pretty cool!
PARC and Virtual World
I do not mean to imply that game playing is beneath PARC. As a matter of a fact, there is very active exploration on gaming and virtual worlds at both the technology and social interaction levels.
In the case of this experiment, however, the thing is that these very same people are also running the experiment. In other words, they are stuck with neophytes like me.
===
P@P
I got recruited by an intern to participate in a study on virtual world. What specifically sold me on the idea is that I would get to play a "video game" - given my last formal training in video game dates around Donkey Kong on a hand-held.
Before the experiment started, I confessed to my lack of gaming context. And, with a knowing glance, the experimenter quickly gave me a tour on how things work in virtual world. For example, to navigate forward, back, left, and right, the keys are, respectively, W, S, A, and D.
At the end of the experiment, I was asked to fill out a questionnaire by hand. Again, with the experimenter's knowing glance I pre-apologize for my chicken scratch's illegibility and suggested that the collection be done via a keyboard next time.
A world of neophytes subjects
Later I found out that these were two of the most common concerns with PARC participants - don't even know the rudimentary controls and type better/faster than hand-write.
But, hey, the game was pretty cool!
PARC and Virtual World
I do not mean to imply that game playing is beneath PARC. As a matter of a fact, there is very active exploration on gaming and virtual worlds at both the technology and social interaction levels.
In the case of this experiment, however, the thing is that these very same people are also running the experiment. In other words, they are stuck with neophytes like me.
===
P@P
Monday, July 27, 2009
PARC's Longevity
PARC is better than NASA
That should get your attention.
In a Harvard Business blog (http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/sviokla/2009/07/organized_information_is_the_n.html), John Sviokla argued that we need another ambitious project like NASA's Apollo on organizing information. Then, he concludes by arguing that for a cost of $100 million, PARC is a better investment than NASA's $150 billion.
With all due respect, I suspect his is a minority view. A better description is that both PARC and NASA spectacularly fulfilled their respective raison d’être in intended dimensions and beyond.
PARC's Longevity
Indeed, in my mind, a more interesting question is how has PARC kept up its role as a world leading source of technology and innovation.
For those who are looking for the Cliffs Notes version on PARC's longevity, the short answer is that PARC has continuously evolved existing know-how and invested in new ideas as each new generation of global technology and innovation come on-line.
I should start a new short series on PARC's longevity.
In the meantime, here is an interactive tool that highlights some of the milestones at PARC since 1970. (http://www.parc.com/about/milestones.html)
Organized Information at PARC
Coming back to John Sviokla's entry, PARC has a lot of investment into this precise issue. Here is a blog that talks about the notion of Augmented Reality as a way of intelligently organizing information. (http://blogs.parc.com/blog/2009/07/augmented-reality-increasing-collective-intelligence/)
===
P@P
That should get your attention.
In a Harvard Business blog (http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/sviokla/2009/07/organized_information_is_the_n.html), John Sviokla argued that we need another ambitious project like NASA's Apollo on organizing information. Then, he concludes by arguing that for a cost of $100 million, PARC is a better investment than NASA's $150 billion.
With all due respect, I suspect his is a minority view. A better description is that both PARC and NASA spectacularly fulfilled their respective raison d’être in intended dimensions and beyond.
PARC's Longevity
Indeed, in my mind, a more interesting question is how has PARC kept up its role as a world leading source of technology and innovation.
For those who are looking for the Cliffs Notes version on PARC's longevity, the short answer is that PARC has continuously evolved existing know-how and invested in new ideas as each new generation of global technology and innovation come on-line.
I should start a new short series on PARC's longevity.
In the meantime, here is an interactive tool that highlights some of the milestones at PARC since 1970. (http://www.parc.com/about/milestones.html)
Organized Information at PARC
Coming back to John Sviokla's entry, PARC has a lot of investment into this precise issue. Here is a blog that talks about the notion of Augmented Reality as a way of intelligently organizing information. (http://blogs.parc.com/blog/2009/07/augmented-reality-increasing-collective-intelligence/)
===
P@P
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Boing'd
Boing Boing
Boing Boing is a technology blog run by a group of writers. They visited PARC recently to see what cool stuff PARC is working on today.
You can see a series of entries on PARC here (http://www.boingboing.net/2009/06/30/today-at-boing-boing-62.html)
Organic food, Unix parties, coyotes, and geeks
Lisa, a Boing Boing writer, call me up for a few questions on life at PARC. For those of you who do not have time to read the entire entry, just know these two words "Sushi Wednesday!" (http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2009/06/30/a-day-in-the-life-of.html)
===
P@P
Boing Boing is a technology blog run by a group of writers. They visited PARC recently to see what cool stuff PARC is working on today.
You can see a series of entries on PARC here (http://www.boingboing.net/2009/06/30/today-at-boing-boing-62.html)
Organic food, Unix parties, coyotes, and geeks
Lisa, a Boing Boing writer, call me up for a few questions on life at PARC. For those of you who do not have time to read the entire entry, just know these two words "Sushi Wednesday!" (http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2009/06/30/a-day-in-the-life-of.html)
===
P@P
Monday, June 22, 2009
T-shirt contests
Subject: Intern t-shirt design
Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009
To: PARC
Design this year’s Intern t-shirt!
Clever, Silly, Colorful, Funny, Serious, Technical
Whatever your mood, design this year’s intern t-shirt.
Submit your design by 5:00 pm: Thursday, June 18.
Everyone welcome to submit designs, the interns will vote on their favorite.
My submission
--
Subject: And the winner is...
Sent: Monday, June 22, 2009
To: PARC
... the “PARC Grass” intern t-shirt design.
Congratulations to the design team.
Ordering.
Please send an email with your t-shirt size and if you’d like a women’s or men’s.
Thanks,
Winner: PARC grass
===
P@P
Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009
To: PARC
Design this year’s Intern t-shirt!
Clever, Silly, Colorful, Funny, Serious, Technical
Whatever your mood, design this year’s intern t-shirt.
Submit your design by 5:00 pm: Thursday, June 18.
Everyone welcome to submit designs, the interns will vote on their favorite.
--
Subject: And the winner is...
Sent: Monday, June 22, 2009
To: PARC
... the “PARC Grass” intern t-shirt design.
Congratulations to the design team.
Ordering.
Please send an email with your t-shirt size and if you’d like a women’s or men’s.
Thanks,
===
P@P
Monday, June 15, 2009
Unofficial Tour
Intern season
Summer intern season is upon us. New faces to know and interesting ideas to toss around. This is going to be fun.
Unofficial tour for interns
--
From: Juan, Y.F.
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009
To: Interns
Subject: Unofficial tour: the PARC time machine
Hi folks,
As you know, PARC had a finger or two in starting many technology that we take for granted today. The better question is that now you are at PARC, have you seen or touched these original ideas in person?
Today at 3pm, if you are interested, come by...there will be a tour on Ethernet, Alto, etc.
Bring your camera!
--
A piece of history in hand
T. Peck and a 4Mb disk for Alto
(Picture by Brian Lim)
===
P@P
Summer intern season is upon us. New faces to know and interesting ideas to toss around. This is going to be fun.
Unofficial tour for interns
--
From: Juan, Y.F.
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009
To: Interns
Subject: Unofficial tour: the PARC time machine
Hi folks,
As you know, PARC had a finger or two in starting many technology that we take for granted today. The better question is that now you are at PARC, have you seen or touched these original ideas in person?
Today at 3pm, if you are interested, come by...there will be a tour on Ethernet, Alto, etc.
Bring your camera!
--
A piece of history in hand
T. Peck and a 4Mb disk for Alto
(Picture by Brian Lim)
===
P@P
Friday, May 29, 2009
Numerology
Primed Slot
I like math. Not great with it. But, I enjoy reading things like Flatland and find the application of second derivative and the resulting slope shapes scintillating.
Hence, it should not come as a surprise that when I had to pick a slot recently at PARC, I specifically requested a prime number. 19, in case you are wondering.
Cartesian Padlock
On the other hand, I am just a white belt at PARC.
In a recent conversation, I asked for the combination of a padlock. It starts with "-2". Negative two?! Took me a split second to realize that the combination was expressed in an one dimensional Cartesian number line.
Brilliant!
===
P@P
I like math. Not great with it. But, I enjoy reading things like Flatland and find the application of second derivative and the resulting slope shapes scintillating.
Hence, it should not come as a surprise that when I had to pick a slot recently at PARC, I specifically requested a prime number. 19, in case you are wondering.
Cartesian Padlock
On the other hand, I am just a white belt at PARC.
In a recent conversation, I asked for the combination of a padlock. It starts with "-2". Negative two?! Took me a split second to realize that the combination was expressed in an one dimensional Cartesian number line.
Brilliant!
===
P@P
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Earth Day 2009
Subject: PARC Earth Day 2009!
PARC’s Earth Day Celebration this year is going to be held on Wednesday, May 6th.
Our theme this year is: “Sustainable Smarts”. During the event you will be able to:
• Drop off personal e-waste from home. Leave it in the large cardboard bin marked “e-waste”.
• Drop off expired or unwanted medicine for proper disposal—At the P.A Water Quality Dept. booth
• Exchange your old mercury thermometer for a new electronic one for free!
• Pick up a plant, vegetable or flower at our Adopt-A-Plant booth
• Enter a drawing to win sustainable and eco-friendly prizes
• Shop organic produce at the Farmer Stand
• Check out the electric car
• Take a ride on the scooters
• Eat food cooked via solar power
My contributions to PARC earth Day 2009
Dropped off
• CPU
• Latptop
• PDA
• Cell phones
Got a sweet basil plant.
===
P@P
PARC’s Earth Day Celebration this year is going to be held on Wednesday, May 6th.
Our theme this year is: “Sustainable Smarts”. During the event you will be able to:
• Drop off personal e-waste from home. Leave it in the large cardboard bin marked “e-waste”.
• Drop off expired or unwanted medicine for proper disposal—At the P.A Water Quality Dept. booth
• Exchange your old mercury thermometer for a new electronic one for free!
• Pick up a plant, vegetable or flower at our Adopt-A-Plant booth
• Enter a drawing to win sustainable and eco-friendly prizes
• Shop organic produce at the Farmer Stand
• Check out the electric car
• Take a ride on the scooters
• Eat food cooked via solar power
My contributions to PARC earth Day 2009
Dropped off
• CPU
• Latptop
• PDA
• Cell phones
Got a sweet basil plant.
===
P@P
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Third fire alarm
Fire! Again!
What's up with this! A third accidental fire alarm in as many months. Seems like we are on a roll. Or, there is a minor conspiracy that I am not aware of.
While waiting in the emergency area, I did have a chance to strike up a conversation about PARC during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, a.k.a. the World Series Quake. Back then, people were using car radios to get updates on the status.
If it were to happen today, I wonder if the cell phone towers would hold up during the quake and if the towers would be overwhelmed with calls. Maybe a distributed and ad-hoc networking backbone would be a more robust solution, although I think people used WiMax for the 2004 Tsunami in the Indian Ocean.
Yeah, back to work.
==
P@P
What's up with this! A third accidental fire alarm in as many months. Seems like we are on a roll. Or, there is a minor conspiracy that I am not aware of.
While waiting in the emergency area, I did have a chance to strike up a conversation about PARC during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, a.k.a. the World Series Quake. Back then, people were using car radios to get updates on the status.
If it were to happen today, I wonder if the cell phone towers would hold up during the quake and if the towers would be overwhelmed with calls. Maybe a distributed and ad-hoc networking backbone would be a more robust solution, although I think people used WiMax for the 2004 Tsunami in the Indian Ocean.
Yeah, back to work.
==
P@P
Friday, February 13, 2009
"1 second" Unix Party
Ad Hoc Networking Meeting
Was in a meeting discussing CAPE. Spirited discussion all around as always.
But, we had to wrap it up early because:
Party Time
==
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009
Subject: 1234567890 day!
Happy 1234567890 day everyone!
Today at 3:31:30pm, the number of seconds since midnight, January 1, 1970 (not counting leap seconds)—otherwise known as unix time or posix time — becomes 1234567890.
Please join us in a 1-second party in the CSL bistro area at the appropriate moment.
==
Gosh, I am surrounded by geeks!
Brilliant!
===
P@P
Was in a meeting discussing CAPE. Spirited discussion all around as always.
But, we had to wrap it up early because:
Party Time
==
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009
Subject: 1234567890 day!
Happy 1234567890 day everyone!
Today at 3:31:30pm, the number of seconds since midnight, January 1, 1970 (not counting leap seconds)—otherwise known as unix time or posix time — becomes 1234567890.
Please join us in a 1-second party in the CSL bistro area at the appropriate moment.
==
Gosh, I am surrounded by geeks!
Brilliant!
===
P@P
Thursday, January 29, 2009
What comes after trillion?
The short answer: Quadrillion
Lunch at PARC
One of the interesting things about lunch at PARC is that, as a result of the interdisciplinary nature of our work, people toss out conversation topics that can only be described as uncommon.
Here is one recent exchange:
--
Q: Trillion used to be a safely large number. But, with all the financial crisis and trillion dollar rescue packages, I need to know what comes after trillion.
A: Let me confirm. Ah, it is "quadrillion."
Q: Did you know that there is a long scale and a short scale. A billion in short scale is 1,000 million but in long scale is 1,000,000 million?
A: That is interesting. American is short scale. I think French is long scale. Britain used to be long scale too, but it seems to be in flux these days.
Q: I believe Chinese numerals increment by 4 zeros (1,0000; 1,0000,0000; 1,0000,0000,0000).
A: Yeah, it is call the myriad system. As a matter of a fact, the decimal system is not the most obvious numeral system for different cultures.
A: There are many ways that decimal system would not work. For example, I have been considering a 60 based systems because it is more efficient for networking.
--
Uncommon, yes. Fascinating, definitely.
Or, you had to be there.
===
P@P
Lunch at PARC
One of the interesting things about lunch at PARC is that, as a result of the interdisciplinary nature of our work, people toss out conversation topics that can only be described as uncommon.
Here is one recent exchange:
--
Q: Trillion used to be a safely large number. But, with all the financial crisis and trillion dollar rescue packages, I need to know what comes after trillion.
A: Let me confirm. Ah, it is "quadrillion."
Q: Did you know that there is a long scale and a short scale. A billion in short scale is 1,000 million but in long scale is 1,000,000 million?
A: That is interesting. American is short scale. I think French is long scale. Britain used to be long scale too, but it seems to be in flux these days.
Q: I believe Chinese numerals increment by 4 zeros (1,0000; 1,0000,0000; 1,0000,0000,0000).
A: Yeah, it is call the myriad system. As a matter of a fact, the decimal system is not the most obvious numeral system for different cultures.
A: There are many ways that decimal system would not work. For example, I have been considering a 60 based systems because it is more efficient for networking.
--
Uncommon, yes. Fascinating, definitely.
Or, you had to be there.
===
P@P
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