用手推开温润的门。
除了老去，什么都没变。
踏踏实实的幸福就是：午后来到外婆家，舅舅热好了饭菜端上桌来催我块块吃；端着碗，听见房间里，亮亮和外公有一搭没一搭地说着话；然后，我们上街买电影去。
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
iris chang & buying a new car
从mitbbs上得知iris chang的死讯，这才知道这个名字。大概了解了一下生平，solute, solute, solute. 嗯，算是在美的华人十杰青年了。于是也donate了她的the rape of nanking给自己工作的图书馆，esp.that i am from "nanking".
to extend the spirit futher,i boycotted japanese car in this car buying business. everthing was just fine until i realized that i could never have a lexus in my life. now this depressed me quite a bit. so confess and apologize, japan, so that i can have my lexus!
to extend the spirit futher,i boycotted japanese car in this car buying business. everthing was just fine until i realized that i could never have a lexus in my life. now this depressed me quite a bit. so confess and apologize, japan, so that i can have my lexus!
Friday, November 19, 2004
google gets scholarly
Google Scholar
http://scholar.google.com
...and this is both exciting and scary. it's finally the time. for quite a while, "deep search" is THE weapon that the academia used to defend against commercial search engines. now the power of this weapon is diminishing. copyright may be the last defense academia got in hand now.
"Google Scholar enables you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports from all broad areas of research."
http://scholar.google.com
...and this is both exciting and scary. it's finally the time. for quite a while, "deep search" is THE weapon that the academia used to defend against commercial search engines. now the power of this weapon is diminishing. copyright may be the last defense academia got in hand now.
"Google Scholar enables you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports from all broad areas of research."
Monday, November 15, 2004
ny times: walmart's storage
"By its own count, Wal-Mart has 460 terabytes of data stored on Teradata mainframes, made by NCR, at its Bentonville headquarters. To put that in perspective, the Internet has less than half as much data, according to experts."
I don't know what "experts" the author was using as a source, but Google
alone has pedabytes "on the internet."
460 TB is a lot, but I would guess that most large companies have that much data (though typically not available to one set of systems).
I don't know what "experts" the author was using as a source, but Google
alone has pedabytes "on the internet."
460 TB is a lot, but I would guess that most large companies have that much data (though typically not available to one set of systems).
Thursday, November 11, 2004
can you still retrieve it?
i gotta write this in english, cuz i can't let my mother read this: i lost all the pictures of her visiting me in may this year. they were all digital pictures.
it all happened very simple: i was re-installing my two-year-old laptop. i migrated all my data files on cd. then for some reason, the folder on that cd which held my mother's pictures could not be opened. i migrated the data back to the hd of my laptop and of a desktop, and the folder was empty.
then i read this story (to read this story you need to register to nytimes) about digital memories would sooner be lost than be destroyed. digital preservation has been a problem haunting us ever since we merrily entered the digital age. people keep files in all formats, a lot of which are already or will soon be unreadable: zip disks and 3½-inch diskettes, the larger 5-inch floppy disks, or even hd for obsolete computers.
although we may have a new industry of providing all kinds of old machines for people to access their oldy-format document, we still suffer from hard accessibility before any revolutionary idea of preservation uniformity emerges.
here is some comforting data: new photographic papers can last up to 200 years. and we all know that paper lasts even longer. yeah, i have this cultural arrogance again: our ancestor still beats bill gates and the whole empire and age that he introduced. the invention of paper and printing mechanism still maintains this silent elegance in front of the spinning technology.
think, think twice, and think three times before you store your data.
it all happened very simple: i was re-installing my two-year-old laptop. i migrated all my data files on cd. then for some reason, the folder on that cd which held my mother's pictures could not be opened. i migrated the data back to the hd of my laptop and of a desktop, and the folder was empty.
then i read this story (to read this story you need to register to nytimes) about digital memories would sooner be lost than be destroyed. digital preservation has been a problem haunting us ever since we merrily entered the digital age. people keep files in all formats, a lot of which are already or will soon be unreadable: zip disks and 3½-inch diskettes, the larger 5-inch floppy disks, or even hd for obsolete computers.
although we may have a new industry of providing all kinds of old machines for people to access their oldy-format document, we still suffer from hard accessibility before any revolutionary idea of preservation uniformity emerges.
here is some comforting data: new photographic papers can last up to 200 years. and we all know that paper lasts even longer. yeah, i have this cultural arrogance again: our ancestor still beats bill gates and the whole empire and age that he introduced. the invention of paper and printing mechanism still maintains this silent elegance in front of the spinning technology.
think, think twice, and think three times before you store your data.
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
还看“香港制造”
青春过了一大半，再看陈果的“香港制造”，还是被感动得一塌糊涂，才发现自己的心情心境与n年前比并没什么变化，看来这些年还是没什么长进，又白过了。
陈果有陈果的关怀与温暖，从“香港制造”，“细路祥”，到“去年烟花特别多”，“榴莲飘飘”（先不提“香港有个好莱坞”了），与其说他关怀边缘人，不如说他关怀的是人的边缘状态，因为在无法避免的动荡面前，我们都会不安，疑问，焦虑，逃避。好吧，我们原谅放弃家和女儿的妈妈们，原谅背叛和逃跑的爸爸们，我们甚至原谅撕掉遗书的老师，残害阿龙的老大，和企图暗杀中秋的胖子，因为我们都只是一颗棋子而已。
是福是祸，反正我不再是早晨8，9点钟的太阳了。
陈果有陈果的关怀与温暖，从“香港制造”，“细路祥”，到“去年烟花特别多”，“榴莲飘飘”（先不提“香港有个好莱坞”了），与其说他关怀边缘人，不如说他关怀的是人的边缘状态，因为在无法避免的动荡面前，我们都会不安，疑问，焦虑，逃避。好吧，我们原谅放弃家和女儿的妈妈们，原谅背叛和逃跑的爸爸们，我们甚至原谅撕掉遗书的老师，残害阿龙的老大，和企图暗杀中秋的胖子，因为我们都只是一颗棋子而已。
是福是祸，反正我不再是早晨8，9点钟的太阳了。
Friday, November 05, 2004
Friday, October 22, 2004
Friday, October 15, 2004
google desktop search
...is coming. http://desktop.google.com/index.html
one more step into personalized computer service; one more step towards "i, robot"; and one more step towards things i don't know.
similar to gmail, desktop search also aims to free people from organizing files by providing a robust search function. great! so my being cluttered is justified.
but my question is: is finding files the only goal for organizing them? wouldn't a better orgnization optimize the function of the system? if this is true, google is spoiling people for bad like loving grandparents.
also i don't feel very easy with the privacy thing. we already have too many big brothers watching on us in digitized ways we don't know. the information is collected and it exists. it may not be used under the honor system when nothing goes wrong. what if things do go wrong, which is always true?
even if all the information is only available to machines, as google declares, aren't we just building up a robot system that is much more powerful than ourselves? and again "i, robot".
maybe i'm just too old.
one more step into personalized computer service; one more step towards "i, robot"; and one more step towards things i don't know.
similar to gmail, desktop search also aims to free people from organizing files by providing a robust search function. great! so my being cluttered is justified.
but my question is: is finding files the only goal for organizing them? wouldn't a better orgnization optimize the function of the system? if this is true, google is spoiling people for bad like loving grandparents.
also i don't feel very easy with the privacy thing. we already have too many big brothers watching on us in digitized ways we don't know. the information is collected and it exists. it may not be used under the honor system when nothing goes wrong. what if things do go wrong, which is always true?
even if all the information is only available to machines, as google declares, aren't we just building up a robot system that is much more powerful than ourselves? and again "i, robot".
maybe i'm just too old.
Thursday, October 14, 2004
happenstance
an authentic french movie--distant warmth.
"我坐在天堂的台阶上...下面是人间...春天领着一群小黄花在过马路..." 嗯,就是这种意境,有微笑的上帝和温暖的人间.
"我坐在天堂的台阶上...下面是人间...春天领着一群小黄花在过马路..." 嗯,就是这种意境,有微笑的上帝和温暖的人间.
Monday, October 11, 2004
凤凰琴 country teachers
一部93年的电影，里面竟都是中国电影批判现实主义时期（嘿嘿，我的定义）的一些大腕。朴素，感人。http://www.prcmovie.com/library/country.html
这个celebration of chinese cinema，一个很好的想法，可惜操作无力。to quote elaine benes, "a big story that ends up no where"。
祝福laura。
这个celebration of chinese cinema，一个很好的想法，可惜操作无力。to quote elaine benes, "a big story that ends up no where"。
祝福laura。
Sunday, October 10, 2004
ms last interview
martha stewart's last interview before going to prison: the world never belongs to the majority.
一一
a movie so heavy in content, mind, and heart.
佛入世or世入佛? can't tell anymore.
could we ever relive our youth? only a saint can reach both sides of the river.
这个世界太多不快乐.
有些电影是用来yy的, 如大多数好莱坞的产品; 有些是用来洗洗人心的, 比如amelia 和很多欧洲电影; some r made to make reflection on ourselves, like 老杨's and 老侯's in taiwan, or 小贾's in mainland china, or 小陈's hongkong, and still some others'. (老谋 & 老王属于哪一类? 两人都利用电影来充分表现自恋; 就两人的电影而言, 一个是金玉其外, 败絮其中; 一个则是小资有余, 关怀不足; 两人都显力不从心.)
佛入世or世入佛? can't tell anymore.
could we ever relive our youth? only a saint can reach both sides of the river.
这个世界太多不快乐.
有些电影是用来yy的, 如大多数好莱坞的产品; 有些是用来洗洗人心的, 比如amelia 和很多欧洲电影; some r made to make reflection on ourselves, like 老杨's and 老侯's in taiwan, or 小贾's in mainland china, or 小陈's hongkong, and still some others'. (老谋 & 老王属于哪一类? 两人都利用电影来充分表现自恋; 就两人的电影而言, 一个是金玉其外, 败絮其中; 一个则是小资有余, 关怀不足; 两人都显力不从心.)
Friday, October 08, 2004
obsessive-compulsive
i may have developed this complex, which leaves me nothing but regret. so i'm not going to start on any personal project unless i have at least a stretch of 48 hours to concentrate. yes, this is a promise.
UI/IA notes-20041008
keep status information up to date and within easy view
consistency is not uniformity. so make objects consistent with their behavior. make objects that act differently look different.
system minimalism=labor maximalism
be concise/clear/straight-forward/informative/accurate with menu & button labels
navigation,navigation,navigation
where does "paperless" go?
the fundamental architecture of the system vs. the surface design of the interface
A single-use application for accomplishing an unknown task requires a far more directive interface than a habitual-use interface for experts.
consistency is not uniformity. so make objects consistent with their behavior. make objects that act differently look different.
system minimalism=labor maximalism
be concise/clear/straight-forward/informative/accurate with menu & button labels
navigation,navigation,navigation
where does "paperless" go?
the fundamental architecture of the system vs. the surface design of the interface
A single-use application for accomplishing an unknown task requires a far more directive interface than a habitual-use interface for experts.
wwgb notes
i gotta leave more space for breathing on the front page. it's crumpled.
but first thing first. i need to go back to WORK!...em..let me start with collecting UM donation today.
but first thing first. i need to go back to WORK!...em..let me start with collecting UM donation today.
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
万里长征第一步
最终被证明，black coffee to go is a too big idea for me right now. 让我把它切碎，一步步来。
a lowercase life @ http://www.selu.edu/Academics/Faculty/xding/all/
&
watching the world go by @ http://www.unc.edu/~dingx/world/
a lowercase life @ http://www.selu.edu/Academics/Faculty/xding/all/
&
watching the world go by @ http://www.unc.edu/~dingx/world/
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
爱在他乡的季节
难为梁家辉和张曼玉了，演80年代疯狂出国的中国人，盲目，悲情。
不仅是这一对couple，而是影片里每一个在美国的中国人，都是那么绝望，无奈。而他们曾经是最有理想最有豪情的一代人。所以当南生和红在郭兰英一条大河的歌声中历尽艰险重逢时，人心就被掏空了。
这个灰暗的纽约是sex and the city的家吗？太残酷了。
还有一点心得：如果你丢失了爱人，就去纽约送外卖吧，你们终究会相逢在纽约的街头的，像甜蜜蜜，像爱在他乡的季节。
不仅是这一对couple，而是影片里每一个在美国的中国人，都是那么绝望，无奈。而他们曾经是最有理想最有豪情的一代人。所以当南生和红在郭兰英一条大河的歌声中历尽艰险重逢时，人心就被掏空了。
这个灰暗的纽约是sex and the city的家吗？太残酷了。
还有一点心得：如果你丢失了爱人，就去纽约送外卖吧，你们终究会相逢在纽约的街头的，像甜蜜蜜，像爱在他乡的季节。
Monday, September 27, 2004
lost in translation
这个周末看了，很失望。it's about two americans' strange friendship in a unfamiliar culture.最终只能表现美国人对美国以外文化的惊人无知。其实他们对自己国家不同地区的文化也没有什么包容可言。
yao's new book
这个周末在书店里读姚明的新书,yao,life in two worlds,写得很可爱,有点像给老外的中国文化扫盲读物.他在书里提到,中国现在的变化很大很大,可是他有时不能体会,因为每次回去他总是在找旧时的朋友玩,去旧时的地方玩.可不是嘛,就像我昨天还在跟一个即将回国的朋友说,要他帮我多吃些小吃,凉粉啦,馄饨啦,还一定要是路边的.能报得出的就那么几样,可是国内现在又不知道出了多少好吃好玩的了吧.哎,想死我了!
Thursday, September 23, 2004
东邪西毒
一些肝肠寸断的爱情故事,都没啥好结果。不喜欢。不是因为它让人肝肠寸断，而是因为那些爱里的真情啊，执着啊，以及因爱而生的嫉妒啊，自私啊，都是胡扯。如果需要yy，还是yy一些快乐的事吧，生活够麻烦了。
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Monday, September 20, 2004
ivan effect
shame on u! thanks to ivan, we had this three-day off week. u just didn't open ur philosophy book, didn't read a word about php, didn't think a minute about ur no-where-to-go future, or even didn't watch a movie. all u did was s-h-o-p-p-i-n-g! god would be so mad at u that u wouldn't get an extra day off from now on!
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
hurricane ivan
hurrican ivan is coming. take me away; take me way way away.
stop fighting, men and women. in 50 years, nobody will remember nothing.
stop fighting, men and women. in 50 years, nobody will remember nothing.
Friday, September 10, 2004
不离日用常行内，直到先天未画前
it is not divorced from daily ordinary activities, yet it goes straight to what antedated heaven.
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
miranda & steve
miranda & steve is my favorite couple in "sex & the city". for a while, they break up over a suit, and this moment breaks up my heart, for both of them. steve returns the suit that he couldn't afford, convinced that there are things that he could not reach. his reaction is very understandable, as some men still have respectable pride. but meanwhile i feel more sympathy for miranda, as she shouldn't not be punished for her success.
love out of caste is hard, very often out of the question.
love the person as s/he is--this is a myth.
at the end of the whole story, miranda & steve got together. but please do remember that in reality they never see each other again in this life.
love out of caste is hard, very often out of the question.
love the person as s/he is--this is a myth.
at the end of the whole story, miranda & steve got together. but please do remember that in reality they never see each other again in this life.
Monday, September 06, 2004
souless 张艺谋
北野（哲学家）：张艺谋缺少心灵感受。
罗艺军（老电影艺术家）：张艺谋在把握电影形式上是国际一流的，《英雄》、《十面埋伏》创造的视听奇观，绚丽之极。但这未必是美学中的上品。古人云：‘绚丽之极，归于平淡。’ 张艺谋告别武打片后，是否会归于平淡，向人的心灵进军？
张颐武（北京大学教授）：他任何行动都带有某种见机而动的目的。(--personally i think there is nothing wrong with maintaining a purpose.) 张艺谋不知道艺术上的节省、空白和含蓄，在电影中，他总是把他擅长的漂亮画面反复把弄，弄得人们烦烦的。
罗艺军（老电影艺术家）：张艺谋在把握电影形式上是国际一流的，《英雄》、《十面埋伏》创造的视听奇观，绚丽之极。但这未必是美学中的上品。古人云：‘绚丽之极，归于平淡。’ 张艺谋告别武打片后，是否会归于平淡，向人的心灵进军？
张颐武（北京大学教授）：他任何行动都带有某种见机而动的目的。(--personally i think there is nothing wrong with maintaining a purpose.) 张艺谋不知道艺术上的节省、空白和含蓄，在电影中，他总是把他擅长的漂亮画面反复把弄，弄得人们烦烦的。
Friday, September 03, 2004
here is a cute one
quote from movie board on bbs:
“如果他叫Nameless,那么是哲理片.
如果叫ANONYMOUS,那么是侦探片.
如果叫DON-ASK-MY-NAME-DUDE,那么是搞笑片.
如果叫XXX,那么是三及片.
如果叫N.G.,那么是科幻片. (or UFO, as suggested later)”
“如果他叫Nameless,那么是哲理片.
如果叫ANONYMOUS,那么是侦探片.
如果叫DON-ASK-MY-NAME-DUDE,那么是搞笑片.
如果叫XXX,那么是三及片.
如果叫N.G.,那么是科幻片. (or UFO, as suggested later)”
Thursday, September 02, 2004
gmail eventually
yup, eventually.
more control is given to the user's side, like "name" entry in "contacts". it's no longer the narrow-minded firstname-lastname cliche, which is used in yahoo! and many others, and thus some respect to other cultures.
more control is given to the user's side, like "name" entry in "contacts". it's no longer the narrow-minded firstname-lastname cliche, which is used in yahoo! and many others, and thus some respect to other cultures.
