The technique these people are using is a very simple brute force technique to acsertain the various possible states of the global climate. Essentially, you figure out all of the 'possible' climates by twidling the knobs of your model, and running the thing thousands of times. Presumably one of your tweeks will produce a hindcast (1950-present) that looks like the 'real' earth. This will also, presumably, give you the best forcast (present-2050).
There are other, more graceful techniques used by weather prediction people which involve creating an 'inverse' model. This ammounts to a gigantic least-squares fit of some parameters of your model to the data. Unfortunatly, this would involve finding the inverse of a matrix that is the number of cells in your model times the number of timesteps. For a model like this, this number is very, very large. In order to do this, you need to make some simplifying assumptions, and find approximations to your inverse matrix. You can do this by running forward and backward models itteratively, until an acceptable fit is found.
I'm not sure what the advantages of using the brute force technique are. There are a number of problems developing these inverse (or backward) models, and perhaps they just didn't want to deal with the work. Also, these backward models don't seem to work to well on very non-linear systems, in particular, rapid state changes.
It will be interesting to see if this approach works. If so, I have some runs for some of you with spare cycles...
All of you dissing the mighty pong should hold you heads down in SHAME! Where would we be without the forsight of [whoeverthehellitwas] hooking up two paddles to a TV screen to play... Computer tennis? No. TV hocky? No. PONG!
beboop. boop. boboop. beep. bobeep.
Pong is a subtle, yet complicated game. I remember my father used to try to give the ball 'a little english' by moving his paddle just as the ball hit. Geez - that move got me every time..
Just imagine the tricks and techniques we will be able to pick up from watching PONG MASTERS on TV!
Time's article is still a bit ass-kissing, in my opinion. The basic thrust of the article is:
"[We previewed Episode I, and loved it, and it stank. We now preview Episode II, and we love it. This time it won't stink. Really. Trust us. What would we have to gain from a good review?]"
As far as I know, you need to get an explicit drop for I2, and you need to justify it somehow (usually not too hard). However, nobody is going to except downloading p0rn/music as a valid reason...
Many universities (not just those on internet 2) also have 100baseT lines set up for local, university traffic. But again, you need to request it explicitly.
This means that napster will still run at 10. I think that's still plenty fast for the unwashed masses.
I love my powerbook, too. However, I am not sure this is the right thing for everyone. I use mine to write (in emacs for LaTeX), and occasionally use powerpoint.
Macs are not so good if you like games. OS X is still a little flakey, and I need to run some apps under OS 9 (e.g., the new X powerpoint doesn't use native Mac quicktime - so animations don't work so well).
Is there a fair, objective way to compare (laptop) PCs and Macs?
Or do you just buy the coolest machine you can afford (definately a PowerBook, if you can afford it), since they can all run some sort of word processor?
Space.dock does not actually change between virtual windows (as some have already noted). In essence all this program does is open and close groups of windows defined by the user.
Advantages: - Low wastage of memory - You can access any window from any virtual screen. - You can close all of a projects windows, even if those windows are running different programs.
Disadvantages: - No dragging windows between screens. - No 'alt-arrow' to go between virtual screens.
All in all, it's definately not virtual screens like most unix people are used to, but it is small, clever, and it feels very 'Mac-like'.
Mr. Katz would have been absolutely correct even a few short years ago. Safty, and reliability, but most of all compatability (and don't forget the productivity/power associated with that) were primary reasons for getting a particular computer.
However, computers are ubiquitous now -- *everybody's* got one. Primary uses seem to be word processing and web browsing. My old apple ][ could have done these jobs... Computing power is not an issue, nor are available applications (since the basics are covered on both Macs and Windows pcs). Computers are cheap. What separates different styles of computers when the other benchmarks have fallen by the wayside?
Style.
Why get a PT Cruiser or VW Beetle? Why get Tommy Hilfiger over Wall-Mart Brand? Nowadays, cars and t-shirts preform similarly across brands -- the only thing separating them is style. Because computers have no achived (or are just achiving) commodity status, style will be an important, if not primary, factor in computer purchasing, especially if the style is utilitarian. Even for Jake and Ethel in Des Moines...
A university is indeed not a trade school. I am willing to bet that there are no reputable universities that would offer a degree without the associated coarsework (including the 2/3 that has nothing to do with computer science). Universities will not take the chance that you will graduate, knowing how to program, but not how to write a report, for example. Offering a quickie degree benifits neither the university or the student.
However, there are other options to consider. At your age, with your experience, experience will count more than a degree. If you are looking for some formal training, you might consider simply taking some Master's level classes without going after a degree (almost every university will let you take classes if you pay for them). You can always use the credits later, if you wish to persue an actuall degree of some sort.
Also, there are some univesities that might consider offering some sort of master's degree without requiring a batchelor's degree first. (Again, you have to wiegh what this is worth to you and the university.)
In short, your degree is worth exactly what you put into it, and your employer will figure this out too.
I programed a Core Wars compiler in basic on my Apple ][ computer waaay back when.. However, I found the programing practices I learned back then have helped me very little later in life, as a scientific programmer.
I am glad to see there is a programming game that actually teaches useful programing skills.
I decided to go for a handspring. It uses palm software, and seems to be more extensible. At the time it was much cheaper than the equivilant palm.
I use my handspring visor delux with linux via gnome-pilot, which works flawlessly, even for MAL.
(I've had much more trouble syncing with my wifes Mac at home...)
Slashdot Mirror
WHY why DON'T don't YOU you WRITE write ONE one?
(and send me a copy...)
The technique these people are using is a very simple brute force technique to acsertain the various possible states of the global climate. Essentially, you figure out all of the 'possible' climates by twidling the knobs of your model, and running the thing thousands of times. Presumably one of your tweeks will produce a hindcast (1950-present) that looks like the 'real' earth. This will also, presumably, give you the best forcast (present-2050).
There are other, more graceful techniques used by weather prediction people which involve creating an 'inverse' model. This ammounts to a gigantic least-squares fit of some parameters of your model to the data. Unfortunatly, this would involve finding the inverse of a matrix that is the number of cells in your model times the number of timesteps. For a model like this, this number is very, very large. In order to do this, you need to make some simplifying assumptions, and find approximations to your inverse matrix. You can do this by running forward and backward models itteratively, until an acceptable fit is found.
I'm not sure what the advantages of using the brute force technique are. There are a number of problems developing these inverse (or backward) models, and perhaps they just didn't want to deal with the work. Also, these backward models don't seem to work to well on very non-linear systems, in particular, rapid state changes.
It will be interesting to see if this approach works. If so, I have some runs for some of you with spare cycles...
I am a new mac person. I converted because of the unixyness of osx, since I primarily use various unix type machines for work.
The only thing missing from my osx software arsonal was MATLAB (really -- everything else was unix freeware). Starting up an os9 background sucked.
Is anyone else as happy as I am?
Octave is not a true replacement for MATLAB (unfortunately). Octave has weaknesses in:
- Generating publication quality graphics
- Toolboxes
- NetCDF I/O
Unfortunately Matlab has weaknesses in
- Memory mamagement
- Working on Macs...
Still, despite the price (not free) and other issues, the real matlab wins.
All of you dissing the mighty pong should hold you heads down in SHAME! Where would we be without the forsight of [whoeverthehellitwas] hooking up two paddles to a TV screen to play... Computer tennis? No. TV hocky? No. PONG!
beboop. boop. boboop. beep. bobeep.
Pong is a subtle, yet complicated game. I remember my father used to try to give the ball 'a little english' by moving his paddle just as the ball hit. Geez - that move got me every time..
Just imagine the tricks and techniques we will be able to pick up from watching PONG MASTERS on TV!
I'm gonna tape it, if anyone needs a copy..
Time's article is still a bit ass-kissing, in my opinion. The basic thrust of the article is:
"[We previewed Episode I, and loved it, and it stank. We now preview Episode II, and we love it. This time it won't stink. Really. Trust us. What would we have to gain from a good review?]"
Bottom line: It's hard to say, not knowin'..
As far as I know, you need to get an explicit drop for I2, and you need to justify it somehow (usually not too hard). However, nobody is going to except downloading p0rn/music as a valid reason...
Many universities (not just those on internet 2) also have 100baseT lines set up for local, university traffic. But again, you need to request it explicitly.
This means that napster will still run at 10. I think that's still plenty fast for the unwashed masses.
I love my powerbook, too. However, I am not sure this is the right thing for everyone. I use mine to write (in emacs for LaTeX), and occasionally use powerpoint.
Macs are not so good if you like games. OS X is still a little flakey, and I need to run some apps under OS 9 (e.g., the new X powerpoint doesn't use native Mac quicktime - so animations don't work so well).
Is there a fair, objective way to compare (laptop) PCs and Macs?
Or do you just buy the coolest machine you can afford (definately a PowerBook, if you can afford it), since they can all run some sort of word processor?
Space.dock does not actually change between virtual windows (as some have already noted). In essence all this program does is open and close groups of windows defined by the user.
Advantages:
- Low wastage of memory
- You can access any window from any virtual screen.
- You can close all of a projects windows, even if those windows are running different programs.
Disadvantages:
- No dragging windows between screens.
- No 'alt-arrow' to go between virtual screens.
All in all, it's definately not virtual screens like most unix people are used to, but it is small, clever, and it feels very 'Mac-like'.
That's nothing.. RMS sent me a
For the handyman of the future, quick dry foam (aptly called 'Good Stuff' in the cans I get) is the answer to all your maintanence problems.
Throw out your duct tape -- the future is now!
Mr. Katz would have been absolutely correct even a few short years ago. Safty, and reliability, but most of all compatability (and don't forget the productivity/power associated with that) were primary reasons for getting a particular computer.
However, computers are ubiquitous now -- *everybody's* got one. Primary uses seem to be word processing and web browsing. My old apple ][ could have done these jobs... Computing power is not an issue, nor are available applications (since the basics are covered on both Macs and Windows pcs). Computers are cheap. What separates different styles of computers when the other benchmarks have fallen by the wayside?
Style.
Why get a PT Cruiser or VW Beetle? Why get Tommy Hilfiger over Wall-Mart Brand? Nowadays, cars and t-shirts preform similarly across brands -- the only thing separating them is style. Because computers have no achived (or are just achiving) commodity status, style will be an important, if not primary, factor in computer purchasing, especially if the style is utilitarian. Even for Jake and Ethel in Des Moines...
A university is indeed not a trade school. I am willing to bet that there are no reputable universities that would offer a degree without the associated coarsework (including the 2/3 that has nothing to do with computer science). Universities will not take the chance that you will graduate, knowing how to program, but not how to write a report, for example. Offering a quickie degree benifits neither the university or the student.
However, there are other options to consider. At your age, with your experience, experience will count more than a degree. If you are looking for some formal training, you might consider simply taking some Master's level classes without going after a degree (almost every university will let you take classes if you pay for them). You can always use the credits later, if you wish to persue an actuall degree of some sort.
Also, there are some univesities that might consider offering some sort of master's degree without requiring a batchelor's degree first. (Again, you have to wiegh what this is worth to you and the university.)
In short, your degree is worth exactly what you put into it, and your employer will figure this out too.
The Econimist recently had an artical about new research in solar activity found here They mention how this sort of forcast would have been very difficult before SOHO (mentioned in the orig. post). Good ancilary reading...
I programed a Core Wars compiler in basic on my Apple ][ computer waaay back when.. However, I found the programing practices I learned back then have helped me very little later in life, as a scientific programmer.
I am glad to see there is a programming game that actually teaches useful programing skills.
I decided to go for a handspring. It uses palm software, and seems to be more extensible. At the time it was much cheaper than the equivilant palm. I use my handspring visor delux with linux via gnome-pilot, which works flawlessly, even for MAL. (I've had much more trouble syncing with my wifes Mac at home...)