CupsAndString

No relation to either CUPS or std::string

It would seem that I have written an MSN client in about 150 lines of code.

I say about, because I'm currently counting blank lines and comments and $HOME/cupsandstringrc as 'code'.

Check out voip/cupsandstring on my srcf home for the most current version. I'm making the effort to keep the source revision controlled, and publicly available.

Exams

So it would appear that I got a 2:1.

Not too bad. I'm happy with that result.

( http://www.eng.cam.ac.uk/exams/results/2007/pt1b.html for those members of the engineering dept that can remember their PINs )

It seems that Peterhouse got the same number of each class of degree as last year, but with different people getting different things.

Now time to get on with my holiday plans.

*signs into Alex's computer to test MSN*

pymsn

So it seems I've started hacking on pymsn.

It's quite cool, because I'm kinda working in parallel with alexreg's VB.NET client library. Both attempting to implement the newest version of the protocols, but in different languages.

He said he had problems getting the server to remember his username. I have discovered that I am too, but my test client had client.profile.display_name = "Alsuren" , so it tricked me into thinking it was working. I might take a look at the kopete code, if I'm feeling suicidal. See how it does it. (who's betting that it just store it locally? :P )

xkcd

Things I hate about windows mobile:

* mouse-over text doesn't show... because you have no mouse. I now have an
urge to re-read xkcd in konq.

In other news, I only have 2 ethernet cables, so I can't have both working
wifi and a working computer at the same time. (yes: I have a really
disgusting cascade of linksys devices in the corner of my room)

Luckily, I have borrowed Phil's wifi card for testing, so I can neatly
sidestep the problem, and get phone and computer working at the same time :D

Computer

Okay, so I don't think my computer has ever been (or should ever be again) off for that long.

When I switched it on, it got a cmos checksum error. What had happened is it run out of backup power and forgotten everything it was told. Annoyingly, not only did this include the clock, it also included the fact that my 3 disks are *not* in raid, and I would quite like to boot to one of them if that's not too much trouble kthxbi.

Took a while to fix (for some reason, I booted to my kubuntu liveCD and used date to check whether clock had reset rather than just checking the bios settings) and in the process, I discovered how to enable USB keyboard in the bios. I might also try wake-up-on-alarm at some point. Get it to wake up at 7 in the morning and put a cron job to play music at 7:30 :D

*huggles his computer*

*gets a sharp aluminium corner in his ribs*

*vows never to do that again*

Something I didn't do last year

*collects exam papers, like a mighty warrior collecting the heads of fallen generals*

I'm *definitely going to fail my exams*

http://www.xkcd.com/c241.html
--best thing is that if you think you got the joke less than 2 seconds after reading it, you *really* didn't get the joke.

http://www.xkcd.com/c230.html
-- is it just me that wouldn't have left the room in the first place if someone was describing a routing algorithm that was provably optimal in all cases?

http://www.xkcd.com/c184.html
-- only maths revision I'm doing for tomorrow

Electronics(*kicks himself*)

That exam could have been considerably better than it was if I had committed Phil's proof to memory. If I had, that question would have been a 10 minute gift question. As it was, I decided to avoid it, and messed up my timing like I did in yesterday's thermo exam.

As it was, I only had 1 gift question (maximum torque), and I was a bit pushed for time.

Yoga

Went last night. There are a few deceptively simple exercises that really need you to be in control of your body. I'm going more to learn how to move with precision than anything. Cambridge Lindy teaches you how to have fun, and the Tai Chi I did was way too martial and not precise enough.

I think I'll go to the one next week, then at the start of next year, I'll go, and get her to clarify *everything* she says. I might even force her to get everyone doing ['inner thigh back', 'hips level in all 3 planes'(and not level in all 3 planes), 'lumb[ae]r spine [collapsed|engaged],...]

Dream

Had a dream in which we were sitting in a circle learning a game (which involved people going round the circle kissing everyone, and stealing razors) when the leader asked "Okay, so who here thinks they're dreaming?". Stu put his hand up, and was told that it was not a dream, to which he responded "Oh: I should youtube this then" or something. Then they turned to me, as I had absently raised my hand. "Oh no. I changed my mind."

It would seem that controlling (or recognising) dreams is not a skill I always possess.

First two exams

Yeah, so the first one wasn't so bad, but the second one was tres gash. I was considering dropping my structures supervisor an email, and giving him advanced warning that my mark would be crap.

I just can't wait for it to be over.

Now annoyingly, I'm not actually tired, but I want to get an early night, so I can be up for tomorrow.

What's interesting is that I've not really done any written work in the morning all term. I expect my 3 morning exams will be of a comparable magnitude to the sum total of all other work.

I also need to tune my body. I expect I could perform better mentally if I got myself in shape a bit more. I might take yoga or something next year, and get a rigid routine put together. Could even do it over the summer, weaving hacking and learning German into the mix.

We'll see.

*prepares to fail*

Yeah... so I'm going to fail these exams. I don't know any of the stuff, and I'm not awake enough to blag it from first principles like I did last year. I think that's the most dangerous thing this year: I'm not in the routine of working in the mornings, so I might not be able to think properly. This way, I fail Mechanics, Materials and Maths, wich are my 3 Morning exams.

It also feels like I've not done enough past papers (I've not been able to concentrate this year. Even worse than last year), and I've not gone through enough cribs to absorb the correct methods. This might have something to do with the fact that we have 8 exams this year rather than 4, so I would need to have done twice as many papers as last year to feel like I've done enough.

Hopefully, I'll be able to scrape together at least a third (yes: I know I was looking to punish, but that's obviousy not going to happen), and carry on to do some interesting subjects next year, with exams at the end of each term. I'm not in as dire a situation as some, because I managed a 2:1 last year, which will earn me some grace, and I've revised the subjects that I enjoy, so I should be able to pick up marks in some papers. Also, it seems like Jacqui and Rob are less prepared than me (somehow). Digby won't be too pleased with me though, because it's structures and mechanics that will be worst.

*will be jumping his blues away tomorrow (sunday) on jesus green to savoy jazz*

(8)Don't drink no whiskey
Just jump your blues away(8)

*needs to organise something for next weekend on parker's piece*

(8)Spring cleanin'
Gettin' ready for love(8)

Neighbours on Thursday

They faded to white at the end of Thursday's episode. I think if there were any self-respecting geeks in the production team they would have re-defined the term "Blue screen of Death".

*Such* a missed opportunity!