Wee1 Day 5 @ IHPC

Today I learned about what's behind the magic when we run ./configure and make / make install. Apparently, ./configure examines the system and determine if the system is suitable for installing the respective software.

In the event where the system does, ./configure would then compile a script that would compile and install the program specifically to suit the environment of the current system. Thats where we would run "make", which compiles the source codes in the installation packages into a executables. "make install" is then run to install the respective executives or libraries into the system.

In the afternoon, we also learned about programming CV library. Created an application that draws rectangles and circles on a dark background. I have also found an application in the "samples" directory of OpenCV that can detect faces in photos! Thats something very cool! Imagine if we could even enhance the application to patch up pimples or eye bags in photos, would that save designer a lot of time? Apparently I looked through the source code, but am still unable to comprehend the code, but determined to learn it by Sunday, and possibly modify the application to work with larger photos (currently it can`t even run with pictures larger than 500 px by 500 px)

During the afternoon, me and Vic also watached "Pirates of the Silicon Valley", and found out various discoveries :
1) Steve Jobs set up Apple earlier than Microsoft was being set up
2) DOS was not created by Bill Gates, but bought from another programmer instead, and improved by Bill Gates
3) The starting point that result in Bill Gates prospering was his partnership with IBM
4) Both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs already came together to help each other in the past, not only just in recent times

Certainly there are many other points brought forward by the movie which could be untrue, butI would check them out over the few days and post them when I am certain they are true.

This week was the week I learned the most, as compared to any days I spent in my school. Although there were many difficulties, but with the help of Ming Hong and Kevin, I made it through, and learned many things I had never even thought before


Reflections:

Indeed life in SIP is different from life in school. No more waking up late and no more late nights out. These, even though initially I worried that I might not be used to switching over, but I am now able to. As compared to the life before, I can feel I am now more heatlhier and on schedule than before. Thus, I would consider this a great improvement to my life.

Through the first week of my SIP, I learned about Linux, its origins, its distributions, and how to install programs in it, its terminal commands. We have also learned the concept of ftp, ssh and remote desktop, and the actual use of it. Other than this, we also learned Console output and FileIO in C++. OpenCV library was one of the most fascinating libraries I have came to know. LightDraw was developed 2 years ago using the same OpenCV library I am learning about now.

In the past, I have always taught that high level programs like LightDraw were developed using new and advanced languages, such as ActionScript 2.0, and now, I am just simply fascinated it was developed just using the C programming language.......and just with OpenCV library.

This has taught me in life that we should not neglect the ability of simple things to create miracles. LightDraw was something big and extraordinary,but it was not developed using C#, not Java, not C++, but just C.

Hope everyone have a nice weekend ahead :)