My Bézier curve code was not optimal, so I decided to learn how to profile with SBCL. In particular, I was not yet doing a binary search of the sampled points, neither was I doing an interpolation to recover the parameter t. Finally, I was sampling the curve at a fixed high frequency (probably too… Continue reading Profiling with SBCL
Month: February 2008
Modern Correspondence
I’ve set aside my usual time for checking on my email. Penis enlargement… penny stocks… pretending to be female… Apparently my gas bill’s ready for an online look, And Amazon have managed (finally) to ship my book. An urban legend warning from some well-intentioned kin: I’ve told them about snopes.com, but still they’re taken in.… Continue reading Modern Correspondence
Some interview questions I’m thinking about
I’m thinking about the following questions. They are to be completed using pencil and paper (or marker & whiteboard) only (and for questions 1 and 2, I’d accept the method and not worry about the actual calculated answer). At the moment, only one of them is a question I’ve actually given at interview. And I… Continue reading Some interview questions I’m thinking about
Experimenting with (cubic) Bézier subdivision
As you know, a Bézier curve (here meaning specifically a cubic Bézier) is often used for drawing all kinds of things in vector graphics. It has the nice property that the endpoints and control points form a bounding box, and deCasteljau’s algorithm is a nice numerically stable way of evaluating the curve at a particular… Continue reading Experimenting with (cubic) Bézier subdivision
Sneak preview
This is a sneak peek at my current personal project. A bit of computerised heraldry. (“Sable a [ordinary] ermine.” Left to right, top to bottom: chief, fess, pale, cross, bend, bend sinister, chevron, saltire. Yeah, I know; charges on a bend should be bendwise. It’s a work in progress.)
Book sale time again
Last night I got an email from the library mailing list about another book sale this morning. We snagged a lot of books, including many SF paperbacks. Mini-Elbeno also got a ton of new titles. Not many computer titles this time around, but I got a book on python and The Man who Knew Infinity,… Continue reading Book sale time again
Life defined by Lunch
I am a creature of habit and habitual comforts. Never more so than at lunchtime. I’m also a big fan of breakfast, it’s true, and I couldn’t really care less about dinner most of the time. But lunch is where the routine kicks in. I could happily eat the same thing every day for lunch,… Continue reading Life defined by Lunch
An experiment
Participatory Culture
My photo of Sydney’s Fort Denison was included in the Schmap Sydney guide.
Arc’s debut
(Seems like this is just about what’s happened) Paul Graham: Behold, Arc! (disclaimer: blah blah blah) Rest of the Lisp-speaking world: Dude, weren’t you working for like 5 years on this? Now you give us a wrapper on Scheme? PG: Look, I know it’s a bit pre-alpha, but give it a go! You might like… Continue reading Arc’s debut