[詩戀] 借他人酒杯，澆胸中塊壘

節前趕集，等待魚販料理魚蝦，躲在暗隅讀推，見老貓與王佩隔空機鋒，興味盎然，待見得太后詔諭：「住口，別以為我沒上堆就不知道你們這些曲折的腦袋在想啥。借他人酒杯，澆胸中塊壘，一樣是共犯。」，亟欲尋一酒杯自澆塊壘。

嘉慶 25 年（西元 1820 年），龔自珍做《又懺心一首》：

佛言劫火遇皆銷 何物千年怒若潮

經濟文章磨白晝 幽光狂慧復中宵

來何洶湧須揮劍 去尚纏綿可付簫

心藥心靈總心病 寓言決欲就燈燒

既是借他人酒杯，澆胸中塊壘，就不需追究此心病是否彼心病了。曲折的腦袋曰：「屠狗功名，雕龍文卷，豈是平生意」。

How recommender researchers test their algorithm and make the system smarter?

FastCompany 今日介紹 RichRelevance 首席科學家 Darren Vengroff想出一個讓研究人員測試推薦系統演算法的方法，其實這個點子很簡單，將真實世界的資料包裝成一個黑箱，讓研究者上傳程式，使用這個機制測試演算法的好壞。

There are many holy grails in online commerce, but one that has frustrated C-level executives and engineers alike is how to produce better recommendation algorithms. Produce better recommendations, and you’ll sell more stuff.
Historically, however, there has been one major structural impediment to making significant breakthroughs on this front. But the Chief Scientist at RichRelevance, which provides personalization solutions for the likes of Walmart, Sears, and Overstock.com, may just have fixed that. 

First, however, the impediment: The people who are likely to produce breakthroughs--the really smart smarty-pants in the math departments of the world’s universities--don’t have access to large bodies of real-world data. And without real-world data, they can come up with as many hypotheses and new types of math as they like, but they’ll never really know if it actually works in the real world. It’s like trying to learn how to serve without tennis balls. You can swing as much as you like, but until you actually hit a real-live ball, you can never be sure if your swing would actually place a ball in the serve box. 

For their part, the people who have real-world data--the Amazons and eBays of the world--can’t share it with the researchers for reasons of customer privacy. “Even if we anonymize it, we’re handcuffed because we can’t give out data that can be reasonably be used to reconstruct who someone really is,” the Chief Scientist, Darren Vengroff, tells Fast Company.

Vengroff, however, has come up with a novel solution: He’s created a “black box” of sorts with real-world data that researchers can use to run experiments on. Researchers won’t be able to look at the data, but they will be able to dump their algorithms in and have the box spit out results, which the researchers can then use to refine their hypotheses. 

It’s a simple idea, but it wasn’t really possible to execute until the advent of the cloud. Now researchers from any part of the globe will be able to use the system to run experiments. (In principle, of course--in practice, a committee will vet proposals and choose which ones will actually run.) 

Vengroff, who once worked as a Principal Engineer at Amazon, says he got the idea for the project while attending a computing conference last fall. “In one of the sessions, there were three consecutive papers in a row where about two-thirds of the way through, I was really excited about what was being presented, and then they went down a different path than I thought they were going to go,” he says. “I realized if they only knew what the real-live data, that I look at every day, says, they wouldn’t have gone that way. They would have gone the right way and gotten to a much better solution.”

“Seeing these brilliant ideas get misapplied because of a very reasonable assumption about how shoppers might shop, but happens not to be true in the empirical data--I realized we’ve got to find a way to have this not happen anymore.” 

The system, which is in beta right now, will launch next month at conference in Palo Alto. Says Vengroff: “We’ve got a significant new path that we think is really going to change things.”
E.B. Boyd is FastCompany.com’s Silicon Valley reporter. Follow me on Twitter, or email me.

via fastcompany.com

Posted via email from imrchen's posterous

[Video] 之死靡他

死了都要改，不推翻重來不痛快！

宇宙毀滅，甲方還在！

Daily Murmur 2011/01/27

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鴻兔大展

這是同事為我準備的賀卡，一定要秀一下的啦！

[Video] To the life that used to be.

早在去年8月，網友就提醒，音樂劇悲慘世界25週年音樂會，將在去年 10月初倫敦表演。雖然沒機會躬逢其盛，但是透過網路，我們還是「間接」參與了這場盛會。


或許是期望過高，或許是被十週年紀念音樂會影響而有先入為主的「偏見」，坦白說，我對這次的表現有點小失望。比如說，經典的 One Day More 絲毫感受不到激情，謝幕前做為 encore 曲再唱一遍時，老歌手的表現固然點燃了全場熱情，但這回擔綱 Marius 的 Nick Jonas 缺乏大將之風的缺點曝露無遺。


平心而論，雖然 Marius 的表現令人失望，其他的角色還算到位，編曲、舞台、噱頭爆點的設計比起十五年前猶有過之。有些曲子還是有些亮點的，比如說 Drink with Me 中 Grantaire 的情緒爆發就比十週年的含蓄慢板要更符合原著精神，也更有舞台效果，可惜當 Marius 在曲終沉痛深情的問  Will you weep, Cosette, for me?，Nick Jonas 怎麼也不及 Michael Ball 表達出的情緒起伏。


看著歌詞，

Drink with me to days gone bye
To the life that used to be 

不禁想到月前胡亂湊的前人集句：「獨酌無相親，誰共從容」！

25 週年版 Drink with me

10週年版 Drink with me

是的，我們都需要祝福和勇氣

[Video] Who give me strength to journey on.

雖然 Colm Wilinson和 Michael Ball 因為年齡的關係，沒有參與悲慘世界25週年音樂會的演出，但是他們讓 Jean Valjean 和 Marius Pontmercy 永遠活在我的心裡。

三杯通大道，一斗合自然

Drunk scientists pour wine on superconductors and make an incredible discovery

又一個舉杯的理由，薄酒不僅能讓墨客「酒發雄談，劍增奇氣，詩吐驚人語」，還能提升科研成果，突破瓶頸。「方知一杯酒，猶勝百家書」，古人誠不我欺！

日本國立材料科學院，一個研究超導體的研究團隊，在某次慶功小聚中，喝的有點多的研究人員，酒意上頭之後，決定把研究材料放到“許多、許多”酒 （原文是 many many liquor）中。

事後檢測，這批泡過慶功酒的材料，傳導性比平日的實驗結果好得多 （疑問：這些人原本要慶祝什麼？）。 進一步比較後發現，日本燒酒的成績比平日材料好 23%，泡過紅酒的材料則改善了 62%。但是根據報導，這宴會還供應威士忌和啤酒，莫非這兩種酒的表現不大好！？

我想，以嚴謹為尚的研究人員，應該還要比較混合不同酒類比例，以及不同廠牌的影響才是。

不論如何，一定很多人愛死這篇報導的結論了，”So, a little sip of something turns out to make potential superconductors much better at their jobs. And, perhaps, scientists better at their jobs as well.“。

三杯通大道，一斗合自然，如果喝一斗，就能生一篇SCI文章，....

只有更囧，沒有最囧

本以為這個月初 Vodafone Australia 泄露四百萬客戶資料的事已夠駭人聽聞，沒想到加拿大統計局 (Statistics Canada)諸君的豐功偉業才真是登峰造極令人髮指。

多倫多太陽報這個月10號在一份報導中整理過去五年 Stats Can 的犯行，在 2007年，他們把一個裝了敏感訊息的檔案櫃當作多餘的傢具賣掉，還有一次，統計局的幹員把某家公司的調查資料，留在其他的調查對象的辦公室，太陽報很客氣的說這只是 some examples of breaches.....

OCT. 2010: Purolator envelope containing 11 unencrypted, non-password-protected CDs for the Vital Statistics Program in Alberta addressed to Ottawa head office sent July 9, 2010 is discovered missing. It contains more than 21,000 electronic images of confidential information about individual birth, death, stillbirth and marriage registrations. It is found Nov. 30, 2010 locked in a rarely-used filing cabinet.

SEPT. 2009: Stats Can library's password access protocol constitutes "major security breach."

DEC. 2008: A briefcase with documents and personal notes is stolen from the car of an interviewer from Quebec. Confidential addresses of respondents were included.

JULY 2008: An error in transmission meant e-mails of 108 subscribers of Health Reports notifications were "inadvertently revealed" to all recipients of message - constituting a breach of Privacy Act and Stats Can policy.

JUNE 2008: Stats Can is informed that on Feb. 12, 2008 Surrey RCMP and Canada Post recovered completed 2006 census questionnaires from a private residence in a bust of a major identity theft ring. Other items included equipment related to credit card/ID theft, drivers' licences, 3,000 pieces of stolen mail, government-issued cheques, fake currency and more than 100 CDs with thousands of personal data profiles. Census questionnaires were not in the hands of census staff - it is believed they were obtained by tipping mailboxes or break-ins to homes and cars.

AUG. 2007: A laptop containing personal information about individuals who participated in the Labour Force Survey or Canadian Community Health Survey is stolen from the residence of an employee in Abbotsford, BC. Password was written on a sticky note stored in laptop case. Police called, affected people are informed and interviewer receives verbal reprimand.

JUNE 2007: Laptop with three completed household spending surveys stolen in home break-in in Delta, B.C.

MARCH 2007: Edmonton regional office reports two laptop thefts from field interviewers' vehicles. Staff are reminded about protocol for securing material.

MARCH 2007: Privacy Commissioner's office advised of inadvertent disclosure and loss of personal info after surplus filing cabinets with Records of Employment about 66 2006 census workers were sold at a Crown Assets Auction in Edmonton. Affected individuals are contacted and Stats Can implements more stringent procedures to avoid a recurrence.

JULY 2006: Enumerator leaves completed questionnaire instead of blank at Scarborough, Ont. respondent's home.

APRIL 2005: Blank forms faxed to a business include additional pages of confidential information related to two other businesses. Staff receive retraining and posters/notices are displayed as reminders.

FEB. 2005: Marketing information collected for one user is reviewed by another user and possibly four other unknown individuals in a Corporations Returns Act survey.

FEB. 2005: Laptop being shipped from Williams Lake, B.C. to Edmonton containing 23 Survey of Household Spending cases - including 11 completed ones - goes missing. A flurry of e-mails ensues among senior managers at Stats Can and officials "pester" Canada Post to find the lost item. Confidential statistical info is encrypted. Laptop is found two weeks later.

[Video] The courage to be imperfect

Garr Reynolds 寫了一篇很長的文章介紹Brene Brown 最近在 TEDxHouston 發表的演講 The power of vulnerability：勇於面對我們的不完美，才能真正和他人有真正的連結，生命的意義才能真正體現。

WOW! How Big Is The Internet?

via thenextweb.com

Posted via email from imrchen's posterous

[Video] How to succeed? Get more sleep

昨夜早早就寢，今晨睜眼看到時鐘，赫然發現自己睡了足足十一個小時。猶在睡眼惺忪之際，打開 google reader，看到 Ted 中國粉絲團介紹由Arianna Huffington，The Huffington Post 的共同創辦人和主編，在遭遇一次健康危機後，對睡眠的反省和重新認知：How to succeed? Get more sleep！

兔年吉祥

年味

每年農曆年底，家母的書房就堆滿裁好的紅紙和寫到一半的春聯，每到這個時節，總有數不清的揮毫邀約和親朋好友的撰聯請託。親戚、朋友、過去的同事、過去同事的親朋，我總搞不清，作為類風濕性關節炎的患者，她怎會有足夠的體力完成這些請託？

身為晚輩，雖然擔心她的身體狀況，但面對興緻高昂神采飛揚的老人家，話到喉頭，還是吞了下去。也許，她的活力就是來自於被尊重的好情緒，和專注於某件事物事時自然湧現的無窮精力吧！

如何管理技術團隊

資料庫大牛 @Fenng (dbanote)，在推裡談到五條 Facebook 管理技術團隊的經驗，但在推文裡找不到原文出處，後來才發現原來是出自一位在 2005 到 2010 間擔任 Facebook 技術主管（Director of Engineering/Software Engineer）的 Yishan Wong 的文章，我覺得比前幾天那個問蠢問題的經驗談要靠譜。

@fenng 扼要的總結這幾篇文章：（1）招聘高手是最要緊的大事 (2) 流程要由真正在做事的人來制訂 (3) 內部升遷，不要空降 （4）用工具提升生產力 (5) 讓懂技術的人領導，不要外行領導內行。

等我消化完這幾篇，再做點補充吧！

1. Hiring is number one
2. Let process be implemented by those who practice it
3. Promotion from within
4. Tools are top priority
5. Technical Leaders

[詩戀] 泡杯咖啡試試

去年底，聯合報副刊小詩房登出管管的茶館老調，俏皮可喜：

泡淡了的昨天已經倒在門邊那一盆曇花一現裡了
今天的茶剛泡上，等茶泡上幾支菸之後
再沖上幾嘴別人是非的雜文之後
上午那杯茶就泡得沒有什麼味道了也乎哀哉
如果再泡那就是下午茶了
上燈之後泡上最後一泡這茶，菸是抽了不少
閒話也泡了滿杯，不丟沒味道
丟嘛又覺得好像丟了點什麼？
到底丟了點什麼呢？又一時想它點兒不起
下次啊下次，就泡杯咖啡試試，咖啡比較快！

最好的藉口

以培養創意為核心業務的顧問公司Idea Champions 今日在公司部落格發表一篇文章談 100 個拖延的理由，那些耳熟能詳的藉口比如說：沒錢、沒時間、這種事情我幹不來、老闆一定不會同意啦，不出意外的高列排行榜前十。

1. I don't have the time.
2. I can't get the funding.
3. My boss will never go for it.
4. Were not in the kind of business likely to innovate.
5. We won't be able to get it past legal.
6. I've got too much on my plate.
7. I'll be punished if I fail.
8. I'm just not not the creative type.
9. I'm juggling way too many projects.
10. I'm too new around here.

Idea Champions 果然「專業」，硬是找出了100個藉口，第97個藉口 - 那是研發部門的工作 - 着實讓我無言，我這個自認為是正宗研發的散人，要推給什麼部門才好咧？

96. That's my boss's job.
97. That's R&D's job.
98. I would if I could, but I can't, so I won't.
99. First, we need to benchmark the competition.
100.It's against my religion.

直覺才是王道？

因為組織調整的緣故，需要和很多公司裡的老人和求職的新人談話，每回談完，和公司的人資主管交流談話的心得，總令我悚然而驚。

撇開詢問專業知識的部份，我們各自從談話對象的談吐、語氣、條理、眼神、反應速度，拼湊出來的輪廓，竟然相當神似。但是不管我們理智、專業的分析結果怎樣，總有一些人，我們都覺得分析的結果不怎麼靠譜，奇怪的是，這種非理性的「直覺」反應，竟也差不了太多。人與人間的磁場，究竟是怎樣一回事？

語義應用大牛鄭昀，今日有一推，從另外一個角度，闡明這個現像：其实面试前5秒钟就基本有了定论，后面的一小时都是为了确保能不断修正面试官前面形成的偏见。

難道直覺真是王道？

[詩戀] 將進酒 （艾農）

就像葉公好龍，總愛找舉杯的理由，惹的身邊的人總以為我多麼嗜飲，其實只是像艾農一樣，相信或許或許比肯定更肯定...

或許縱酒是對的
酒精給你以溫暖
勝於感情給你以冷淡
迷濛的眼使你漠視
尤勝於使你洞悉一切
酒後的床榻
好過於正襟危坐的辦公桌
縱酒或許是對的
麻醉幾根神經
免於為社會是非的崩潰驚惶
整日的醉臥
庶幾不被街頭時時的混亂所困
久不打理的倦容
比議會裏的楚楚衣冠更誠實
唯有飲者留其名
或許消極比積極更積極
或許頹唐比振作更振作
或許迷糊比清醒更清醒
或許或許比肯定更肯定
縱酒是對的

蠢問題 Ask Stupid Questions

IT 界資深媒體人 Curtis Franklin Jr. 在 Enterprise Efficiency談如何改善IT經理人的管理技巧，他列出以下六個原則：

• Hire Well
• Get Out of Their Way
• Run Interference
• Hold Them Responsible
• Listen
• Ask Stupid Questions

既要放手讓他們幹，又要在適當的時候問蠢問題，做個好經理人的難度不是一般高啊！

Drift

同個實驗室的學弟來信談到未來以 concept drift 為基礎的新研究方向，附件裡計畫書的品質，比印象中他原先的水準要好許多，已經隱然有大將之風。拿到學位的前一年，還覺得這位老弟仍然「嫩」的很，距離獨立作業還有段距離，離開學校半年，赫然發現除了停滯不前的自己，每個人都在成長。

新題目很有意思，距離我原本在校期間想嘗試推動的研究方向很接近，和網路界實務上關注的角度也更靠近了。不過，自從三個月前回到產業界任職，這些都距離我益發的遠了，在人生的時間線（timeline）上，我 drift 到原先並沒有想過的軌道上來。

2010 年的最後一天，和同事談起以前曾經用心關注的話題，忍不住多說了幾句，還留下一個恍若隔世的感嘆，當晚就被學弟們在網路上好生調侃了一番，這可是一百年前的天寶舊事了，可不正是隔世麽？

其實倒也不是一味的傷春悲秋，只是對人生的詭譎和瑰麗的讚歎罷了。

回到產業界雖然偏離了五年前的規劃方向，公司產品的技術方向，也不是原先比較擅長的領域。但現在的日子實在挺有趣味的，在過去江湖這麼多年的經驗裡，從不曾在一個這麼「和諧」的環境裡工作，技術的掌握和趨勢的領會，也每日都有新的刺激，雖然總會有這些、那些職場上免不掉的噪聲和行政責任，但人生就是這麼回事，不是嗎！？



後記：

• 因為青春期某些不愉快的經歷，每到年底心情都會陷入低檔，在發過想找人喝酒、想找人打架、想找人 #$%&*!..... 的牢騷之後，有位童鞋慷慨的願意提供他的 iPad 讓我發泄，Jing，我一定不會辜負你的好意的。

• 文棟、向量，下回去北京出差，一定會提前通知你們地

• 我現在越來越適應在黑豹的歌聲中寫東西了 XD

[Video] 7Billion, Living on Earth

到 2011 年底，地球上約莫有兩百個國家，將有 70億人口，用超過七千種語言彼此溝通。