Status at 20130122

I went through Chapter 6 again.  I still feel some kind of disharmony in it.   Especially when I compare heap with binary tree.  There are something deeply mathematical I don't grok.

But I decide to move on (again).

Browse reading: (2nd time) 170/1144

Exercises up to 6-1.2. (Skipped Chapter 4 and 5)

Revisit : 4.2-{3-5}, 4-4.3 after section 4.5, revisit Chapter 4 and 5
when time allowed.

Checking : up to P2.1

Needs write up: 2-3.7 (nice solution using merging), P2.1c, 3-2.4,
3-2.8, P3.1

Exercises checked: 2.1-2, 2.1-3, 2.2-{1,4}, 2.3-{3,7}

Exercises which are finished but not on paper: 1.1-2, 1.2-2, 1.2-3,
P1-1, The whole Section 4.4 except 4.4-3, 4.5-{1,3}, P4.4(a-c), P4.6b,
5.1-{1,2}, whole Section 6.1, 6.2-{1,2,4,5,6}, 6.3-1, 6.4-1 whole
Section 7.1, 7.2-{1-5}, whole Section 7.3 and 7.4.{2,3}, 8.2-1, 8.3-1,
8.3-4, , 10.1-{1-4,6,7}, 10.2-{1,2,6,7}, 12.1-{1,2,3,4}
12.2-{1,2,3,5,6},12.3-{2-4} 12.4-4, P12-1a, P12.4(a),13.2-2, 15-1.1,
15.1-3, 15.3-3, 15.5, 17-1.1, 18.1-1, 18.1-2, 18.2-1, 21-1.1, 21-1.2,
22-1.{1-3,6,7}, 23.1-1 and 23.1-3, P30-1{a,b}, P30-2b, 30-1.1,
31-1.{1-7}, 32.1-{1,2}, A.1-{1,2,3,4,5,7}, C.1-{2,4,5,7,8,9,14},
C.2-{1,2,4,5}, C.3-{1,2,10}, all in D.1. and D.2-2.

Second Browse Read So Far......

Not doing great and I am still stuck at Chapter 6.

In fact, I have pretty stopped for the whole last year on algorithm study.  Shame on me!

Now saying so, there is something which makes me mentally stuck or simply just getting slower when I try to absorb anything in Chapter 6 to Chapter 9.   When I analyzed myself, the reason is

1. I don't have a C linked list package or a tree package at my disposal:  Shame on me, because it's never difficult to write one. 
2. Like sorting, some of the algorithms need to test in practice before I truly grok. 
3. Also, 1 year after my first browse read, my memory has significantly faded on some material. 
4. I should start to package all my previous algorithm.   It's worthwhile to continue to improve on them.  But I didn't so my memory was disrupted. 
5. I need to express myself mathematically but I never figure out how to write mathematical equations on Blogger.  Shame on me, that's why things are slow growing.  

It's good to figure out the reason because it allows me to truly move on.

In my work, I start to need to think deeply in terms of algorithm again.  I believe it means this blog should be reactivated.

Let's restart! And work on each of these issues slowly.

33_P

Looking back at this blog

Since I left my last company, I haven't been updating this blog for a while.  What surprises me is that there are constant flow of traffic coming towards this site.   It's certainly not much but apparently Google is pointing at some of my thoughts.

One and half year ago was a dark time to me.  Studying algorithm was the only few things which were bright in my life.  It keeps on nourishing me as a person and a programmer.  

My current job requires me to be proficient on certain languages.  So reading them become my first priority.   I guess what I learned from algorithmic study is that thinking deeply first become my habit in solving any programming problems.   In general, it makes my code being less buggy.

Will I come back?  I don't know but my guess is yes.   As long as I am working in the tech business, there will be a need to refine my skill in algorithms.

33_P

status 20120831

Finished 6-1.1, again slowly, painfully I am picking this up again.  The rest is
a matter of endurance.

Browse reading: (2nd time) 159/1144

Exercises up to 6-1.2. (Skipped Chapter 4 and 5)

Revisit : 4.2-{3-5}, 4-4.3 after section 4.5, revisit Chapter 4 and 5
when time allowed.

Checking : up to P2.1

Needs write up: 2-3.7 (nice solution using merging), P2.1c, 3-2.4,
3-2.8, P3.1

Exercises checked: 2.1-2, 2.1-3, 2.2-{1,4}, 2.3-{3,7}

Exercises which are finished but not on paper: 1.1-2, 1.2-2, 1.2-3,
P1-1, The whole Section 4.4 except 4.4-3, 4.5-{1,3}, P4.4(a-c), P4.6b,
5.1-{1,2}, whole Section 6.1, 6.2-{1,2,4,5,6}, 6.3-1, 6.4-1 whole
Section 7.1, 7.2-{1-5}, whole Section 7.3 and 7.4.{2,3}, 8.2-1, 8.3-1,
8.3-4, , 10.1-{1-4,6,7}, 10.2-{1,2,6,7}, 12.1-{1,2,3,4}
12.2-{1,2,3,5,6},12.3-{2-4} 12.4-4, P12-1a, P12.4(a),13.2-2, 15-1.1,
15.1-3, 15.3-3, 15.5, 17-1.1, 18.1-1, 18.1-2, 18.2-1, 21-1.1, 21-1.2,
22-1.{1-3,6,7}, 23.1-1 and 23.1-3, P30-1{a,b}, P30-2b, 30-1.1,
31-1.{1-7}, 32.1-{1,2}, A.1-{1,2,3,4,5,7}, C.1-{2,4,5,7,8,9,14},
C.2-{1,2,4,5}, C.3-{1,2,10}, all in D.1. and D.2-2.

Slowly, painfully started again.....

It has been closed to a year I didn't read CLRS again.  I would say that affects my work significantly.   I  am drifted back to a kind of shallow thinking when I tried to work out a solution.

For now, things are okay but this is a bad habit.   In general, it's always important to think deep about a solution.

There is also something hard to describe - it is a kind of yearning of wanting to learn more in algorithms.   For example, I realized I didn't really learn heap the data structure that well.   Or  ....... I don't think I grok it.

Why do I have such a yearning suddenly?  I guess it's because I am back to learning.

After my study in Spanish is finished, I decided to pick up guitar (btw, it's awesome!) and try to learn something about acting.   Whenever you go to look at people with other skills and they excel in it, you start to ask what you really know in yours.

One thing which impressed me, when you talk with very experienced musicians who might be playing since their childhood, they always tell you that they still have something to learn.

So when I ask myself "Am I good enough as a technical person?".   The answer to myself is that: "I am actually not that good.  I still need to learn."

I think that's why I am reading again.   Not because I want to get a job in a big company, not because I want to get a medal, not because I want to prove or any stupid reason.   It's purely a pursuit of skills.

For this time though, I have deliberately skipped Chapter 4 and 5 and get started in Chapter 6, there are a lot of things I need to think through.   Right now, I just finished the first chapters of Chapter 6, those are pretty easy if that's your second read.

33_P

2nd Browse Read Again

Second Browse read Section 6.3.  I plan to do the exercise 6.1. Update pointers.

Browse reading: (2nd time) 159/1144

Exercises up to 6-1.1. (Skipped Chapter 4 and 5)

Revisit : 4.2-{3-5}, 4-4.3 after section 4.5, revisit Chapter 4 and 5 when time allowed. 

Checking : up to P2.1

Needs write up: 2-3.7 (nice solution using merging), P2.1c, 3-2.4, 3-2.8, P3.1

Exercises checked: 2.1-2, 2.1-3, 2.2-{1,4}, 2.3-{3,7}

Exercises which are finished but not on paper: 1.1-2, 1.2-2, 1.2-3, P1-1, The whole Section 4.4 except 4.4-3, 4.5-{1,3}, P4.4(a-c), P4.6b, 5.1-{1,2}, whole Section 6.1, 6.2-{1,2,4,5,6}, 6.3-1, 6.4-1 whole Section 7.1, 7.2-{1-5}, whole Section 7.3 and 7.4.{2,3}, 8.2-1, 8.3-1, 8.3-4, , 10.1-{1-4,6,7}, 10.2-{1,2,6,7}, 12.1-{1,2,3,4} 12.2-{1,2,3,5,6},12.3-{2-4} 12.4-4, P12-1a, P12.4(a),13.2-2, 15-1.1, 15.1-3, 15.3-3, 15.5, 17-1.1, 18.1-1, 18.1-2, 18.2-1, 21-1.1, 21-1.2, 22-1.{1-3,6,7}, 23.1-1 and 23.1-3, P30-1{a,b}, P30-2b, 30-1.1, 31-1.{1-7}, 32.1-{1,2}, A.1-{1,2,3,4,5,7}, C.1-{2,4,5,7,8,9,14}, C.2-{1,2,4,5}, C.3-{1,2,10}, all in D.1. and D.2-2. 

This blog

For all its purpose, this blog was always meant to be my private diary of algorithmic learning.   At a certain point, I may consider to post solutions.  Even that I am afraid there is a selfish reason : to show that I can.

Saying so, I hadn't done anything special to keep my blog secretive.   If you happened to bump into this place, feel free to write a comment or two.  If I happened to know the answer, I will certainly try to write something back.

33_P