Logos -> Loading screen -> Main menu -> ….

After main menu, you could go to any number of states such as playing the game, loading a save, configuration, etc…  The first three states though, will always follow the same path and can be combined down into one state.  This is great on paper and pencil because now you have less things to draw.  When translating this into the software world each “state” can be represented as its own object or method.  So we’ve also cut down on the typing we had to do in software.  Such an “optimization” was probably not a good thing though.   If the code has to change later we’ll have to break apart the state to put in a new state.

It’s best to leave the states as separate states (objects,methods) in the software.  This allows the code to easily be changed later if and when it does (because it will always change).  By having objects/methods do TOO much, it has a level of complexity that does not and should not be there.  Break things up into smaller, simpler parts.  Maybe you have already heard of Cyclomatic complexity (Firefox hasn’t though, as it comes up as a spelling error.)  There are a number of tools on the web that will measure the this on each method/class in program.

If the three initial states were merged we’d end up with one state that was 3x more complex than the individual states.  In terms of maintainability, this isn’t a good thing.  Merging the states also did not make anything faster, and might have made things slower.  Instead of the state machine deciding which of the three states we are in, the new ‘optimized’ state much decide which of the three states it is in, so there are two decision points instead of one.

Having lots of small methods, classes,objects in a program is not a bad thing.  Merging them down into larger objects is not a good thing.  Keep the code broken up as possible, or it will become unmaintainable mess of large objects with very specific (and sometimes redundant) functions .   Think of code like building blocks.  As long as the objects are small you can mix and match them anywhere to build things.  The larger pieces can only be used for a few things and are limited in their use.  Look at some of the Lego sets you can buy.  Some are made with very generic parts that can be used for almost anything.  Others have very specific (often large) pieces that serve specific functions.  Such as a cockpit on the spaceship, or a fancy roof for a building.

.NET has a simular feature called Delegates.  These are basicly pointers to function.  Most people will use these for callbacks and events.  Something interesting you can do is use them in properties.

class Foo
{
  delegate void Fn(string s);
  Fn bar;
  Fn baz
  public Fn Bar{
    get{ return bar; }
    set{ bar = value; }
  }
  public Fn Baz{
    get{ return baz; }
    set{ baz = value; }
  }
}

Using this class you can now assign the class methods at runtime.

Calling the method:

f.Baz("something")

and reassign the function to print out a line

f.Baz = f => Console.WriteLine(f);


The class looks just like it has normal methods, but they are not assignable.

Since then, the screen turns white. It just fizzles out and turns completely white. This isn’t a software problem because it happens anytime, from the BIOS start screen, to inside XP. This was only a few weeks after I had got it back from being repaired. Sigh… So I sent it back again (another $20) to be fixed. Each time I sent it, its at least 2 weeks before I got it back.

Its been pretty good since then, until this week. It started turning white again. I only got it back a little over a month ago. Not again. So rather then send it back again (For another $20 and 2 weeks) I looked at what I could do.

Looking “White screen of death” up on the internet, showed that it could be problems with the LCD boards. I was lucky enough to find a repair manual for the laptop though. The manual showed some LCD parts above the keyboard. This looked like a good place to start. Since my screen was not almost permanently white, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to poke around.

After removing a cover, I had access to the connectors. After poking and wiggling a few of them, the screen came back. It seems the LCD cable is loose. Its not connected to the motherboard completely, and comes partially loose. Hmm.. seems someone didn’t put my computer back together quite that well after replacing the motherboard. As far as I can see though, the connection is tight and all the way in. It just isn’t staying in. Bad design?

Anywho, instead replacing a pricey inverter or back light or controller card for the LCD, it was just a partially loose connection. And to think, I could have sent it back to Acer to be fixed for another $20 and 2 weeks.

(Edit Dec 22 2007)

I notice a lot of people finding this page when searching for ‘acer white screen’.  From my findings, a white screen means that your LCD cable has partially loose.   Either take it into a shop to get fixed, or do it yourself.  To do it yourself, you probably need to open the top of your laptop above the keyboard.  Unplug the LCD connection and plug it back it, and secure it in place somehow.

Anyway, I went a made my own combination generator.  For those wondering what a Combination is, its arranging K items from a set of N items, order doesn’t matter.  So given 5 items, and only taking 3 at a time you would get

0,1,2
0,1,3
0,1,4
0,2,3
0,2,4
0,3,4
1,2,3
1,2,4
1,3,4
2,3,4
The way this works is quite simple.  Each column has a min and max value that it can hold.  The first column goes from 0-2 (or 0 to (N-K) ), the last column goes from N-K to N-1.  You can easily generalize this into column C can hold a value from C to N-K+C.  The value of N-K can be precomputed.  Armed with this knowledge you can now make all your combinations.  First start with the identity (0,1,2,…,n).  To get the next combination, start at the right most item, and move left until you hit the first item that can be incremented, in other words, the value is between C and N-K+C.  Increment this value, then move back right and set each of these columns equal to 1 more than the item at its left (ie   c[i] = c[i-1]+1).

So given 0,3,4,  we start at the right (4).  4 is the max value for this column, so we move left.  3 is also the max value for this column, so we move left again.  0 is between 0 and 2, so we can still increment it.  We increment it to 1.  Now the array is 1,3,4.  Next we go back right and add set each column to one more than the column at its right, so we change the 3 into 1+1, which is 2.  We change the 4 into 2+1, which is 3.  This leaves us with the next combination of 1,2,3.

The last combination has the pattern of the first item equal to N-K (or 2 in our case).  When we reach this case we stop.

Ok, thats my little walk through on combinations. I’ll put something up about permutations next

Being on Oaha some could say I got it easy.  The Big Island (Hawaii) got the full force of the 6.6 so buidlings and walls fell.  But here, we were out of power for most of the day.  Some places didn’t even get power untill 1 in the morning.  People were flocking to the stores to buy food, water, and bateries.  Because the stores didn’t want to let people inside when the power was out, the stores setup a booth out front and would bring items out one customer at a time.  This made for really long lines in front of stores, but people were still able to buy things.  The most interesting thing about the power outage to me, is that most people had wireless phones in their house.  When the power went out, their phones didn’t work anymore, even though the phone line was fine.  The following day all the stores on the island were out of phones that didn’t require power.  Home Depo had generators on 4 month back order.  Alot of places were out of food on monday, because it had spoiled durning the blackout.

I finaly gave in and bought a different laptop from NewEgg.  Its the same model (Acer 5672) but with only 1GB of ram and a ATIx1600 card in it.  Cost $1100 (after shipping).  Not bad, but it wasn’t what I wanted.  I would much rather have the 2GB of ram instead of the faster video card.

I was rather impressed that the latop didn’t come with all kinds of junk preinstalled, like most PCs do.  This only had the required drives and some ATI utilities on it.  Good job ACER. I now have to setup the laptop with all of my goodies.

The one thing I don’t like about the latop, is that it doesnt feel very sturdy.  The plastic around the frame easily moves when you press on it.  Makes me wonder if dust will collect inside.  Also the side where the card slots are, flexes very easily.

 I wonder how much of a battery drain the faster video card is.

When we got to the beach, I was the last one out of the car, so I had to lock the doors.  Funny thing was the doors locked but the alarm never beeped to say it was set.  This seemed a little strange, but I figgured maybe I just didn’t here it because I was far away.

On the way home from the beach, I heard this clicking noise.  It sounded alot like one of the blinkers were on, or maybe a rock stuck in the tire.  We checked everything we could and it didn’t go away.  So we pulled over to see if we could find it.  Thats when my sister said “Wait, whats the smell?”  It seems something started smoking under the steering wheel and was giving off a burt plastic smell.  There is nothing quite like being in a car that is on, and seeing smoke pour out of it.   We traced the smoke down to a little box, that we assume is the car alarm.  Pulled all the wires from it and set it aside.  It seems that box has been having some trouble for a while now, and just happened to kick the bucket while we were in the car.  Good thing we were there to stop it, or we would have one less car today.

 A few weeks ago, water got turned off in our neighborhood, for two days.  As a result the city put in a porta-potty for the block.  Great huh?  Can you imagine the line for it in the morning.  Ten families all haveing to share one, that is sitting in the middle of the block.  At least they gave us one porta-potty for each street, instead of one for the entire neighborhood.  Afaik, no one actauly used them, except for one laddy who was sight seeing around the island and saw it as an opportunity to relieve herself.

 Another wonderful, half thought out idea was the drinking water we got.  Our landlord dropped off a 5 gallon jug of drinking water at our house.  This was to be used while the tap water was turned off.  Great idea, expect the jug was for a water cooler.  We had to pry the lid off before we could get any water out.  Trying to pour it was another story.  But water is water right?

 Right before I went to Molokai my laptop died.  The screen tripped out, then it refused to turn back on.  I took the machine to the sony repair department to see if they would fix it.  They called a month later to tell me it was going to be over $750 to fix it, and that they didn’t have an exact idea what was wrong with it.  I bought the laptop for less then that, and considering I can get a much better one for $1500, I decided not the fix it.  The rull of thumb on computers is that if it costs 2x as much for a new machine as it does to fix it, better to get the new machine.  Infact, Compusa had a sale the other week, and for $900 I could have gotten a 1.6Ghz Core Duo, 120gb, 2gb, Ati-x1300 Laptop.   I missed it, now I gota wait for the next one.  Unless someone has something simular they want to point me at, for under $1000.

We filled the columns up with concrete and put the beams on them last week. This week we finished the floor and put frames for the exterior walls up. Its so much nicer now that we are out of the dirt and have a nice wooden floor to walk on. It is also nice to see some progress.

Today we went all the way out to the western most point of the island. Only way there is down a dirt road that goes through the ranch. Then is a little hike down the beach to the point. Seems most people just bring their 4 weelers there and speed down the beach and dirt paths. Us poor people just walk it in slippers.

Oh yeah. for those who care, Pictures

In case you were wondering about moloka’i, its friendly.  There is only one main road on the island.  Everyone waves as they drive by.  There isnt alot of cars on the street too. Of the ones you see, 90% are 4×4 trucks.  I’m sure almost everyone knows everyone here.  I still have yet to explore the island and see all the hidden things.  Maybe I’ll get some pictures too.

 There is no mail delivery, you just pick it up at the postoffice in your PO BOX.  Fed Ex you say, well I did see one truck, but its been parking in the same spot the last 2 days.  There are a few banks around.  Bank of Hawaii is here with a nice building.  But one town over, there is another bank, and it is in what looks like a portable building.  You know those temporary calls rooms they build at the highschools, out of wood.  I swear the bank was in one of those.  What ever works right?