Just adding a quick note as I head down to Cambridge to start Easter term of my first year. So far, it’s been phenomenal, the course, while being quite hard (and the workload just fairly intense at points), is excellent and thoroughly enjoyable. I’ve had the chance (and still have it from what I see) to try all aspects of engineering with all sorts of different practicals and labs and exercises, including some that have been tedious, and others that have been incredibly useful and even then not necessarily directly engineering related. But alas, finally, there are exams coming up. A mere 12 hours so I recall. So fun times ahead! (On a sidenote, it felt like I was about to come to a conclusion in that previous paragraph, but clearly it was going nowhere fast so I just ended it… oh well!)
I got one of those new MacBooks too recently. The top spec 13″ one thru Apple Refurb online. I was so contemplating getting a Pro, but just the general increase in weight and size wasn’t really worth it for me. However that may sound a little hypocritical as I was the one carrying a 20″ iMac back and forth from Cambridge at the end of each term. Hmmm. Anyway, the 13″ ones are cheaper and basically as fast. The only difference being the graphics card and maybe a little processor GHz… and it’s nowhere like the huge difference between the last (plastic) MacBooks and the Pros. At least they pretty much have a graphics card now…
Anyway as I said around this time last year, I intended on pimping/maxing the MacBook out just to make it that little bit faster and more usable (I’m not saying they aren’t in any way!), so I went ahead and got a 500GB hard disk (the 9.5mm 2.5″ form factor ones are clearly in production these days as opposed to last year) and 4GB of RAM. However buying the RAM kinda seemed a little pointless when I received the machine as Apple had made a little mistake and given me 4GB of Hynix RAM with the MacBook instead of the prescribed 2GB. So back to Crucial the extra RAM went, and more money for me (so I shouldn’t complain!). Anyhoo, for an overall cost of about £1000, I managed to get a maxed (sic?) out MacBook. Good times…
I just need to get a nice case now, so my volume of crumpler searches on eBay have risen rather spectacularly. Hopefully I’ll pick up something pretty soon. Oh, and they’re really pretty cheap on there too. Maybe not the skins (I believe the Crumpler name is “The Gimp”) – they’re a little pricier for what they are (or at least what I think they are) and there’s an under-abundance of 13″ ones (15″ owners rejoice however). Though you could read into this in a different way with the whole supply and demand concept such that 15″ computers are clearly not the thing, but then again, who am I to judge. However I will keep you informed. Totally…
Other interesting things that I think that I should mention include:
– I’m currently reading (or was, as the hardback is a little big to move) The Bonfire of the Vanities. Excellent book.
– I’m still fascinated by Cradle To Cradle (McDonough and Braungart). It’s an excellent book (and concept too) – and while a little conceptual and seemingly far out in parts, it should be put in practice and widely understood.
– Though it has been mentioned a little recently in press and relevant magazines, “Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air” (MacKay, www.withouthotair.com) still seems like a very interesting book to read (I alas haven’t yet – but I have the pdf of it ready to go). Seems like ages since I first heard about it (from the legend Gabor), but I suppose it is a little Cambridge based…
– New Math is worth checking out. Occupies the same kind of realm as the always fantastic xkcd, but wittier in a different and potentially more accessible way.
Anyway, that’s all I can think of for now. Enjoy.