Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Update on Dissertation & Ubuntu

If you're not aware, I am doing my dissertation on an algorithm called Coupling from The Past algorithm, also known as Propp-Wilson algorithm, an interesting part of Markov chain Monte Carlo. Interested readers can view the links to wikipedia.

Much work has been done on applying this algorithm to Markov chains (random fields) with monotonic structure. I've come up with a way to apply this algorithm to a specific model without a monotonic structure called the Potts model.

Download my "partly done" dissertation here, will be expecting to complete it within the next 2 weeks.




On a lighter note, I've finally decided to give Ubuntu a try, well at least I'm fairly impressed with the reviews it's getting for Feisty Fawn(7.04).

I've always been an OpenSuSE user since 10.1. If you are a linux person, you would probably notice this website called distrowatch.com. It's a site which "watches" all the linux distros there are out there and rank them in terms of popularity(page hit rank). OpenSuSE has always been in the 2nd spot since the day I found out about it, and Ubuntu has always been the champion of champion there.

Needless to say, there must be reasons why they are the champion to the distro games. From all the reviews I've read about Ubuntu, it's always stated that it is THE EASIEST desktop linux to use ever. If you know how to operate windows, you WILL know how to operate ubuntu, period.

The reason why I chose OpenSuSE over Ubuntu is that I was curious on which windows manager I would prefer, KDE or GNOME. And since OpenSuSE provides the option to install both and use either one for each session, I ended up installing it in my laptop.



Go here if you're interested in giving ubuntu a try. They deliver free(and the CDs are free too) to anywhere in the world, even in Timbuktu. No harm right?


I'm definitely gonna go all out to promote Ubuntu if my leetle project MORSEHack kicks off.

Until next time, folks.

2 comments:

Jason Lioh said...

After installing and use it, post a review. Ha! I might just join you by dual booting.

Wilson J Q Quah said...

Will do when I get it :D