藍天浮雲

從灌 GNOME 以來，一直沒有用 ports 更新的就是 editors/openoffice.org-2。原因很明顯：這個 port 實在太巨大了。

最近因為想換成 editors/openoffice.org-3，而 mirror 上面都沒有 package，所以被迫用 ports 安裝。

事前當然有在網路上先問一下大概會多久。得到的回覆是：Core 2 Duo 的處理器花了 4 小時，而 Pentium 4 3.0 Ghz 的處理器則花了 12 個小時。我家電腦是 Pentium D 945 3.4 Ghz。雖然沒 Core 2 Duo、Core 2 Quad、Core i7 那麼威，但比 Pentium 4 好一點。

今天早上 8:37 就開始了。根據 ports 的資訊，最基本需求是 11 GB 的空間和 2 GB 的 RAM。RAM 足夠，但硬碟空間沒理他。之後，編了兩、三個小時左右，忽然發現 work/ 實在太恐怖了。再下去 /usr 的空間鐵定不足。原本可以用 symlink 來使用 /home 的空間，但編到一半了，不想從頭，唯一的辦法是開始對 /usr 做清理。首先砍掉 /usr/src/，釋出大約 500 MB。接下來殺掉 editors/openoffice.org-2。這樣空間沒多多少，只好繼續尋找。看到 /usr/ports/distfiles/ 有 2.2 GB 就趕快將他 rsync 到 /home 底下，然後砍掉他。

接下來其實就是漫長的等待了，不過中間有發現電腦外殼超燙。幾個小時下來搞不好真的會燒壞，因為除了基本的 CPU 風扇、系統風扇，沒有其他的冷卻裝置。只好拿旁邊的電風扇吹主機…

電腦經過 9 個小時的奮戰後終於編完了。中間有拍 htop、top 的畫面。

htop

top

結束後，看了 work/，爆增到 8.9 GB。過程中 RAM 看起來也沒有用多少，感覺 1 GB 應該綽綽有餘。我的心得：editors/openoffice.org-3 最好晚上裝，這樣早上起床一切都弄好了。

其實編譯過程中，十分耗系統資源。開 Firefox 幾乎不能動，但 Opera 卻好多了。雖然比較小，但功能齊全。話雖如此，但主要瀏覽器不太可能換成 Opera，太習慣 Firefox 了。從國小用到現在。昨天才剛將 Google Page Speed 裝好，今天 YSlow 又釋出新版本。看起來支援 Firefox 3.5，但還沒試。

上一次編巨大的 port 是 lang/gcc44。還留有 Munin 的紀錄，CPU 使用率衝最高的那段就是了。

CPU usage - by day

最近幾週（也有可能是最近幾個月）聽說附中下一屆將會有科學班。說實話，我真的不太明白為什麼又多出這個班來了。現在既然都有資優班，科學班有必要成立嗎？若是為了改進資優班的種種缺點，沒有必要換新的名稱。就算換名稱，原有的資優班應該會廢掉才對。

我知道資優班與科學班主旨不太一樣，但有個問題我一直無法想通：這些設立科學班的
學校要去哪裡找學生？我並不是只沒有人會來報名，以致人數太少而無法開班，而是同時有資優班與科學班，哪有這麼多資優的學生？最後的結果很有可能是素質不是很好，各至集中在頭尾。

下面四段是新加進來的。原本想打，但一開始不確定聽到的消息是否正確，所以先省略掉了。

之前聽幾位老師說「語文科學班」不但要重視數理，還要兼顧英文。其實首次聽到時不怎麼訝異，畢竟不少人是理科和文科都很突出。不過，之後又聽說語文科學班有些課程要用英文上課（如：數學之類，但還不確定是否如此）。若真的是如此的話我覺得，這個計畫將會徹底失敗。

我國小、國中都曾經在雙語班中。雖然名稱有「雙語」，但實際上是重視英文，國文有時候一蹋糊塗。班上雖然有一些英文能力十分優異的同學。國中的時候，大概全臺灣能找到班級能與我們並駕齊驅。但同時會發現有一個現象：英文強的很強，但後面的有些可能連普通班平均水準都不到，形成一個極端的現象。

若語文科學班主科用英文上，第一個問題是師資。目前應該很難找到有辦法全程用英文上數學、物理、化學的老師。第二個問題是很難找應該說是幾乎不可能找到到有能力用原文書上課的學生。我敢肯定的說，若他們真的是要用英文上數學、物理、化學，最後老師都用中文講課，學生抱著翻譯苦讀。

不過若只是額外增加堂數，加強寫作、文法之類，我覺得這個應該行得通。畢竟這只要由英文老師來上課就好了。

期末考轉眼又至。

前幾天已經將《三國演義》全部讀完。因為基測的關係，從去年看到現在，中間斷斷續續。

滾滾長江東逝水，浪花淘盡英雄。
是非成敗轉頭空，青山依舊在，幾度夕陽紅。

白髮漁翁江渚上，慣看秋月春風。
一壺濁酒喜相逢，古今多少事，都付笑談中。

楊慎〈臨江仙〉

《三國演義》為中國古典小說中流傳最廣的一種，且與《水滸傳》、《西遊記》及《金瓶梅》並列為四大奇書。書中與正史《三國志》差別最大處就是以蜀漢為正統。

〈臨江仙〉這闋詞可以說是道盡了《三國演義》這本書。從書中可以看到許多由盛轉衰、由衰轉勝的例子，換言之，就是天有不測風雲，人有旦夕禍福。

至今，《三國演義》中的人物和故事已家喻戶曉，如：桃園三結義；劉備三顧茅廬、白帝城託孤；孔明草船借箭、七擒孟獲、六出祁山；趙雲單騎救主；關羽過五關斬六將、兵敗走麥城等。書中劉備匡扶漢氏，而曹操被視為奸雄：

汝南許劭，有知人之名。操往見之，問曰：「我何如人？」劭不答。又問，劭曰：「子治世之能臣，亂世之奸雄也。」操聞言大喜。

《三國演義 ‧ 第一回》節錄

書中也成功的刻畫許多人物，如：曹操、劉備、關羽、諸葛亮。只要看過書，一想到曹操腦海中就會浮現兩個字：奸雄。原因大概是因為他「挾天子以令諸侯」，且讓兒子曹丕篡漢。劉備剛好是曹操的對比，被塑造成一個仁民愛物的君主。提到關羽時，都會與「義」有關，還有「讀孔子遺書，惟愛春秋一部」。孔明另人印象最深的應該是「鞠躬盡瘁，死而後已」的精神。可以從書中明顯看出他有經世濟民的雄心壯志。孔明在某些地方似乎被「神化」，作者將他寫成有呼風喚雨、通天徹地之能。

另外，作者在書中將忠、孝、節、義發揮得淋漓盡致，能符合中國傳統道德傳統觀念。這也有可能是《三國演義》流傳很廣，且受到許多人喜愛的原因之一。

《三國演義》開頭寫到：「話說天下大勢，分久必合，合久必分。」在諸葛亮未出茅廬前就已知天下三分，但後來司馬氏篡魏，建立晉朝，三國復歸統一。這個結局，恐怕三國剛並立時誰也沒想到。

現在《三國演義》讀完了，在考慮是否要再買其他小說。不過最近在準備資優班考試，大概沒空看，而且家裡還有一大疊還沒看完的書。三民網路書店有特價（三民 55 週年慶），想買書的人可以去看看。

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted anything. A lot of things have happened like the athletic meeting, updating the class web, the Junior High Mathematics in Taiwan, and of course exams, exams, and exams.

The athletic meeting was a thrilling and exciting day (although it’s a bit late to post about it). Our class broke the school’s record for the 2400 m relay race. Everyone was in high spirits though exhausted by the end of the day. We had quite a haul because of all the prize money we won. The new record we set was 5′52″59.

Updates to the class web (URL: http://163.26.11.175/326/) were essential. I made a few modifications that made it look better. The style didn’t change much though. It spent me hours sitting in front of the computer to finish it, but it was worth it. I learned much about computers, including XHTML and CSS. At least our class won first place three years in a row in the class web competition.

In comparison to how we performed in the JHMC last year, our team’s performance was slightly better. We managed to earn prizes for both the individual and teamwork groups. My math has improved greatly over the past year (although it’s still not satisfactory), so I intend to take AMC 10 next year. I learned a painful lesson last year when I took AMC 8. Therefore, I want to be well prepared this time.

Less than half a year is left until I have to take the Basic Competence Test. Pressure is already building up on me, and I’m wondering when I’ll collapse. Leisure time is limited thanks to the piles of homework that have nearly buried me and the never ending exams at school.

Next year, I’ll have something to look forward to. Right after the Basic Competence Test, Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox (release date: July 15, 2008) and Book 3 Brisingr, the third book of the Inheritance cycle (release date: September 23 20, 2008), will be published. Jason and some of my other classmates will also be thrilled. I am currently reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三國演義), and I hope to finish it soon. The next English novel I plan to read is The Six Sacred Stones by Matthew Reilly.

Last of all, Happy New Year to all of you.

Edit 2008/01/21 20:49 UTC+8:
The title of Book 3 of the Inheritance cycle has been confirmed as Brisingr. The publication date has also been changed to September 20, 2008.

After two days of continuous but slow reading, I finally managed to finish the seventh book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I think that the book differs greatly from the previous ones due to the fact that there was chaos because of Voldemort. The book was filled with deaths, although this was anticipated because of Voldemort’s return. Many other secrets were revealed in the book, including facts about Albus Dumbledore, the loyalties of Severus Snape, and other characters. Again, Dumbledore’s extraordinary brainpower managed to help Harry survive. Some amazing things did happen to Harry. In conclusion, I thought the book was quite good.

At the moment, I haven’t done anything related to homework or school. Guess I’ll have to do a bit of homework now I’m done with the book. After I finish the exams next year, I want to read some books that have been unnoticed in my room for a while. It’ll probably take a bit more time to finish The Silmarillion, as well as The Children of Húrin. I am also looking forward to the sixth Artermis Fowl book and the third book of the Inheritance Trilogy since they might come out in 2008.

After a lot of hard work, we entered the Power Tech Contest. On the day of the competition, we tried our best yet our team did not reach our goal. Although our robot was not in its best condition, I believe the cause of our defeat is because of a biased judgement from the judges. Due to our design, our robot moved slowly in order to increase the strength, yet the judge thought that it was because the robot was not functioning properly. The second reason of our defeat is because that the rules were not fully developed, and the judges did not obey the rules themselves, nor did they clearly understand them. I think that although we did not achieve much, we still learnt a lot, and there is still a lot of room for improvement.