Kurniady’s Blog

The past week have been very tiring, but very exciting as well. The competition was a great success for me. Thanks for everyone’s support for that ^_^. It was tough, but I finally did it. Inspired by Stephanie FA, since that event, I decide to use "lalala" as the method name for every recursive function I made for competitions in the future, except when it is impossible. That was how I solved one of the hardest problem in the competition, and I think it is good for the future as well…

After the competition, things get easier… The exams was fine, although I study only one day before the exam… It seems that the exams was not as hard as what I have anticipated, so now is the time for me to pray for the best results (which, based on experience, may come in a few weeks or few months…). Luckily the exams ended (for me) on Wednesday, so that I have a few days to rest before the beginning of the compact semester… However, the holiday was not perfect. An Object Technology course assignment suddenly came up and was due Saturday. It took some work to complete, but I’m glad that I did it well… so, for now, no more assignment…

Having less worried, I was able to do a lot more things. I met an friend from high school who are back from China for a holiday. Together we tried a yoga class in Fitness First in Plaza Semanggi. It was interesting, but very exhausting as well (probably it wasn’t, it’s just me who are still tired).

As for the compact semester, the schedule is quite nice. I’m off on Monday and Friday, but I guess another ACM ICPC training is already in place for Saturday. So, although I will not be as busy as in the previous few months, there will be still some work to do… And yes, another e.COM System… last year it was tough, because it was my first time handling e.COM System as well as the technologies used in there. My team was great last year, they helped a lot in getting the system done. This year, I think I am going to have another great team, so things should be done more easily this time. Anyway, I will not start working until Tuesday, I still want these free days to be fun and relaxing…

Happy holiday, have fun! ^_^

-Andrian Kurniady

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Its Friday, its June 15, and you guess!! Tomorrow is the Final round of INC 2007. Its my first time to compete in this new team (Me, Dennis, Peter), and the competition will be tough (think of NoMoreAC team who have been together for a while). I am used to compete with the YoiAC team (Me, Felix, Andoko), but sadly the team have to broke up because Felix graduated and move to NUS.

I’m quite confident though, and the only thing I fear of is that I may make some bugs tomorrow and mess the whole thing. I have made countless of silly bugs, and although I learned a lot from those bugs I made and fixed, new bugs still comes up very often in my coding. All I do today is have a really good rest and hope for the best tomorrow, as I made more bugs when I’m sleepy or tired. I really need to be in my best condition tomorrow, it’s my only chance to win.

I’ve done a lot of things in preparation though. I finished the important parts of a couple of books in the last week. The first is "The Practice of Programming". I recommend this book to ALL computer science students, it really shows you how to do good coding. It really matches with my experience, but still, I learn a lot out of it. The second book is "C++ Standard Library Practical Tips", which shows how to use the C++ STL and other standard library (such as <string> and streams) effectively. Some tips in it allows coding of common procedures as short as a single line (such as reading input or printing output). These procedures needs at least 3-4 lines without these tips. Both are great books, and I bought both in Bangalore, India during my last trip.

The last preparation I do is now compiling and printing out my Team notebook. This time, it will be based on our YoiAC World Final 2007’s team notebook. I added a page containing extra tricks I learned recently, especially the C++ Standard Library functions that I think will be useful. This notebook contains common algorithms, cheatsheets of mathematical formulas, and some templates. Although in my experience we don’t use much of the notebook during competition, I prepare my best just in case I need it (this time I don’t have Felix in the team who seems to remember everything).

All set and ready, its now time to pray and try my best. I must remember to take the chocolates before tomorrow’s competition, drink enough, and eat enough during the exhausting 5-hour competition. Wish me luck !!! and also, good luck for all of the teams who will compete tomorrow.

-Andrian Kurniady

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As you may have known already from my previous blog posts, the past one month has been a very very busy month for me, loads of projects, events, etc. that have virtually taken most of my time everyday. I haven’t got much time to relax, rest, or even play any games… But things have changed since last Wednesday. It was the deadline for all of my projects (except Computer Graphics which have been submitted a week before). Since two or three days before that, I have slept as little as only five to six hours a night. I basically do the projects until late night, and wake up early in the next morning to attend classes. As I am someone who normally sleep seven to eight hours a day, these days had been really exhausting for me. Some classmates have even skipped the night sleep altogether for the last day, rushing the projects into completion. But all of us really feels relieved, at least everything was over and we now have at least a bit more time to rest and relax…

In terms of result, I must say that I am quite satisfied. Although the projects did not complete as good as what I am capable of making, at least the deliverable and scores fulfilled my expectation based on the amount of work I put on them. It is just right at the level where extra efforts or features does not add up to the score anymore. Congratulations for all friends who have already finished their projects as well, I know some of you worked real hard to achieve that ^_^

There are many works coming though, as exams are coming this very next week, and the ACM ICPC Indonesia National Contest (ACM INC) is going to start with an online preliminary round tomorrow. Somehow I feel that for this time, the exams are going to be much more difficult than the mid exam or any of the previous exams. There are just so much thing as theories, syntax, etc. to memorize, and I am not sure whether I can memorize all of them. Anyway, I’ll try my best and we’ll see what will happen. Regarding the ACM INC programming contest, I guess this time I have to work real hard during the competition days. I expect this time it’ll be much more challenging than the previous BNPC-CS. I still have to complete parts of my skill that haven’t been practiced much such as network flow and A*. I guess a week should be enough to at least try some of those algorithms, no need to memorize since I can just add them to the team notebook. There are also the e.COM System project coming, and to be honest I haven’t got any idea on how to distribute the work to my team members… This time I really need some advices from expert Java programmer on how to split the work of Java web application projects…

Besides work, I guess other things have also got better than before. I think I should just let go those things that does not really deserve to be chased for, and focus on getting more important things done. I guess I have to reorganize my financial matters, as I haven’t done much of it for several months. Another things that deserve more attention is my room. I bought a lot of books and items that mostly haven’t been organized well in my room, taking up spaces that they shouldn’t. The same thing goes to the computer file storage. Pictures, documents, musics, have been scattered unorganized in the system. If these files are not organized soon, I sense some disaster coming when some hard drives fail.

Speaking about digital storage, I guess many of us don’t really think about the security and reliability of our storage media. Some people just store their files in whatever harddisk they have and can’t do anything when the disk is broken. For avoiding this kind of things, I have used RAID-mirroring for the disks in my file server for some years already, and although there hasn’t been any failing disks yet, I feel a little bit less worried simply by doing that kind of mirroring. I guess for computer science students, especially those using laptops, data backup should have better priority. It’s certainly a disaster to lose the nearly-completed projects, if it happens.

I guess there are still much to say, but before this blog got too long, I should stop here and continue next time. Please feel free to leave any comments you may have, I’ll really appreciate those…

-Andrian Kurniady

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I’m back… setelah "libur" selama beberapa hari, akhirnya gw balik ke Indo lagi, balik ke Jakarta lagi, balik ke rumah lagi… Dan itu artinya, balik ke PROJECTS lagi… hahaha…

Well, lima hari yang baru lewat ini lumayan sukses menghilangkan bosan gw ngerjain projects (yang udah berminggu2 dan masih akan berlangsung paling gak seminggu lagi). Kunjungan ke India kali ini lumayan lebih menyenangkan daripada yang dulu, jadi gw coba ceritain dalam blog kali ini…

Perjalanan yang sepenuhnya disponsori Google ini dimulai dari Jakarta (ini sih udah jelas.. :P), naik SQ ke Singapore hari Rabu sore, lanjut dengan SQ lagi ke Bangalore (4 jam). Sampai ke Bangalore jam 10, dan sejak di airport mulai merasakan kesan India… mulai dari antrian imigrasi yang lamaa dan gak jelas (sama aja kayak di Indo, ngantri imigrasi bisa setengah jam lebih), disusul dengan bagasi yang baru keluar sekitar satu setengah jam setelah pesawat mendarat… (untungnya sampai dengan selamat sih). Oh iya sebelum lupa, yang berangkat dari Jakarta ada 3 orang, yaitu gw, Mr. Raymond (dosen Binus Inter), sama Andoko Chandra (Binus Reguler). Yang berangkat dari Singapur ada 3 orang : Felix Halim, Bramandia, Ainun (semua orang Indo).

Keluar dari arrival hall, nemu petugas dari hotel "The Chancery Pavilion" yang uda menunggu. Jalan beberapa langkah menuju tempat menunggu mobil, jelas sekali mulai terlihat style traffic India : macet, klakson di mana2, dan mobil2 saling nyerobot. Kalo compare sama di Jakarta, mungkin bisa dibayangin kalo (hampir) semua pengemudi di sana menyetir dengan gaya koboi seperti supir taksi / angkot di sini (kebayang donk gimana semrawutnya).

Tahun 2003 gw pernah ke New Delhi dan lumayan mengecewakan… tapi kali ini gw berkunjung ke Bangalore dan agaknya kota yang satu ini jauh lebih baik. Hotel yang kita tempatin ini bintang 5 (kayaknya sih), dan sempet liat bahwa rate kamar yang kita tempatin (double deluxe) itu 230USD. Jelas bener bahwa Google memang niat banget mo sponsorin kita (mereka ngundang semua team yang ke Tokyo - ACM ICPC World Final untuk berkunjung ke kantor Google terdekat). Tiket pesawat SQnya pulang pergi aja udah 1900 USD… Denger2 sih hotel yang ini masih baru (baru 1.5 tahun), makanya masih bagus layaknya hotel - hotel di Jakarta… Kamarnya lumayan bagus, standar hotel berbintang lah. Sampai di kamar gw langsung tidur… karena uda sakit kepala (kurang minum sepanjang perjalanan kayaknya).

Keesokan harinya bangun agak siang, kira - kira jam 8.30 waktu India (GMT+5.5), mandi, sarapan, lalu mulai berpetualang. Karena rombongan yang dari Singapur belum tiba, kita ber-3 yang udah nyampe duluan memutuskan untuk nyewa taksi hotel seharga 1500 rupee untuk 4 jam keliling kota, ditambah overtime 3 jam jadi sekitar 1800an rupee. Satu rupee harganya 230 rupiah dengan rate money changer di hotel.

Pas itu sempet mengunjungi gedung Parlemen (dan gedung High Court di seberangnya). Lumayan bagus gedungnya, arsitektur Eropa gitu deh… dan kayaknya gedung parlemen itu adalah gedung terbagus di Bangalore. Sempat juga mengunjungi Bangalore Palace dan kesan yang gw dapet adalah istananya sangat gak terawat.. walopun interiornya barang mahal, semuanya udah agak rapuh, berdebu, ato rusak… sempet liat juga raja yang nempatin istana itu, berhubung beliau lagi mau keluar istana, jadi ngeliat waktu dia masuk ke mobil (Mercedes baru, entah seri apa). Jujur aja agak mengecewakan untuk ukuran sebuah palace sih… Tempat wisata terakhir yang sempet dikunjungi adalah yang namanya "Botanical Garden".. taman kayak kebon raya gitu tapi jauh lebih kecil dan gak gitu rimbun pohon - pohonnya.

Selain tempat wisata, driver yang ngaterin kita juga bawa kita ke beberapa toko. Kita sempat datengin dua toko souvenir, yang rupanya jual karpet, baju, pajangan, dan perhiasan (standar toko souvenir di sana kayaknya, barangnya mirip2). Yang pertama namanya CIE, di situ gw sempet beli dua buah pendant dari batu topaz biru (biru laut gitu, bagus sih menurut gw). Bayar dengan Visa Electron gw, ternyata sama aja kayak dipakai belanja di Indo. Di toko yang kedua, gak beli apa2 karena barangnya sama aja sama toko pertama, dan gw juga uda pernah ke India jadi gak tertarik beli hiasan marmer.

Toko terakhir yang dikunjungi hari pertama itu adalah sebuah toko buku. Toko buku ini konon katanya yang paling gede di Bangalore, namanya Ganggaram’s Book Bureau. Buku - buku di sini (terutama komputer) lengkap dan banyak buku baru. Yang menarik adalah buku - bukunya kebanyakan terbitan khusus untuk India yang harganya lumayan miring (Low Price Edition). Karena berencana hari sabtunya mau datang lagi ke toko ini, jadi kita gak beli apa2 dulu. Abis itu balik ke hotel, istirahat sebentar dan siap2 ke acara dinner dari Google.

Toko - toko di India ini hampir semua (kecuali toko buku) menganut sistem penjualan "push" mode. Jadi yang jaga toko bener2 agresif nawar2in barang2nya, setengah maksa gitu deh… Begitu beli satu, langsung ditawarin barang lain, begitu seterusnya… Harus bener2 hati2 kalo gak mau habis duit banyak… dan menurut gw barang India buatannya gak gitu rapi, jadi harus teliti memilih.

Sempet juga ada kejadian lucu, hotelnya mati lampu selama kira - kira 15 menitan (entah kenapa)… jadi telat turun untuk menghadiri dinner (yang ternyata banyak yang belum hadir juga..). Di situ ketemu team2 lain dari India, Bangladesh, dan beberapa orang google. Acaranya ternyata cuma ngobrol2 dan makan2, ada juga disediain puzzle 500 piece di meja - meja buat yang iseng… (team dari Indonesia sukses nyelesein puzzle keesokan harinya, gambarnya menara Eiffel) haha…

Acara untuk hari Jumat adalah kunjungan ke kantor Google, dilanjutkan makan siang di sebuah restoran namanya Samarkhan. (Kunjungan ke kantor Google gak bisa diceritain, soalnya under Non-Disclosure Agreement hehehe…). Restoran ini menyajikan makanan "Afghani", menurut seorang Googler (karyawan Google) yang makan semeja dengan kita. Makanannya dengan gaya "tandoori", intinya sih grill gitu dengan bumbu India… Kita disajikan macamnya grilled chicked, lamb, dessert khas India… minumnya pakai cawan dari kuningan (entah sih, pokoknya logam kuning gitu, gak mungkin emas lah).

Setelah itu dilanjutkan acara main paintball dengan para Googler juga… (gak gitu exciting sih…). Acara terakhir bersama Googler adalah dinner di sebuah resto kecil (gak ada orang lain kayaknya), yang menyajikan makanan entah makanan mana, rasanya aneh2 tapi ada beberapa menu yang enak juga…

Hari terakhir di India diisi dengan berburu buku di toko - toko buku… Ada 3 toko buku yang kita kunjungi, Crosswords, Blossoms, sama Ganggarams. Gw beli 5 buku dengan total harga gak lebih dari 400an ribu rupiah, padahal bukunya buku2 berat yang di Indo harganya bisa 200rb`an satuannya…

Malemnya balik lagi ke Airport, check-in`nya ternyata ngantrinya semrawut juga (jauh lebih semrawut dari Indo, ini kayak bandara di kota kecil yang dijadiin bandara internasional…). Lewat imigrasi, naik ke pesawatnya dan ternyata berangkatnya telat sekitar setengah jam…

Pesawat kita tiba di Changi sekitar jam 6 (Minggu pagi)… jalan2 di airport dulu sebentar untuk internetan, Andoko tuker dolar singapur, abis itu keluar dari airport sekitar jam 9. Tujuan pertama, naik MRT ke Orchard road… gw makan sebentar di McD, lalu kita ke Kinokuniya. Buku yang dicari Andoko (Support Vector Machine, AI gitu deh) ternyata ada di sana tapi harganya gila, 70-170 EUR haha… gak jadi beli deh…

Siangnya kita ketemu dengan temennya Andoko bernama Eka (ex Binusian yang sekarang kerja di Sing), dan dibawa jalan2 ke Chinatown (tempat souvenir gitu), abis itu ke Suntec city, liat pameran komputer. Pamerannya rame banget, karena udah hari terakhir. Saking ramenya sampe berdesak2an di semua tempat di dalam hall pameran… Barang - barang di sini harganya hampir sama dengan di Indo, tapi jauh lebih lengkap. Laptopnya jauh lebih lengkap, dan produk terbaru yang baru keluar satu-dua minggu udah muncul di pameran (di Indo sih bisa berbulan2… kacau). Masih membawa backpack gw berisi kamera dan laptop yang hampir 10 kg beratnya, telapak kaki gw mulai pegal2, untungnya udah saatnya balik ke airport lagi. Di airport gak perlu check-in karena uda pegang boarding pass sampe ke Jakarta…

Naik flight SQ lagi, kita tiba di Jakarta jam 7 malam. Ngantri di Imigrasi makan waktu 1 jam… parah… sampe di luar bagasi udah keluar dan langsung dijemput pulang… akhirnya gw balik lagi ke rumah, bisa tidur tenang karena hari ini libur.

Setelah dicek, ternyata belanja pake kartu Visa electron jauh lebih menguntungkan daripada bawa dollar trus dituker jadi Rupee… rate pake kartu beli cuma 227 rupiah per rupee, sedangkan kalau tuker dollar kira2 kena 237 rupiah per rupee… Kayaknya lain kali gw keluar negeri, belanja pake kartu terus aja lah… Oh iya, ternyata tuker rupee ke rupiah jangan dilakukan di Singapore, karena ratenya jadi jelek banget, tinggal 197. Jauh lebih menguntungkan tuker rupee jadi dollar di India, trus dollar jadiin rupiah di Jakarta…

Thx buat yang udah baca cerita ini ^_^ apakah anda jadi ingin ke India? hehe…

-Kurniady

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