The following is my king of blog about the history and my path working with computer from 1983 - 2007, I am still very passionate about computational and Language technology. Thus, you know why I am working on GOSP4EL.
4th October, 2005(updated 15th October, 2005; 27th Nov, 2006; 5th June, 2007)
In 1983, I got my first personal computer, a Bondwell(HK made) computer with 64K RAM, using tapes player to read/load data and using a television as screen. I took a very short course of BASIC with Apple II computer then.
In 1983 - 1985, I was working as a supervisor trainee in different Government Civil Engineering project and I did not use computer much in that time. Then I went into B. school in 1985.
Later around 1988 onwards, I started using IBM-XT and AT in my work and study-- mainly for data processing("wordstar", "word perfect", "Lotus"), using 360K 5 1/2" floppy disk, Win version1/2 in a monochrome monitor. I also design and work on a library catalog system using DBase III. I also used my friend's Apple computer for processing data of questionaires for a project in the course of Ch. growth. After I finished my study in B. School then I work there for a couple years and taking two years evening course in foreign language and translation. I took a basic computer course (general operation and MS Works-- word processor, spreadsheet, database, etc), the like minded teacher introduced PASCAL and LISP to me. That is my pre-SIL computer experience.
In 1993, I joined SIL and got my first lap top(Bondwell-386, HK made, using Dr. DOS, Window Vers. 3), started learning FindPhone, Shoebox 1.2 -2, FIESTA, CECIL box under Chuck Grime in Asia SIL. In those days, all these software were operated under DOS. And I'm so glad that I follow Chuck's advice using MDF and SFM, and I'm still using it now(2007). Around the Christmas 1994, I got a Toshiba Satellite 1910. And started my first dial-up connection with internet with Netscape browser and using CCmail.
In 1995 Feb, I started serving in Vanuatu. Thank Dan Garst hooked up the solar panel with my computer system in the village. I still remember those good old days; in those days without email I can concentrate on my language learning and linguistics research with Findphone, Shoebox, etc. Then later I spend US$400 2x CD drive and started using Translator Workplace(V.1), LinguaLink (version 1) and Paratext(version 5). I even try working with the Linguistic Workshop, and Anthropology Workshop with a 486/200M HD. Can you believe that and imagine the speed? That is my first time I heard about Object Oriented programing with CELLAR. The workshops did not help much in my work but the process help me a lot in understanding OOP. LinguaLink library has been very helpful.
In 1997, in Hong Kong I had my first contact with Linux, RedHat 6. At that time, the installation has already been rather straight forward. However, the win-modem was an issue. When I was studying in Australia in 1998, I did not spend much time in Linux. And I were still using a Mono-chrom 33MHz Toshiba notebook.
In mid 1998 after after attending a conference of LFG(Lexical Functional Grammar), I flew back to Vanuatu. Then I spend most of my time in a town of the biggest island in Vanuatu until 2003. I brought back the mother board from HK. Then I get the hard disk and RAM from Australia, power supply and the box from Vanuatu. I assembly a home desktop.
Around 2000, I got 3 CDs of Red-hat 7.2 from APC, an Australia computer magazine. Then I installed it into my desktop, however, the win-modem is still a hurdle. Besides, even thought the connection is possible, the internet fee was rather high through 56K modem. I also learn a Camel CD and the book "Perl in a nutshell" and learn a bit perl but not really do something serious. Then I got Visual.net and learn a tiny bit of C++(in 24 hours) and a bit VBASIC etc.
In 2002 a team with consultants and software developer came to Vanuatu for testing Fieldwork in the field during an anthropology workshop.
When I started working in EA in 2003, I am more serious about Linux and a number of colleagues are interested. Then I played around with different distro: Redhat 9, Fedora 1 & 2, Mandrake 9 and 10, Knoppix 3.x, and finally more consistent with Suse 9.2 and 9.3 recently.
In 2005 I was reading about basic TCP/IP and networking, VI(the book by Linda Lamb & Arnold Robbins, a Chinese version). I think the VI book spend many pages talking about different types of VI. On the contrast, I found the book by Vbird, a PhD student in Taiwan are quite helpful.(linux.vbird.org)
From September 2005, I have been communicating with a few Linux Fans to establish a local LUG. Thus, recently I am learning more about the basic study for administration. Look into /proc and /etc. I started learning iptables but still find it is rather complicated. I am hoping to get the B-edit working with Keyman for Linux. I would also like to see other SIL software working in Linux Platform. Now WINE may be a short term solution but I think the efficiency is not as high as I expected if running program via WINE.
In 2003 or 2004, there was a T-soft workshop. At that time we started using Computer Based Training, TW 4 and P'text 6. And I forgot when did I start using BART.
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27th Nov 2006
I haven't been working on Linux for a long time. I think it is better for me to start again. Quite likely I will start with Ubuntu again.
I am interested to see how it work with other SIL softwares, TW, paratext and the non-Roman script processings. Thus, I need to look into WINE or other emulators. Another things that I am interested in is online learning.
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26th May 2007
For a while I was working with Suse 10 and SME to set up server for groupware, apache. LAMP last year. And recently I just installed Ubuntu and tried Kubuntu and different things. I enjoy the Sudoku very much in Linux. And recently I am rather happy to able to run the Moodle in my desktop Apache 2 server, with two notebook clients of XP and Win98. Thinks go rather smoothly except the first time. I don't remember my pw and need to reinstall again.
to be continued ...
