Networking Blues

So far my life in Japan has been pritty good, I've been kept quite busy from Monday to Saturday most weeks, but since I like what I do and attend, it's not overbearing. Some changes will come about though, and a very big one for me.

First of all, I should give some background of our lab here. Our lab is new, just set up last year, which has it's pluses and minuses. My profressor is highly experiance in his field, and before coming to join the university he worked in a leading electronics company doing exactly what he is researching about now. Having a new lab has it's pluses, we have brand new equipment, software, and I rather like the idea of being involved with starting something, contributing to it, and seeing it grow, rather than just come to follow the "implied system" that others have set up. It also has some minuses though. One is that we don't really have a network administrator for our lab. The lab was set up by a senior post-graduate student of another lab, and since all of us can be considered new as this lab no more than 1 year experiance, no one has a very good knowledge about networks of the lab. Since we use software with shared licence on a linux server, we really need an administrator.

Now here comes the problem. Last week my profressor pulled me over to have a chat. Since the lab has bought a new program, he naturally wants someone to make the initiative to use it. Now, everyone is actually helping learning how to use the part of some of the new software, but there was one particularly special part which is very new and has just been bought as an extra to the original software package. This particular part has to be installed separately, and made to interact with the rest of the main package. Now, although this is a very good engineering program, it's rather difficult to use as it's made for engineers in mind with it's very large package and software range, and quite complex licensing sharing, and management systems. You can tell at a glance that it is a software made by engineers since it has excellent complex computational, simulation, and technical properties, but serverely lacks a good user interface. To say the truth, if I hadn't used this same software in Sweden for almost 7 months I would have been quite lost just trying to use it. During that 7 months, I've only gotten to use maybe 15% of the software's capabilities or less. Now don't get me wrong here, it's a very good program, and I feel priviledged to get to use it since many universities would not be able to spend so much on such a software, and it's become somewhat of an industrial standard software, giving the person who has experiance using it, a big edge over those who haven't.

Now the problem comes that this newly recieved package has just been installed, and is still not working very well, and continuously sends out criptic messages. What's more, the software must be installed into another linux server very soon. The problem is that the guy who has installed this package has to leave by the end of next week to go back to his company due to sudden circumstances in the company as I was told (he is a lab researcher who came from a company to do research and increse his knowledge). Naturally he needs help, and my advisor asked me to help him learn how to use this software. Ofcause I found out later from this researcher that I'm also supposed to install a new copy of this software, and become like the network administrator! Well this all makes sense and all, since I'm my profressor's soon to be first PhD student. However my knowledge of linux is only that of a basic user who merely use it to access programs, and kill some processes from time to time. Now it seems to imply that I must become a linux network administrator in 1 week's time, install this new program and fix the bug in the already installed one, possibly write configuration files (I don't know how in linux), learn to use the software and keep it free from bugs, learn to know the server system, and keep it running smoothly with just about no software support since I probably won't be able to communicate well enough with the software support in Japanese! Add that with the fact that I take Japanese classes 5 days a week for 3-4 1/2 hours a day, and have another project with another lab mate where I have to decipher Japanese technical articals before I can even start work with him, take 2, 2hrs seminar learning a book where each person rotates to teach the book, and find my PhD topic. Okay! Now I've got some serious problems!

I expect that next week will be close to hell for me, and I will have to spend some (if not all) nights over at the lab learning as much as I can sleeping in the lab, then coming home for a shower in the worse (but likely case), from the researcher before he leaves. It will be very difficult in deed. In some respect, I am happy to gain new knowledge in a new field, however, the time limit is too critical for a linux/unix beginner like me. I have recruited the help of a close Indonesian friend that I studied with in Sweden, and has come to join the same university at a lab near by to help me since he's a network expert, but I'm still quite stressed about this new sudden deadline. Now I really need one of those "Become a Linux Administrator in 24 hrs" Book! Yeah, not that they would really help.

Any suggestions for some good linux administrator network books?

Beethoven's Heiligenstädter Testament

While in Sweden I spent some of my spare time looking around the net on one of the things I truely missed, the arts. My facination about literature, and the life of artists was reborn. One of the pieces that I like most is Beethoven's Heiligenstädter Testament which was a letter he wrote during his last days in isolation after becoming almost deaf. It is a testimoy of a man who has defied all odds and disabilities to do what is even incomprehendable to most. To compose music deaf. But it was probably what he loved most, and what he felt he was born to do so he struggled on. The following is a quote of the translation of this testament:

.....

But what a humiliation

for me when someone standing next to me heard a flute in the distance and I heard nothing,

or someone standing next to me heard a shepherd singing and again I heard nothing. Such

incidents drove me almost to despair; a little more of that and I would have ended me

life - it was only my art that held me back. Ah, it seemed to me impossible to leave the

world until I had brought forth all that I felt was within me. So I endured this wretched

existence - truly wretched for so susceptible a body, which can be thrown by a sudden

change from the best condition to the very worst.

......

Beethoven was known to be somewhat an abnoxious man, but this part of his letter reviealed his other side:

.....

It is my wish that you may have a better and freer life than I have had. Recommend virtue

to your children; it alone, not money, can make them happy. I speak from experience; this

was what upheld me in time of misery. Thanks to it and to my art, I did not end my life by

suicide
......

I refrained from posting the full copy of the translation out of courtesy of the translator, however, I recommend that you read the full version here:

Beethoven's Heiligenstädter Testament

I have kept this for quite some time now, and like to read it over sometimes when I feel a little down. It makes me feel that what I am facing is not that bad compared to a deaf guy trying to compose, and also reminds me of the good man, inside the brilliant man who is Beethoven.

The game-less phone!

Walking around these days without a mobile can be very inconvenient, so one of my first tasks after coming to Tokyo was to get a phone. Being a student, and having only limited spending money from the scholarship I went for the cheapest phones. Here there is a company (I won't mention the name, but if you want to know you can mail me) that offers mobile phones at special 50% monthly discount for students. Having little money, but still wanting the best phone for my money, I spent some time looking for some phones, and finally settled on a popular model I got to know from a friend.
The phone's street price in Shibuya area is about 9000 yen, but with the help of my Japanese speaking friend I got it for 1 yen. Yes, 1 yen! Now I know that it's possible to get this phone for 1 yen since my other friend got it for 1 yen, but when I had tried to get it for 1 yen, I couldn't haggle my way into it with my rather poor Japanese. But my friend took me later on and got it for the price I wanted, which was 1 yen.
Now what do you get for a 1 yen phone in one of the most mobile crazed and first few 3G (3rd generation mobile phones) countries in the world? Well ofcause it's got 2 color screens, 1 pritty sharp high contrast color screen which is the main one, and a smaller one outside the clam shaped shell which usually just tells small info like the date, battery level, and can also double as a small screen for self portrate. Ofcause it's got internet connection using what it clames to be 3G CDMA technology (I'm a little skepticle), a mini SD memort port to add extra memory, dule language support (english and Japanese), various PDA like functions such as calander, note pad, data folders, email support, c mail support (it's sort of like email, but only to people with same service provider), and even a GPS map and tracking system to show you where you are in case you get lost! Well that's all pritty good, but one thing was missing. One quite obvious thing that I handn't considered when I had bought the phone. It doesn't have any games! What???!!! How can that be???!!! For a country which is totally crazed with video games, and mobile phones, how can any mobile phone not have a single game?? Yep, not even one! I mean 1 yen can get me all of those options but not even one game? Not even a small mine sweaper, or simple tetris?? Not even a pong???

Now I'm quite confused here. My previous phone, which was 3 years old, and Ericsson T20e, with a monochrome screen, and none of the other above functions, not even one! But yet it has at least 3 games from what I remember, and the Swedes (I got it in Sweden) are not even that well known for their video game habits. How can it be possible that this brand new videogames and phone crazed country coming from one of the first countries to implement 3G technology not have even one game???!!! Not one!! Well ofcause there are online games that I can play from the phones with the extra charge ofcause, but do they really expect everyone to play those games instead?? Do they plan to make money that way? Maybe they are so sure that students will pay to play games, and it's their business strategy. But even so, couldn't they put one game in? Even any lame old game to kill time? Or did the phone maker forget it??? It's quite confusing for me, and even at the moment, I can't really explain it. My mind is set on their money making scheme right now, but I'm still not sure..... Maybe, there are other strategic reasons?

JR-East 

Tokyo Metro 

Tokyo Transportation System

First of all, I truely I hope I'm not going to be sued for posting these maps, if any company would like me to remove these pictures, please comment or mail to me, I will remove them immidately. In any case, I will reference both of them. The picture labled JR East is from Japan Rail's website (www.japanrail.com), and the one labled Tokyo Metro is from Tokyo Metro's website (www.tokyometro.jp). Both were converted from their original .pdf files to .jpg

I posted this post to illustrate the complexity of Tokyo's railway system. I have long heard of Tokyo's enormous train system, but I was still quite overwhelmed when I first arrived. The obove two are only two of the many railway operators in Tokyo. These two are, from my understanding, the largest train operators in Tokyo, so first image how complex this network is when you try to lay both maps one on top of the other. If that is not complex enough for you imagine there there are still many lines (I'm not sure how many at the moment). These other lines are common, and can be quite large. For example two of the operators that I must take from my home to my university is not on these two operators. One of the operators of the lines that I have to take to my univesity is the Tokyu Cooperation, which itself operates 9 lines covering (I estimate) about 50 stops! Over lay these two maps with the other (I'm not sure how many other operators), and you can image how complex this network is!

Um, I wonder if Bangkok's is ever going to be this complex???

Kurdishstan

"It is really impossible for you to know how it feels to not have a passport.... It is the one thing I wish most to get one day....." Maybe not in those exact words, but that is what my friend meant while we met in the common TV room. My friend is a Kurd and when ever he meets someone and introduces himself, he will always say that he is from Kurdishtan. I was taken a back a bit when I first met him yesterday. He's a nice chap, easily mistaken as belonging to Iran or other middle eastern countries in that zone. "You know, it's not really a country... Kurdishtan," he admitted a little uneasily, most likly telling me in case I didn't know the situation of the Kurds.

Ofcause, I've heard of these guys battling out in the deserts of Iraq, Iran and Turkey. News have given me a preconception, of Kurds as some people far away in the middle east, fearless in their fighting, but with very limited resources or development. I was ofcause supprized at first, to find one living here in my dorm. All that changed ofcause when I met him, another example of how much miss preconception can be corrected just by meeting and talking to someone "It's always difficult for us, there is prejudice where ever we go, I graduated from ... and when I was asked to get a letter from the university certifying that I have graduated there so that I can have greater chance of a scholarship, the university refused to give one to me." Ofcause he still got the scholarship anyway, but I still cannot imagine how much he had to go through to come here without a passport, or to travel any where else without a passport for that matter.

This situation is rather ironic for me. As my country also has some problems with some minority groups, I can understand how it feels when others try to divide the country to and gain freedom. Ofcause, the example is not directly comparable, since the minorities in our country are still considered citizens of the country and hold our country's passport. In many ways they are much better off than the Kurds, but talking to him gave me greater understanding of what it must be like for those people who want to be identified by their own country.

I realize that this title alone may bring up many conflicting view points. I'm not trying to give a solution to this problem, but I do hope that everyone can agree on something peacefully. Each take a step back... Everything can be solved peacefully (if not at first, then later) I still stubbernly precieve, the Irish and English have set an example for others to follow....

Tokyo Room 

Japanese Room

The Japanese dorms for international students is a rather interesting place, I stress the international student part of that phrase since I have no ideas what Japanese student dorms are like and most of my graduate student friends live in apartments. I have been fortunate to stay in, at least what many have told me to be one of the best international student dorms in Tokyo. Well, as everyone knows, Tokyo is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in, so it come to no supprize to me that my dorm which spans about 15 square meters or so is considered quite "spatious" by Tokyo students standards. The price is also very good as it is subsidised.

Dispite the rooms small size, I've gotten used to its size as it is plenty for one person. However, the minus side is that if a friend should come over we'd probably have to the common room for a more cumftable setting to sit and chat. One thing I found interesting was that there is a service to empty the joint kitchen's garbage and wash our bed covers and pillows which is rather different from the dorm I lived in Sweden. I wondered weather they just couldn't stand the irresponsible students not cleaning up after themselves, and decided to add this service later, or was it part of the dorm's organization from the beginning. I've never heard of such a service before in European countries at least, but it somehow occured to me that this might be the result of one major difference between the western and eastern culture, in which parents treat children rather differently. While to me western culture seems to believe in the children's total (or at least near total) self-sufficiency after they move out, in the east it is not uncommon for the parents to support their children through college possibily until they get married.

Another interesting (and useful) system that they have here is that the international dorm which comprises of (at least from what I know) only International students, is that they have a few Japanese students living in them serving as what they call "tutors". Despite their names, "tutors" as far as I know, are not there to help tutor us through difficult subjects, but rather to help international students cope with their daily life. They help us get our alian card and national health insurance done, and are basically there to discuss any matters from where to buy cheap stuff, what should I eat tonight, even borrow manga from their RA room or just someone to chat or drink with! I don't exactly know what RA is supposed to stand for, but I just joked to my friends that it probably stands for "Recreational Assistants"! I found this addition a very good one, as any students who still do not have close friends at the unviersity in the initial stages can go and find someone to talk to with ease and piece of mind. What's even more amazing is their avalibility (on a rotating shift basis ofcause) of between 9:00am to 10:00pm!

It occured to me that studying and living in Japan must be very stressful for some as we have so many advisors to talk to! In my case for example there is my research advisor, student advisor, dorm tutor, and I've even seen posted somewhere on the university's website that there are still extra advisors in the international student centre and even a phone number at the university that you can call to relieve stress. It is then not supprizing that on the orientation day some of the student advisors express slight confusion of why only 1-2 students visit them each year and urge us to go to him/her if we have any problems. Well I'm not supprized, with all of the advisors and people we can talk to here to help us with our problems that's all together 5 advising sources not counting our lab and fellow country friends!

To Tokyo I come

I'm finally in Tokyo.....
Okay I'm lazy right now I'll write later