When Bill met Steve

Pertec Computer Corporation (PCC),  was a computer company based in Chatsworth, California which originally designed and manufactured peripherals such as floppy drives, tape drives, instrumentation control and other hardware for computers.

nuisance: a thing, person or situation that is annoying or causes trouble or problems

acquisition: the act of getting something, especially knowledge, a skill, etc.

subsidiary: a company wholly controlled by another

obligate: to bind legally or morally

sublicense: a subordinate license granted to another by one already having a license

stipulate: to state clearly and definitely that something must be done, or how it must be done

lodge: to make a formal statement about something to a public organization or authority

An exclusive license gives one single licensee the sole right to use intellectual property, which blocks all other parties from using it.

aforesaid: mentioned before, in an earlier sentence

strident: aggressive and determined

even-keeled: characterized by stability or consistency

intimidated: feeling frightened and not confident in a particular situation

hash out: to discuss something carefully and completely in order to reach an agreement or decide something

suitor: a company that wants to buy another company

devolve into: describe a situation, discussion, or process that deteriorates over time

standstill: ​a situation in which all activity or movement has stopped

simmer: to be filled with a strong feeling, especially anger, that you have difficulty controlling

yank: to pull something/somebody hard, quickly and suddenly

stark: harsh

ambush: to make a surprise attack on somebody/something from a hidden position

appalled: feeling or showing horror at something unpleasant or wrong

standoff:  a situation in which no agreement can be reached

astounded: very surprised or shocked by something, because it seems very unlikely

gaggle: ​a group of noisy people

sleek: smooth and shiny

beige: light yellow-brown in color

signage: ​signs, especially ones that give instructions or directions to the public

rivalry: a state in which two people, companies, etc. are competing for the same thing

chicken out: to decide not to do something because you are afraid

pony up: to pay money for something

breach: to not keep to an agreement or not keep a promise

swift: happening or done quickly and immediately; doing something quickly

Bill Gates "Source Code"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

www.merriam-webster.com

Exposure Value

問題︰如果用緊 A-mode 影室內照片，f/2.5，ISO 200，快門太慢，-0.3 EV 以加快快門，做法正確嗎？

你設定 f/2.5，ISO 200。

相機會自動算出快門速度以達到「正常曝光」。

如果室內光線不足，快門就會變慢。

曝光補償 –0.3 EV → 相機會刻意壓低曝光。

為了讓畫面更暗，相機會縮短快門時間，所以快門確實會稍微加快。

但幅度很小（大約 1/3 級快門），差距不大。

正確：快門會加快一點，能稍微減少手震模糊。

不足：亮度會偏暗，改善有限。

更有效的方法：

• 提高 ISO：例如 ISO 200 → ISO 400。
• 開大光圈：改為 f/2
• 用三腳架：根本解決快門過慢問題。

Microsoft Copilot

陶瓷術語十五

三足盉是一種中國古代重要的器物，最早出現於新石器時代晚期（如大汶口文化、龍山文化），在商周時期更發展為青銅禮器。它的造型和功能兼具實用與禮儀意義。

基本造型：

• 盉是一種帶流、蓋、提梁的器物，用於盛水或酒。
• 「三足盉」即器身下有三個支撐足，通常為圓腹或鼓腹。

材質：早期以陶為主，後期多見青銅盉。

裝飾：陶盉多見劃紋、繩紋；青銅盉則常有饕餮紋、雲雷紋等。

Microsoft Copilot

陶瓷術語十四

袋足鬹是一種中國新石器時代晚期至青銅時代早期的陶器器型，常見於大汶口文化、龍山文化及後續的商周時期。它的造型和功能在考古學上非常有代表性。

基本造型：鬹是一種炊煮器，通常有三足或袋狀足，袋足鬹即是三個袋狀中空的足，與器身相連。

器身：多為圓腹或鼓腹，上有口沿，部分帶蓋。

材質：以陶為主，後期也有青銅鬹。

裝飾：早期多見劃紋、繩紋，後期青銅鬹則有饕餮紋等複雜紋飾。

Microsoft Copilot

陶瓷術語十三

背壺是中國新石器時代晚期（尤其大汶口文化、龍山文化）常見的一種陶器器型。它的特徵和用途非常有代表性。

基本造型：壺身圓鼓，肩部或腹部設有兩個對稱的耳（鼻狀），便於穿繩背負，因此稱為「背壺」。

材質：以紅陶、灰陶為主，晚期出現磨光黑陶背壺。

裝飾：常見劃紋、籃紋、繩紋，部分有朱繪或堆紋。

Microsoft Copilot

陶器文化

大汶口文化是中國新石器時代晚期的重要考古文化，約公元前4300年至前2500年，核心分布在山東泰安大汶口一帶，後續演變為龍山文化。它以精美陶器、特殊葬俗和早期文字刻畫符號聞名，被視為中國東部文明的重要源頭。

Microsoft Copilot

相信，變成所見

The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is a diffuse network of neurons in the brainstem that acts as the brain’s “gatekeeper,” regulating wakefulness, attention, and consciousness by filtering sensory input and prioritizing what reaches the cortex. It is central to the sleep–wake cycle, arousal, and focus, and dysfunction can lead to disorders of awareness such as coma, ADHD, or sleep disturbances.

shuffle: to move about, back and forth, or from one place to another

Hackney, London: It’s a borough in East London, known for its vibrant arts scene, diverse communities, and trendy areas like Shoreditch and Dalston. Historically, Hackney was working-class, but in recent decades it’s become a hub for creatives, with lots of independent shops, street art, and nightlife.

quirk: an aspect of somebody’s personality or behavior that is a little strange

fart: to let air from the bowels come out through the anus, especially when it happens loudly

unfaithful: having sex with somebody who is not your husband, wife or usual partner

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a prediction or expectation that comes true simply because you believe it will and act in ways to make it happen.

sketchy: that people consider to be dishonest or bad

Confirmation bias is the psychological tendency to favor, interpret, and recall information that supports one’s existing beliefs while ignoring or undervaluing contradictory evidence.

unbeknown: without the knowledge of (someone)

hunched: bending the top part of your body forward and raising your shoulders and back

snowball: if a problem, a plan, an activity, etc. snowballs, it quickly becomes much bigger, more serious, more important, etc.

awkward: difficult to deal with

conspire: to secretly plan with other people to do something illegal or harmful

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a structured, short-term psychotherapy that helps people identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, making it one of the most effective treatments for conditions like anxiety, depression, PTSD, and insomnia.

A knock-on effect is an indirect chain reaction where one event or action causes a series of other events to happen sequentially.

dictate: to control or influence how something happens

manifestation: an event, action or thing that is a sign that something exists or is happening

steering wheel: the wheel that the driver turns to control the direction that a vehicle goes in

Change the narrative and try to find proof that the world is, in fact, conspiring with you, not against you, to make you happy and help you get everything you want.

心理層面：這句話鼓勵採用成長型思維，尋找正向證據，以改變情緒與行為反應。

成長型思維是指相信人的能力與智力可以透過持續的努力、學習和良好策略而不斷提升的心態。在認知心理學中，正向佐證指的是人們傾向去尋找「符合自己既有信念、假設或預期」的證據。

實務步驟：列出近期支持你、幫助你的事件；刻意記錄小成功；遇到困難時問自己「這件事如何可能在幫助我？」以尋找有利解釋。

注意事項：不是盲目樂觀或否認問題，而是平衡地尋找能促進行動與希望的證據，同時保留現實檢驗的態度。

Nicole Vignola "Rewire"

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

www.merriam-webster.com

Explained by Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini