Partial metering is especially useful when photographing a backlit subject because it prioritizes exposure on the subject itself, ensuring they aren’t rendered too dark against a bright background. The trade-off is that the background often becomes overexposed, but this can be used creatively.
逆光攝影（Backlit Photography）是指將主光源（通常是太陽或燈光）置於主體正後方的一種佈光方式。這種技巧能為照片增添戲劇感、層次感和一種夢幻般的視覺效果。
Microsoft Copilot
Google Search Engine AI Mode
int('100', 2)
means: convert the string '100' into an integer, interpreting it as a binary number.
A floating point error usually refers to the small inaccuracies that occur when computers represent and calculate with decimal numbers.
from decimal import Decimal, getcontextThe decimal module in Python is designed to avoid the floating point errors we just talked about. By using Decimal objects, you can represent numbers exactly as decimal fractions, and you can even control the precision of calculations with getcontext.
微距鏡拍攝時背景模糊的主要原因是景深極淺。鏡頭在近距離對焦時，清晰範圍非常有限，導致主體清晰而背景自然模糊。這種效果是微距攝影的特徵之一。
為什麼微距鏡背景容易模糊？
• 景深淺
微距鏡在近距離拍攝時，即使使用小光圈，景深仍然非常有限。只有焦點附近的區域清晰，其他部分迅速失焦，形成背景模糊。
• 放大倍率高
微距鏡能將物體放大到 1:1 或更高比例，這會進一步壓縮景深，使背景更容易模糊。
• 對焦距離短
微距鏡的最近對焦距離通常只有幾十公分甚至更短，這種近距離拍攝本身就會造成背景失焦。
Macro lenses have an extremely shallow depth of field (DOF), often measured in millimeters or less, because of the high magnification and short focusing distance. This is why only a tiny part of the subject is sharp while the rest quickly falls out of focus.
在攝影中，長鏡頭的「壓縮效果」是指透過長焦距鏡頭拍攝時，畫面中遠近物體之間的距離感被「拉近」，使得背景看起來比肉眼所見更靠近主體，整體呈現一種扁平、擁擠的視覺感受。
常見應用場景
善用壓縮效果可以提升照片的藝術張力，常見於以下題材：
人像攝影：讓主體更突出，背景的雜物因「拉近」而變得模糊且緊湊，營造豐富的層次感。
風景攝影：如拍攝「大月亮」或「巨大夕陽」，長鏡頭能讓遠處的天體看起來與前方的建築物或人物比例相近，視覺上非常震撼。
城市建築：將層層疊疊的樓房、街道或人群「擠」在一起，呈現城市生活的繁華與壓迫感。
運動/生態：在無法靠近主體的情況下，捕捉清晰細節的同時保留背景的完整性。
焦距（Focal Length）與景深（Depth of Field, DOF）成反比關係：焦距越長，景深越淺（背景虛化越明顯）；焦距越短，景深越深（前後景都清晰）。
Google AI Overview
pricey: expensive
squish (something) if something soft squishes or is squished, it is pushed out of shape when it is pressed
slog: to walk or travel somewhere steadily, with great effort or difficulty
tedious: lasting or taking too long and not interesting
decent: of a good enough standard or quality
conundrum: of a good enough standard or quality
game (for something/to do something) ready and willing to do something new, difficult or dangerous
slouch: to stand, sit or move in a lazy way, often with your shoulders and head bent forward
Bill Gates spent significant time at Harvard’s Aiken Computation Laboratory during the mid-1970s. As a student, Gates often used the lab’s PDP-10 computer for intensive programming, sometimes racking up hundreds of hours of computer time monthly and, along with Paul Allen, was noted for using university resources for early commercial projects.
emulate something (computing) (of a computer program, etc.) to work in the same way as another computer, etc. and perform the same tasks
the pecking order: (informal, often humorous) the order of importance in relation to one another among the members of a group
idle: (of machines, factories, etc.) not in use
chunk: (informal) a fairly large amount of something
frenzied: involving a lot of activity and strong emotions in a way that is often violent or frightening and not under control
sabotage something to prevent something from being successful or being achieved, especially deliberately
bust: (North American English) a thing that is not good
tuck something + adv./prep. to push, fold or turn the ends or edges of clothes, paper, etc. so that they are held in place or look neat
A bootstrap loader is a specialized, small program residing in firmware (ROM/BIOS/UEFI) that initializes hardware and loads the operating system (OS) kernel into memory upon powering on a computer.
magnum opus: a large and important work of art, literature or music, especially one that people think is the best work ever produced by that artist, writer, etc.
Bill Gates "Source Code"
Online Dictionaries Used:
hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com
www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com
Google AI overview
An object is any value that lives in memory in Python (numbers, strings, lists, functions, classes, user‑defined things, etc.).
An instance is an object viewed in relation to its class/type, i.e. “this object is an instance of that class.”
In Python, a constructor is the special method that runs automatically when you create an object from a class, usually used to set up initial attributes.
class Person:
def __init__(self, name, age): # constructor
self.name = name
self.age = age
p = Person("Alice", 30)
type(Dog('Rover'))
Python evaluates it like this:
- Dog('Rover') creates a new instance (object) of the Dog class, with 'Rover' passed to its constructor.
- type(...) then returns the type of that object.
So the result is the class itself
myList = [[1,2], ['apple'], [3,4,5]]
listLen = len(myList)
- myList is a list containing three sublists:
- [1, 2]
- ['apple']
- [3, 4, 5]
- When you call len(myList), Python counts the top-level elements of myList, not the items inside each sublist.
In Python, while True: means “keep looping forever” because the condition after while is always True.
Here’s the breakdown:
- while is a loop that repeats as long as its condition is true.
- True is a Boolean constant that never changes.
- So while True: creates an infinite loop — the code inside will run endlessly until you manually stop it (like pressing Ctrl + C in a terminal) or break out of it with a break statement.
sepal(萼片): a part of a flower, like a leaf, that lies under and supports the petals (= the thin colored parts that make up the head of the flower). Each flower has a ring of sepals called a calyx.
petal(花瓣): a delicate colored part of a flower. The head of a flower is usually made up of several petals around a central part.
calyx(花萼): the ring of small green leaves (called sepals) that protect a flower before it opens
stamen(雄蕊): a small, thin male part in the middle of a flower that produces pollen and is made up of a stalk supporting an anther. The center of each flower usually has several stamens.
gynoecium(雌蕊): a small, thin male part in the middle of a flower that produces pollen and is made up of a stalk supporting an anther. The center of each flower usually has several stamens.
carpel(心皮): the part of a plant in which seeds are produced
Online Dictionaries Used:
hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com
www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com
www.merriam-webster.com
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens (已停產)
for my entry-level DSLR Canon EOS 1500D
Manufacturing location: Taiwan
Disadvantages:
- Variable aperture (f/3.5–5.6) – not ideal for low-light or professional portrait work.
- Not weather-sealed – less durable in harsh outdoor conditions.
在日本亞馬遜購買，全新。運輸有延誤，未能在這兩日假期內試鏡。
Most important warning: Do not look at the sun or a bright light source through the lens or single-lens reflex camera.
Manual focus adjustments are not possible when the camera is off.
Attach the lens: align the lens's red or white index with the camera's index matching the same color
Red dot → for EF lenses
White square → for EF-S lenses
Once aligned, gently rotate the lens clockwise until it clicks into place.
Microsoft Copilot
On APS-C, the smaller sensor applies a crop factor (≈1.6× for Canon), so the lens behaves like a 29–216mm equivalent on full-frame. On a full-frame body, the same lens gives its true 18–135mm range.
Microsoft Copilot
On the Canon EOS 1500D, exposure compensation in Shutter Priority mode may appear ineffective because the camera automatically adjusts aperture to maintain correct exposure. If the lens reaches its aperture limits, compensation has no visible effect.
ISO Settings: If ISO is fixed, the camera has fewer options to adjust exposure. In Auto ISO, the camera may override compensation by adjusting ISO instead.
How to Make Exposure Compensation Work
- Use Aperture Priority (Av) or Program (P) Mode: These modes give the camera more flexibility to adjust shutter speed or aperture, so compensation is more effective.
- Enable Auto ISO: This allows the camera to adjust ISO when aperture limits are reached, making compensation visible. (咁點解唔自己調 ISO?)
Microsoft Copilot
solder: to join pieces of metal or wire with solder
toggle switch: an electrical switch that you move up and down or backwards and forwards
avid: very enthusiastic about something (often a hobby)
holy grail: a thing that you try very hard to find or achieve, but never will
add-on: a thing that is added to something else
hitch: a problem or difficulty that causes a short delay
mainframe: a large, powerful computer, usually the center of a network and shared by many users
pore over: to look at or read something very carefully
devise: to invent something new or a new way of doing something
conceive: to form an idea, a plan, etc. in your mind
viable: that can be done; that will be successful
tweak: to make slight changes to a machine, system, etc. to improve it
rocketry: the area of science which deals with rockets and with sending rockets into space; the use of rockets
Traf-O-Data was a 1970s business partnership formed by Bill Gates, Paul Allen, and Paul Gilbert to analyze raw traffic data from pneumatic road counters and create reports for traffic engineers. While only moderately successful and ultimately a failure, it was the precursor to Microsoft, providing essential experience with Intel 8008 microprocessors and data processing.
Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems, Inc. (MITS), was an American electronics company founded in Albuquerque, New Mexico that began manufacturing electronic calculators in 1971 and personal computers in 1975.
proclamation: an official statement about something important that is made to the public; the act of making an official statement
clunky: (of technology) old-fashioned; not well designed
prototype: the first design of something from which other forms are copied or developed
Bill Gates "Source Code"
Online Dictionaries Used:
hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com
www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com
Google AI overview
en.wikipedia.org
In Python, there is no difference between using double quotes ("Samson") and single quotes ('Samson') when defining a string. Both represent the same type of string object.
print("Samson") # Output: Samson
print('Samson') # Output: Samson
In Python, __init__ is a special method used in classes. It’s often called the constructor, because it runs automatically whenever you create a new object (an instance) from that class.
In Python, class names are typically written with a capitalized first letter.
Class: A blueprint or template. It defines what attributes (data) and methods (behavior) its objects will have.
Object: A specific instance created from that class. Each object has its own data but follows the structure defined by the class.
Microsoft Copilot
I wish I could return
to the time when I knew nothing.
Even knowing the ending would never change,
I still longed for a little time
to escape and look away.
The single lie you told,
in just an instant,
turned the colorful days we had built
into monotonous black and white.
My eyes grew clouded,
and even everything I saw
lost its light.
But in truth, I lied too.
Shouting that it was for both our sakes,
I left behind an answer
opposite to my heart.
Convincing myself it was the right choice
to deceive myself.
If a time machine truly existed in this world,
if there were magic to erase everything,
I would wish for no memory to remain.
If we could meet again, that alone would be enough.
How many times I wished for that—
even now, I wish to fall in love with you once more.
Your helplessness always made me sad,
yet gave me a happiness
I could never find anywhere else.
Compared to all the months and years we shared,
the ending was too abrupt,
disproportionate to what we had.
The future we sketched together,
I erased piece by piece.
And each time, I wondered—
if another future had existed,
would we be laughing together now?
Such thoughts linger endlessly.
Even if a time machine truly existed,
I could never erase everything.
Not the days we loved so deeply.
If there was love,
then being bound together,
and being torn apart,
all held meaning.
So that someday,
on the day I fall into my final love,
I can say with all my heart:
“It was wonderful to meet you.”
And let this goodbye
be one I can accept.
Next time, I will never
let go of someone’s precious hand.
I hope that someday I’ll understand—
this was a love
that taught me what mattered most.
A journey I was meant to experience.
parenthesis: IPA[pəˈrenθəsɪs]
parentheses /pəˈrenθəsiːz/
Common Uses of Shift + Enter
- Jupyter Notebook / JupyterLab
- Runs the current cell and moves to the next one.
- Equivalent to executing code in that cell.
- VS Code (with Python extension)
- By default, it can send selected code to the terminal or Python Interactive window.
- Sometimes it runs code in the terminal instead of the interactive window, depending on your settings.
- You can customize this in Keyboard Shortcuts by mapping Shift + Enter to Python: Run Selection/Line in Python Interactive Window.
Indentation in Python
Unlike many other programming languages, Python uses indentation to define code blocks instead of braces {} or keywords. This makes indentation not just stylistic, but syntactically required.
Double asterisk in Python: exponentiation operator
print(10 % 3) # 1 (because 10 = 3*3 + 1)
print(25 % 7) # 4 (because 25 = 7*3 + 4)
The operator <= means “less than or equal to.”
Python has two membership operators that test whether a value is present in a sequence (like a list, tuple, string, or set) or a mapping (like a dictionary).
d = {"x": 10, "y": 20}
print("x" in d) # True
print(10 in d) # False (10 is a value, not a key)
Microsoft Copilot
Trans fats raise “bad” LDL cholesterol and often lower “good” HDL cholesterol, creating one of the worst possible cholesterol profiles for your heart and blood vessels. Even small amounts in the diet are linked to higher rates of heart attack and death from heart disease.
Head‑to‑head trials suggest trans fats disturb the cholesterol profile at least as much as, and in some ways more than, cholesterol‑raising saturated fats. Unlike most saturated fats, trans fats both increase LDL and lower HDL, which makes their overall effect on the LDL/HDL ratio particularly harmful. Because of this pattern, expert groups describe trans fats as the most damaging dietary fat per gram for cardiovascular health.
Deep Research using Perplexity.ai
The Eye of Ra is a powerful ancient Egyptian symbol representing the sun god Ra's protective yet destructive force. While it shares a similar "wedjat" design with the Eye of Horus, the Eye of Ra is traditionally depicted as the right eye and symbolizes solar energy, royal authority, and divine retribution.
Google AI overview
Lists are ordered collections. Sets are unordered collections.
A tuple is one of the built-in data types used to store collections of items. It’s similar to a list but with a key difference: tuples are immutable, meaning once created, their elements cannot be changed, added, or removed.
Tachyons are hypothetical subatomic particles that always travel faster than the speed of light. Proposed to exist within the framework of special relativity, they possess imaginary mass and would speed up as they lose energy, requiring infinite energy to slow down to light speed. No experimental evidence confirms their existence.
Google AI Overview
The William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition is the premier, notoriously challenging mathematics competition for undergraduate students in the U.S. and Canada, held annually on the first Saturday of December.
pant: to breathe quickly with short breaths, usually with your mouth open, because you have been doing some physical exercise, or because it is very hot
slush: partly melted snow that is usually dirty
toggle switch: an electrical switch that you move up and down or backwards and forwards
full-blown: having all the characteristics of somebody/something; fully developed
exploit: exploit something to use something well in order to gain as much from it as possible
Bill Gates "Source Code"
Online Dictionaries Used:
hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com
www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com
Single equal sign (=) is an assignment operator.
Double equal signs (==) are used as a comparison operator.
Microsoft Copilot
I made up my mind not to cry
I knew it all along
There'd be a time we'd eventually part
Memories send so much loneliness
Into my heart
Should have been sick of
Our foolish exchanges long ago but
I kind of miss it now
As if you've forgotten how it ended last time
Your regular smile
Really suits you
We're just continually searching
For the one and only version of ourselves
Like a star that floats up in the sky by day
It's there, even if it can't be seen
We've had it in our possession all along
This invaluable thing
Be continuing to improve upon it, one day
We'll find it
The song I memorized repeatedly
The melody that's seeped into me
Circulates through my body
I'll burn them all into memory
That irreplaceable
Place where I'm meant to return
Hurt at times
Bringing together that have yet to heal
We talked until morning
To bodies that felt a little lighter
We poured in hope
And kept going for it, didn't we
I'll be leaving here tonight
Leaving behind this loneliness I've accumulated
Don't have to put everything into words
I can tell when I see you nod
The times we've spent together up 'til now
The light that shined upon us
No one can shut it out
It'll be okay
I started out alone
And today, I walk on my own again
But in this baggage I shoulder
Are our days spent together, like gemstones
I'm no longer alone
This light that continues to shine in my heart
Is without a doubt, you
Forever and ever
"How are you" and "how are you doing" are common, casual greetings inquiring about someone's wellbeing, often answered with "I'm fine" or "Good, thanks". "How do you do" is a formal, old-fashioned greeting, usually used upon first introduction, and is properly answered by repeating the phrase back, rather than answering the question.
Google AI overview
a = [1,2,3] # 'a' points to the list [1,2,3]
b = a # 'b' now points to the same list as 'a'
a = [4,5,6] # 'a' is reassigned to a new list [4,5,6]
Importantly, this does not change b; b still points to the original [1,2,3].
Microsoft Copilot
mystique: the quality of being mysterious or secret that makes somebody/something seem interesting or attractive
A corrupter (or corruptor) is a person or thing that causes moral decay, dishonesty, or the rotting/spoiling of something.
sober: not drunk (= not affected by alcohol)
chaperone: (in the past) an older woman who, on social occasions, took care of a young woman who was not married
dewdrop: a small drop of dew or other liquid
irrevocably: in a way that cannot be changed
forage (for something) (of a person) to search for something, especially using the hands
exploit something: to use something well in order to gain as much from it as possible
sift: to examine something very carefully in order to decide what is important or useful or to find something important
mocktail: a cocktail (= mixed drink) that does not contain any alcohol
glitch: a small problem or fault that stops something working successfully
tedious: lasting or taking too long and not interesting
doggedly: in a way that shows that you are determined and do not give up easily
plead: to ask somebody for something in a very strong and serious way
tollbooth: a small building by the side of a road where you pay to drive on a road, go over a bridge, etc.
inclination: a feeling that makes you want to do something
skeptically: in a way that shows doubts that a claim or statement is true or that something will happen
Bill Gates "Source Code"
Online Dictionaries Used:
hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com
www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com
dictionary.cambridge.org
In C++, the term insertion operation usually refers to adding elements into data structures (like arrays, vectors, lists, sets, or maps) or inserting output into streams.
concatenate: to put things together as a connected series#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;
int main() {
ifstream inputFile("example.txt"); // open file for reading
if (!inputFile) {
cerr << "Error opening file!" << endl;
return 1;
}
string line;
while (getline(inputFile, line)) { // read line by line
cout << line << endl; // print each line
}
inputFile.close(); // close the file
return 0;
}
Microsoft Copilot
lottery: a way of raising money for a government, charity, etc. by selling tickets that have different numbers on them that people have chosen. Numbers are then chosen by chance and the people who have those numbers on their tickets win prizes.
slob: a person who is lazy and dirty or untidy
stake: something that you risk losing, especially money, when you try to predict the result of a race, game, etc., or when you are involved in an activity that can succeed or fail
grungy: dirty in an unpleasant way
Seven-card stud, also known as Seven-Toed Pete or Down-The-River, is a variant of stud poker.
khakis: a strong yellow-brown cloth, used especially for making military uniforms
stow: to put something in a safe place
Bill Gates "Source Code"
Online Dictionaries Used:
hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com
www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com
Anubis, ancient Egyptian god of funerary practices and care
of the dead, represented by a jackal or the figure of a man with the head of a
jackal. In the Early Dynastic period and the Old Kingdom, he enjoyed a
preeminent (though not exclusive) position as lord of the dead, but he was
later overshadowed by Osiris. His role is reflected in such epithets as “He Who
Is upon His Mountain” (i.e., the necropolis), “Lord of the Sacred Land,”
“Foremost of the Westerners,” and “He Who Is in the Place of Embalming.”
阿努比斯，古埃及掌管葬禮儀式與亡者照護的神祇，以豺狼或人身豺狼頭的形象呈現。在早王朝時期與古王國時期，他享有至高（雖非唯一）的地位，為亡者之主，但後來逐漸被歐西里斯所取代。他的角色反映在一些尊號中，如「山上之神」（即墓地）、「聖地之主」、「西方人之首」以及「在防腐之所者」。
His particular concern was with the funerary cult and the
care of the dead; hence, he was reputed to be the inventor of embalming, an art
he first employed on the corpse of Osiris. In his later role as the “conductor
of souls,” he was sometimes identified by the Greco-Roman world with the Greek
Hermes in the composite deity Hermanubis.
他特別關注葬禮崇拜與亡者的照護；因此，他被傳說為防腐術的發明者，並首先將此技藝運用於歐西里斯的屍體。在他後來作為「靈魂引導者」的角色中，希臘羅馬世界有時將他與希臘神赫密斯相結合，形成合成神赫曼努比斯。
Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Anubis
Anubis is the guardian of mummies and cemeteries. He is responsible for weighing the heart during the judgement after death and guiding the deceased along the path to the afterlife.
阿努比斯是木乃伊與墓地的守護者。他負責在死後審判時秤量心臟，並引導亡者走向通往來世的道路。
Yan, H. Y. (2025). Ancient Egypt Unveiled: Treasures from Egyptian Museums. The Hong Kong Palace Museum.
The human heart was balanced on the scale against Ma’at’s feather of truth. If the heart weighed more than the feather, the person’s identity would essentially cease to exist: the hybrid deity Ammit would eat the heart, and the soul would be destroyed. But if the heart weighed the same as the feather, the deceased would pass through the underworld (Duat) and into the Afterlife.
人類的心臟在天秤上與瑪亞特的真理之羽相衡。如果心臟比羽毛更重，這個人的身份便會徹底消失：混合神阿米特會吞食心臟，靈魂也將被毀滅。但若心臟與羽毛重量相同，亡者便能通過冥界（杜阿特），進入來世。
Source: https://egyptianmuseum.org/deities-Anubis
Translated with Microsoft Copilot and Edited
Exception handling in C++ is a structured way to detect and manage runtime errors using try, catch, and throw keywords, allowing programs to recover gracefully instead of crashing. It helps deal with issues like division by zero, invalid memory access, or file (input and output) I/O failures.
try block
Contains code that might generate an exception.
Example: risky operations like division or file handling.
throw keyword
Used to signal that an error has occurred.
Example: throw "File not found";
catch block
Defines how to handle the exception.
Example: catch (const char* msg) { cout << msg; }
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main() {
try {
int x = 10, y = 0;
if (y == 0) {
throw runtime_error("Division by zero error!");
}
cout << x / y;
}
catch (runtime_error &e) {
cout << "Exception caught: " << e.what() << endl;
}
return 0;
}
Output:
Exception caught: Division by zero error!
In C++, the e.what() method is used with exceptions that are derived from the standard exception class std::exception.
What it does
std::exception defines a virtual function what() that returns a C-style string (const char*) describing the error.std::runtime_error, std::out_of_range, etc.), calling e.what() gives you a human-readable message about what went wrong.In C++, array index out-of-bounds occurs when you try to access an element outside the valid range of an array.
In C++, the symbol || is the logical OR operator.
It evaluates two boolean expressions (conditions).
The result is true if at least one of the conditions is true.
The result is false only if both conditions are false.
Always catch exceptions by reference (usually const &) to:
Avoid object slicing.
Preserve polymorphic behavior (what() works correctly for derived classes).
Improve performance (no extra copy).
Microsoft Copilot
dread: causing fear
gambit: a thing that somebody does, or something that somebody says at the beginning of a situation or conversation, that is intended to give them some advantage
Monomaniacal is an adjective describing an obsessive, fanatical, or extreme preoccupation with one single subject, idea, or cause to the exclusion of all others.
cram (for something) (North American English, informal or British English, old-fashioned) to learn a lot of things in a short time, in preparation for an exam
perilous: very dangerous
Combinatorial refers to the branch of mathematics (combinatorics) concerned with counting, arranging, and selecting discrete, finite elements.
nerd: a person who is boring, stupid and not fashionable
revert: to reply
nonchalance: a calm and relaxed way of behaving; behavior that gives the impression you are not feeling worried
Bill Gates "Source Code"
Online Dictionaries Used:
hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com
www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com
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Who Osiris Was
歐西里斯是誰
The Myth of Osiris
歐西里斯的神話
Osiris’s Role in Life and Death
歐西里斯在生命與死亡中的角色
Worship and Festivals
崇拜與祭典
Later Connections
後期的聯繫
Depictions
歐西里斯的形象
Original Information: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Osiris-Egyptian-god
Summarized, simplified and translated with Microsoft Copilot and edited
whisk somebody/something + adv./prep. to take somebody/something somewhere very quickly and suddenly
fabled: famous and often talked about, but rarely seen
A DEC computer refers to machines made by the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), a pioneering American company famous for revolutionizing computing with affordable minicomputers.
cling: to hold on tightly to somebody/something
"Bonneville" refers to a significant early programming job Bill Gates and Paul Allen had for the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) in North Bonneville, Washington, where they debugged software for the Pacific Northwest's electrical grid control system for defense contractor Thompson Ramo Wooldridge (TRW).
awed: showing or feeling respect and slight fear; extremely impressed by somebody/something
bask (in something) to enjoy sitting or lying in the heat or light of something, especially the sun
hone: to develop and improve something, especially a skill, over a period of time
veer: to change direction suddenly
angst: a feeling of great worry about a situation, or about your life
Plymouth was a popular American car brand by Chrysler, launched in 1928 to offer affordable cars against Ford and Chevy, becoming known for reliable models like the Valiant and iconic muscle cars.
Bill Gates "Source Code"
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Google AI overview
reading file: ifstream (input file stream)
writing file: ofstream (output file stream)
eof() in C++ is a member function of file stream classes (ifstream, ofstream, fstream) that stands for end-of-file.
stoi in C++ stands for "string to integer".
Meaning of letter = str[0];
str → a std::string object.[0] → accesses the first character of the string (indexing starts at 0).letter → a variable of type char that stores the result.
So this statement assigns the first character of the string str to the variable letter
Microsoft Copilot
hype: to advertise something a lot and make its good qualities seem better than they actually are, in order to get a lot of public attention for it
conglomerate: (business) a large company formed by joining together different firms
off base: (North American English, informal) completely wrong about something
blurt out: say something suddenly, impulsively, and without thinking, often revealing a secret or a thought you intended to keep hidden, typically due to excitement or nervousness, and sometimes leading to regret
flaw: a mistake in something that means that it is not correct or does not work correctly
fluster: to make somebody nervous and/or confused, especially by giving them a lot to do or by making them hurry
dumb: (especially North American English, informal) stupid
stalk: to walk in an angry or proud way
dread: to be very afraid of something; to fear that something bad is going to happen
congenial: (of a person) pleasant to spend time with because their interests and character are similar to your own
comeuppance: a punishment for something bad that you have done, that other people feel you really deserve
cringe: to feel very embarrassed and uncomfortable about something
Bill Gates "Source Code"
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In C++, the fstream class (from the ifstream (input file stream) and ofstream (output file stream), allowing you to open a file and perform input/output operations on it.
The is_open() function in C++ is a member of the file stream classes (ifstream, ofstream, and fstream). It is used to check whether a file stream is currently associated with (and successfully opened) a file.
getline() in C++ — it’s one of the most useful functions for reading text input, especially when dealing with files or user input that includes spaces.
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;
int main() {
string name;
cout << "Enter your full name: ";
getline(cin, name); // reads entire line including spaces
cout << "Hello, " << name << "!" << endl;
return 0;
}
ios::app is a file open mode flag used with file streams (ofstream, fstream).
Meaning: Append mode.
When you open a file with ios::app, all output operations are performed at the end of the file, preserving existing content.
The file pointer is moved to the end before each write.
Existing data is not erased.
console: a flat surface that contains all the controls and switches for a machine, a piece of electronic equipment, etc.
ios::in
ifstream or fstream.ios::out
ios::app.ofstream or fstream.The .close() function in C++ is used with file stream objects (ifstream, ofstream, fstream) to close an open file.
Microsoft Copilot
sophomore: a student in the second year of a course of study at a college or university
audit something (North American English) to attend a course at college or university but without taking any exams or receiving credit
enthuse: to talk in an enthusiastic and excited way about something
precocious: (of a child) having developed particular abilities and ways of behaving at a much younger age than usual
complimentary: expressing approval, praise, etc.
brat: a person, especially a child, who behaves badly
dejected: unhappy and disappointed
stunned: very surprised or shocked; showing this
propriety: moral and social behavior that is considered to be correct and acceptable
conversant: moral and social behavior that is considered to be correct and acceptable
whizz: to do something very quickly
innate: (of a quality, feeling, etc.) that you have when you are born
subtly: in a way that is not very obvious or easy to notice
nerd: a person who is boring, stupid and not fashionable
stark: unpleasant; real, and impossible to avoid
deception: the act of deliberately making somebody believe something that is not true
hands-down: easily the winner of a contest; definitely the one that people prefer
suite: a set of rooms, especially in a hotel
confide: to tell somebody secrets and personal information that you do not want other people to know
epiphany: a sudden and surprising moment of understanding
implicit: suggested without being directly expressed
vibe: a mood or an atmosphere produced by a particular person, thing or place
prod: to try to make somebody do something, especially when they are unwilling
languish: to be forced to stay somewhere or suffer something unpleasant for a long time
scrawl: to write something in a careless untidy way, making it difficult to read
vocation: a type of work or way of life that you believe is especially suitable for you
dicey: dangerous and uncertain
Bill Gates "Source Code"
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A class template allows you to define a class that can work with any data type. Instead of writing separate classes for int, double, string, etc., you write one generic class and let the compiler generate the specific version when you use it
Inheritance allows one class (the derived class) to reuse and extend the functionality of another class (the base class).
Polymorphism means “many forms” — the ability of different classes to be treated through a common interface, often using virtual functions.
In C++ (and in object-oriented programming generally), a superclass is simply another name for a base class — the class that is being inherited from.
A constructor is a special member function that is automatically called when an object of a class is created.
A destructor is a special member function that is automatically called when an object goes out of scope or is deleted.
template <typename T>
size_t size_in_bits(const T& a) {
return sizeof(a) * 8;
}
template <typename T>
Declares a function template that can accept any type T.
const T& a
The function takes a constant reference to an object of type T.
Using const ensures the function doesn’t modify a.
Using a reference avoids copying large objects.
sizeof(a)
Returns the size of the object a in bytes.
* 8
Converts bytes into bits (since 1 byte = 8 bits).
Return type size_t
A standard unsigned integer type used for sizes.
Queue (FIFO — First In, First Out)
Stack (LIFO — Last In, First Out)
What is std::map?
std::pair).O(log n)) for insert, search, and delete operations.What is std::vector?
O(1) for indexing).push_back, pop_back are amortized O(1)), but slower at the front or middle (O(n)).What is std::list?
std::vector, elements are not stored contiguously in memory.O(1) if you already have the iterator).O(n)), since you must traverse nodes sequentially. What is std::priority_queue?
O(log n)) for insertion and removal, and constant time O(1) for accessing the top element.Pointer
*p → dereference (access value at address).&x → address-of operator.Iterator
vector, list, map, etc.).begin() → returns iterator to first element.end() → returns iterator past the last element.++it) to move forward.vector), while others only support sequential traversal (like in list).Operator overloading in C++ lets you redefine how operators (like +, -, ==, [], etc.) behave for your own classes. It’s a powerful way to make user-defined types feel natural and intuitive to use.
Normally, operators work with built-in types (int, double, etc.).
With operator overloading, you can extend them to work with objects.
Example: Adding two Complex numbers with + instead of writing a function like add(c1, c2).
Complex numbers are numbers of the form a+bi, where a is the real part, b is the imaginary part, and i is the imaginary unit defined by i^2=-1. They extend the real number system to allow solutions to equations like x^2+1=0, which have no real solutions.
dazzle: dazzle (somebody) if a strong light dazzles you, it is so bright that you cannot see for a short time
camaraderie: a feeling of friendship and trust among people who work or spend a lot of time together
footing: the basis on which something is established or organized
excel: to be very good at doing something
outlier: a person or thing that is different from or in a position away from others in the group
awkward: difficult to deal with
nudge: a slight push, usually with the elbow
premed: (especially North American English) a course or set of classes that students take in preparation for medical school
intently: with strong interest and attention
monstrous: very large
agilely: (of the way someone or something moves) quickly and easily
intimidating: frightening in a way that makes a person feel less confident
crammer: a school or book that prepares people quickly for exams
maniacal: wild or violent
gobble: to eat something very fast, in a way that people consider rude or greedy
preoccupied: thinking and/or worrying continuously about something so that you do not pay attention to other things
dingy: dark and dirty
grimy: covered with dirt
stunned: very surprised or shocked; showing this
screwed: in very bad trouble or difficulty
Bill Gates "Source Code"
Online Dictionaries Used:
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dictionary.cambridge.org
std::deque (short for double-ended queue) is a container in C++ that allows fast insertion and deletion at both ends. It’s part of the Standard Template Library (STL).
dq[1] means "give me the element at index 1".dq[0] is the first element, and dq[1] is the second element.enum class in C++ is a strongly typed enumeration introduced in C++11. It improves upon traditional enum by providing better type safety and scoping.
In C++, the operator == is the equality comparison operator.
true or false).#include is a C++ standard library header that provides a collection of utility functions, classes, and templates commonly used in generic programming.
Here is one of the most important components:
std::pair
ECL: Extensible Computer Language
LHASA (Logic and Heuristics Applied to Synthetic Analysis) is a computer program developed in 1971 by the research group of Elias James Corey at the Harvard University Department of Chemistry. The program uses artificial intelligence techniques to discover sequences of reactions which may be used to synthesize a molecule. This program was one of the first to use a graphical interface to input and display chemical structures.
idle: (of machines, factories, etc.) not in use
The RAND Tablet is a graphical computer input device developed by The RAND Corporation.
stylus: (computing) a special pen used to write text or draw an image on a special computer screen
ubiquitous: seeming to be everywhere or in several places at the same time; very common
Chevrolet is an American automobile division of the manufacturer General Motors.
Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) using the trademark Digital, was a major American company in the computer industry from the 1960s to the 1990s.
tinker (with something) to make small changes to something in order to repair or improve it, especially in a way that may not be helpful
legendary: very famous and talked about a lot by people
Spawn in computing refers to a function that loads and executes a new child process.
frivolous: (of people or their behavior) silly or funny, especially when such behavior is not suitable
snowflake: a small soft piece of frozen water that falls from the sky as snow
groundbreaking: making new discoveries; using new methods
A computer rack is a metal frame that is used to keep different hardware devices such as servers, hard disk drives, modems, and other electronic equipment.
Sketchpad is a computer program written by Ivan Sutherland in 1963 in the course of his PhD thesis.
"By then" is a phrase indicating a point in the future or past that has already been established in the conversation
soup up: (informal) to make changes to something such as a car or computer, so that it is more powerful or exciting than before
harness something to control and use the force or strength of something to produce power or to achieve something
nifty: practical; working well
devise something: to invent something new or a new way of doing something
Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center) is a legendary R&D center by Xerox that invented foundational technologies for modern computing, including the graphical user interface (GUI), mouse, Ethernet, laser printers, bitmap graphics, and object-oriented programming (OOP) (Smalltalk).
PostScript (PS) is a page description language and dynamically typed, stack-based programming language.
cockpit: the area in a plane, boat or racing car where the pilot or driver sits
A baseball pitch is the act of a pitcher throwing the ball to the batter to start a play, varying velocity, movement, and location using different grips (like four-seam fastball, curveball, slider, changeup) to deceive the hitter and get an out.
"Scooping" in baseball is a fielding technique, especially for first basemen, to cleanly catch low throws or ground balls by digging the glove down and "up" to get under the ball, preventing it from going in the dirt.
A pop fly (or pop-up) in baseball is a short, high, arcing batted ball, usually hit to the infield, that doesn't travel far and is often an easy catch for an out, though sometimes dropped due to sun or misjudgment, leading to potential errors.
shortstop: (in baseball) a player who tries to stop balls that are hit between second and third base; the position of this player
aka: also known as
deliberately: done in a way that was planned, not by chance
hype: advertisements and discussion in the media telling the public about a product and about how good or important it is
quirk: a strange thing that happens, especially by accident
de facto: (from Latin, formal) existing as a fact although it may not be legally accepted as existing
subsist (on something) to manage to stay alive, especially with limited food or money
suite: a set of rooms, especially in a hotel
trivia: unimportant matters, details or information
ALaserDisc (LD) used for music, often featuring music videos, concerts, or high-fidelity audio, predating DVDs, known for its large 12-inch size (like vinyl LPs) and ability to hold both video and high-quality stereo/surround sound
instill: to gradually put an idea or attitude into somebody's mind; to make somebody feel, think or behave in a particular way over a period of time
obsession: the state in which a person’s mind is completely filled with thoughts of one particular thing or person in a way that is not reasonable or normal
mundane: not interesting or exciting
a restaurant where you choose and pay for your meal before you carry it to a table. Cafeterias are often found in factories, colleges, hospitals, etc.
pinball: a game played on a pinball machine, in which the player sends a small metal ball up a sloping board and scores points as it bounces off objects. The player tries to prevent the ball from reaching the bottom of the machine by pressing two buttons at the side.
abortion: the deliberate ending of a pregnancy at an early stage
crook: (informal) a dishonest person
coed: a female student at a co-educational school or college
velvet: a type of cloth made from silk, cotton or nylon, with a thick, soft surface
bell-bottoms: trousers with legs that become very wide below the knee
posse: (informal) a group of people who are similar in some way, or who spend time together
if people do or say something in unison, they all do it at the same time
stammer: to speak with difficulty, repeating sounds or words and often stopping, before saying things correctly
bushwhack: To bushwhack means to move through thick, uncleared terrain by cutting a path (like in hiking or exploring)
meld: to combine with something else; to make something combine with something else
congeal: (of blood, fat, etc.) to become thick or solid
Bill Gates "Source Code"
Online Dictionaries Used:
hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com
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Google AI overview
In C++, a function object (also called a functor) is any object that can be called like a function using the operator(). They are widely used in the Standard Template Library (STL) for algorithms, sorting, and predicates because they can hold state and be passed as types.