Working on decoding algorithm for BCH codes. This is really interesting stuff; too bad I still have to learn the Complexity part. It's not very difficult (had it in other courses), but just less interesting at this moment.

Haha! The finite field stuff is under control I would say. At least the most useful ones (Zp^m/g(x)) I understand quite well now. This really makes understanding the codes a lot easier. I learned a lot today. Quite happy with that.

Made a schedule and budget for the summer (when everybody comes to visit us). It's really nice to do, I'm looking forward to see them a lot!

It looks like I'm making some progress. I've been studying lineair codes this morning; Hamming codes specifically and refreshed my knowledge on that terrain. Now going to the theory of cyclic codes. Not a lot more difficult, but it does require extra background knowledge (of finite fields).

Went to my work early in the morning, had to download a big file and print a few pages. I'll be home around 10:00 and study.

so, we played 99 today... and I became 3rd! I'm rather proud. :) We played 4 preliminaries, of which I won 2 and become 2nd in another one. Only the first game, against Erika and Albert I lost quite badly. The final was between Zoltan, Jerry and me.

The final results:

1. Zoltan
2. Jerry




3. Guus
4. Albert
5. Daniel
6. Rob
7. Marjolein
8. Erika
9. Gerlof

Tomorrow and the whole week I'll be studying.

Woke up early; studied a bit Shannon's Theorem Proof.

I'll be leaving in about half an hour to Zoltan.

Found some really good tutorials on Coding theory, the best is this one.

Tomorrow 99 toernament at Zoltan's place.

Worked on the chapter about Complexity. Revised the Halting problem, classification of functions, proof NP-completeness of SAT problem... Now I'll see if I can refresh my knowledge on Galois Fields etc; necessary for the Coding part.

Yesterday I spent all day studying. It is pretty difficult stuff; I forgot a lot of the mathematics I used to know. Have to refresh it all. But I'll make it!

We went to Marjolijn's party in Amsterdam. It was very nice to meet everybody again, it had been a while. The house was decorated in 'colour-edition' style; as they live close the Arena where the Sensation 'white-' en 'black-edition' will be held. Drank only water all night to stay fresh for the study etc..

Steven brought us home. First we went to Richard's place, we saw his new garden shed. Few months ago we helped breaking down his old one, so it was nice to see the work being done there.

Today... only studying again. Including today I have 5 days, so I better get started.

Went to see two of my teachers. Next Friday I'll have a oral exam of Coding & Complexity. The other teacher told me I'll have to do one more course than I thought; but he said I can do this during my stage. He agrees with me that I'm almost ready... after next week's test and the submission of the paper things I should be able to start. He said it would be wiser though to finish my practical assignment before my internship starts. I guess this depends on how quickly things will be going.