The actual D-day is March 4th, so this Thursday. We'll let you know how we did!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Assignment winding down
We're almost done with this assignment. It's been a lot of fun. We've learned a lot about Search Engines and how they work.
The actual D-day is March 4th, so this Thursday. We'll let you know how we did!
The actual D-day is March 4th, so this Thursday. We'll let you know how we did!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
rankmaniac2010.org website weirdness
This morning, when I went to check on our site, it turned up an error. After following the link from Google, my browser turned up a page that was just a single line of text. Something about a database error. Then, when I logged into the Microsoft Live Small Business area to check on it, it wouldn't let me log in. Weird. I wonder if this is because one of my teammates was logged in at the same time, doing something. Anyway, it seems to be back up now.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
RankManiac 2010: Giving out awards
Today, I helped a fellow student with the Math Competition he'd organized. I got to give out the prizes! At the end of the tournament, he'd read the names and I would give them their stuff, shake their hands, and smile for the cameras.
One parent thought I was a professor. When one of the volunteers corrected her and said that I was a CS major, she said "Oh. Well, he looks gay." I guess that was a comment on my attire? I had dressed up for the occasion. Apparently she'd been complaining all day, so it may have been an insult. It's hard to tell.
Also, I must look old. I've been mistaken for professors many times, even when just wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Either that, or I look really spacey.
One parent thought I was a professor. When one of the volunteers corrected her and said that I was a CS major, she said "Oh. Well, he looks gay." I guess that was a comment on my attire? I had dressed up for the occasion. Apparently she'd been complaining all day, so it may have been an insult. It's hard to tell.
Also, I must look old. I've been mistaken for professors many times, even when just wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Either that, or I look really spacey.
Friday, February 19, 2010
RankManiac 2010 currently tied!
It seems that there's a bit of a three-way tie going on between the .org (us!), .net, and .com RankManiac 2010 websites. If you search for rank maniac 2010, we're in the lead, followed by .com and .net. If you search rankmaniac 2010, we're in second, with .com first and .net trailing. If you search "rankmaniac 2010", we're still in second, but the positions for .net and .com are reversed. Too bad only the last one counts!
Interestingly, if you search Bing for rankmaniac2010.net or rankmaniac2010.com, ours is still the first site that turns up.
Interestingly, if you search Bing for rankmaniac2010.net or rankmaniac2010.com, ours is still the first site that turns up.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
RankManiac 2010 back from trip
I'm back from my trip to SF (ha, I almost wrote "strip." Paging Dr. Freud!). The night before I left, I got lobster, since I realized that I hadn't hit my per-diem reimbursement cap for food yet. Hooray! The hotel had really good lobster, too.
The plane back was delayed by an hour. Luckily, I brought a set to do. I finished most of one problem while waiting.
It seems that Bing has finally crawled our site, but it's only showing up under rankmaniac2010.org, not under rankmaniac or rankmaniac 2010. Weird.
We've also added a bunch of pictures to the main site.
The plane back was delayed by an hour. Luckily, I brought a set to do. I finished most of one problem while waiting.
It seems that Bing has finally crawled our site, but it's only showing up under rankmaniac2010.org, not under rankmaniac or rankmaniac 2010. Weird.
We've also added a bunch of pictures to the main site.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
RankManiac 2010 on the road
I'm visiting San Francisco for the next few days to do some interviews. It's like a mini-vacation. They put me up in a really nice hotel. I ordered room service and my tray came with a vase and flowers. Plus, it had a cloth napkin and real silverware*. And all I'd ordered was a burger and fries! Awesome!
Anyway, I logged in and Googled our RankManiac 2010 site several times, since I have a brand new IP here.
* as opposed to fake silverware, which is made out of cheap metal and bends really easily. Honestly, I don't know how psychics can get a break. The spoons in the dining hall will bend if you look at them funny, no telekinesis needed.
Anyway, I logged in and Googled our RankManiac 2010 site several times, since I have a brand new IP here.
* as opposed to fake silverware, which is made out of cheap metal and bends really easily. Honestly, I don't know how psychics can get a break. The spoons in the dining hall will bend if you look at them funny, no telekinesis needed.
Monday, February 15, 2010
RankManiac 2010 vs. Campus Security!
Saturday night was one of the big parties that happens from time to time on Caltech's campus. In fact it was so big than some alumni came back for it. Unfortunately, one of the alumni got in a bit of trouble.
This particular alum wanted to save a few bucks, so he asked if he could stay as a guest. I told him that it would be no problem, and after the party he crashed on one of our couches. Later that night, two security guards woke him up and demanded that he leave. He explained his presence there as an alum, gave my name as a reference, and presented his old school ID as proof that he was, in fact, an alum. They confiscated his ID, refused to call me, and accused him of having squatted there for three weeks. Since his flight had only been the day before, this was obviously not true, but when he tried to show them his ticket information on his phone, they ignored him. According to them, staying as a guest would only be permitted with a signed note from the head of campus housing. They escorted him outside to the curb, where they were met by another security guard in a gray sedan. The security guards informed the alum that if he was seen on campus again, he would be arrested!
Luckily, he had the number of another alum who was staying nearby, so he had a place to stay for the night. However, not every visitor is so lucky.
The next day, when informed of this, I immediately wrote an irate email to the head of campus housing. Half an hour later, I had him on the phone and was explaining what had happened. He had no knowledge of the events, or of any policy requiring a signed note. He apologized to the alum via phone and intends for it not to happen again.
So it appears that campus security had gotten ahead of themselves. How chilling. This time, it was a mild inconvenience for an alum who could deal with it, but what about the future? Will they harass prospective students?
This particular alum wanted to save a few bucks, so he asked if he could stay as a guest. I told him that it would be no problem, and after the party he crashed on one of our couches. Later that night, two security guards woke him up and demanded that he leave. He explained his presence there as an alum, gave my name as a reference, and presented his old school ID as proof that he was, in fact, an alum. They confiscated his ID, refused to call me, and accused him of having squatted there for three weeks. Since his flight had only been the day before, this was obviously not true, but when he tried to show them his ticket information on his phone, they ignored him. According to them, staying as a guest would only be permitted with a signed note from the head of campus housing. They escorted him outside to the curb, where they were met by another security guard in a gray sedan. The security guards informed the alum that if he was seen on campus again, he would be arrested!
Luckily, he had the number of another alum who was staying nearby, so he had a place to stay for the night. However, not every visitor is so lucky.
The next day, when informed of this, I immediately wrote an irate email to the head of campus housing. Half an hour later, I had him on the phone and was explaining what had happened. He had no knowledge of the events, or of any policy requiring a signed note. He apologized to the alum via phone and intends for it not to happen again.
So it appears that campus security had gotten ahead of themselves. How chilling. This time, it was a mild inconvenience for an alum who could deal with it, but what about the future? Will they harass prospective students?
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