Week 3: July 18 - 24

This was the first week we got some real work done and actually worked on our project. Some of Monday was spent figuring out how to set up a CVS repository so that it would be easy to synchronize mine and Tejinder's work, as well as make it more convenient for Kasia to see our progress and if she wants to, to modify our code. We also downloaded the Protégé editor, so we don't have to use the Eclipse plug-in.

After we got those details out of the way, we worked on designing the project and coding the basic interface the entire week. I came up with a general algorithm to compare two structures from two species and find the different kinds of differences between them. Since the database containing the "difference" information is still being worked upon, it's kind of hard to come up with a very detailed design, but we are thinking of ways to build the database so that it contains all the neccesary information.

I started writing the code to access the database and compare the structures and it's going well, I'm learning a lot about Protégé. We are also trying to come up with the best way to present the information, and learning a lot about making interfaces in Java. That's our "easy" work; when we are too tired/frustrated/confused to work on the actual "difference" algorithm or code, we do some interface stuff to relax :)

I am discovering some of the "hard" things about research. First of all, no one is telling you what to do and when to work, it's not like in a class when you have a set assignment with a due date. Here, you're totally making your own project, and working on it as much as YOU decide. Therefore, you need a lot more self-discipline to get stuff done. Secondly, also unlike a class assignment, getting things to work isn't good enough. If you're writing a program for a class, as long as it works, you know you'll basically get most of the points, even though it might not be brilliantly designed or implemented. But writing code for this project is different, because once we are done with it, other people will look at it and work with it, and hopefully someone will use the application we're making. Therefore, it is important to find the best way to implement our design, with minimal hacking around problems :)

Yet another busy and fun weekend.. There's always something to do in Seattle! On Friday night, Kasia invited Tejinder and I to a grad student barbeque at her house. We met a lot of CS grad students, who were all generally very friendly and willing to chat with us and answer our questions about grad schools, GRE, etc. It was a fun time!

Dana, me & Tejinder are happy about
yummy food at the Bite of Seattle

This weekend, the Bite of Seattle" was going on at the Seattle Center. It's basically a whole lot of food booths, craft booths, several stages with live music (questionable quality of music, but they tried :)) and a LOT of people looking for yummy food! I went with Dana and Tejinder, we had a great time.

Then on Sunday Dana, Tejinder and I hung out again, and went to Green Lake to rent a paddle boat and swim. It was a brilliant idea, because it was a beautiful, sunny day and we had a great time. Swimming was lovely, because the water was a perfect swimming temperature. We also lay around on the grass by the lake, reading; I didn't get to Harry Potter (6th book) much during the week because I worked late, but I have been catching up during the weekend - it's all very exciting! On Sunday I also went for a short bike ride to Gas Works Park, it's an interesting place.

All in all, a great week!