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Tag: Essay

  • ISD Dataset: Analyzing 120 Years of Global Climate Change

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 1148 words 6 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    ISD Dataset: Analyzing 120 Years of Global Climate Change

    Original WeChat Article ISD stands for Integrated Surface Dataset, a dataset published by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). It contains observational records from nearly 30,000 global surface meteorological stations from 1900 …

    Original WeChat Article ISD stands for Integrated Surface Dataset, a dataset published by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). It contains observational records from nearly 30,000 global surface meteorological stations from 1900 …

  • The WeChat Photo Album Access Issue

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 770 words 4 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    The WeChat Photo Album Access Issue

    Original WeChat Official Account Article Last night, I saw news about WeChat accessing user photo albums in the background, and WeChat responded: While such shady behavior from Chinese apps doesn’t surprise me, in the spirit of seeking truth, I got …

    Original WeChat Official Account Article Last night, I saw news about WeChat accessing user photo albums in the background, and WeChat responded: While such shady behavior from Chinese apps doesn’t surprise me, in the spirit of seeking truth, I got …

  • Practical Cryptography Made Simple

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 1354 words 3 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    Practical Cryptography Made Simple

    Original WeChat Article A classic problem in cryptography is how to transmit data securely and reliably through insecure channels. Protecting your chats and communications from eavesdropping, surveillance, and censorship. With just a computer at …

    Original WeChat Article A classic problem in cryptography is how to transmit data securely and reliably through insecure channels. Protecting your chats and communications from eavesdropping, surveillance, and censorship. With just a computer at …

  • The Sorrow of the Internet

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 2855 words 14 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    The Sorrow of the Internet

    In Understanding the Internet, I discussed my views on the internet. Today, let’s talk about the part I deliberately omitted: the setbacks the internet will face. Destiny It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; It was the age of wisdom, …

    In Understanding the Internet, I discussed my views on the internet. Today, let’s talk about the part I deliberately omitted: the setbacks the internet will face. Destiny It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; It was the age of wisdom, …

  • New Year Reflections

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 4681 words 23 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    New Year Reflections

    This article may cause discomfort. Please read with caution. During this rare leisure time alone in the New Year, I write these random thoughts, writing wherever my mind wanders. I’ve always believed that choice is more important than effort: a …

    This article may cause discomfort. Please read with caution. During this rare leisure time alone in the New Year, I write these random thoughts, writing wherever my mind wanders. I’ve always believed that choice is more important than effort: a …

  • The Internet Winter

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 2195 words 11 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    The Internet Winter

    It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; It was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; It was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; It was the spring …

    It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; It was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; It was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; It was the spring …

  • Knowledge of China's Administrative Divisions

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 2285 words 11 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    Knowledge of China's Administrative Divisions

    China’s administrative divisions are divided into several levels. The constitution stipulates three levels, but there are actually five levels: the four-tier system of “province—region—county (district)—township,” which becomes five tiers when …

    China’s administrative divisions are divided into several levels. The constitution stipulates three levels, but there are actually five levels: the four-tier system of “province—region—county (district)—township,” which becomes five tiers when …

  • Understanding the Internet

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 2342 words 5 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    Understanding the Internet

    I used to think that the essence of the internet, the development of the internet industry, and the strategies of internet companies—these “lofty” matters should be pondered by government officials and corporate executives. As an internet …

    I used to think that the essence of the internet, the development of the internet industry, and the strategies of internet companies—these “lofty” matters should be pondered by government officials and corporate executives. As an internet …

  • Several Levels of Learning Knowledge

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 2835 words 6 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    Several Levels of Learning Knowledge

    Original WeChat Article Levels of Knowledge When we say “learning knowledge,” what exactly are we talking about? When we say someone is “smart,” what exactly do we mean? Through observation and contemplation, we can divide the process of deepening …

    Original WeChat Article Levels of Knowledge When we say “learning knowledge,” what exactly are we talking about? When we say someone is “smart,” what exactly do we mean? Through observation and contemplation, we can divide the process of deepening …

  • Understanding Character Encoding

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 869 words 2 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    Understanding Character Encoding

    WeChat original Programmers spend their lives with code—both source code and encodings. Representing text with bits is harder than it looks: character sets, comparators, normalization, locale rules, variable-length encodings, BOMs, surrogate pairs, …

    WeChat original Programmers spend their lives with code—both source code and encodings. Representing text with bits is harder than it looks: character sets, comparators, normalization, locale rules, variable-length encodings, BOMs, surrogate pairs, …

  • Starting from /0: Understanding Errors and Exceptions

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 2138 words 11 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    Starting from /0: Understanding Errors and Exceptions

    What happens when you divide by 0 in a computer? Errors are errors, exceptions are exceptions. The distinction here is quite subtle. Yes, no typo - the title uses /0 not 0. So the question arises: What happens when you divide by 0? Constraints are …

    What happens when you divide by 0 in a computer? Errors are errors, exceptions are exceptions. The distinction here is quite subtle. Yes, no typo - the title uses /0 not 0. So the question arises: What happens when you divide by 0? Constraints are …

  • Tag Classification Theory

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 2059 words 10 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    Tag Classification Theory

    Recently, I needed to design a tag management system for a business. During the process of organizing existing tags, I developed this theoretical framework. 0. Tag Definition: Tag Taxonomy For tags, it’s difficult to provide a universally accepted …

    Recently, I needed to design a tag management system for a business. During the process of organizing existing tags, I developed this theoretical framework. 0. Tag Definition: Tag Taxonomy For tags, it’s difficult to provide a universally accepted …

  • Overview of Sorting Algorithms

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 3592 words 17 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    Overview of Sorting Algorithms

    Sorting algorithms are the most fundamental, widely applicable, and frequently tested algorithms in interviews. A sorting algorithm is an algorithm that can arrange a string of data in a specific order. Where: Output result is an ascending sequence …

    Sorting algorithms are the most fundamental, widely applicable, and frequently tested algorithms in interviews. A sorting algorithm is an algorithm that can arrange a string of data in a specific order. Where: Output result is an ascending sequence …

  • On Computational Thinking

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 2622 words 13 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    On Computational Thinking

    A paper for “History of Secrecy and Secrecy Systems” course, discussing computational thinking and its significance in undergraduate education. I guess this was the teacher’s own assignment. 1. Abstract This paper discusses related content on …

    A paper for “History of Secrecy and Secrecy Systems” course, discussing computational thinking and its significance in undergraduate education. I guess this was the teacher’s own assignment. 1. Abstract This paper discusses related content on …

  • In Praise of Mathematics

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 178 words 1 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    In Praise of Mathematics

    In the very center of humanity’s rational world An eternal ivory tower stands tall upon it From the depths of the vast intuitive earth below Rising straight to the vicinity of the chaotic heavens where dense clouds roll Countless electric branches …

    In the very center of humanity’s rational world An eternal ivory tower stands tall upon it From the depths of the vast intuitive earth below Rising straight to the vicinity of the chaotic heavens where dense clouds roll Countless electric branches …

  • Computer Networks and Logistics Systems

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 2104 words 10 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    Computer Networks and Logistics Systems

    Computer networks are like a logistics system, with the difference being that logistics systems transmit material entities like mail and packages, while computer networks transmit intangible information. Computer networks are divided into five layers …

    Computer networks are like a logistics system, with the difference being that logistics systems transmit material entities like mail and packages, while computer networks transmit intangible information. Computer networks are divided into five layers …

  • Worldview, Values, and Life Philosophy

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 2444 words 5 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    Worldview, Values, and Life Philosophy

    One inevitably traces back to questions about the world’s origins, and answering these questions is the process of establishing one’s cornerstone principles. Perhaps because I recently resolved a psychological issue that had troubled me for nearly …

    One inevitably traces back to questions about the world’s origins, and answering these questions is the process of establishing one’s cornerstone principles. Perhaps because I recently resolved a psychological issue that had troubled me for nearly …

  • On the Hierarchy of Knowledge

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 1551 words 8 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    On the Hierarchy of Knowledge

    Through observation and reflection, we can divide the mental process of deepening understanding from accepting knowledge to the highest level of “enlightenment” into four stages: knowledge, understanding, consciousness, and enlightenment. The overall …

    Through observation and reflection, we can divide the mental process of deepening understanding from accepting knowledge to the highest level of “enlightenment” into four stages: knowledge, understanding, consciousness, and enlightenment. The overall …

  • Thinking Characteristics of Eastern and Western People

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 766 words 4 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    Thinking Characteristics of Eastern and Western People

    Eastern people emphasize macro-to-micro thinking, while Western people emphasize micro-to-macro thinking. In my view, this is the root of East-West thinking differences. First, we need to clarify the definition of East and West. Here, “East” refers …

    Eastern people emphasize macro-to-micro thinking, while Western people emphasize micro-to-macro thinking. In my view, this is the root of East-West thinking differences. First, we need to clarify the definition of East and West. Here, “East” refers …

  • What Exactly Are Natural Numbers?

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 1532 words 8 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    What Exactly Are Natural Numbers?

    The concept of natural numbers should have been learned in elementary school. The foundation of all elementary mathematics begins with such a definition. However, when I entered university, I encountered this question again in discrete mathematics. …

    The concept of natural numbers should have been learned in elementary school. The foundation of all elementary mathematics begins with such a definition. However, when I entered university, I encountered this question again in discrete mathematics. …

  • Views on Love

    By Yongjie Xue In Miscs 2458 words 12 min

    Yongjie XueEssay

    Views on Love

    Recently, my roommate broke up with his girlfriend. What was once a lovey-dovey, inseparable couple suddenly separated just like that. This inevitably made me start thinking about some questions I hadn’t carefully considered before: What ultimately …

    Recently, my roommate broke up with his girlfriend. What was once a lovey-dovey, inseparable couple suddenly separated just like that. This inevitably made me start thinking about some questions I hadn’t carefully considered before: What ultimately …