Daily Life on Victor42

Where Will Our Generation's Last Words Be Written?

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 14:23:00 +0000

In my previous post about AI-filtered news, some readers noticed a phone automation: “Send location to wife if I miss her call.” The comments were funny, but the idea is serious. While getting kidnapped is unlikely, unexpected things happen. It’s rational to prepare. We can record crucial information our families would need and ensure they receive it.

As an average office worker, I’m not managing a family business or company shares. I just need to list my assets and debts, leaving clues for recovery.

This boils down to three questions:

Where to store the info?
When and how to send it?
How to keep it secure?

Tackling these in order proved difficult. Existing solutions lacked either automation or security. I even checked dedicated apps, but their data security was dubious. Rethinking the order (2, 1, 3), I realized a calendar app is ideal.

I created a recurring monthly event with email reminders.

It’s set to email me. I then configured a filter in my email to forward it to my wife’s primary email if the body contains a specific keyword, like one at the start of my message.

The message itself is in the event notes. I list my assets: investments, savings, insurance, and usernames. For security, I omit passwords, only including the ID or phone number needed for a reset. I also list debts, primarily the mortgage, including the payment card, amount, and a reminder to keep it current.

But this would email my wife monthly – not exactly “last words.” So, I set up a second recurring event a day earlier, reminding me to delete the “last words” event – just that occurrence, not the series. This “negative trigger,” inspired by the Swordholder in The Three-Body Problem, is activated by inaction.

This prevents monthly emails and keeps the information out of my wife’s inbox, reducing the risk of leaks. Her data security habits aren’t as strong as mine. For added security, I created a separate, dedicated calendar account just for this, never used for sign-ups or other emails.

Naturally, I’ll inform my wife about this, if only to ensure she doesn’t change her main email.

A Specific Heat Experiment in Your Dishwasher

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 09:58:00 +0000

Specific heat capacity… Remember that term from physics class? What does it even mean?

If you own a dishwasher, you can easily demonstrate this concept to your kids (and yourself).

Here’s how: Place ceramic, glass (optional), stainless steel, and plastic bowls of similar size in the dishwasher. Run a normal cycle. Once finished, immediately open the door and watch the water droplets evaporate. Which bowls dry first, and which ones stay wet longest?

You’ll probably find that ceramic and glass bowls dry fastest. Metal and plastic ones may remain wet, especially in cooler weather. This is due to the specific heat capacity of each material.

Ceramic and glass have a higher specific heat than stainless steel. The textbook definition: the heat needed to raise or lower one unit mass of a substance by one unit temperature. Sounds complex? Simply put: for the same weight and temperature, ceramic and glass hold more heat than stainless steel.

Here’s a breakdown:

The dishwasher uses scalding hot water, heating all bowls until hot. While materials heat at different rates, given enough time and water, they’ll reach the same temperature.
Opening the door, the hot bowls use their stored heat to evaporate water. Only heat touching water aids evaporation; heat touching air dissipates.
Water droplets are evenly distributed. Assume the water-covered surface proportion is similar for each bowl.
Cooling to room temperature, the bowls release stored heat. Ceramic and glass release substantial heat, evaporating all surface water. Metal, storing less heat, remains wet even after releasing all its heat.

Two caveats. First: weight. Conveniently, similar-sized ceramic and glass bowls are usually heaviest. They’re thick to prevent easy breakage. Stainless steel, though denser, is strong and thin, thus lighter. This weight difference further increases the heat storage gap.

Second: heat dissipation. Metal conducts heat faster than ceramic. (That’s why metal pots are worse than clay pots for soup—another topic.) With rapid conduction, heat escapes easily where not blocked by water. So, despite similar water coverage, fast-conducting stainless steel loses more heat to the air. Little heat is used for drying. Before the water evaporates, the steel cools. This speed difference further increases the effective heat gap.

That explains the varied results.

Why so little on plastic? It’s a distraction. Plastic’s specific heat is higher than ceramic’s, but it’s far less dense. The significant weight difference makes other factors irrelevant. The minimal heat stored in plastic simply can’t dry the water.

Final tip: Season matters. If differences are subtle, try opening the door after 10, then 20 minutes. Trapped humidity slows evaporation, highlighting material differences.

My Daughter's New Game and Topology

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 23:05:00 +0000

We discovered a new game, and my daughter is obsessed. I push a bottle into one end of a massage roller, and it slides out the other, landing in front of her. She soon joins in, picking up the bottle and pushing it back through. I lift the roller, give it a spin to change the bottle’s direction, and let it drop before her again. She giggles.

After a few rounds, she grabs the roller and peers inside. From the other end, I keep taking the bottle and returning it. I also flick the bottle, making it jump towards her inside the tube. She squeals with laughter.

It got me thinking: maybe tube shapes are uncommon for babies, both now and for babies in prehistoric times. Topologically speaking (that branch of math about counting holes), most toys and dishes she sees are basically discs. Only a few, like instant noodle bowls with handles, are topologically donuts.

To her, a disc is closed. Things just pass by. But with a donut shape, things can move two ways: passing by or going through the hole. Going through, to her, means interacting – entering and exiting. The tube’s larger internal space makes this even more apparent.

The bottle disappearing and reappearing probably seems magical. After grabbing the roller, she might’ve sensed the magic of this shape with a hole.

Okay, full disclosure: I’m probably overthinking the math. Maybe she just likes the bottle, hahaha.

Port Mindset - From Automated Tasks to a Way of Life

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 23:52:00 +0000

This is a rather abstract and rambling article, discussing a somewhat metaphysical topic. It touches upon information automation techniques, ponders the philosophy of life, and explores the methodology of methods. If you have the time, you’re welcome to read on.

Daily life and work involve a lot of trivial matters, which are irregular both logically and chronologically.

A typical scenario: You’re researching something on your computer, with a bunch of web pages open, relevant and irrelevant ones all piled up, and you’ve downloaded a few PDFs. Then a colleague sends you a file and discusses it with you. After the discussion, you give them some feedback, taking several screenshots to illustrate your points. It’s almost time to get off work, so you close your laptop and head home. The materials generated from these tasks remain on your computer, waiting for you to clean them up someday.

Most people I know are pretty laid-back, just letting things be. The consequence is a computer desktop full of files. When that “someday” finally arrives, they’ve forgotten what these materials are, whether they’re useful, and whether they can be deleted. If they don’t clean up, they’ll be searching through a haystack every day. If they do, they have to recall the origin of each file, delete the useless ones, and save the useful ones, which is quite time-consuming.

There’s another type, the organized ones, like those who always keep their email inbox empty. They believe in “a stitch in time saves nine” and are incredibly efficient. They remember even the most trivial things, using to-do lists or sticky notes, and handle them all as soon as they have time. They spend time now to save more time in the future. They feel genuine joy at the moment they clear their daily tasks.

I might lean towards the organized type, but not to that extreme. I’ve tried managing trivial matters with the latter method. Things were well-organized, but it made me very tired. I was in a state of slight anxiety until everything was done, which seemed detrimental to my mental health.

Instead of extreme organization, I believe that relaxation and a happy mood are more worthwhile goals. It is on this premise that we should try to establish order as much as possible. Until one day, during self-reflection, I realized that I had unknowingly established another operating mechanism, managing all aspects of life with a mindset similar to that of a seaport. And this is what this article is about.

Principles of the Port Mindset

Let me explain a few shipping terms first:

Demurrage and Detention: In the shipping industry, shipping companies and port companies are independent. When your goods are shipped across the ocean to a port, the shipping company usually allows you to continue occupying the container for free for a few days, which is the demurrage period. Your goods are stacked somewhere in the port, and the port company also allows you to stack them for free for a few days, giving you time to find a truck to take them away, which is the detention period.
Demurrage and Detention Charges: These are the opposites of the previous two terms. When your goods occupy the container for too long, the shipping company will charge you demurrage. When your goods are stacked in the port for too long, the port company will also charge you detention fees. This constraint mechanism prevents you from treating valuable transportation resources as warehouses and occupying them indefinitely.

The port mindset has two core principles:

Everything in the world is dynamic. Everything goes through an intermediate state from start to finish. Conceptually, accept the existence of this intermediate state. In action, proactively create buffer zones for loading and unloading in all aspects of life, temporarily storing electronic files, online content, physical objects, and even knowledge and ideas, to accommodate this intermediate state. Instead of mentally denying or ignoring the existence of the intermediate state, resulting in a lack of management of the intermediate state. When things come up, if they are not dealt with immediately, they are either forgotten in an instant or piled up.
Not everything needs a beginning and an end. Important things are handled on the spot at the port, and after handling, they are transferred to where they should go. Unimportant things will expose their insignificance after staying in the port for a while, and they will be destroyed on the spot. Time works magic, and the port is where the magic happens. Give it some time, and it will return you to peace.

After all, haste makes waste.

Using the port mindset to manage things facilitates scheduling and avoids omissions. More importantly, it has psychological significance. Because you know that these miscellaneous things have a formal temporary storage place, you can safely accept them staying here for a while. You won’t always be thinking about something undone (if you are the organized type), so you won’t feel anxious.

But for the laid-back type, even if a buffer zone is established, it will be used as a garbage dump.

This is not to belittle anyone. These tendencies aren’t fixed and must be considered in relation to specific matters. Everyone values different things. You might be laid-back about one thing but meticulous about another. Most people’s computers are a mess because they don’t think the digital world is important. Their order is established elsewhere, such as in their social circles. Similarly, things I don’t value will also be used as a garbage dump by me.

Back to the topic, how to avoid the garbage dump problem? It is to establish a constraint mechanism like a port to prevent the buffer zone from expanding uncontrollably, which is very crucial.

In terms of digital materials, there are many automated methods to clean up files and materials that have stayed too long, which will be discussed later. In terms of physical objects, you can force yourself to organize in time by limiting the capacity of the buffer zone. In terms of knowledge and ideas, time plays the most important filtering role.

By the way, let’s talk about the difference between to-do lists and the port mindset:

Different nature:
- To-do lists are just a tool. It is a specific software that you need to install and master its usage.
- The port mindset is a concept and attitude. Any place where information and materials are input can be regarded as a port. If you identify your computer desktop as a port, then it is. Nothing has changed, but you will have a new understanding of the desktop, seeing it as a distribution center for files. Many people do this, but they don’t realize it.
Different things stored:
- To-do lists only store concepts. They abstract every event in the digital and real world into a line of text and list them together for centralized management. But the specific materials related to the event are still in place. To-do lists are not good at managing files and materials.
- Ports store specific materials. They are some real locations, a folder on the computer, or a small paper bag at the door of the house. In the port, you can directly handle the corresponding things on the spot. Therefore, there is more than one port, but with some automated methods, there won’t be too many, and there won’t be a problem of scattering everywhere.
Different workload:
- Using to-do lists increases workload. Things are still there, still waiting for you to deal with. Your task is only postponed, not reduced at all. It’s even heavier, because you have to make an extra note in the software, and then check it off. For the matter itself, this recording behavior is extra and redundant.
- The purpose of the port mindset is to reduce workload. It is an upgrade and transformation of the places you are already familiar with. Here, you will naturally deal with important things in time, without reminders; unimportant things, or things that have been dealt with, let them disappear by themselves.

Digital Ports

In terms of digital materials, the essence of the port lies in the constraint mechanism, using a series of automated methods to clear away materials that have stayed too long. This demurrage and detention fee is much more expensive than a real port. It’s not a fine, but the direct destruction of overdue goods.

This seemingly dangerous destruction mechanism can first urge you to deal with it in time. More often, it can also be used in reverse: just let it be, let it clean up the materials for you, and truly liberate you.

The specific implementation of automated methods is just a brief introduction. These can be learned through public information. Tools change over time, but concepts stand the test of time. This article mainly shows what these methods can do and how to form a constraint mechanism.

Mobile File Port

I have a special folder on my phone, which is a distribution center for mobile files. I named it File Port. Things downloaded by different apps on the phone are stored in different places. Most apps are stored in the “Download” folder, WeChat is stored in its own location, Baidu Cloud has another place, and many content production software also output to their respective folders.

I use an automation app called Tasker to centralize them. Once there are new files in these locations, they are all moved to the File Port.

Tasker can also implement automatic cleanup. I have set some rules. Every night, Tasker will delete files that have been in the File Port for more than 7 days. My File Port can always remain relatively clean, files are easy to find, and it also saves storage space on the phone.

In this way, I need to deal with the things in the File Port within 7 days. But this is more than enough for me. Usually, I deal with them in one or two days, and then I don’t have to clean up myself. The useful ones are moved away, and the useless ones are waiting to be automatically deleted.

I have an Android phone. This capability may only be available on Android phones. I’m not sure about Apple. I don’t know if the openness of the system has improved over the years, probably not.

Call Recording Port

This is also a capability only available on Android phones. I record all calls and store them in the system-designated folder for future reference. But most of them are advertising calls that hang up within 5 seconds. There is no need to keep these. Too many recording files are inconvenient for future searches.

Tasker can implement cleanup by file size. I have set some rules. Every night, Tasker will delete files smaller than 100kB in the Call Recording Port, which filters out the truly useful recordings.

With some sync disks, these recordings can be synchronized to the computer or network disk, and then stored for a long time.

I use a third-party client of Dropbox, Dropsync, to synchronize mobile folders with the network disk, which even the official client can’t do.

The constraint mechanism of this port is relatively implicit. There are not many useful calls. Even if you make calls non-stop, there is a ceiling of 24 hours a day. It will not expand indefinitely. Time itself is the constraint mechanism. Therefore, you can rest assured to let it accumulate as a backup.

Computer File Port

This is similar to the mobile file port. But the advantage of the computer is that almost all software downloads are placed in the system’s download folder. I use the download folder as a port and deal with things directly here, eliminating the process of centralization. And my desktop never has any files on it.

Then there are some ways to achieve similar effects to the mobile file port. Windows can use File Juggler; I have it clean up files from 18 hours ago. Mac can use the system’s built-in Automator + Calendar; I have it empty the download folder at 9:30 am every day. In short, the purpose is to clear it daily.

The scope of cleaning is different from the mobile file port, but the constraint mechanism is the same. There are many more files processed on the computer every day than on the mobile phone. Only daily cleaning can maintain the port in a relatively high state of order.

I am used to dealing with temporarily generated materials in the download folder. After finishing the day, the results and intermediate products—the useful ones are stored, and the useless ones are left alone. As for things that cannot be dealt with in a day, implying they’re of higher importance, I will transfer them to a formal folder to deal with, a bit like project initiation.

Screenshot Port

Maybe most people use chat software for screenshots on the computer, without installing additional tools, but there’s a disadvantage: there is no record of historical screenshots. Sometimes you need to use a screenshot taken a few days ago; you have to go to the chat history to find it, or try to reproduce the scene of the screenshot.

I prefer to use screenshot tools like Snipaste, which do not rely on chat software. In addition to rich image annotation functions, more importantly, each screenshot can be saved to the folder I specify and can be reused.

Personal computers, work computers, and mobile phones have their own folders for storing screenshots. Since screenshots sometimes involve sensitive information, I don’t want to use a network disk to synchronize them. I use Resilio, which has no cloud, to associate them. The screenshots of the 3 devices are centralized; each device has a copy, and point-to-point synchronization is maintained.

Screenshots, especially screen recordings, still take up space, and old screenshots have no retention value. I have set some rules. Every night, Tasker will delete screenshots that have been in the Screenshot Port for more than 7 days. Since it can be synchronized, the ones on other devices are also deleted.

This port not only has a constraint mechanism, but also doesn’t need to be maintained. I take screenshots as usual, I can retrieve recent screenshots, and I can limit the number of pictures to a controllable range, so I don’t have to search through a haystack.

Browser Tab Port

Observing others using browsers, I found that most people belong to the “open only, no close” type. They often use the browser tab bar like this, and then close all the next day and start over:

I didn’t have this problem originally. I closed tabs very frequently, consciously closing tabs that were used in time. But this also has drawbacks: it takes up my time and interrupts my tasks. The common situation is that I click on a web page and open a new tab, and the original web page is useless. For a tab hoarder like me, I have to immediately close the original one. Even using shortcut keys Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+Tab and then Ctrl/Cmd+W, which is faster than the mouse, is also quite troublesome.

Why not try to regard the browser as a port? Tabs are also digital materials, and they can also be managed with the port mindset. This trial was really great! I can also open only, no close, and not do those cleaning things.

This requires a browser plugin called Tab Wrangler, which can be installed in browsers that support the Chrome app store. I have set some rules. Tabs that have not been moved for more than 12 hours will be automatically closed by the plugin. When I wake up the next day, the browser is clean by itself. As for the tabs to be processed the next day, I only need to use the browser’s pin function; pinned tabs will not be cleaned up by the plugin.

The constraint mechanism of the browser tab port is very similar to the computer file port: daily cleaning. Useful tabs, actively save; most of them are useless, no additional processing is required.

My digital world ports seem numerous, but they are basically upgrades and transformations of existing locations, do not change the original usage habits, there is nothing to remember. The call recording port and the screenshot port don’t even need to be managed; they all run silently.

Physical World Ports

Can the port mindset be extended beyond the digital world to reduce the burden of life?

Absolutely. For many people, this is a matter of course: opening up a dedicated space to store items to be processed or sorted, and regularly cleaning to prevent excessive accumulation. Everyone is actually doing this, but they haven’t theorized it.

For example, during Double Eleven, the packages at home are bursting and there is no time to unpack them. Isn’t it just piled up at the door? At this time, this small space next to the shoe cabinet becomes a port, and some are unpacked every day when there is time.

Another example is the desk of the company’s finance department, with neat stacks of A4 paper on the desktop. This stack is for archiving after verification, and that stack is the reimbursement forms submitted by everyone. This is also a port, a distribution center for documents.

Therefore, there is actually nothing to say about establishing a port in the physical world. Everyone has already mastered this ability.

However, my home still has a special small port, which can be shown. I found a paper bag of suitable size, labeled “Inbox,” and hung it at the door to store time-sensitive paper documents.

What are “time-sensitive paper documents”? For example, a one-year car insurance contract, medical records required to apply for special additional deductions for personal income tax, or paper catering invoices collected for friends. These are all useful for a certain period of time, and after that, they become waste paper and do not need to be kept for a long time.

In the digital age, there are fewer and fewer such documents at home, but not completely absent, which is the troublesome part. If they are classified and placed with long-term materials, they are often forgotten to be cleaned up and accumulate more and more; if they are placed in a conspicuous place, some materials have a long validity period, and after being placed for half a year, they become backing paper. Can you still remember where it is?

At this time, a port should be opened for them. The constraint mechanism of the port in the physical world basically depends on the size of the space. The space opened up should not be too large, otherwise it will become a warehouse; it should not be too small, otherwise it will not be able to turn around. This requires a period of experimentation to find the right size.

In short, open up space for the intermediate state of the physical world and create a habitat. It is better to dredge than to block.

Financial World Ports

The object of the financial world is money. Of course, no penny is useless and can be destroyed, so the main problem here is the scheduling of funds.

I have many bank cards. Savings, financial management and daily expenses mainly rely on China Merchants Bank. Mortgage loans are deducted from China Construction Bank. There are also salary cards from various companies I have worked for. Funds are scattered everywhere, difficult to manage and count. Monthly income, mortgage repayment, and transfers are also very annoying. Is it possible to have a financial port for centralized scheduling?

Most domestic banks have a fund collection function, and it is cross-bank. Search in the corresponding bank app to find it. It can associate two cards from different banks, set rules to automatically schedule funds in the two cards.

Through fund collection, every day China Merchants Bank will transfer all the funds from the CITIC Bank salary card, leaving only 20 yuan balance to keep it active. At the same time, China Merchants Bank will ensure that there is at least 5000 balance in the China Construction Bank mortgage card every day for repayment. If it is not enough, it will transfer money. If the CCB card has a balance of more than 20,000 due to other people’s transfers, it will collect the excess.

In this way, this China Merchants Bank card becomes my financial port. Funds are concentrated here to the maximum extent and then used for financial management. Even if there are other bank cards in the future, and there are other forms of capital transactions, they can also be scheduled through here.

Thought World Ports

Furthermore, does the port mindset have a place in the world of thought?

Yes. Here, it has no physical form, no folders, no small paper bags. What needs to be done is to change your attitude towards information.

Information is divided into 3 categories:

Events: Something happened, you know it; this is an event. Due to the minimal long-term impact on the whole society, it is more of a talking point at the moment and has no value afterward. For example, in 2018, the movie “Dunkirk” won the 90th Academy Award.
Knowledge: You have learned a principle or a historical event; this is knowledge. This principle is very basic, not affected by human society, and plays a long-term role. Or this historical event has a major and long-term impact on the world, and you understand its causes and consequences. For example, the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident changed the attitudes and policies of countries around the world towards nuclear power.
Opinions: You have a certain view or attitude towards something; this is an opinion. Your opinion only exists in your heart. Everyone has different opinions on this matter. People with the same and opposite views as you even quarrel for a long time. For example, you think that the south of China should also have central heating in winter like the north.

Events are objective and short-term; knowledge is objective and long-term; opinions are subjective.

The information you receive daily from various channels is shaping and changing your thought world. A big problem today is that all 3 types of information are unreliable. Events are often false and spread by hearsay; knowledge is often wrong and misleading for profit; opinions are often extreme and force people to choose camps. Let such information shape or invade your thought world, and you will be ruined.

But accepting information is unavoidable and cannot be complacent. A huge amount of information comes every day. Accept it, you may eat too much garbage; verify it, how can you verify so much information?

Therefore, it is very meaningful to establish a port for the thought world. To establish this port is to accept the existence of the intermediate state of information in concept. In layman’s terms, it is to have a state of “Well, I have heard of it; I don’t know if it is true or false; I haven’t verified it yet.” If you see a piece of news or a popular science article, and your brain immediately wants to express your opinion, wants to scold the person in the news, or wants to forward this popular science to the family group, it means that the port of thought has not been established.

Don’t directly put the information you receive every day into your memory as facts, but let it stay in this “I have heard of it” port for a few days. In these few days, important things that are related to you, you will naturally recall, will verify, understand more details, form your own understanding and attitude, and finally officially incorporate them into your thought world. Those unimportant ones will no longer appear in your mind, and time will help you destroy them. Even if you think of it again someday, its state will become: “Well, I have heard of it; I don’t know if it is true or false; it is not important; I am too lazy to verify.”

Remember principle two of the port mindset? Not everything needs a beginning and an end. Forgetting is the constraint mechanism of the thought port.

Conclusion

From digital materials to the physical world, and then from the physical world to thought, the port mindset allows people to change themselves and actively fit into this changing and flowing world. Perhaps because it is close to the real way things work, people feel more relaxed and natural.

So what role does this abstract “port mindset” play in life? How to imagine these virtual ports?

The picture in my mind is: The port is a brave pass; it fights against chaos and disorder and leaves order to the land behind that needs to be protected. That land is your life, your time, your thoughts.

When Efficiency Obsesses Over Housework...

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 12:30:00 +0000

Since having a kid, my housework starts after 9:30 pm. When chores pile up, my mind races, and I forget things. I’ll think I’m done, ready to relax, only to remember laundry. After hanging clothes, I sit, then remember the trash. As an efficiency nut, this is unacceptable. After some late-night pondering, I realized housework can be streamlined. It just needs some imagination and memory tricks.

Two problems arise when things get hectic: 1. Forgetting tasks; 2. Poor prioritization, leading to bottlenecks.

Avoiding Omissions

Let’s tackle forgetting. Why does it happen? Our brains struggle with unrelated items. Interruptions add to the memory load. You have to remember your original task and the interruption. After a few, you’re lost. This memory is linear, like a chain—break one link, and it’s broken.

“The faintest ink is better than the best memory?” Not here. Jotting notes on your phone is inefficient. Information detours through your fingers, phone, screen, and eyes. It’s slow. Your brain is faster. Bioelectrical signals are lightning-fast compared to fumbling with a phone. Plus, wet hands and housework don’t mix with phones.

Too much to remember? Create connections. Categorize. Understand each task, find common ground, and group them. This seems like more information, but it shifts the structure from linear to tree-like. It’s more robust, easier to recall. You only need the trunk; the branches (specific tasks) follow.

Commonalities in chores? Location is intuitive. Our brains excel at concrete images. You know your home. Standing in the living room, you know where everything is. Use this perspective. Two tasks in the kitchen? Imagine a neon “2” there. Three on the balcony? A neon “3.” You’ll remember the specifics upon entering the space.

For the abstract-minded, or those in smaller homes, categorize differently. Daily chores boil down to: washing dishes, clothes, and yourself. Infrequent tasks become “other.” Imagine a table, neon numbers – same principle.

Specificity boosts memory. Engage more senses. If a kitchen task is added, the “2” flashes and “dings” to “3.” Balcony tasks done? The “3” “sizzles” out, sparking.

How to recall specifics? Before adding to the number, mentally check: Is the item visible? If yes, great. If not, interrupt yourself, go place it in plain sight. It’s a real-life “snooze.”

Remembering the number is key. Even if you forget the task, you know something’s missing. Let the number hang there; you’ll likely remember.

Scheduling

The second problem, bottlenecks, often involves waiting for machines.

If everything were manual, this wouldn’t matter. Total time’s the same. But I need to wait for the washer before the next load, the dishwasher before prepping veggies, the sterilizer before the next batch of bottles.

Cooks know this. Juggling appliances requires mental timing. Apply this to housework. Add a ticking clock to the neon number’s corner. If a machine’s running in that space (or category), a clock appears.

Now, sequence matters. Prioritize starting the machines, then tackle manual tasks.

Conclusion

Using this, I visualize the neon numbers from my living room. Like a game, I start the clocks, then clear the numbers. It cuts down on forgetfulness, boosts efficiency, and even makes chores a bit fun.

The Bubble in the Real Economy

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 10:58:00 +0000

Bright Dairy’s Ubest milk boasts 180mg of immunoglobulin per liter. Whoever came up with that, Bright Dairy’s staff or some marketing firm, is a genius—a twisted one, maybe.

First time I saw this ad, I wasn’t sure if it was meant to be drunk or injected. Seriously, why not add some Hepatitis B immunoglobulin to infant formula? My daughter could skip a shot.

Who are they kidding? Does everything you swallow magically enter your bloodstream? They’re betting that people will buy into that. And it works, doesn’t it?

Bright Dairy is playing it smart. You can’t nail them for false advertising. They don’t claim any immune benefits, just that they added something harmless. Someone complains? They’ll just say, “You assumed it had immune benefits? That’s on you.”

I could do the same. I’ll sell Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) in a fancy bottle. Pure grain, perfect alcohol content, great for cleaning screens. Buy it!

See? Nothing changed. I just created a bogus niche market with some clever wording. Throw money at marketing, make it stick. Competitors will jump in, hype it up even more. All that capital and labor, wasted.

Don’t think the real economy is actually “real.” This deceptive over-packaging is its bubble. Real estate and financial bubbles are huge, interconnected, and earth-shattering when they burst. The real economy’s bubbles seem small, isolated. But when consumption drops, these markets will collapse even faster, fueling volatility. Just look at those ridiculous ads in elevators. Are these bubbles really smaller than real estate or finance, considering the consumer market’s size?

When an avalanche happens, it’s not just the snow at the top; it’s the whole mountainside.

Besieged

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 20:55:36 +0000

Seen any elevator ads lately? One for “Kapal Api Coffee, recommended by the Indonesian President, it smells so good!” caught my eye. I’ll use this ad to illustrate how treacherous the world can be.

Since at least November 16, 2021, I’ve seen Kapal Api Coffee ads in the elevators of both my office and apartment buildings. The ad implies that Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) recommends this coffee, using his photos and video footage.

What’s your take? Do you believe the president is actually involved? Or do you just shrug it off? It’s rare for a head of state to endorse a brand, so I dug deeper.

First, I checked Kapal Api Coffee’s origins. Business records show the domestic entity is Kapal Api Food (China) Co., Ltd., wholly owned by PT. Balini Inve Indonesia, an Indonesian firm.

Here’s the tricky part: I don’t speak Indonesian. How to trace this? Searching the full name in English gave me some third-party business info, but no official site. Luckily, Kapal Api Coffee does have an official website. Its international name is Kapal Api, and it’s indeed Indonesia’s top coffee producer. But what’s the link between Kapal Api and PT. Balini Inve Indonesia? Direct searches turned up nothing, so I broke down the company name.

“PT.” is Indonesian for “Limited Liability Company,” and “Inve” means investment. So, PT. Balini Inve Indonesia is “Indonesian Balini Investment Co., Ltd.,” with Balini being the company name. Searching for Kapal Api and Balini revealed the connection: Balini is a Kapal Api brand. Great, Kapal Api Food (China) Co., Ltd. is indeed part of the Indonesian coffee giant, Kapal Api.

Second question: Is that really the Indonesian President in the ad? Public information confirms it is indeed President Joko Widodo. However, the video shows a younger Jokowi, and the segment featuring him is blurry compared to other shots, suggesting older footage. This raised a red flag.

The core issue: What’s the relationship between Jokowi and Kapal Api Coffee? Searching the Chinese internet, I found no endorsement news. Instead, I found the ad’s source: Shanghai Shengsi Zhuozhi Marketing Planning Company. They came up with the “President’s Coffee” strategy.

This is a small micro-enterprise with a registered capital of 5 million, offering brand marketing services.

On Shengsi Zhuozhi’s website, they proudly showcase the Kapal Api Coffee case study, explaining the “President’s Coffee” strategy, confirming my online findings.

Shengsi Zhuozhi’s other clients are mostly local Chinese firms. The few foreign brand cases are all marketing within China. I concluded that this company lacks overseas marketing experience and focuses domestically. Thus, they likely don’t have the resources for an overseas endorsement, let alone one from the Indonesian President.

Could Kapal Api’s parent company have a deal with President Jokowi, bringing those materials to the Chinese market? I searched in English, and even Indonesian.

First, I searched for Kapal Api and “president.” No dice, whether articles or images.

It’s a language issue. “Kapal Api” is Indonesian, “president” is English, hence English results. Indonesia and its coffee aren’t hot topics in the English-speaking world.

Time to tackle the Indonesian-speaking world. The president’s name is Joko Widodo. Would searching these two names unlock it?

Yes, a flood of gibberish nearly made me spit blood. But, I don’t need to understand Indonesian, just find where the names appear together. And there it was, in a 2017 report.

Translation tools helped me grasp the context. President Jokowi took steps to boost Indonesia’s coffee industry. Kapal Api, a major beneficiary, awarded Jokowi the title of “National Coffee Activist.”

Endorsement? Ad? Nothing. I could dig further, but it’s unnecessary. Any reasonable person can see what’s happening.

Kapal Api’s Chinese marketing team is playing fast and loose. It’s like the Minister of Agriculture announcing a push for the peach industry, and then a peach seller claiming the Minister endorses their peaches, using the minister’s photos and videos.

The endorsement doesn’t affect my buying decision. The lie isn’t hugely damaging, but it’s insulting. Are they treating consumers like idiots? How many people would go to these lengths to verify an ad? It’s like using a nuke to swat a fly. The cost of the lie is minimal, a slight nudge from the truth, yet consumers need a nuke to detect it.

Much of the commercial world is malicious. They’ll hype anything, lie, and spread pseudoscience, all for profit. They swarm around you, filling your life with lies while picking your pocket. It’s disgusting.

I once saw a WeChat post making extreme political comments. The author? A grocery store. Does the owner fancy himself a modern-day Zhuge Liang?

I’ve got nothing against Kapal Api Coffee, so why bother? Because I’m a stickler for details. I’ll dive into academic papers to get to the bottom of things. I’ve exposed far worse false advertising. A coffee company lying about endorsements is just the tip of the iceberg. Think about all the ads that have excited or intrigued you. Hyaluronic acid thermoses, blood sugar-lowering rice cookers – how much false info has been crammed into your brain? How much money has been drained from your wallet?

What kind of world is this? Peaceful? Stable? I’d say: Besieged.

I reported Kapal Api Coffee to the Administration for Market Regulation. Easy to do on the 12315 mini-program. But that’s beside the point. I want to warn everyone, to protect my family and friends.

March 31, 2022 Update:

The Administration for Market Regulation responded. Due to the minor nature, timely stop, and lack of serious consequences, they decided not to impose a penalty. I’m not dissatisfied; it’s reasonable in this case.

See? Society tolerates these commercial lies. It’s not just unscrupulous businesses; society encourages it. Bragging and lying are more beneficial than harmful for companies.

Especially in the information age, businesses aren’t shouting face-to-face. People used to know lying would damage their reputation. Now, consumers face a brand, an ad, not a person. A company’s image is vague. It has no psychological burden, only gains and losses.

This is a fundamental problem. Is there a solution? Sadly, not yet.

The Mahjong Table at the Intersection

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 10:36:57 +0000

I got to work early today. Over breakfast, I watched the intersection below for nearly half an hour. From the 9th floor, it’s a completely different view than driving. You see the collective driver reactions, how tiny decisions ripple outwards. It’s a fascinating, chaotic system.

During rush hour, the intersection twice became a “mahjong table”—traffic in each direction jammed against another. Four streams of cars formed a kind of windmill, like a mahjong game’s starting setup. I thought it was hopeless, only solvable by a traffic cop.

The jam was massive. One direction alone was three lanes wide, buses included. The line blocking that probably stretched to the next intersection.

Surprisingly, this “mahjong table” cleared in 20 minutes. How? First, southbound traffic backed up from the next light (imagine this cascading down the line – that’s why jams move on navigation apps). The light turned green, southbound cars kept coming, blocking the intersection and halting westbound traffic. Westbound traffic then blocked northbound. Crucially, the southbound flow wasn’t constant; it crept forward. That’s where things fell apart. If a single car lagged, impatient eastbound drivers, pressured by the queue behind (even without honking), would cut in, knowing it’d worsen the jam. Eastbound traffic, blocked by northbound, in turn blocked southbound. The “mahjong table” was set – a self-destructive loop.

Five minutes later, the lanes cleared, but the central knot remained. A bus driver stuck his head out, trying to direct, but no one budged. Even scooters were stuck.

How did it untangle? After 10 minutes of gridlock, drivers got restless. Initially, it was all about gaining an inch. But, at a certain point, a few drivers led the change, everyone’s behavior flipped. They realized they had to yield to avoid a lose-lose, or maybe the cost became too high. Cars started making right turns or U-turns, taking detours. The knot shrank from three lanes to two, then one, finally dissolving.

Drivers were noticeably friendlier during the untangling. No more aggressive cutting in; they let stragglers merge. People are more cooperative when they’re in better spirits.

Driving reveals human nature. It’s mostly instinct, little logic. Everyone has limited information, judging from just a few nearby cars. It’s like first-order chaos; people don’t predict the outcome, and even if they could, it wouldn’t matter. Without external input, most drivers switched from competition to cooperation in under 20 minutes. It’s quite a sight, really interesting.

Thoughts on Kitchenware

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 01:36:28 +0000

I’ve been pondering kitchenware. If I could only have one item, what would it be?

The answer’s obvious: a rice cooker! Back in my tiny rental, I didn’t even have a proper kitchen. Yet, I cooked everything with it. I’d cook rice, and steam Chinese sausage, veggies, and potatoes in a basket above. The sausage drippings flavored the rice. The veggies might’ve yellowed a bit, but a dash of seafood soy sauce fixed that.

The rice cooker reigns supreme because it’s so versatile. Steaming, boiling, stewing – it handles all water-based cooking without creating a greasy mess. And, as a Southerner, rice is my staple.

If I could add a second item? A wok, hands down. Given that kitchen-less rental, it’d need a small, flat bottom for gas and induction stoves. For versatility, the wok’s a champ, beating even the rice cooker. It excels at oil-based cooking: stir-frying, braising, and pan-frying, rounding out the essential techniques.

The third item? Things get interesting. I’d choose a clay pot, the kind you use directly on the flame. It expands what I can do. Neither the rice cooker nor the wok is ideal for stewing, where the clay pot shines. Plus, it’s about using both burners. While stir-frying and cooking rice, I can have something stewing. Why stewing? It takes the longest but needs the least attention, minimizing fuss.

Four items? A microwave. It’s not just for reheating; it’s great for steaming. I use it for fish and eggplant. Its real strength, though, is speed. Microwaves are fast by design. Adding a last-minute dish is a snap.

Fifth: a stockpot. For soup, the rice cooker, wok, or clay pot could work, but the first two are often in use, and the clay pot’s slow. I often just want a quick veggie soup, spiced up, not a long-simmered stew. A metal stockpot’s perfect; it might even see more use than the clay pot.

Number six: an electric steamer, mainly for the timer. It’s my breakfast staple. I prep the night before, set the timer, and wake up to warm sweet potatoes, taro, and eggs. Why not the rice cooker? It has a timer, but it’s small, and steaming isn’t its strong suit. Food gets soggy if left too long.

Seventh: an oven. Baking’s unique. But it’s not an everyday thing, and given its size, I haven’t gotten one yet.

After that, it’s a free-for-all. Electric hot pot, electric clay pot, frying pan, instant noodle pot… you could say you can’t cook without them, right?

The order isn’t key; the decision process is. Most people follow similar logic: start with essentials. Then, choose versatile items for maximum coverage. It’s good to have options, even if you don’t use them all. Only then do you specialize, adding tools for specific tasks. Finally, you address niche, less frequent needs.

Consider my grandparents’ cooking. No gadgets. Rice in a pressure cooker, with that translucent plastic paddle. Everything else, a single wok. No outlets, so no rice cooker, let alone an oven or blender.

Society’s progress gives us choices, refining cooking. The move from all-in-one to specialized tools happens everywhere; it’s the same logic. It’s how people choose, so it’s timeless. This, in turn, becomes a yardstick for an industry’s maturity.

The world changes, but some things endure. Finding these constants can unlock many answers.

The Tug-of-War at the Garage Gate

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Thu, 22 Nov 2018 12:53:00 +0000

Our apartment complex has an underground garage, a bit of a trek from the north gate. It’s fully automated, no guard needed. Management doesn’t want to pay for a guard, so they banned residents from walking through – north gate only. But some folks despise detours and will do anything to sneak through. I’ve lived here two years, and it’s been a constant, ridiculous battle.

Initially, the gate had a single bar, with gaps on the sides. Easy peasy to squeeze through. The gate was always malfunctioning then, so a guard was posted, manually letting cars in. He ignored pedestrians.

The gate got fixed, the guard left. Management extended the bar, nearly flush with the walls. No problem – residents just ducked under. Still worked.

Later, they upgraded the gate: two bars with mesh between them. No more ducking, and you’d need serious hops to clear it. Crawling, of course, was still an option…

But residents just waited. Grandmas with groceries, ladies with strollers, all hanging out. When a car approached, they’d rush in while the gate was open.

Waiting is a drag, though. Who knows when a car will show up? Some residents got antsy and started squeezing past the wall. I noticed the paint near the gate arms was all rubbed off.

Slim folks could manage, but larger ones weren’t deterred. The gate’s ends got wrecked. The extensions were flimsy KT board, easily snapped. The mesh, seemingly metal, had bits near the wall torn off, dangling.

Management fixed it, it broke again. Repeat. A few times, the whole gate was removed for major repairs, leaving just the bare, rusty bar – pretty sad.

Today, I saw a new tactic! Management smeared this sticky, nasty, reddish-brown gunk – oil or glue, who knows – all over the walls by the gate. I burst out laughing! Talk about a deterrent! Squeeze through, ruin your clothes. But the entrance looks like a disaster zone, like someone’s trying to collect a debt.

I’m sure the detour-haters will figure something out. Maybe cardboard or plastic wrap stuck to the wall, using the gunk as adhesive while protecting their clothes. I can picture someone doing that, feeling all smug.

Who knows?

The Texting Experience

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 01:20:29 +0000

Image from Dribbble.

The title might be misleading. I’m not discussing the UX of messaging apps, but the reading experience of chat content.

Number OCD

My supervisor recently asked for my phone and ID numbers for some paperwork. We were chatting on DingTalk. I replied “OK” and sent:

×× (My Name) Phone: 186×××××××× ID: 360103××××××××××××

I stared at the message and thought I could do better. So, I resent it:

×× (My Name) Phone: 186 ×××× ×××× ID: 360 103 ×××× ×××× ××××

I mentioned it was easier to read. My supervisor quipped, “OCD kicking in again, eh?” I replied, a bit pretentiously, “User experience is everywhere,” followed by a grinning emoji.

That was that. But since I’d mentioned UX, I figured I’d explore it further. It wasn’t just me being nitpicky. My initial message wasn’t exactly user-friendly.

Formatting a reply is a design task, tied to the user and goal. The user was clear: my supervisor on DingTalk mobile. But the goal? I hadn’t asked. She needed the numbers for documents, but she wouldn’t be preparing them herself. She’d pass the info along. How? Jot it down or forward it? That’s a big difference!

Writing it Down

If she was writing it down, it’d likely be the old-fashioned “read-memorize-write” method. I can’t control the writing, but the reading and memorizing depend on my formatting.

Research suggests people can only remember about 7 digits at a time. Anything longer needs chunking. We remember five and seven-character poems. Nine-character poems exist, but they’re rare. Qu Yuan’s Li Sao is an exception, but even there, most meaningful content stays within 7 characters, thanks to the modal particle “兮”.

Seven is the limit, though, not ideal. Think about verification codes: usually 4 or 6 digits. We can recall 4 digits easily, but 6-digit codes get broken into 3+3. This suggests the sweet spot for easy recall is under 6 characters. China’s 11-digit phone numbers are commonly read as 3+4+4. We say, “Call my 186 number.” Online, the middle 4 digits are often masked. We also tend to remember the last 4 digits. This shows how ingrained this grouping is. ID numbers aren’t usually split up visually, but they have inherent sections: 6 (region) + 4 (year) + 4 (month/day) + 4 (last four). That’s likely how most people memorize them.

As an aside, is the magic number 4 or 5? I lean towards 4, though I lack hard proof. But the examples above hint at it. Bank card numbers, too: different lengths, but when deliberately grouped, they never exceed 4 digits per chunk.

However you format a long number string, that’s how the recipient will read and memorize it. We should all offer this courtesy to each other.

Forwarding on Mobile

Back to the point. If the numbers were to be forwarded and copied into a system, things change entirely.

I couldn’t know if the system handled spaces. Pasting the “easy-read” format might result in “186 ×××× ××”. Also, my supervisor, on Android, couldn’t use clipboard tools like Pin. Extracting the numbers would be a hassle.

Mobile IM often forces you to copy the entire message.

So, for copying from IM, the best format is:

Name:

×× Phone: 186×××××××× ID: 360103××××××××××××

This reminds me of my WeChat public account. I mostly just post articles, so I set up an auto-reply directing people to my Weibo.

For a while, the auto-reply just said: “I don’t check this account often. Contact me via private message on Sina Weibo: @我_ColaChan.”

Then I messaged myself. It was a pain to copy just the nickname. So I changed it: “I don’t check this account often. Contact me on Sina Weibo. Reply ‘Weibo’ for my username.” Replying “Weibo” triggered a message with just “@我_ColaChan”.

An extra step, but much easier to extract the information.

Eliminating Typos

Text chat isn’t just about numbers. Everyday conversation is key. What defines “good” or “bad” here?

In middle school, we didn’t have cell phones. We chatted on QQ via computer. A classmate once said chatting with me was reassuring. Why? Because I never made typos.

Thinking back, it’s true. Life’s faster now, and with auto-suggestions, typos happen. But attitude matters. I proofread my messages and always fix typos.

Many people don’t check their messages. They don’t check after typing, or even during. They just fire off a message. Even if they spot a mistake, they often can’t be bothered to fix it, assuming the other person will get it. This leads to gibberish like “Enai” (should be “En Ai,” meaning “love”) or “Bu hui ni o” (should be “Bu hui you ni o,” meaning “won’t have you”). Misspelled keywords require serious guesswork, even considering homophones and keyboard layouts. I’ve dealt with printers and developers whose messages are incredibly hard to decipher. Sure, being busy is understandable. But typo-free chat is a better experience for everyone.

Language is Serious

I’ve gotten messages like this before, a jumbled mess:

are you there Does UI need hand-drawing? Can’t do it without hand-drawing? No response to resume Is it not enough experience What are the ui specifications do I need to look at both ios andriod Are you there are you there、 What to do without a portfolio?

That’s not verbatim, but it captures the essence. Missing punctuation, misused punctuation, spaces instead of commas, extra spaces, mixed Chinese and English punctuation, misspelled words, misused words, no clear topics… It’s a catalog of common communication errors.

Language’s main purpose is communication. It’s the agreed-upon system for expressing concepts. Ignoring language norms is like disconnecting from that system. It’s a big deal. Even in casual texts, I think it’s important to use “的,” “地,” and “得” correctly. These details are often overlooked. It’s not about language purity; it’s about making things easier for the reader. Standard language helps.

The Mindset of Writing a Press Release

Think of your messages like press releases. Unless you’re just shooting the breeze with a close friend, there’s usually a point.

The jumbled message above, besides being imprecise, suffers from scattered topics. How do you even answer that? If you’re confused and need help, write a clear request for help. The example above isn’t even an outline.

Clear messages have structure. Start with a sentence stating the topic, then elaborate, point by point. If you’re informing someone, state the key facts. If you need something, explain why, and ideally, offer a solution. If you’re reporting a problem, give enough details for troubleshooting.

When friends ask for computer help, they often just say, “My computer’s broken, help!” And then they wait for me to ask questions. I wish just once someone would proactively tell me the error message, if it’s happened before, when it started, what they did before and after, what they tried, and what the results were.

Imagine a robbery. The police arrive, and the victim just keeps saying, “I’ve been robbed! Catch the thief!” The case won’t get solved.

Focused conversations are efficient. A ten-minute explanation can drag on for an hour due to poor communication. Wasting someone’s time is a cardinal sin.

Modern Big-Character Posters

China has a thing for slogan banners and posters. For urban planning: “Gather all forces, plan water management, build a harmonious city, promote the water town image, and establish a legacy.” For construction safety: “Safety creates happiness, negligence brings pain. Safety is efficiency, safety is happiness.” For hospitals: “Create a safe hospital, build harmonious doctor-patient relations.”

Let’s not even get into the slogans themselves. The point is, the people behind these didn’t consider their audience or tone. A slogan near a military area was actually good: “Obey the Party’s command, be able to win battles, and have a good work style.” It’s hierarchical and logical. Most importantly, it’s clear and unambiguous.

News and official outlets use vague language to be inclusive and cover all bases. But this isn’t just a media thing. We’ve all encountered people who write in an overly formal or flowery style at work. Think of those landing pages: a confusing illustration with shopping carts and money flying everywhere, and text like, “Enjoy endless discounts.”

I remember one ad clearly. I forget the brand, but it showed traditional soy sauce making. The spokesperson, standing by a field of drying soybeans, said plainly, “Just dry it here, just rely on the sun.” A less direct approach might have been: “XX hectares of soybean processing, natural air-drying.” That’s uninspiring. No matter how accurate or fancy, it lacks imagery.

You can see the ad’s directness here: http://t.cn/RcxcZ3I.

It reminds me of a joke with my classmates:

“The rolling Yangtze River flows eastward…"

“Get to the point!" “The river flows east!"

Topic Guardian

After I started working, someone commented on my chat style again, saying I was “chatting with my life.” They explained that with others, it’s a back-and-forth. With me, they’d see me “typing” for ages, sometimes over ten minutes. They’d return from getting water to find a massive, multi-paragraph message from me, addressing every tangent from the earlier conversation.

So, I do have that habit! I don’t let topics die; I need closure. I can see how this would be tiring in casual chats. I don’t want to be like this. I’d prefer to stick to one thing. But once the conversation derails, even if it’s not my fault, I feel compelled to keep it going. If the other person is fine with this style, I’m the one who ends up exhausted.

Long messages have pros and cons. The downside is making people wait. But the upside is preventing further tangents. If, mid-reply, something reminds the other person of something else, they might interrupt, creating more branches. It’s very common.

This is a dilemma. Wasting time is bad, so shouldn’t I avoid long waits? But if I don’t control the topics, forgotten points might need revisiting later, which also wastes time. In text chat, prioritizing the other person’s experience means choosing the less time-consuming option. Letting topics explode seems like a lesser evil.

Oh, Hehe, [Grin]

These are the worst replies, the ultimate conversation killers. Why? They’re short and meaningless, yes. But the real problem is they don’t reflect the sender’s state. They replied, but didn’t actually respond. You don’t know if they understood; they could have been typing those replies mindlessly.

It’s like sending an email with no loading indicator or confirmation. The compose window stays open. You close it, and the email’s nowhere: not in Sent, Outbox, Drafts, Inbox, Junk, or Spam. WTF?

It sounds ridiculous, but these conversations happen all the time. An Android developer asked me for an asset. I asked how he planned to use it – fixed size or .9 patch? He replied, “Okay.” I thought he’d hit send accidentally. But after 30 seconds, not even a “typing” indicator. The topic died, forcing me to start a new round of questions.

Tech people should understand feedback. The TCP/IP handshake is a prime example: Client sends to server: “I want to connect.” Server replies: “Is this what you sent? Is it you?” Client confirms: “Yes, it’s me, let’s connect.”

Humans are good at context, machines less so. But even with context, clear feedback is crucial. At the very least, reply with “OK” or “Received.” If there’s a choice, repeat the chosen option.

Conclusion

Looking back at my IM interactions, there’s a clear divide. Some people are a breeze to communicate with; others make you want to just call. The same task, expressed differently in text, leads to vastly different experiences.

Experience design is everywhere, and it’s practical. Strip away the methodologies, and you’re left with one core principle: Put yourself in the other person’s shoes.

Two Packs of Aojiru

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 00:43:28 +0000

I have a bunch of instant drinks at home – red dates, goji berries, milk, chrysanthemum, sanqi flowers, honey, you name it. This year, I discovered aojiru, a powdered barley leaf drink. I’m not in it for the health benefits; it just tastes good, kind of like matcha. It’s great with milk and oatmeal for breakfast. I had two brands: one was pure barley leaf powder, the other had matcha, sugar, and other additives. It tasted bland, and I wasn’t a fan.

The other day, I finished the bland one. I was secretly relieved, thinking, “I won’t buy that again.” But then it hit me – why did I power through the bad one first?

It’s a bit complicated. I first noticed this habit in elementary school. My mom sometimes picked me up for lunch since my school was nearby. We’d grab a quick lunchbox. I loved meat; a chicken drumstick made my day. My mom’s coworker noticed I always ate the other food first, saving the drumstick for last. She said, “Your son is a pessimist. He saves the best for last.” That was the first time I realized not everyone thinks like me.

In school, this was a good thing. My parents and teachers saw me as disciplined, finishing homework before playing. I’d sneak out of bed to play games, but never before homework was done. I’m not sure I loved studying, but it worked.

But this approach isn’t always a hit. Take my grandparents. They have a storage room full of things their kids gave them – clothes, kitchenware, you name it. They won’t use anything new until the old stuff breaks, which drives everyone nuts. Thankfully, they’ve loosened up, taking more time to enjoy life.

That lady’s “pessimist” comment wasn’t quite right. You could call it optimism, depending on your focus. So, what’s the real difference between sooner or later? It’s about worldview, two ways of seeing the world, leading to two strategies: gathering and sowing. Gatherers are past-oriented. They see a static world where every bit used is a loss, so they hoard to reach goals. Sowers are present-oriented. They see a dynamic world where consumption fuels gain.

Sounds cliché, right? Like “carpe diem”? But it’s easy to misjudge yourself. I thought I was a sower because I’m easygoing. But the aojiru made me rethink. I have this habit of keeping things just so. If I move something, I put it back immediately. When cooking, I’ll grab the salt, use it, and put it back – repeatedly. I even did something ridiculous: I started washing the egg-beating bowl while the egg was cooking. The heat was too high, and the egg burned. This weird quirk shows I instinctively prefer the existing order, a static worldview.

Even with cooking, if I keep reaching for salt, the spice rack needs rearranging. Changing the environment takes effort, disrupting the familiar. That’s sowing – using energy and prior effort to create efficiency. Sowers use existing resources to make today the best, rather than hoarding the best.

Back to the aojiru. It’s a small thing. I could’ve saved or tossed the bad one. What’s the upside of the good aojiru? One thing: after tasting something good, your sense of “good” sharpens. That improved perception is a gain.

DIY Rainproof Cardboard Shutters

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 12:35:56 +0000

Home renovations present a dilemma: ventilating to remove formaldehyde requires open windows, but rain can damage your floors. I used to think you couldn’t have it both ways, resigning myself to constantly opening and closing windows.

But it’s a simple problem. There are many ways to get airflow and keep rain out. High-end options include smart windows (yes, remotely controlled windows exist!), but those are likely overkill. Cheaper solutions exist. A neighbor used a large truck tarp, costing just a few dollars per square meter. But tarps don’t protect walls.

I stumbled upon an article about car window rain guards, and it clicked. Rain guards are like shutters, using the fact that rain doesn’t fall upwards. Shutters solve this! No need for custom ones; these are temporary. Custom plastic shutters are also flimsy. Cardboard is ideal – a little cutting and crafting, and you have rainproof shutters. Here’s how:

Materials

Basic stuff: wide, clear tape, a utility knife, a pen, and a measuring tape. And cardboard, of course. You probably have tons of boxes after renovating. Choose thicker, sturdier ones with few creases.

Step 1: Measure

Measure the window. The best way to install these is by wedging them into the window frame. So, make them slightly larger than the inner frame for a snug fit. Open the window fully, measure, and leave it open.

Step 2: Cut

Cut the cardboard to size, then cut out the louvers.

This was my first try, so I was conservative. Louvers can be bigger. Spacing can be smaller too – anything over 5cm is strong enough. Ventilation is key.

Leave a gap on each side of the louvers, about the width of the tape. This will help later.

Step 3: Set the Angle

Louvers need an angle, or they’ll flap in the wind.

First, decide which side faces out. I suggest the cleaner side for better tape adhesion, as we’ll cover the whole surface later.

Flip up a louver and clean its back (likely the dusty side). Cut a roughly 20cm piece of tape. Stick 1/3 of it on the back. Flip it to the front and stick it down at a 45-degree angle. Smooth the louver part first, then the panel. Seal the crease tightly.

Once both ends are taped, the louver is fixed. These two pieces of tape are key – they provide tension. Make the angle wider than you think you need, as it’ll get pressed down later.

Step 4: Reinforce

Reinforce those two key pieces of tape.

Apply a horizontal tape strip, its centerline roughly aligned with the crease. The tape should extend past the louver edges, sticking to the panel. Run your finger along the crease for a tight seal.

The horizontal tape will leave gaps at the louver ends. Add two short, vertical tape strips on each side. If you left a tape-width gap, this step is very precise.

Press firmly on the vertical strips, minimizing gaps. This slightly lowers the louver, hence the wider initial angle.

Step 5: Rainproof the Louvers

Louver surfaces are most exposed, so they need extra protection.

Apply a horizontal tape strip, its centerline aligned with the louver’s outer edge. The tape should be longer than the louver.

Fold the excess tape to the back, sticking it down firmly. Start from the middle, then the ends. Seal the louver edges completely.

One louver done. Repeat for all louvers.

Step 6: Rainproof the Rest

The remaining areas are simple. Cover any exposed cardboard with tape.

For extra protection, wrap the entire bottom edge, like the louver edges. This prevents water from soaking in from below.

Rain Test

I was confident, so I tested it. I blasted it with the showerhead for 30 seconds. The back was totally dry.

That’s sufficient. It would take a major storm to replicate that. Heavy rain isn’t a worry, but strong winds are. I’d check them in person during a typhoon.

Installation

Screen windows make installation easy. See the right side of the picture? The frame secures the top, left, and bottom, while the open right edge tucks into the screen’s groove. Without screens, use tape, but it’ll be less wind-resistant.

Casement windows are even simpler – all four edges can be secured.

With three-section screen windows, measure each section separately. In the picture, the top and bottom shutters are separate, each wedged in its groove.

With the screen inside, you only need to secure the left, right, and bottom. The shutter can be slightly shorter than one section, making installation easier.

Finally, these are just for ventilation and rain. If you’re on a lower floor or in an insecure area, it is best to open and close your windows manually.

2016.08.02 Update: Wind resistance is the biggest weakness. Width, cardboard stiffness, and creases matter. My wider shutter blew open. It was almost 1m wide, the cardboard was flimsy, and it had been folded. Use high-quality cardboard for wider shutters.

My Roommate's Ride Home

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Thu, 19 May 2016 16:42:02 +0000

This true story about interaction design gave me some insights into ride-hailing apps. It all started with my old roommate.

The Roommate

We called my college roommate “Boss” – he was assertive, thought differently, and often dropped unexpected truth bombs. He’s an embedded systems engineer, utterly obsessed with the field. He’s also a hardware whiz.

Around 4 PM, he used Didi (China’s Uber) to visit me for dinner. He lived about 6km away. We hadn’t seen each other in a while, so we had a lot to catch up on.

We started talking about a classmate’s wedding, and the conversation naturally drifted to his area of expertise. He went on about algorithms, development philosophies, different ways to control electric motors, and even battery management systems for electric cars. That’s just how he is. He knows I don’t get most of it, but he keeps going, regardless. Even though I only grasped the basics, I listened patiently. His passion is infectious; it’s not painful to hear him talk about this stuff. He reminds me of my calculus professor, who would pause mid-lecture, reflect, and exclaim, “Isn’t the proof of this equation beautiful!” I hated that class, but I respected that professor.

Our major was electronic information. Maybe less than 10% of the class understood the core courses, and we were both in the majority. In our senior year, it was like a switch flipped. He suddenly became super interested in our major, catching up on previous courses and studying beyond the textbooks. He later told me he finally saw how this knowledge applied to real projects – it was actually useful! That’s when his passion ignited. With his dedication, I’m sure he’s a big shot in the industry now.

But he’s clueless about internet products. He still uses an iPhone 4, with very few apps, all on one screen. No folders, no icon organization, and the dock still has the four default iOS apps. It shows that even someone as studious as him won’t waste time on things he doesn’t care about.

I asked if he took a regular ride or carpooled (I wasn’t precise, because I also use Uber, so “regular ride” meant Didi’s Express option). He wasn’t sure, saying it was probably a regular ride since there were no other passengers. I asked the cost, and he said 14 yuan.

After dinner, around 9 PM, he used Didi to head back. I watched him, and noticed a few interesting things:

Calling a Ride

He first tried hailing a taxi, hesitated, then tapped “Hitch” (carpooling). Realizing I was watching, he asked, “Should I choose Hitch?”

I suggested Express, thinking it was what he used to get here, and it would be familiar.

He selected Express and entered his destination. He hadn’t set “Home” or “Work” addresses, so he had to type it in. He tapped the pickup location first, but didn’t realize it.

As he was about to enter his home address, I pointed it out and gestured to the text prompt: “Where are you?”.

He backed out, tapped the destination, but then realized he didn’t remember the exact address. So he backed out again, tapped the top-left menu, and went to “Trips.” He tried to copy the pickup address from his earlier ride, but couldn’t.

He went back to the ride-hailing screen and typed in his home address. The list showed several results: shops, bus stops. He just waited. I didn’t say anything, observing.

But his eyes had left the phone, and his hand lowered. He thought he’d successfully called a ride.

I had to tell him again to choose an address to confirm his destination.

He picked a bus stop, tapped “Call,” and finally got a car.

However, his Express ride back, without carpooling, only cost 5 yuan. So I guessed he probably didn’t take Express on his way here.

The Problem

After he left, I wrote down the process. Thinking about his actions and mindset, I had some insights.

His ultimate goal was to go home. Unsure how the app would react, he assumed it would understand his intentions like a real person. Since you picked me up from home earlier, you should know where my home is, and I want to go back there. His struggle to copy the earlier pickup address clearly showed his goal: a return trip – going back where he came from.

But reality wasn’t perfect. Even a real person can’t always understand another’s thoughts.

The gap between the result and his expectation created a problem. The root cause wasn’t that he didn’t remember his address; it was that he thought Didi should know his home, but it didn’t. The “Home” and “Work” addresses are designed to solve this. However, few people proactively set these, even some IT professionals.

This got me thinking. Aren’t these two separate issues?

Didi can’t intelligently know or guess my home.
Didi doesn’t offer a convenient return trip option.

In my roommate’s case, “going home” and “return trip” overlapped. But they’re not always the same, so let’s consider them separately:

Going Home

From a mental model perspective, going home is switching between “at home” and “outside.” Calling a ride to leave exits the “at home” state. Until you step back inside, you’re “outside.”

For example, if someone gets a call about a package while they’re out, they’d say, “I’m not home,” or “I’m out, please leave it with management.”

“Outside” is uncertain, but “home” is relatively fixed. By analyzing historical trips, visit frequency, and arrival times, it should be possible to guess. For users without set addresses, if the app detects frequent trips to the same area, it could prompt: “We noticed you often go to [location]. Is that your home? Or work?” Recommendations and guidance could encourage users to set addresses, making future trips easier.

Return Trip

Is a return trip common? I don’t have the data. But this scenario is typical: going from home (or work) to a place for leisure or errands, and returning the same way on the same day.

If it’s between two frequent places, “return trip” doesn’t quite fit. We’d think “going home” or “going to work,” part of our routine. A return trip implies a temporary, less frequent location, subconsciously feeling like a short “business trip” or “outing.” Like people going home for the holidays; when it ends, we need a “return” ticket to the city we live in. The destination doesn’t matter; the key is that having come here, we can get back. The “return trip” concept becomes clear.

But a meaningful “return trip” concept doesn’t mean a “return trip” feature is meaningful. The most obvious approach is a “Return Trip” button on the main screen, allowing a one-tap ride to the last trip’s starting point. But there are problems. What if the user hailed a taxi on the street? Or got a ride from a friend? The user wants to go back; they don’t care how they got there. The app can’t know this, so a return trip option would just add confusion.

The key issues are:

How can Didi track user travel history using other methods?
How can Didi know if a destination is temporary?

A mobile app alone can’t solve these. Therefore, the “return trip” concept might be meaningful, but it’s not something a single mode of transportation can provide.

Expectations and Determination in Life

hi@victor42.work (Victor42) — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 23:34:00 +0000

We all lead different lives – some constrained, some challenging, some luxurious, others simple. Even in The Truman Show, a fabricated life is still a life. Everyone has one.

How much determination do you need to live the life you want? It’s a tricky question, difficult to measure. I came up with a visual analogy, though. Remember those liquid density experiments from middle school?

Think of a U-shaped tube. Orange liquid represents your life expectations; blue represents determination. The orange liquid’s density shows how clearly you see your ideal life. The blue’s density is your drive. A float separates the liquids. When balanced, it rests at the bottom. If it shifts left, negativity prevails; right, positivity prevails.

What does this mean? Here are some scenarios:

Low expectations, low determination: The float stays put. You’ll likely have a peaceful life.
High expectations, strong will, hard work: Equilibrium. You earned it.
Envy others, feeling it’s out of reach: Float shifts left. You’ll likely be stuck, blaming the world, full of negativity.
Aiming too high, lacking skills: Blue liquid’s too light, float shifts left. You’ll be spinning your wheels, feeling sorry for yourself.
Idealizing, seeing only the good: Orange liquid’s too dense, float shifts left. Life will seem harsh; you might get discouraged and lose your way.
Seeking simplicity, but believing in better: Float shifts right. You’ll sense life’s richness and excitement.
Modest goals, no strong will, but taking small steps: Blue liquid’s dense, float shifts right. Your rewards may exceed expectations.

There’s an extreme, like in Trainspotting: “I choose not to choose.” Complete spontaneity, no plans, no goals. No responsibility. This kind of aimless life needs zero determination, zero expectations. The U-tube is empty; the float’s balanced. Avoid this balance.

Conversely, there’s no opposite extreme. Desires and drive vary greatly. Everyone’s U-tube is different. That’s what makes the world diverse.

This model isn’t perfect, but it’s useful for self-reflection.

I’m not a workaholic. No job, not even entrepreneurship, has ever consumed me entirely. I always reserve time – sacred time – for friends, sleep, reading, writing, or simply relaxing and daydreaming. Nothing else really captivates me, so my expectations aren’t high.

My ideal life? A comfortable home, ample free time, a few close friends. And, like now, a relaxed pace. Satisfying my curiosity, becoming a knowledgeable person. This seemingly inexpensive life actually requires a solid financial base, which I lack. But money isn’t the core issue; there’s a way to live at any level. At least the goal is clear.

I tend to be inert. My resolve isn’t that strong. My current life isn’t threatened, so where’s the urgency? If a crisis hits, and life gets hard, I hope I’ll find the will.

Regarding drive, I have some strengths. I’m decisive on small matters. I might not be fully prepared, but I’m quick. For big decisions, I don’t get lost in details and rarely second-guess myself. I’m good at turning ideas into action.

Finally, since I’m generally happy, my U-tube would show: both sides low, blue slightly denser, float a bit to the right.

Am I content with that? Hmm… I’m not sure.