I have this algorithm...

Algorithms can solve two kinds of problems.

1) Problems with verifiable answers and...
2) Those without verifiable answers (or the verification is proved by statistically sampling)

Verifiable answers:

Algorithms in this category address problems like, find me all the numbers in this list, or even, find me the fastest route between point a and b.

The value in the algorithm is not the correctness, it is easy to find the answers to these problems, rather the value in these algorithms are the speed with which they are executed and the amount of data you have to solve your problem.

So for example there are many different kinds of sorting algorithms - they all correctly sort, but some are faster and some use less memory. This is where the ingenuity or value of the sorting algorithm comes in.

For the mapping example, it is not difficult to map the fastest route between two points. But you could imagine an algorithm that used realtime traffic data would provide faster routes than other algorithms. The answer these algorithms may be different, but their actual processing of information - the algorithm itself - may be the same. The only difference is the input data used by the algorithm.


Now onto the algorithms with no answers -
these are the interesting algorithms that answer questions like - find the top 10 sites on music, or recommend movies I'll like, or find me a date.

In the case of search - the answer can be the top 10 sites on music are the top music sites that people link to (google's algorithm), or the top 10 sites that my friends like (a facebook solution)

In the case of recommendations, we would have an algorithm like that produced by the netflix prize, a statistical sampling of user preferences run through a barrages of matrix filters. We could also have the pandora algorithm, create a genetic code for a piece of music based on frequency, btm, etc and then find other similar genetic codes.

For dating there is a little less innovation out there. Most sites ask a set of questions (perhaps developed by behavioral specialists), and match those with similar or compatible answers, or let users shop for dates by displaying the answers to these behavioral questions.

But that is it go forth and create algorithms for problems with no answers

Travel to Africa

Here at the office, putting some final touches to the malnutrition application. This weekend I will integrating data from the existing rapidSMS system, and some more data munging with the historical data so all data will conform to my new data model.

I built a kind of insane layout/flow manager that I think should be autogenerated at runtime to import the apps in the rapidsms.ini. It needs a bit reengineering, but I think the foundation is solid.

There is trade off between realtime calculations and storing the calulations in a database table, (data storages vs. speed and ease of programming). As a result I am storing patient status and boolean values for various levels of malnutrition (MAM, SAM, SAM+). This makes my job easier when generating reports because I dont have to calculate these values I just have to pull them from a db.

The excel download functionality is partially wonky,and should probably be converted to a jQuery/Javascript function. That way, you load the data in your page once - and via js - you both display the data and download it as excel. I think the javascript classes for rapidsms probably need to be built out a bit.

Next week I train the ministry of health in the system and supposedly go to Mzuzu where I will be holding workshops. I hope to have a workshop also next friday at Baobab before I go to the airport! Yes I am leaving in one week. I love it here, but I miss home - and i am sort of sick of trying to tune out the myriad coackroaches and malaria carrying mosquitoes that cohabitate with me. Also, I am running over budget - basically my budget did not take into account wifi and food.
I could probably have spent less money on accomidations if I was able to find a houes to share, but I think there were less people in Lilongwe this year due to NGO cutbacks. Also I think I was sort of limited in my living arrangement, because I dont have a car.

Anyway, when you go to africa here are somethings you should bring:

CASH! - you have to pay 16% sur charge if you use credit (including for hotel rooms)
soldering iron
wirestrippers/allegator clips
extra power adapters
extra soap (dr bonners)
listerine
sandals
gnu bars/seitan strips/little bitsize pieces of chocolate (i lov choklat)
extra clothing/shoes/old electronics - you can barter with these at the market
malarone - pay extra
ditch the adapters and use usb power when possible
usb harddrive - I use this A LOT
dont worry about wearing long sleeve shirts/long pants - no matter what the mosquitoes will get you

i have not used my candle, my water uv disinfectant, my rope
i did bring a sleeping bag - which I use - if my hotel room seems nasty.

i have my kindle - and i've had no problems

Free Jazz

i've been listening to lots of Don Cherry thanks to Chris Barker - it turns even the most delapidated hotelroom into a hep nite spot