Focus Focus!!

focus... focus... i have too many projects that i need to work on... however,
only one has immediate priority for next month at least.. that is my PhD
project.. i'm now in the critical stage of formal specification... once the
specs are laid down, it's just plain code churning and testing, which i'm
already fairly familiar with..

i've come to realise that it's difficult to spec something when you have no
reference point.. this is the result of working on something that no one has
done before... it's quite different from spec'ing a reverse engineered
device.. which is what i'm used to doing... the available possibilities are
endless.. and the constraints are difficult to nail down either.. although i
know what i should not do, it doesn't help when 98% of the design space is
still available..

doing this kind of PhD is unlike any other project i've done before.. in every
other project, the objective is quite clear... the technical hurdles that
need to be crossed are clear... i guess that's because i've always been
working on near term projects, where goals are visible.. working on something
that hasn't really been done before, everything in front of me is a big
blur...

so, focus... focus... i've narrowed down the direct application area.. so, i
know the obvious problems.. and i've even identified a suitable solution..
the only thing left now is to piece it all together in a formal spec..
something that i can show others and work with... i should try to nail down
the spec by this week.. and send it out to some other people for review next
week.. and get some feedback to revise the spec with..

it doesn't help that i'm starting to feel the need to plan my future... i've
sort of narrowed it down to 3 possible things.. work for a management
consultancy, cutting edge tech company, or myself... i'll probably try to
apply for jobs and see what offers i get before finishing my PhD... another
thing that i'd have to think of is where to work... most of the places that i
had planned on working in, doesn't seem as attractive anymore.. the world
turns and things change...

glad that i've helped a new fresher convince jpa to change their minds about
coming to cambridge.. looking forward to being 'belanja'-ed to a meal!!
hehe..