With no class meetings today, I have time to work on my VHDL microprocessor implementation. I'm finding that I make more progress without my lab partner, so his habit of not showing up to work on the project at the appointed times, while annoying, isn't holding me back. (I hope he realizes that, the way things are going, this project won't be handed in with two names on it.)
The simulator we use for these VHDL projects is available in the Sun lab (populated with Sun workstations and an atmosphere of confusion). Extra confusion today, because a VLSI class has to get a big assignment finished up by noon. I barely hear it because I'm hunched in front of a monitor staring at a timing diagram.
Having got their assignment in, Smiley and his buddy are dithering around on the Internet, trying to find some kind of interstate traffic report before they hit the road. Smiley asks me if I know any such site.
"No." I blink. "Where are you going?"
"Up to Northern Virginia."
"Oh." I start laughing. I have distinct and unpleasant memories of holiday travel between the DC area and Richmond from when I was in college before and I'm more than willing to share them. "I-95 will be a parking lot. Take plenty of snacks, make sure you have a full tank of gas, and accept that it's going to take six hours. Or you could try Route 301."
"Ha. My sister drove from Arlington to Woodbridge last night and it took her two hours," Smiley says. Arlington and Woodbridge are not that far apart.
Over at his workstation, the buddy throws his arms in the air and cries, "We're going to go 85!"
Drive safely, guys. But you're only going 85 if your car flies.
300 words | November 24, 2004 09:37 PM | Ivory towerI once made the mistake of driving a friend down from the Bay Area to LA the night before thanksgiving. Down the 101 wasn't too bad, but when we hit the cross-over to the 5, it was a parking lot. 6 hours to go 40 miles, then it was bumper to bumper the rest of the way down to the valley. Especially a pain in my three speed truck with the 400 pound clutch. I did get a workout that night (or at least my left leg did).
BTW, I've been playing with cygwin/Xwindows and its pretty good. If you have a decent screen and a fast enough connection to the sun-lab, you can just run all your apps (text or graphics) remote, and avoid the crowd all together.
Posted by: Derek at November 27, 2004 05:38 PMThat's always been an option, but the Sun lab has these huge, gorgeous LCD monitors that make my 17" CRT display look pretty dim. The crowd is fairly pleasant and Dr. Smith is just a couple doors down if I get stuck on some VHDL thing. The Sun lab is one of the better resources we have.
Posted by: Nee-chama at November 27, 2004 08:44 PM