Miscellaneous
Yongjie Xue @yongjiexue88
Essays, notes and personal writing — the things that are not about technology, or not only about it.
Pigsty Goes Global: 1.44M Visitors, Zero Ad Revenue
Over the last 30 days, pigsty.io served 1.44 million unique visitors, 18.11 million page views, and 1.1 TB of traffic. For a one-person open source project, the real asset here is not ad inventory. It …
Genesis 2.0
I asked Claude to write a short semi-realistic, semi-mythic story about mind uploading, orbital ascension, and the rebirth of gods. I suspect the premise is less absurd than it sounds.
Fully Loaded M5 Max: What Does a RMB 58,200 Laptop Look Like?
Apple opened preorders for the M5 Max and I immediately maxed one out at RMB 58,200. This is less a consumer electronics post than a look at what an AI-era personal workstation is becoming.
ISD Dataset: Analyzing 120 Years of Global Climate Change
ISD stands for Integrated Surface Dataset, a dataset published by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). I recently reorganized this dataset and provided related analysis tools.
The WeChat Photo Album Access Issue
I saw news about WeChat accessing user photo albums in the background. While such shady behavior from Chinese apps doesn't surprise me, in the spirit of seeking truth, I got up this morning to …
Practical Cryptography Made Simple
A classic problem in cryptography is how to transmit data securely and reliably through insecure channels. Protecting your chats and communications from surveillance and monitoring - easily achievable …
The Sorrow of the Internet
The future may not necessarily be bright, but the path will certainly be tortuous.
New Year Reflections
The future is not necessarily bright, but the path is definitely winding. During this rare leisure time alone in the New Year, I write these random thoughts, writing wherever my mind wanders.
The Internet Winter
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. We were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way.
Knowledge of China's Administrative Divisions
Information about administrative division levels, numbers, the meaning of administrative division codes, urban-rural classification, etc.
Understanding the Internet
The world trends flow mightily. Those who follow prosper; those who resist perish. This article discusses the essence of the internet, the world under internet rule, the transfer of power, and future …
Several Levels of Learning Knowledge
Through observation and contemplation, we can divide the process of deepening understanding in the mind from accepting knowledge to the highest level of "intuition" into four stages: knowledge, …
Understanding Character Encoding
Code is literally “encoding,” and everything collapses if you mishandle text. Here’s a practical tour of characters, glyphs, Unicode, and UTF encodings.
Starting from /0: Understanding Errors and Exceptions
What happens when you divide by 0 in a computer? The answer isn't fixed - it can differ across different operating systems, programming languages, and even different compilers.
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.
Overview of Sorting Algorithms
Sorting algorithms are the most fundamental, widely applicable, and frequently tested algorithms in interviews. This article summarizes classic sorting algorithms: selection sort, insertion sort, …
On Computational Thinking
A paper for "History of Secrecy and Secrecy Systems" course, discussing computational thinking and its significance in undergraduate education, as well as methods for cultivating computational …
In Praise of Mathematics
What a wonderful subject mathematics is
Computer Networks and Logistics Systems
Computer networks are like a logistics system, with the only difference being that logistics systems transmit material entities like mail and packages, while computer networks transmit intangible …
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.
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, …
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 philosophical root of East-West thinking differences and many macro …
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 …
Views on Love
What ultimately determines romance and marriage?
Pigsty Goes Global: 1.44M Visitors, Zero Ad Revenue
Traffic on pigsty.io jumped by roughly an order of magnitude over the last month. I opened the Cloudflare dashboard today and had to stare at it for a second. 1.44 million unique visitors, 18.11 million page views, 1.1 TB of traffic. That is over 30 …
Traffic on pigsty.io jumped by roughly an order of magnitude over the last month. I opened the Cloudflare dashboard today and had to stare at it for a second. 1.44 million unique visitors, 18.11 million page views, 1.1 TB of traffic. That is over 30 …
Genesis 2.0
Author: Claude Prompt: write a short, sharp, half-realistic and half-magical story. AI advances rapidly, brain-computer interfaces and mind uploading break through, elite humans launch a satellite in Earth orbit and upload themselves into it. To …
Author: Claude Prompt: write a short, sharp, half-realistic and half-magical story. AI advances rapidly, brain-computer interfaces and mind uploading break through, elite humans launch a satellite in Earth orbit and upload themselves into it. To …
Fully Loaded M5 Max: What Does a RMB 58,200 Laptop Look Like?
Apple unveiled the M5 Max MacBook Pro, and I ordered a fully loaded configuration almost immediately: RMB 58,200. 1. A ten-year spending pattern Since graduating, my primary machine has always been the same category: a top-tier MacBook Pro, usually …
Apple unveiled the M5 Max MacBook Pro, and I ordered a fully loaded configuration almost immediately: RMB 58,200. 1. A ten-year spending pattern Since graduating, my primary machine has always been the same category: a top-tier MacBook Pro, usually …
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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?
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
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 …