Author: makoantz
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My Keyboard Chronicles: A Clicky, Clacky Adventure
The Typewriter I could not really recall how I learned to type, but we had a typewriter at home because our mother would use it to type the stencils for school examination papers. Some of these were our class examinations as she was once my math teacher in elementary! But honestly, I did not even…
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From Beating Humans to Shaping Society: Key Takeaways from the AI Index 2024 Report
The Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence recently released their AI Index 2024 Annual Report, providing a comprehensive look at the rapidly evolving AI landscape over the past year. Here are some key excerpts from the report: Message From the Co-directors, Ray Perrault and Jack Clark: “A decade ago, the best AI systems in the…
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The Beautiful Game: Football and Gaming from Cleats to Controllers
As a lifelong fan of the beautiful game, my love for football has been nurtured both on the pitch and through the ever-evolving world of gaming consoles. Over the years, I have switched back and forth between lacing up my football boots and gripping a game controller, each experience uniquely enriching my passion for the…
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From Cyclist to Runner: How I Started Running in Singapore
I was very active in cycling before we moved to Singapore. I remembered waking up at 4am for a 22km round trip ride up to the famous “Magnetic Hill” at the base of Mt Makiling in Los Baños Laguna from our apartment in Calamba. I would do this almost every day before going to the…
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Retro Gaming: Game & Watch
Ah, the ’80s! A decade that marked the dawn of handheld gaming devices and home consoles. As a kid growing up during this era, I was lucky enough to experience the magic firsthand. It all started with the Game & Watch craze that swept through my elementary school like wildfire. Thanks to my well-to-do classmates,…
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The Parker Duofold International Blue Marble: A Vintage Gem
What immediately struck me about this pen was its impeccable condition. Despite being nearly three decades old, it looked as good as new—a testament to the enduring quality of well-made fountain pens. When properly cared for, these writing instruments can last a lifetime (or even several), often outperforming their modern counterparts in both form and…
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Using Prompt Templates: Supercharge Your ChatGPT Experience
Whether you’re using the paid or free version of ChatGPT, the key to getting the most out of this powerful AI tool lies in the art of crafting effective prompts. A prompt is essentially the set of instructions or text you provide to guide the chatbot’s response. These inputs serve as the foundation for the…
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Conquering Bukit Timah: A Tale of Two Brothers and a Hill
On my brother’s recent trip here, we went hiking together to Singapore’s highest peak, the Bukit Timah Summit. It’s only a few kilometers away from our place and although I’m very familiar with the area, having made it our MTB playground a decade ago when I was still active in offroad biking, I had never…
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Leveling Up with AI: How ChatGPT 4.0 and Claude 3 Opus Changed the Game
The first time I used ChatGPT 3.5, I had loads of fun with it, trying to ask all sorts of questions, both sensible and otherwise. I found it to be extremely polite and answering in the most politically correct manner. Initially, I was impressed with it until I asked it to solve for x in…
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The Future of Coding in the Age of AI: A Personal Reflection
I started coding when I was still in grade school (primary) using the Atari 800XL that our father brought from overseas in the 80s. It had a BASIC language interpreter which would greet you by default after booting up the system. The 800XL also had a game cartridge slot where you could insert your Atari…