Bioinformatics exercise

Dear Mr Lesk,

I’m quite enjoying your book “Introduction to bioinformatics”, however I have an issue,
Photocopies are lame – and I don’t have a photocopier. Also I don’t like colouring things in by hand. There is something called the internet which allows the easier exchange of data, please consider putting more of your
exercises on this if they require photocopying. Also if you allowed limited access to your books on Google books
(or convince your publisher Oxford University Press apparently a not for profit organization to aid learning to do so) I could have copied the exercise from this.

But yes, besides this slight niggle I must admit that I am quite enjoyable the book.

For anyone working through this book, the text for problem 1.1 is available here.

tylwefllkllqdr.eycprfikwtnrekgvfklv..dskavsrlwgmhkn.kpd
vqlwqflleiltd..cehtdviewvg.tegefklt..dpdrvarlwgekkn.kpa
iqlwqfllelltd..kdardciswvg.degefkln..qpelvaqkwgqrkn.kpt
iqlwqfllellsd..ssnsscitweg.tngefkmt..dpdevarrwgerks.kpn
iqlwqfllelltd..kscqsfiswtg.dgwefkls..dpdevarrwgkrkn.kpk
iqlwqfllellqd..garsscirwtg.nsrefqlc..dpkevarlwgerkr.kpg
iqlwhrilellqk..eefrhviawqqgeygefvik..dpdevarlwgrrkc.kpq
vtlwqfllqllre..qgnghiiswtsrdggefklv..daeevarlwglrkn.ktn
itlwqfllhllld..qkhehlicwts.ndgefkll..kaeevaklwglrkn.ktn
lqlwqflvalldd..ptnahfiawtg.rgmefkli..epeevarlwgiqkn.rpa
ihlwqflkellasp.qvngtairwidrskgifkie..dsvrvaklwgrrkn.rpa
rllwdflqqllndrnqkysdliawkcrdtgvfkiv..dpaglaklwgiqkn.hls
rllwdyvyqllsd..sryenfirwedkeskifriv..dpnglarlwgnhkn.rtn
irlyqflldllrs..gdmkdsiwwvdkdkgtfqfsskhkealahrwgiqkgnrkk
lrlyqfllglltr..gdmrecvwwvepgagvfqfsskhkellarrwgqqkgnrkr

Note there may still be some niggles with this. I copied the text twice and corrected the difference found using meld against the original text. If you want to doubly sure about this do this same yourself (only copying the text once).

Bags or multisets in python

On first inspection that python Counter object didn’t look like a multiset (or bag) to me… I’m not quite sure why.
Regardless a bag it is.

It doesn’t have a ‘subset’ operator but the subtraction operator is a reasonable substitute. (Or you could subclass it and define your own)

Example of using a Counter as a bag:
def is_subset(a, b):
return not bool(a – b)
import collections
print is_subset(collections.Counter(‘ook’), collections.Counter(‘book’))
print is_subset(collections.Counter(‘ook’), collections.Counter(‘ok’))

Cisco Warranties leave something to be desired (unless you live in the netherlands)

In order to return a faulty product to Cisco if you are in Europe you must mail the product to the netherlands (and are liable for the postage charges), and have a receipt (not other suitable proof of purchase).

Talk talk stop lying to my browser

Dear TalkTalk,

What makes you think it is okay or helpful to make dns requests to unknown pages return successfully and point to a page that returns a 200 http code?

Please stop lying.

Royal mail postage cost app timeout lameness

Royal mail postage cost web application has sessions. These timeout too quickly. Lameness. Don’t think this really needs sessions…

Linksys returns policy

Cisco Linksys return policy:

9. A COPY of the proof of purchase must be included for all products. A valid proof of purchase includes a copy of the receipt, invoice, or packing slip from the retailer, or distributor. A copy of your credit card statement, internal requisition, or purchase order is NOT considered a valid proof of purchase. DO NOT SEND YOUR ORIGINALS.

Seems designed to prevent people with valid claims from returning their products….

WRT54GL broken by reset

After trying to reset my WRT54GL router it reached a state where the power light continually
flashed and one couldn’t connect the router (it didn’t respond to dhcp requests).

Not terribly impressed – I don’t like having to return things.