Keras Models API

 Keras Models API provides three ways to create models.

• Sequential Model - the simple model - consists of layers. applied in succession.  You can create a Sequential model by passing a list of layers to the constructor of Sequential.
• The alternative, and preferred method for most use cases, is the Functional API. which is more flexible than the keras.Sequential API.  It enables the building of graphs of Layers.
• Model subclassing is building from scratch. for out of the box use cases.

All Eyes on Keras - Layer = IO TRANSFORMATION

What is it and Why Use it

Keras is the high-level API for TensorFlow, covering all aspect of workflow, from data processing to (hyperparameter) tuning to deployment.  It is the API to be used by default.

 

Layers and Models, Layers and Models

The core data structs of Keras are layers and models.

• A layer is a simple input/output transformation
• A model is a directed acyclic graph (DAG) of layers (production flow of layers, and thus a production flow of transformations)

A model is thus a "special" series of input-output transformations i.e. a "series" of layers.

Sidebar: what are hyperparameters

Hyperparameters are parameters you set before training a model. They can be set by a user or by a tuning algorithm. Example parameters could include learning rate (how fast the model learns), or number of layers in the neural network (more layers the more complex patterns the neural net can learn).

AI as an Accelerated Research Tool

AI is amazing at research and automation of research.  It leads you down all the relevant rabbit holes in a particular area. Using probability and statistics, it finds useful associations and linkages for you, and saves you having to click down a whole tree of links.

What is PCI-DSS?

PCI-DSS are security standards to protect cardholder data during payment processing. Anyone processing or storing payment data needs to comply. There are some generic things around firewalls and vulnerability management as well as more specific rules around sensitive data in transit, for example.

Updating your Printer Driver

 Go to Device Manager -> Printers and right click, then click on Update Driver.

Renaming your Printer

It can be good to rename your printer - particularly if the current name is a very complex model number.  Simply open the printer in Settings, click on Additional Printer Settings and hit Rename.

Printer Showing Out of Paper But Not

Simply go to services.msc and restart the Print Spooler service.  Apart from queuing print jobs it also does error processing.

Relationship of WMIC to WBEM

WMI is the Microsoft implementation of Web-based Enterprise Management (WBEM), a set of systems management technologies for use in distributed systems.  It is based on common standards like the Common Information Model (CIM).

The WBEM initiative was started in 1996 by BMC Software, Cisco, Compaq, Intel and Microsoft.

The specification for the CIM is maintained by the DMTF (Distributed Management Task Force), an industry standards organization consisting of members and alliance partners collaborating on specifications. It also maintains a repository of its operating policies on issues including IP.

Use wmic to debug printer status in cmd.exe

WMIC is Windows Management Instrumentation Command Line.  It is a command-line interface to WMI.

To use it to debug printer status on Windows, try the following in cmd.exe.

wmic printer get name, status

If status is Error this needs investigation.

Why Does Printing in Windows Always Try to Print in Letter Format?

Go to "Printers & Scanners" in System Settings. Select your device and click on "Printing Preferences". Then click on "Advanced" (Alt-V).  Switch paper size to a new default size (e.g. A4). Click OK, Apply.