My colleague Arnd just sent me a photo of a bar formerly known as Pi-Bar. Unfortunately, it has been renamed to Ki-Bar in the meantime. I've never visited it, but if you're in the area, here's the location.



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Sometimes, I get asked why---and how---I wrote a doctoral thesis. There are some simple answers for the former question: Why?

1. Stay a student.
2. Get paid to be a student.
3. If you're out of arguments, you always have the doctoral joker ;-)

The second question seems to be more complicated, but indeed is also very simple: Do your job good enough. While people often search for something to become perfect, this seldom appears to be the same to other people. Just like the 80:20 rule, focus on the important things. Here is a simple graph to depict the idea:



The horizontal axis shows the time that flies by. The vertical axis shows the amount of additional knowledge you earn each time unit. In the beginning, you quickly graps knowledge. Over time, your reach the meridian. Then, you cool down. While you're still working on the topic, something absolutely new and directly related to your work is hard to find anymore. Finally, prepare finishing your thesis. The important point is to submit your thesis just in time. While you would still be able to find additional knowledge, it's not mattering for your thesis anymore. So, that's at least how I did it. And believe me, you can apply the good enough rule to almost everything!

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Today the HPI Sommerfest is (still) taking place. Here I have some impressions for you:


The HPI band: Poolraum Party.


Eiszeit.


Some people in front of the stage---most stayed in the background.


Revolverheld.


Even the sun appeared in the evening.

Unfortunately, I have no picture from the fourth band, Tiger HiFi, since I had to leave early. If anybody has one, please send me a copy, so that I can add it here.

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I know quite some people that are a bit unsure about the things we do all day long. Instead of talking about something they don't understand (it can be found here), actually, our institute has something new to offer: An exhibition of modern art. Take a look at these pictures and objects that have been placed at nearly every possible place. And yes, these pictures/objects are all original ones...











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Yesterday I defended my doctoral thesis and finally got one of those funny hats. While my thesis will appear later this month on this website, you can already find the slides here (in German).


The reviewers of my thesis (from left to right): Prof. Weske (HPI), Prof. van der Aalst (TU Eindhoven), Prof. Nestmann (TU Berlin).


The buffet.


And finally, me with a hat (in the background is Prof. Naumann, the chairman of my defense).

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