In search of the right GPU

I rely on my powerful Intel NUC with an i7 processor and 64 GB of RAM for my daily computing needs. However, it lacks a GPU, which makes it unsuitable for the experimentation I’ve been conducting with locally hosted large language models. To address this, I use an M2 MacBook Air, which has the necessary … Read more

Pandoc: The Ultimate Document Conversion Tool

Pandoc is a versatile command-line tool that facilitates seamless file conversions between different markup formats. It supports an extensive range of input and output formats, making it indispensable for writers, researchers, and developers. I have found it particularly useful when converting output from LLMs to to HTML or more common word processing formats. Pandoc’s strength … Read more

Evaluating writing using open source artificial intelligence

In today’s digital age, writers seek tools that enhance their craft and provide real-time feedback and assistance. Enter Ollama – an open-source machine learning system designed to democratize accessibility for natural language processing tasks across a wide range of languages and scripts with ease. Coupled with the Phi3 model, this powerful duo promises unparalleled benefits … Read more

Using Ollama to evaluate what you write

Last year, a colleague shared with me how he used ChatGPT to evaluate content generated by his students at a local university. I was intrigued by the idea but also concerned about the ethical issues surrounding using publicly available LLMs to read student writing without their consent. This led me to look for locally hosted … Read more

Using Python to talk with an Ollama model

Continuing my exploration of using a locally hosted Ollama on my Linux desktop computer, I have been doing a lot of reading and research. Today, while having lunch with a university professor, he asked me some questions I didn’t have an immediate answer to. So, I went back to my research to find the answers. … Read more