Re:Knuth's Art of Computer Programming, V 4B, has gone into ...
by mkehrt on Tuesday October 04, 2022 @01:00PM
(#33083247)
What was it?!
Re:Knuth's Art of Computer Programming, V 4B, has gone into ...
by Tomte on Tuesday October 04, 2022 @01:10PM
(#33083384)
"Infinitely many alphabets can be generated by the programs in this book".
But the number of parameters is finite, and all parameters have a finite number of possible values.
His errata changed the wording thus:
Zillions of alphabets can be generated by the programs in this book. (https://ftp.rrze.uni-erlangen.de/ctan/systems/knuth/dist/err...)
Re:Knuth's Art of Computer Programming, V 4B, has gone into ...
by dalke on Tuesday October 04, 2022 @01:17PM
(#33083493)
In the late 1990s I implemented an algorithm from one of Knuth's books. (An algorithm to generate prime numbers.) I found a mistake!
I was so excited.
I then checked the errata. It was known.
It took another 20 years before I found an actual mistake, regarding the early history of superimposed codes. A very specialized topic where I have one of the few copies of the patent challenge distinguishing between random superimposed codes and arbitrarily selected superimposed codes.
I have a check.
Opened the book, thought "no, it can't be". Agonized for days and weeks if I'm making a fool of myself.
Sent the bug report.
First word in first sentence in first paragraph in first chapter was wrong. Got my cheque. ;-)