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A comment on Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv by Yitang Zhang. Parent comment

Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by commandlinefan on Monday November 07, 2022 @05:57PM (#33513720)
There was a scientist who did his best stuff while he was working as a patent clerk.
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by quietbritishjim on Monday November 07, 2022 @06:17PM (#33513900)
Patent clerk (at least back then) is a more skilled job than it sounds, as it's someone that actually reviews the patents rather than just a general office dogsbody, so you have to understand the technology and to some extent the science in those patents. It's not totally unrelated to being a scientist and definitely a less surprising early career job than delivery driver.
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by kasey_junk on Monday November 07, 2022 @07:41PM (#33514596)
A patent clerk now is a technical job as well. It’s a flaw in peoples thinking that “clerk” implies something low rank.

If someone tells you they were a “clerk” for a Supreme Court judge don’t be surprised when later in life they have an impressive legal career

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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by mgfist on Monday November 07, 2022 @09:59PM (#33515426)
Pretty sure all the SC justices clerked in their early careers. I'm not in law but I think it's the expected path
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by chmod775 on Monday November 07, 2022 @10:37PM (#33515636)
His actual job title was "technischer Experte 3. Klasse", which when literally translated means Class 3 Technical Expert. Not quite a clerk.
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by dudeinjapan on Monday November 07, 2022 @06:21PM (#33513942)
Ironically he didn't patent E=MC^2 and now everyone says it scot-free.
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by dctoedt on Monday November 07, 2022 @06:27PM (#33514013)
> he didn't patent E=MC^2 and now everyone says it scot-free

Laws of nature (and descriptions thereof) aren't patentable.

https://www.bitlaw.com/source/mpep/2106_04_b.html#:~:text=Th....

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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by ChrisMarshallNY on Monday November 07, 2022 @06:32PM (#33514060)
But he did learn to split the beer atom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra7oqFqj9uU
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by robin_reala on Tuesday November 08, 2022 @03:18AM (#33517042)
That’s US law though (no idea if Germany had it any different at the time, but it’s a different jurisdiction).
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by dudeinjapan on Tuesday November 08, 2022 @04:02AM (#33517312)
Germany outlawed Einstein.
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by Cthulhu_ on Tuesday November 08, 2022 @05:39AM (#33517834)
Interesting phrasing to use for wanting to genocide him and all the other jews. Einstein got out on time, six million others didn't.
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by _joel on Monday November 07, 2022 @06:32PM (#33514059)
No, but his image is licensed.
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by renewiltord on Monday November 07, 2022 @10:41PM (#33515657)
I'm sorry for the others, friend. I am here to laugh with you.
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by dudeinjapan on Tuesday November 08, 2022 @04:01AM (#33517304)
Hakuna matata! Downvotes are just a karma payment coming due.
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by version_five on Monday November 07, 2022 @06:00PM (#33513752)
Do you know how much a patent clerk makes?
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by azinman2 on Monday November 07, 2022 @06:03PM (#33513786)
You’re missing the reference
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by soperj on Monday November 07, 2022 @06:15PM (#33513877)
I don't think they are, I think they're stating the difference between being a patent clerk in the early 1900s and working at Subway while living in your car is substantial.
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by wfaris on Monday November 07, 2022 @09:24PM (#33515244)
You've never worked in the private sector... They expect results.
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by version_five on Monday November 07, 2022 @09:30PM (#33515276)
Thank you, my faith in HN has been restored!
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by pasttense01 on Tuesday November 08, 2022 @02:14AM (#33516677)
For those of you who don't watch many movies:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjzC1Dgh17A

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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by aidos on Monday November 07, 2022 @06:09PM (#33513836)
In this case, he makes a difference!
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Re:Monumental advance in number theory posted to the ArXiv b... by dang on Tuesday November 08, 2022 @05:02PM (#33524924)
We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33513275.
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