h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Algorithms - A589854
Author: Researcher PSG [Minister of Impossibility and Improbability] - Peace! [Scout] - U110126

I originally made this for a project, but I got tired of waiting. So here we are.

What do you think?

Well _I_ think that algorithm is as good a name for it as any.
Also, your algorithm for creating algorithms has a conditional loop in it. You might want to mention this and point out that many algoritms involve repetition and 'do this if's.

Latin and Muslim should be capitalised, I think.

his full name was "Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi"

Gesundheit!

A good explanation of a word that a lot of people will have heard, but don't quite know the meaning off.

Actually Al-Khwarizmi was Persian. He probably was a Muslim as well, but his nationality was Persian.

Algebra is from the Arabic word al-jabr loosly translated means "the method"



Stuart

Good article, 2 points:

1. Did Dancer help create it? If so created him in the box below the edit article form.

2. Algorithm has as much meaning as any other word. That is the point of words, they are a arbitary way of describing an idea. If they had meaning themselves you wouldn't need a dictionary to give you the meaning.

Hello
I will add the corrections to the name bit, thanks for that, I only really had a very miniscule bit of info from a dictionary on that.

Actually Dancer wrote a couple of bits in the article, but I wrote the algorithum and made some changes to the sections Dancer wrote. So technically it was written by both of us, but if I put them in that list, that isn't what is said, so I'm going to leave it for the sub ed to do.

I'm not sure what your getting at with point 2, could you clarify which section or words offend that particular criteria?

Researcher PSG

whoops found what yo mean't by point 2, I must have missed it because that was one of the bits I diddn't write. It looks like I'll be rewriting that anyway, so watch this space.

Researcher PSG

If you put Dancer in the list of contributors it will put you both in the "Written and Reasearched by:" bit. I don't see how that isn't what you mean? Do you mean, you will be editor and him writer? If so, that will be fixed when it is sub-edited.

A couple of points occurred to me...

1. Is it worth explaining the difference between an algorithm, a procedure, and a program?

2. Having defined an algorithm it's good to make it as widely useful as poss. So in your example, you could mention that instead of 'hands' you could make that a variable, and declare it as 'any small, portable, washable item to be washed' (or something). Similarly 'soap' could be a variable.

3. It would be good to add a conditional branch. Eg: Turn on water - is water hot enough? If Yes, continue, if No, wait until water runs hotter.

4. Then maybe add iteration. Eg: Have I done this twice? If Yes, continue, if No, repeat previous step.

Anyway, it's just a thought.

Bels

Yes, thats the problem, it puts Dancer as writer and me as editor, which is simply wrong, so I'll leave it to the sub ed.

Researcher PSG

When the sub-ed edits it it will put you AND dancer as writers and the sub-ed as editor. It will be wrong for a short time, yes, but people know what it means anyway. (This problem will be solved in a future release of H2G2)

1) I suppose I should mention that a program is an algorithum (butI think I already have, I'll have to check that).
2)I worry that that might make it a bit too complex and tie it down to computing, this is an entry on algorithums in the broad sense, I hope.
3) Again I worry about complexity, but there again I mention in my own algorithum about completeness, I'll have a think about this one.
4) A good point, but counting the number of times you wash your hands is commonly associated with OCD (obssesive compulsive disorder) a better one might be are the hands clean, but this is another one I will have to think about. As I say I want it too be a good example but not introducing too many things at once. As I say, I'll have a think.

Thanks for the thoughts

Researcher PSG

In an unedited guide entry, Edited By is regarded as senior to Written and Researched By, for this very reason. Edited By is the person who has editorial control over the entry.

Since you cannot link to a Personal Space in an Edited Guide entry, it's possible that your link will be removed before it even gets to the sub, or removed immediately by the sub. If you add Dancer to the author list, however, that info will remain with the entry.

hurrumph, and double hurrumph.

OK, I've changed it. But as far as I'm concerned the change in the future release can't come soon enough. It's the primary reason I've never used that researcher box before.

Researcher PSG

I don't think that making the item to be washed a variable necessarily ties it to computing. My computer can't wash anything - but my washing machine has variables for different fabrics, temperature etc.

I mean, you could produce an algorithm for washing shirts, but why do a whole new one for washing socks if the method is basically the same? Once you've selected the program on the washing machine it doesn't mind what items you put in to be washed, which would typically be a mixture anyway - at least when I do the laundry.

Bels

Yes, your right, why make the method none transferable. Well simply because it would be more arkward to explain and I worry about how understandable it would be.

hmm, transferability might be worth a mention though... I could possibly add a section on that with the revised algorithum...oh dear, more work for the thinking cap.

Researcher PSG

I have provisionally mentioned transferrability, I think it needs work, but in the mean time any comments gratefully received.


Researcher PSG

Hi,
I disagree with Bels on the transferability thing. It doesn't really relate to the definition and use of algorithms, but more to the creation and reuse of algorithms in computing. In RL you can take a copy of your "how to wash shirts"-sheet and cross out shirts and replace with socks, you don't need to make it a variable.

I think it's more important to add a little something about conditionals and iteration. The way it is now you use conditions and iteration in the "how to make algorithms"-algorithm ('If corrections made go back to 5.') without explaining their use in algorithms beyond the sentence "This is known as iterative development", which isn't really an explanation.

Also the bit about "Why is it called this wierd name?" needs changing. The fact that it can be confused with (and is an anagram of) logarithm might be worth mentioning, and the etymology of the word, but the rest is just wrong. Words only have the meaning we apply to them, and that goes for all words.