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once I wrote a program, that should create schedules for a tournament. It used backtracking (because back then I wasn't a computer scientist - just a tinkerer) and the program was so slow, that it could not be used (it must have been in O(n!^n) or so)
today I know the 1-factorization of complete graphs, by kirkman and reiß, which can do that in O(n^2)...

without deep math knowledge, I wouldn't even be able to find out, that the problem can be solved like that, because I wouldn't even be able to see that it can be stated by means of graph theory... btw. here's a link to my program that creates tournament schedules in O(n^2)

Whether or not they're good at advertising is still in question, if their recent attempts are any indication

wtf are you talking about!?
haven't you seen Microsofts newest, BRILLIANT ad!?
http://algorithman.de/storage/new_vista_ad.jpg
there you go!

http://www.algorithman.de/freedom/protest_images/adolf_brown1.jpg

I can't believe this, they really do what I told them to...
http://algorithman.de/storage/new_vista_ad.jpg
poorly imitating Apples ads, just like they poorly imitated Apples operating systems...

I meant this as a joke, but I actually think the vista ad I created
http://algorithman.de/storage/new_vista_ad.jpg
will sell more vista copies than THIS piece of crap...

here's microsofts newest try:
http://www.algorithman.de/storage/new_vista_ad.jpg

I made a list once, that shows very clear, how "innovative" MS is...
I listed pretty much all MS products and similar products that existed earlier. for each ms product there was a "prior art" product 14 months to 34 years earlier (ok, there are products that were the first in their sector - these are ALL products that MS didn't invent either, but that they bought from others)

the list is in german, though (I didn't think I'd ever mention it on an english discussion board)
http://www.algorithman.de/freedom/ms_quality.htm

GWB: "ya knouw, ey've heyerd 'bout a scjureytey syseym called 'ceysar eyncrypjein' - let's all use it, man"

Ach du LEEEEE-Ber, Fritz! You left ze link to your German language vebsite in a post mocking the Texas accent of ze President of ze United States!

Mein Gott!! Vat a DUUUUM-Kopf you must be, Ya?

* * *

Demonstrating once again that Americans don't have a lock on jingoism, nationalism, and general stupidity.

Thanks for participating in our survey.

funny you used the word lemming, because I recently made this image: http://www.algorithman.de/storage/iPod_Lemmings.jp g