Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Deep Algorithms?

Posted by michael on from the post-pattern dept.

Stridar writes "A paper presented in a recent article quotes Donald Knuth as saying the computer science has 500 deep algorithms. He mentions that Euclid's algorithm is one of the most important, and he seems to agree with the idea that CS will be mature when it has 1000 deep algorithms. What I would like to ask Slashdot is the following. What are the most important algorithms in CS? What is your favorite algorithm? And finally, what are the outstanding problems for which algorithms would be immediately placed in the "Top 1000" category." We had an older story where two scientists picked their top ten algorithms.

3 of 570 comments (clear)

  1. My favorite algorythm by Matey-O · · Score: 0, Troll

    10 a=a+1
    20 print a
    30 goto 10

    [ducks...runs out]

    --
    "Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus."
  2. Very Deep Algorithm by stinkydog · · Score: 1, Troll

    dim accounttotal 'Total number of accounts
    dim myaccount 'my account

    for count=1 to accountotal
    myaccount=myaccount+(100*account(coun t)-100*int(ac count(count)))/100
    account(count)=int(account(cou nt)*100)/100
    next

    Run once a week for a healthy balance
    SD

    --
    âoeWho knew something as harmless as willful ignorance could end up having real consequences?â
  3. If you have to ask by sinserve · · Score: 1, Troll

    "What is your favorite algorithm", then you have no idea what an algorithm is.

    Let me put it in common english, so Joe-Six-Pack can understand:

    "Hey slashdot readers, what your favorite way of solving problems".

    Yessir, we have "a" favorite way to solve problem*s*.

    A new low slashdot, a fucking new low.