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Toilet Paper Algorithms

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the lather-rinse-repeat dept.

ziani writes "Computer science professor and ex-Apple technologist Don Norman posits a new "forcing function" in toilet paper use algorithms." Browsing through his website is a good way to kill a couple of hours.

4 of 203 comments (clear)

  1. Obvious complete solution: Don't wipe, wash. by strredwolf · · Score: 3, Informative

    The Japaneze have built several toilets which, when you're done answering nature's call, you reach on one side of the bowl where controls are. There you can clean your butt by having warm watter sprayed around the exit area, maybe some soap, rinse, and then blow dry.

    Don't forget to flush! :D

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    # Canmephians for a better Linux Kernel
    $Stalag99{"URL"}="http://stalag99.net";
    1. Re:Obvious complete solution: Don't wipe, wash. by phaxkolumbo · · Score: 2, Informative

      If i had a toilet like that, i'd never leave the bathroom!

      But really, see this for more about washing toilets

      And take part in the bathroom behaviour survey to feel normal again.

  2. Don Knuth wrote a paper about it! by null-und-eins · · Score: 2, Informative

    Believe it or not, Donald Knuth has a paper "The Toilet Paper Problem" in his book Selected Papers on Analysis of Algorithms (ISBN 1575862123).

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    At the beginning was at.
    1. Re:Don Knuth wrote a paper about it! by null-und-eins · · Score: 2, Informative

      The following PDF reviews the book and mentions explicitly the problem and its solution.

      http://www.cs.umd.edu/~gasarch/bookrev/32-1.pdf

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      At the beginning was at.