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Volume 4A of Knuth's TAOCP Finally In Print

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the lookit-all-them-words dept.

jantangring writes "It's been 28 years since Volume 3 of Donald Knuth's The Art of Computer Programming was published. The book series is a classic work of computer science in spite of the fact that still more than half of the seven volume series is still to be finalized. In 1992 Donald Knuth retired to medieval monkness in order to finish his work. After many long years in draft, volume 4A now in print and you can get it in a boxed set if you don't mind admitting that you don't already own the first three volumes. They won't be checking if you read it."

173 comments

  1. All I have to say is ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hoorah!

  2. Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by kriston · · Score: 4, Funny

    Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three?

    --

    Kriston

    1. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I have read his copy of volume three. The sheer walls of his retreat were quite a challenge but the rest of it was easy.

    2. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      Working 70+ hour weeks, whats that in Mythical Man-Months?

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
    3. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by MadKeithV · · Score: 1

      Approximately -42.

    4. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by arth1 · · Score: 2

      It's not a novel you have either read or not read.
      It's more like an encyclopaedia, where you read what you need or want, and quite often read some more to get the background.

      Now I wish they would sell 4A + the empty box, so I could upgrade my 1-3. But my guess is that the publishers haven't read the books, and didn't plan for upgrades.

    5. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      42.

    6. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by WillAdams · · Score: 4, Funny

      Apparently Steve Jobs for one:

      http://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?project=Macintosh&story=Close_Encounters_of_the_Steve_Kind.txt

      William

      --
      Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.
    7. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by Xtifr · · Score: 2

      Volume 3's the good stuff! It's volume 2 I've never done more than skim. (Though I do have to admit that the analysis of balanced ternary in vol2 was fascinating, but not very practical in the real world where computers use binary.)

    8. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by haystor · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I came into programming from a math background. Every time I try to read his books, the programming stuff is wonderful and then he writes something about a math problem or two and I lose a week of my life.

      --
      t
    9. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by somersault · · Score: 1

      Why not buy 4A, get some cardboard and make your own box, if the box is that important? I'd be happy to just have them on a shelf, if I had a bookshelf. Just now it's more of a jumble of piles.

      --
      which is totally what she said
    10. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by vlm · · Score: 1

      Now I wish they would sell 4A + the empty box, so I could upgrade my 1-3. But my guess is that the publishers haven't read the books, and didn't plan for upgrades.

      Its a CS computer science book. Something like "apt-get dist-upgrade" is mostly appreciated by IT people not CS people. Bonus if you understand why its apt-get dist-upgrade instead of apt-get upgrade, unless you plan on keeping your old box (for kindling?)

      --
      "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
    11. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by theaveng · · Score: 2

      I haven't. Too busy playing video games, programming VHDL or verilog, and working 70+ hour weeks. So is it worth the $200 pricetag? (Volumes 1-3 Boxset plus Volume 4, fasciles 1-5)

      No. You can download Volumes 1-3 off the net for free.
      70 hour weeks suck but hopefully only temporary.

      --
      FOX NEWS.com should be BANNED from television and internet. Have the Congress take it over and give us Truespeak.
    12. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So is it worth the $200 pricetag? (Volumes 1-2 Boxset plus Volume 4, fasciles 1-5)

      Not if you need to ask,

    13. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by Hatta · · Score: 2

      Totally off topic. Have you checked out the 1541U-II? Great expansion device for the Commodore 64, with open source firmware written in VHDL.

      --
      Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
    14. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by GCsoftware · · Score: 1

      Yup, I've got an original 1541 Ultimate with the Ethernet port. Coolest Commodore 8 bit peripheral ever.

    15. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by Tolkien · · Score: 2

      No. You can download Volumes 1-3 off the net for free.

      Maybe, but this isn't the MPAA or RIAA you're dealing with. This man is a genius and an extraordinary teacher by all accounts. I have no doubt that many of the texts you've read about algorithms who weren't authored by him directly were still influenced by his works. By not paying for the books you're showing no gratitude for his life long works which have and will unquestionably benefit programmers including yourself (and by extension, society) for years, possibly even decades or centuries to come.

      --
      how is babby formed?
    16. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by larry+bagina · · Score: 2

      He should give his books away for free and make money by selling tshirts.

      --
      Do you even lift?

      These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

    17. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by davester666 · · Score: 1

      So this is why it took so long for him to complete Vol 4a. All these people breaking into his house and reading his books, probably eating his food, using his washroom, probably made him a little paranoid, and certainly would distract him from being able to focus on writing.

      --
      Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
    18. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of 4A and the first thing I did was to run one of the Combinatorial Algorithms on this very same problem, what you suggest came as the best solution.

      Interesting book, isn't it?

    19. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by obarel · · Score: 1

      I thought the model these days was: give your stuff for free and get bought by Oracle. And who would want to do that?!

    20. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by Mr+Z · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I've actually leaned on both volumes 2 and 3. The discussions about floating point and number systems are very useful in Volume 2. The sorting and searching networks in Volume 3 are must-have reading if you're trying to do complex sorting functions on highly parallel machines. (Think median filters, for an example, particularly in the context of sub-word SIMD.)

      I read the first couple draft fascicles for Volume 4A, and see a bunch in there I can directly apply to other work I do, such as exhaustively evaluating portions of a larger search space. Also, some of the Boolean logic properties are very interesting.

      Fun fact: It turns out that during the exact same month (March 2007?), both Knuth and I attacked essentially the same problem. We both set out to find minimal instruction sequences to implement all Boolean functions of 5 variables. I didn't find this out until well after the fact, while hunting through his website looking for a new Volume 4 fascicle. We actually had fairly similar results, but his approach was far more elegant (naturally). Also, mine was constrained to tree-like sequences and a specific target instruction set, whereas his permitted any DAG and used more generic Boolean operations. (For example, I had a "not-and" operation which does "A and not B", whereas I don't think he did.) Still, it was rather amusing to see we had both tackled the same problem at about the same time, and came up with similar overall results.

      --
      Program Intellivision!
    21. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by WalksOnDirt · · Score: 1

      The Art of Computer Programming, Volume 4A, The Combinatorial Algorithms, Part 1

      Sounds interesting, but I don't think I have time to read it now.

      --
      a,e,i,o,u and sometimes w and y (at be if of up cwm by)
    22. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by martin-boundary · · Score: 2
      Most academics who write books want them to be read as widely as possible. They'd much rather have someone read a pirated copy than not read it at all. In fact, pirating is the modern 21st century equivalent of borrowing the book from a library, nothing more.

      That said, I'm not sure where Knuth is likely to stand on this, not so much because of the people reading for free, but rather because pirated scans are ugly. Knuth spent ten years on a sidetrack just to build a world class mathematical typesetting system because he wanted his (and others') papers to be beautiful, and the hardback TAOCP volumes reflect that. He might well object to people reading scans on artistic grounds.

    23. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bonus if you understand why its apt-get dist-upgrade instead of apt-get upgrade, unless you plan on keeping your old box (for kindling?)

        Because, as a godless heathen Deb user (as opposed to RPM), you don't understand basic commands?

      (I jest, I jest).

    24. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by Tolkien · · Score: 1

      I agree with you entirely, but theaveng clearly showed no interest in "borrowing" it (with the understanding here being that the book would be "returned" in the sense that it would deleted from the hard drive or later bought for real). This is why I don't believe he gets to hide behind the nicer description you provided. Though any good code that can be produced by knowledge gained from a fake/pirated version can still benefit us, simple common decency says that the books should be paid for given who the author is and how much of himself he has invested into them.

      --
      how is babby formed?
    25. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by mattack2 · · Score: 2

      Most academics who write books want them to be read as widely as possible. They'd much rather have someone read a pirated copy than not read it at all. In fact, pirating is the modern 21st century equivalent of borrowing the book from a library, nothing more.

      The library paid for the copy that is being borrowed. So they are not in any way similar.

    26. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by Tolkien · · Score: 1

      I hadn't thought of that aspect. +1.

      --
      how is babby formed?
    27. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by kriston · · Score: 1

      You don't need the fasciles once all of Volume 4 is completed.

      --

      Kriston

    28. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by martin-boundary · · Score: 1
      Actually, they are a lot more alike than you suggest. It's rather well known that students like to photocopy books from the library. Someone (the library) bought the book, yet the student didn't buy the right to copy it, and of course it's strictly illegal.

      In the case of pirated books on the web, the original copy was also paid for by someone (eg the pirate, or quite often a library). The people who download the scanned/pirated book didn't pay for their digital copy either, and of course it's stricly illegal.

      Wholesale copying of books in and around universities has been going on for at least as long as photocopiers have been widely available. Everyone knows it, and probably the majority of faculty alive today did it themselves at some point.

    29. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      working 70+ hour weeks.

      So you're either a junior doctor or a farm labourer. My commiserations.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    30. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      He should give his books away for free and make money by selling tshirts.

      Yes, he's already written the books, how would paying for them now help unless you could travel back in time to when he was eighteen and give him the money then?

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    31. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      You've got to be fucking tight-fisted to photocopy an entire textbook rather than buy it.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    32. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by pugugly · · Score: 1

      Fortunately Volume 4b has an algorithm for doing exactly that over IP16 transmat protocol - I gave myself an advance copy two weeks ago.

      Pug

      --
      An Invisible Entity of Vast Power whose existence must be taken on faith alone: Liberal Media
    33. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by dmneoblade · · Score: 1

      So did the guy who scanned the pirate copy.

      --
      Warning, knife is sharp. Please keep out of children.
    34. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by larry+bagina · · Score: 1

      Another excellent point. Since he's collecting royalties on all his old books, he has no incentive to write new ones. Maybe that's why it took 28 years and didn't even get it finished. The only way to make sure the next volume is released is to pirate his books.

      --
      Do you even lift?

      These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

    35. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by mattack2 · · Score: 1

      They could have shoplifted it.

    36. Re:Who else hasn't read his copy of volume three? by DrVxD · · Score: 1

      Just now it's more of a jumble of piles.

      Is "jumble of piles" one of the data structures he's going to cover in Vol 5b?

      --
      Not everything that can be measured matters; Not everything that matters can be measured.
  3. I have the first 3 boxed by Rockoon · · Score: 1

    I got the first 3 as a boxed set many years ago, so.....

    --
    "His name was James Damore."
    1. Re:I have the first 3 boxed by Chapter80 · · Score: 1

      Volume 4 only took 28 years to create.

      Imagine how long it would have taken him, if Knuth had an email account and had to read email every day!

    2. Re:I have the first 3 boxed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When I bought my copies of volumes 1-3 (or rather, were given them as a gift from my wife), they weren't available as a box set.

      Now get off my lawn, y

    3. Re:I have the first 3 boxed by I8TheWorm · · Score: 1

      Now you can get the fourth part of the trilogy (credit: Douglas Adams).

      --
      Saying Android is a family of phones is akin to saying Linux is a family of PCs.
    4. Re:I have the first 3 boxed by TheRaven64 · · Score: 5, Funny

      He's a professor. I'm pretty sure he can procrastinate without the aid of email. He wrote an entire typesetting system as a procrastination exercise once! Most PhD students would envy that level of dedication to The Art Of Procrastination.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    5. Re:I have the first 3 boxed by somersault · · Score: 1

      Thank the gods he doesn't have Facebook. I've been trying to get back into programming in the evenings, but have to stop every 5 minutes to check Facebook and Slashdot.. stupid addictive personality.

      --
      which is totally what she said
    6. Re:I have the first 3 boxed by idontgno · · Score: 1

      Well, technically, it's the 3 1/2th part of the trilogy, since this is just Volume 4A.

      For my part, I'll hold off buying until Volume 4 is actually complete. Assuming the world survives 2012 and Y2G.

      --
      Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
    7. Re:I have the first 3 boxed by camperdave · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      What you need to do is download Slashbook. It allows you to convert both Slashdot and Facebook into a single twitter feed that you can follow on your iPad. There's also an open source parallel called Facedot that works on Android phones.

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    8. Re:I have the first 3 boxed by ebuck · · Score: 0

      Will your car survive rolling the odometer? If so, 2012 is a safe year, considering it's just rolling the odometer of the Mayan calendar.

      At least you didn't grow up with Christian nutters who thought the world would end in 2000. Oh wait, they stopped saying that back in the late 1980's because they didn't want people to remember them as frauds.

      A walk down memory land (2000)

      Proof that Christians are obsessed with the end of the world.

      There's nothing like a good scare tactic to keep people in church.

    9. Re:I have the first 3 boxed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, it's the 3 1/4th part of the trilogy. Volume 4 is going to have parts A,B,C, and D

    10. Re:I have the first 3 boxed by Stregano · · Score: 1

      You do know that there are more than one Mayan Calendars out there, right? As for 2038, meh, we will worry about it in 2037

      --
      The world is how you make it
    11. Re:I have the first 3 boxed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Get the fuck off my slashdot. NOW.

    12. Re:I have the first 3 boxed by DrVxD · · Score: 1

      When I bought my copy of volume 1, he hadn't published volume 2.

      --
      Not everything that can be measured matters; Not everything that matters can be measured.
  4. Boxed set by Toe,+The · · Score: 1

    What is that strange substance these books are packaged in? Some kind of plant-fiber derivative? Weird.

    1. Re:Boxed set by theaveng · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It's a new feature. You buy the book, read it, and then sell it on ebay or amazon as "like new/mint" condition to recoup ~90% of your money. --- or --- If you like the book you can keep it forever without having to fear someone will delete it from your kindle. You can even pass it on to your children! Personally I think this is an improvement.

      --
      FOX NEWS.com should be BANNED from television and internet. Have the Congress take it over and give us Truespeak.
    2. Re:Boxed set by ron_ivi · · Score: 3, Insightful

      But more seriously - it would make far more sense to buy this as an e-book that I can search on my computer wherever I am.

      I do enough of my programming from home or from a coffee shop that it'd be rather useless to have these things stuck on my office bookshelf (except, perhaps to look a bit pretentious).

    3. Re:Boxed set by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      and then sell it on ebay or amazon as "like new/mint" condition to recoup ~90% of your money

      You haven't sold many books, have you?

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    4. Re:Boxed set by vlm · · Score: 2

      But more seriously - it would make far more sense to buy this as an e-book that I can search on my computer wherever I am.

      I do enough of my programming from home or from a coffee shop that it'd be rather useless to have these things stuck on my office bookshelf (except, perhaps to look a bit pretentious).

      Kindle / etc / generally seems to suffer under the load of large equations and diagrams. OK for the latest Tom Clancy or Gibbons decline and fall of the roman empire, not so hot for this application.

      If you're talking about PDFs of Knuths work to read on the laptop, those are, uh, available, from the usual sources.

      Personally I was more excited to receive the final (?) eighth collection of Knuths papers that being the "fun and games". Got it in the mail last week, barely cracked open yet. Has his "famous" MAD magazine articles.

      Now an off the wall question, do people really program in coffee shops (other than ron ivi) ? I have the impression locally that they are bar / meat market equivalent for non-drinkers, people whom want to re-enact "friends" episodes, and homeless / urban campers ala the recent one zillion "hacker public radio" series. Do you just leave your $$$$$$ laptop and confidential corporate papers on the desk when you go to the can? Does the staff tolerate your presence?

      I have worked in parks, at least a couple hours until the battery dies, its not like I'm locked in my office.

      --
      "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
    5. Re:Boxed set by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ....and if he hangs on to them long enough, he might even recoup his investment many times over. You try that with an ebook.

    6. Re:Boxed set by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Fucking moron. I'll bet you call your computers "boxen", too.

    7. Re:Boxed set by camperdave · · Score: 2

      Hmm... How would you fold the cover of Mad magazine on an e-reader?

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    8. Re:Boxed set by Galaga88 · · Score: 1

      The best part is, book works with the shelves you have at home. No need to get a new storage device.

    9. Re:Boxed set by chill · · Score: 4, Funny

      Hack the e-reader to install Linux.

      Install Perl.

      The rest is left as an exercise to the student.

      --
      Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
    10. Re:Boxed set by bonch · · Score: 1

      Deleting it from a Kindle, as opposed to throwing away the physical book, losing it, or physically damaging it in some way? Not to mention that printing it on paper and packaging it as a book costs more. The advantages of digital distribution outweigh physical distribution so hugely that whining about reselling some old book is silly. This is the same Slashdot that mocks CDs for being an "obsolete business model."

    11. Re:Boxed set by bonch · · Score: 1

      Yes, our financial empire will begin when we resell a physical copy of Knuth's "The Art of Computer Programming" on eBay. Isn't this the same site that spent years mocking CDs for being an obsolete business model?

    12. Re:Boxed set by Confusador · · Score: 1

      Expensively. It's all part of the conspiracy to get you to upgrade!

    13. Re:Boxed set by theaveng · · Score: 1

      I've sold a lot of books (and games). Some I lose money and some I gain money. My overall "loss" this past year was just $50 for about 500 items bought-and-later sold on the ebay/amazon.

      --
      FOX NEWS.com should be BANNED from television and internet. Have the Congress take it over and give us Truespeak.
    14. Re:Boxed set by trevc · · Score: 1

      Do people really program in coffee shops? How obnoxious.

    15. Re:Boxed set by theaveng · · Score: 1

      Yes digital distribution IS cheaper.

      For THEM but not for me. For me the physical hardback is cheaper cause I can buy it for ~$20 and sell it for $18-19, and therefore my total cost is just 1-2 dollars. In contrast the Kindle version would cost $20.

      --
      FOX NEWS.com should be BANNED from television and internet. Have the Congress take it over and give us Truespeak.
    16. Re:Boxed set by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      and then sell it on ebay or amazon as "like new/mint" condition to recoup ~90% of your money

      You haven't sold many books, have you?

      The only real way to make money by selling books is to steal them in the first place.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    17. Re:Boxed set by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      If you think having printed books in your home or office is "pretentious", you're a pretty miserable human being.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  5. Just want to point out that .... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I just want to point out that these books are called "The Art of Computer Programming" and not:

    The Art of Software Engineering.

    The Art of Computer Science

    or The Art of [insert some pretentious title]

    And even without and pretentious term for what it is, it is still taken quite seriously and nobody disparages it.

    You don't have to be called an engineer or scientist to be taken seriously.

    1. Re:Just want to point out that .... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You don't have to be called an engineer or scientist to be taken seriously.

      Wow. Someone's got a chip on their shoulder.

    2. Re:Just want to point out that .... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      General public's view of:

      Programmer: A fat guy behind a PC making Facebook and Google.
      Engineer: An intelligent construction worker.
      Scientist: A guy doing pointless research just so he can say he does research.

    3. Re:Just want to point out that .... by celle · · Score: 1

      "Programmer: A fat guy behind a PC making Facebook and Google."

      Actually,
      Programmer: A fat guy behind a PC making Facebook and Google giggle.

      Somehow it seems better that way.

  6. It must be admitted... by Sponge+Bath · · Score: 2

    From Vol 1: "However, it must be admitted that MIX is now quite obsolete. Therefore MIX will be replaced in subsequent editions of this book by a new machine called MMIX, the 2009.

    I take it Vol 4A is still MIX with 6-bit bytes?

    1. Re:It must be admitted... by bunratty · · Score: 1

      No. It uses MMIX, a 64-bit RISC computer.

      --
      What a fool believes, he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.
    2. Re:It must be admitted... by RDW · · Score: 5, Informative

      ...and until Vol.1 is updated:

      http://www-cs-faculty.stanford.edu/~uno/taocp.html

      'As I continue to write Volumes 4 and 5, I'll need to refer to topics that belong logically in Volumes 1--3 but weren't invented yet when I wrote those books. Instead of putting such material artificially into Volumes 4 or 5, I'll put it into fascicle form. The first such fascicle is in fact ready now (see above): It describes MMIX, a RISC machine that is used in Volume 4A; MMIX will also take the place of MIX in all subsequent editions of Volumes 1, 2, and 3.

      Download the 16 Feb 2004 version of Volume 1 Fascicle 1 (583KB of compressed PostScript) (this old version is however no longer being maintained)':

      http://www-cs-faculty.stanford.edu/~uno/fasc1.ps.gz

    3. Re:It must be admitted... by C0vardeAn0nim0 · · Score: 4, Informative

      there's several erratas on his website, one of those is exactly about MMIX.

      site
      fascicle 1: MMIX (compressed postscript).

      on the site he tells which parts of volume 1 are replaced by the fascicle.

      --
      What ? Me, worry ?
    4. Re:It must be admitted... by definate · · Score: 1

      I don't think he pays out for website errors, just textbook errors.

      --
      This is my footer. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
  7. Wow by forgot_my_nick · · Score: 2

    Am I right my assumption that there may be as many as 8 volumes of Volume 4?

    --
    Cultist of the Average Middle-Aged Ones
    1. Re:Wow by rrhal · · Score: 1

      Am I right my assumption that there may be as many as 8 volumes of Volume 4?

      Given the subject matter it will be more like 4! / 3

      --
      All generalizations are false, including this one. Mark Twain
  8. Most used by woboyle · · Score: 2

    Volume 3 is my most used one. I pretty much devoured it when I was doing research on databases and practical optimization of sort/search algorithms. I bought the first 3 volumes pretty much when they were all first available, back in 1983 near the beginning of my software engineering career in the Silicon Valley.

    --
    Sometimes, real fast is almost as good as real-time.
  9. Re:Wow --- volume 4BXz? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Right now, tex (written by Knuth) is at version number 3.141592.
    Following the same pattern, we may get a boxed library of programming books from Knuth without ever reaching volume 5.

  10. Tsk, tsk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    From TFA:

    "Knuth, Volume n has been published, where n = 4A. "

    Single-character variable names? Shurely Shome Mistake?

  11. Finally! by wandazulu · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Given the $$$ for the boxed set, which was way more than a poor college/post college programmer could afford, I promised myself I'd get these books when volume 4 came out. Over the years I've read through and copied, a lot of times by hand, his algorithms while sitting at B&N or someplace, and I always would finish by saying "Why don't I just buy this and save me the trouble?" Then suddenly everything was on the internet, and I could refer back to my notes, and then I didn't need to look at my notes any longer, but I kept wanting to buy the books, if anything to show gratitude. Now that the 4th is out, I'm going to do it.

    1. Re:Finally! by Qzukk · · Score: 1

      And you'll buy the boxed set again when 4B comes out, followed by 4C?

      And again when he releases the planned vol 5?

      And again when he gets around to going back to redoing vol 1 2 and 3 in MMIX and releasing the 4th edition?

      And again if he gets around to his planned Vol 6 and Vol 7?

      Personally, I'll stick to the individual volumes (hopefully he will issue the changes to vol2 and vol3 as fascicles as he did with the Vol 1 Fascicle 1 release defining MMIX)

      --
      If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
    2. Re:Finally! by Muad'Dave · · Score: 1

      In which boxed set does Han Solo shoot first?

      --
      Tiller's Rule: Never use a word in written form that you've only heard and never read. You will end up looking foolish.
    3. Re:Finally! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You should buy this book too:

      http://edward.oconnor.cx/2002/04/don-knuth-sells-out

  12. Pigs flying, hell freezing over by JamesD_UK · · Score: 5, Funny

    Donald Knuth has published a book and a date has been set for the release of Duke Nukem Forever? It's all too much.

    1. Re:Pigs flying, hell freezing over by LWATCDR · · Score: 1

      You left out that the Verizon iPhone.. All the Tech Unicorns are now showing up.
      That being side Vol. 4 of The Art of Computer Programing is the most interesting for me.

      --
      See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
    2. Re:Pigs flying, hell freezing over by TheLink · · Score: 1

      I guess it's all to beat the 2012 deadline.

      --
    3. Re:Pigs flying, hell freezing over by will_die · · Score: 3, Funny

      heck there are even rumors that the next book in A song of Ice and Fire will be out this year.
      If the end of the earth is not this year then it is definatly next year.

    4. Re:Pigs flying, hell freezing over by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 2

      >> Donald Knuth has published a book and a date has been set for the release of Duke Nukem Forever?

      I guess this pretty much proves that hexagons just aren't that much fun in Civ5.

    5. Re:Pigs flying, hell freezing over by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Donald Knuth has published a book and a date has been set for the release of Duke Nukem Forever? It's all too much.

      Well, Samba 4 should be just around the corner, then. :-)

    6. Re:Pigs flying, hell freezing over by C0vardeAn0nim0 · · Score: 1

      You left out that the Verizon iPhone.. All the Tech Unicorns are now showing up.

      not all. the white iphone 4 is still the subject of legend.

      --
      What ? Me, worry ?
    7. Re:Pigs flying, hell freezing over by butalearner · · Score: 3, Funny

      AND the Wheel of Time will end next year. If we find out that GNU Hurd is about to be released, I think Slashdot might spontaneously implode for lack of stalling jokes.

    8. Re:Pigs flying, hell freezing over by LWATCDR · · Score: 1

      I had forgotten about the white iPhone. It may be the last unicorn of this generation of tech. That and a good cheap Android Tablet.

      --
      See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
    9. Re:Pigs flying, hell freezing over by celle · · Score: 1

      "Donald Knuth has published a book and a date has been set for the release of Duke Nukem Forever? It's all too much."

      There's more yet, Freebsd is getting a new installer.
      http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-current/2011-January/022335.html

      Will we stand the strain?

      The Freebsd guys better announce it in big bold letters everywhere to cut down on the potential heart attacks as the shock may be too much for some.

      Satan just asked Mary to stop by for a quick warm-up(he he) as hell just froze over.

      Good God what's next????!!!!

    10. Re:Pigs flying, hell freezing over by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Really? Looks like it's available in Black or White from a retailer.

    11. Re:Pigs flying, hell freezing over by forgot_my_nick · · Score: 1

      Good God! next thing you'll tell me Slackware's going to be doing dependency resolution!

      --
      Cultist of the Average Middle-Aged Ones
    12. Re:Pigs flying, hell freezing over by LWATCDR · · Score: 1

      Notice that they don't have a picture of it...
      It still has not shipped anywhere as far as I can tell so it is still a unicorn.

      Why anyone cares I have no idea but for some reason they do.

      --
      See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
    13. Re:Pigs flying, hell freezing over by c0lo · · Score: 1

      Good God what's next????!!!!

      Higgs Boson gets discovered (but turns to be a lepton instead - more work for the theorists), Julian Assange receives Nobel Peace prize and is hired by the NSA, Obama's health care passes the senate with 100% aye-s.

      --
      Questions raise, answers kill. Raise questions to stay alive.
    14. Re:Pigs flying, hell freezing over by Black+Parrot · · Score: 1

      AND the Wheel of Time will end next year. If we find out that GNU Hurd is about to be released, I think Slashdot might spontaneously implode for lack of stalling jokes.

      That's why the world has to end in 2012.

      --
      Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
  13. Important note by maestroX · · Score: 1

    Don't forget to add: stack_size = 100000000000 to /usr/local/texlive/2010/texmf.cnf !

  14. Dead Serious Question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Believe it or not, I haven't heard of this guy before now. Who is Donald Knuth and why is his book(s) a big deal?

    1. Re:Dead Serious Question by hubie · · Score: 4, Informative

      Get off my lawn!

    2. Re:Dead Serious Question by MadKeithV · · Score: 1

      I believe he used to be some kind of sweet little cuddly polar bear that got quite a bit of attention, and though he's all grown up now I don't think any of them have written books before, so it's a big deal.

    3. Re:Dead Serious Question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I really dunno too, and there's no way to look up such info on the internet so I think we're pretty much screwed.

    4. Re:Dead Serious Question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Donald+Knuth

    5. Re:Dead Serious Question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      The 3 first volumes of "The art of computer programming" were for many years the de-facto reference for learning about data structures and algorithms using a rigorous approach.

      The problems given at the end of each chapter are comprehensive and often very difficult, which make the series challenging and particularly interesting.

      Today there are much better textbooks if you simply want to learn about algorithms. The TAOCP series demonstrates implementations using MIX, a made-up assembly language which is quite frankly, horrible. However, this doesn't change the fact that the series was a huge contribution to the field, and still has its merits.

    6. Re:Dead Serious Question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      When you consider that the copyright date in my copies of V1 & V2 are 1968,72 and 1968,73, and 1980 for V3, it is amazing that these books are still of use.

      It is hardly surprising that MIX is a little "odd" by the standards of today - it would be like comparing Mercury autocode with C#

    7. Re:Dead Serious Question by vlm · · Score: 2

      You can always identify people whom have never read Knuth because they get hung up on it not using the hot new language of the month. "Now with Erlang!"

      On the other hand, the people that "read" Knuth but didn't understand any of it, get even by complaining about the magnetic tape merge scenarios, and "doesn't everyone just use the qsort routine anyway?"

      The folks whom "get it" understand its not training, but education.

      --
      "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
    8. Re:Dead Serious Question by siride · · Score: 3, Funny

      I had trouble following your post because every reading of one of your flagrant misuses of "whom" resulted in a cascade of aneurysms. These caused me to pause and foam at the mouth a little bit. I later regained consciousness and was able to continue reading. And then bam, another misuse of "whom"! I don't know if I will ever recover.

    9. Re:Dead Serious Question by Bigbutt · · Score: 2

      The final "its" is what caused the stroke though.

      [John]

      --
      Shit better not happen!
    10. Re:Dead Serious Question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You would think someone this pretentious would at least make an effort to know the difference between who and whom.

    11. Re:Dead Serious Question by not-my-real-name · · Score: 2

      He's a time-travelling anti-software patent crusader from the distant future. He travelled to the dawn of the computer age to publish a set of books containing all the algorithms known throughout time to establish prior art. Unfortunately, most people don't read his books and thus we're still troubled by software patents.

      --
      un-ALTERED reproduction and dissimination of this IMPORTANT information is ENCOURAGED
    12. Re:Dead Serious Question by gnapster · · Score: 2

      Who is Knuth? He's my homeboy.

    13. Re:Dead Serious Question by JasterBobaMereel · · Score: 1

      The point of (M)MIX is that it is unlike any language, and yet like and so people are not distracted by it being like the language of the moment, it is there to show fundamental algorithms not how to code ...

      You can bet the the designers of C# own very worn copies of Knuth's books, it is one of the compiler writers bibles ...it is still relevant because it is so fundamental, there are tricks you can use in each language to speed up or simplify but all depend on you knowing the basics first, and all of these are in (or will be...) in Knuth ...

      --
      Puteulanus fenestra mortis
    14. Re:Dead Serious Question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because it was correct?

    15. Re:Dead Serious Question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I liked his use of MIX because yes it was horrible and it made no assumptions about hardware and proved that the algorithms he demonstrated were workable in a strange off-standard machine.

    16. Re:Dead Serious Question by vlm · · Score: 1

      You would think someone this pretentious would at least make an effort to know the difference between who and whom.

      No, I intentionally do it to piss people off. Works pretty well!

      --
      "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
  15. So was Charlie Stross wrong? by JoshuaZ · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I thought that Knuth had a deal with a mysterious British intelligence agency that as long as he didn't publish volume four they would let him remain metabolically active. I hope he doesn't have some illness that made their threats moot.

    1. Re:So was Charlie Stross wrong? by RDW · · Score: 3, Funny

      It's only Volume 4A. Algorithms to generate Dho-Nha geometry curves in polynomial time aren't covered until Volume 4C, so he's safe for the moment.

    2. Re:So was Charlie Stross wrong? by camperdave · · Score: 1

      Remain metabolically active? You mean they'd put him in some sort of suspended animation? Cryo-freeze perhaps?

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    3. Re:So was Charlie Stross wrong? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes. It's called necrosis. As necromancers, the staff of said agency are particularly familiar with it.

    4. Re:So was Charlie Stross wrong? by TrekkieGod · · Score: 1

      Remain metabolically active? You mean they'd put him in some sort of suspended animation? Cryo-freeze perhaps?

      In a way. He's saying they'd put him on ice.

      --

      Warning: Opinions known to be heavily biased.

    5. Re:So was Charlie Stross wrong? by bobaferret · · Score: 1

      Thank God, I was really worried about this.

  16. Don Knuth finally sells out... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Obligatory Doctor Fun cartoon...

  17. Re:Wow --- volume 4BXz? by somersault · · Score: 4, Informative

    I had to check to see if you were kidding! And actually:

    ali@katamari:~$ tex --version
    TeX 3.1415926 (TeX Live 2009/Debian)

    --
    which is totally what she said
  18. I'm hangin' out by bigsteve@dstc · · Score: 1

    ... for the spoken book edition.

    1. Re:I'm hangin' out by cpghost · · Score: 1

      Audio books? That's so old school. I'm waiting for the TAOCP Trilogy^WSeries right from Hollywood.

      --
      cpghost at Cordula's Web.
  19. Getting this Right Away(tm) by nitehawk214 · · Score: 1

    I'm preordaining this so I can have a chance at finding a mistake and getting a reward check.

    --
    I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
    1. Re:Getting this Right Away(tm) by e9th · · Score: 3, Funny

      I'm preordaining this

      Cool! Now we can call it the Reverend Volume 4A.

    2. Re:Getting this Right Away(tm) by el+borak · · Score: 1

      I'm preordaining this so I can have a chance at finding a mistake and getting a reward check.

      You don't have to race to find errors in Dr. Knuth's books. He's certainly detailed and careful, but no volume as large and complicated as his can escape small errors.

      I got two checks from him (back when they were real checks) just from Digital Typography (a book I highly recommend).

      --
      An imperfect plan executed violently is far superior to a perfect plan. -- George Patton
    3. Re:Getting this Right Away(tm) by hubie · · Score: 1

      I got two checks from him (back when they were real checks) just from Digital Typography (a book I highly recommend).

      Did you ever cash them? I always hear that the people who got them never cashed them. I always thought that it must be a pain in the ass for Knuth to balance his checkbook with all those uncleared checks. :)

    4. Re:Getting this Right Away(tm) by pjt33 · · Score: 1

      The reason GPP said "back when they were real checks" is because so few people actually cashed them that when it became clear that there were security problems with telling everyone your bank account number, Knuth started issuing cheques from the Bank of San Serriffe. If you really prefer the money you can trade it back in, but mine is framed above my computer.

    5. Re:Getting this Right Away(tm) by JorgeFierro · · Score: 1

      Didn't he stop sending reward checks? I think it had to do with some form of check fraud: http://www-cs-faculty.stanford.edu/~uno/news08.html

    6. Re:Getting this Right Away(tm) by nitehawk214 · · Score: 1

      I'm preordaining this

      Cool! Now we can call it the Reverend Volume 4A.

      Doh! Well I suppose it is a bible for people like me.

      --
      I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
  20. Hey, that's my University getting a nod in there! by netwiz · · Score: 1

    Pretty hot to see this bump for the old Alma Mater:

    check the fine print at the bottom:
    http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2010/10/28-6621_Computer-Scientists-Make-Progress-on-Math-Puzzle_article.html

  21. Literary analogy by VeritasRoss · · Score: 1
    So is this series going to be just like Stephen King's Dark Tower Series?

    Knuth takes forever to get the first 4 volumes out, making you wonder if he'll ever finish the whole thing. Then he will get the final three volumes out in rapid succession, but they will largely be regarded as huge disappointments by the rest of the programming community. For the most part, those last three volumes will just reference prior work Knuth has done, and talk a lot about recursion.

    --
    If my post were a car, this sig would be its bumper-sticker.
    1. Re:Literary analogy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So is this series going to be just like Stephen King's Dark Tower Series?

      Knuth takes forever to get the first 4 volumes out, making you wonder if he'll ever finish the whole thing. Then he will get the final three volumes out in rapid succession, but they will largely be regarded as huge disappointments by the rest of the programming community. For the most part, those last three volumes will just reference prior work Knuth has done, and talk a lot about recursion.

      Is the new release basically just his fascicles (probably misspelled) in a single book?

      I have been buying the fascicles for many years. Kinda interesting. Theres a pretty good, free, itunes-U video lecture of him talking about crazy bit manipulation techniques.

  22. I bought Vol 1 in 1969. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don Knuth - takes a licking, keeps on ticking.

    1. Re:I bought Vol 1 in 1969. by Existential+Wombat · · Score: 2

      He needs to buck up and get a move on. He was born in 1938, at this rate he'll be long dead before he finishes...

    2. Re:I bought Vol 1 in 1969. by SnarfQuest · · Score: 2

      You now have 4 data points, so can someone draw a plot to see when the next volume is coming out?

      --
      Who would win this election: Andrew Weiner vs Andrew Weiner's weiner.
    3. Re:I bought Vol 1 in 1969. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't mind much - he can die and finish in any order, as long as he does finish.

    4. Re:I bought Vol 1 in 1969. by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      You now have 4 data points, so can someone draw a plot to see when the next volume is coming out?

      Some time in the future, would be my guess.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  23. wtf 28? by kwikrick · · Score: 1, Funny

    Volume 3 was first published in 1973. That is 38 years ago. Also, the first (incomplete) paperback edition of volume 4 was published in 2005. In 2011, volume 4 is still not complete. Wtf 28 years? Please don't post again until the whole series is complete.

    --
    assignment != equality != identity
    1. Re:wtf 28? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Truly a Michael Crawford.

    2. Re:wtf 28? by swillden · · Score: 1

      Volume 3 was first published in 1973. That is 38 years ago. Also, the first (incomplete) paperback edition of volume 4 was published in 2005. In 2011, volume 4 is still not complete. Wtf 28 years? Please don't post again until the whole series is complete.

      The series will never be complete. Besides the fact that Knuth is getting on in years, there's the little problem that computer science continues advancing, which has required Knuth to revise the existing volumes in addition to working on writing the new ones.

      None of which affects the value of the existing volumes in the slightest, of course.

      --
      Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
  24. Re:Bars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    IANAProgrammer, but I have done sufficiently erudite activities to be qualified to post something.

    Coffee Shops / Bars / Restaurants are crossover categories.

    When you want to do stuff in one of these locations, you search out a conducive establishment. In my modestly tourist-rural area, there may be about 10 promising locations in a 50 mile area.

    It's all about the mood - find a place that isn't counting Tables Per Night or Upsell Hell. No, don't leave your laptop and papers on the table for a rest visit, - just sleep your laptop and shove the papers in your carrycase and just leave your DRINK on the table to mark your spot.

    Posting AC

  25. Original the best by Frankie70 · · Score: 1

    Part 1 was the best. Reloaded & Revolutions were OK. I hope 4A is better.

  26. Does he even INTEND to finish the series? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So, I'm being serious here and can only hope someone cares to answer this:

    Does he even intend to finish the series? How long does he expect to live?
    With his current rate there's now way in hell he will make it to Volume 7.

    1. Re:Does he even INTEND to finish the series? by WillAdams · · Score: 2

      Yes, he does intend to finish.

      You have to understand that when he was first asked to write this ``book'' he wrote out longhand ~600 pages and submitted that as the first chapter --- when his editor received this manuscript he asked in response, ``Don, just how long is this book going to be?'' --- after a bit of back-and-forth they worked out that the first submission would be the bulk of Vol. 1 and planned out the balance of the volumes. Then the Monotype casting machines were retired and he took a bit of time off to write TeX (see his book _Digital Typography_ for the full story).

      TeX was declared finished in 1982 and since then he's caught up on bug reports for his other books &c.

      William

      --
      Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.
  27. But still... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The man is a genius, the books are a work of art and all that.

    But they are rediculously expensive, always have been. You'd think there would be a paperback version by now.

    I'm curious and would like to read the books, but can't (read: won't) buy them for these prices.

    Besides, I'd rather wait for the directors cut with 2 extra pages when the septology is complete....

    1. Re:But still... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's spelled "ridiculously". Why is this so hard?

    2. Re:But still... by dodobh · · Score: 1

      The Indian editions are cheap. Cheaper paper and binding, but each of V1,2 and 3 are ~ 12 USD each.

      --
      I can throw myself at the ground, and miss.
  28. Re:Bars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I have no problem leaving my laptop on the table for a few minutes in a reasonably full coffee shop. Who's going to steal a laptop in full view of 25 people? I have enough faith in humanity that someone would say something when a person came along and tried to grab a computer that wasn't theirs. I'd certainly do so. I might even try a tackle. Do you think that every one of those people is a member of a laptop-stealing ring? A new twist on the con-man's "store"? Coffee shop as a front: suckers come in, get some coffee, and get their laptop ganked?

  29. the sad thing by epine · · Score: 1

    Knuths' books used to be the dope, now they're more like the antidote. Most code monkeys these days are consumed by hacking their way through the jungle overgrowth and not losing sight of the sky (33 million lines of code in Helios). We've become so engaged by the canopy, we actually forget the soil has worms. There are times when it would be useful to regain this awareness.

    As fascinating as the worms are, most code monkeys have poor digestive capacity for worms. Those of us who are ecologists rather than arborists can extract a fair amount of value from these volumes. And then we can argue among ourselves who maintains the 10,000 lines of code in Helios where adjusting the nitrogen level makes much of a difference.

    BTW, I recommend his paper on Dancing Links for exact cover, even if the technique is less general than I hoped, it's still clever. On that note, Knuth couldn't code an extension point to save his life. He's the grand master of clock-work monoliths.

  30. My role is to be on the bottom of things by r_jensen11 · · Score: 1

    Email is a wonderful thing for people whose role in life is to be on top of things. But not for me; my role is to be on the bottom of things. What I do takes long hours of studying and uninterruptible concentration. I try to learn certain areas of computer science exhaustively; then I try to digest that knowledge into a form that is accessible to people who don't have time for such study.

    I'd ask if this guy is a native English speaker, but his wikipedia page says he's originally from Milwaukee, WI.

    Now, I've heard of both:
    Being on top of things
    and
    Getting to the bottom of thigns

    but I've never heard of someone wanting to "be on the bottom of things." This image conjures up pictures either suitable for prison life or a procrastinator's paradise; possibly both

    1. Re:My role is to be on the bottom of things by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've met quite a few guys from milwaukee (craigslist nsa m4m) and everyone has been a total bottom.

  31. Re:Wow --- volume 4BXz? by MarkRose · · Score: 1

    Shouldn't that be rounded up to 3.1415927?

    --
    Be relentless!
  32. Re:Wow --- volume 4BXz? by Samantha+Wright · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The answer is that if that was done, then the next version, 3.14159265, would have a lower number. The whole point of the irrational number thing is that it's still technically increasing—thus the truncation.

    --
    Bio questions? Ask me to start a Q&A journal. Computer analogies available for most topics!
  33. Re:Wow --- volume 4BXz? by hubie · · Score: 1

    And don't forget that METAFONT is at version 2.718281

  34. Re:Wow --- volume 4BXz? by misof · · Score: 1

    Wrong. The new version number will be larger than the previous one, obviously, by 5e-8. And even if you read the number as 3.integer, the new integer has one more digit than the old one. Why do you think it should be lower?

    By the way, TeX version numbers are converging to pi, and Metafont version numbers are converging to e. This is intentional. Rumor has it that this should show how TeX and Metafont converge to perfection.

  35. Re:Wow --- volume 4BXz? by narcc · · Score: 2

    You fail math forever.

    3.1415927 is indeed greater than 3.14159265

    Consequently, the poster is correct. If the current version number were rounded instead of truncated, the next version would indeed have a lower number than the previous version. This is why the poster (correctly) pointed out that rounding would have been a mistake.

    --
    Required reading for internet skeptics
  36. Re:Wow --- volume 4BXz? by Samantha+Wright · · Score: 1

    What? Read the post I'm replying to. The guy's talking about rounding up!

    --
    Bio questions? Ask me to start a Q&A journal. Computer analogies available for most topics!
  37. 0x4A ? by Sigfried · · Score: 1

    What happened to volumes four through seventy three ?

  38. Re:Bars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I have no problem leaving my laptop on the table for a few minutes in a reasonably full coffee shop. Who's going to steal a laptop in full view of 25 people? I have enough faith in humanity that someone would say something when a person came along and tried to grab a computer that wasn't theirs. I'd certainly do so. I might even try a tackle. Do you think that every one of those people is a member of a laptop-stealing ring? A new twist on the con-man's "store"? Coffee shop as a front: suckers come in, get some coffee, and get their laptop ganked?

    You assume that the other people in the establishment took enough notice of you to recognize that you are not the one walking out with your laptop. All it takes is enough confidence to act as if everything is as it should be and almost nobody will question whether or not you own that thing you just picked up.

  39. Side question by Niris · · Score: 1

    While we're on the topic of TAOCP, I have the first one and have tried reading through it (currently starting as a junior CS student), but have been struggling a little bit with the language he uses for his examples. What language is that, and are there any good tutorials online so I can just sort of pick it up and figure out the rest of it so I can understand his use of algorithms?

  40. Re:Wow --- volume 4BXz? by Black+Parrot · · Score: 1

    I had to check to see if you were kidding! And actually:

    ali@katamari:~$ tex --version
    TeX 3.1415926 (TeX Live 2009/Debian)

    The joke is that he says he's going to quit working on it when he reaches version pi. So he just keeps adding significant digits, without ever getting there.

    --
    Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
  41. Badly presented by dugeen · · Score: 1

    There are two problems with ACP - firstly, the reference of everything to that ludicrous imaginary MIX architecture, and secondly, those awful TEX fonts which give the impression that the book was published in 1962 and became obsolete ten seconds later. My heart sinks whenever I open a computer science book and see that typography. Credit where it's due however, it does have the only explanation of implementing regular expression quantifiers that I've ever managed to understand.

  42. Re:Bars by vlm · · Score: 1

    You assume that the other people in the establishment took enough notice of you to recognize that you are not the one walking out with your laptop. All it takes is enough confidence to act as if everything is as it should be and almost nobody will question whether or not you own that thing you just picked up.

    Want a free laptop? Walk up to someone elses laptop while they're in the can, drink a swig of their coffee, and walk out with the coffee and laptop. No one would drink someone elses coffee, right?

    Admittedly I was thinking a lot more about a mostly empty coffee shop. One thats packed and loud is probably worse than cubicles at work, probably worse than an open plan at work.

    --
    "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
  43. Obligatory Atrocity Archives Quote by Thuktun · · Score: 1

    "Is that a copy of Knuth? Hang on—volume four? But he only finished the first three volumes in that series! Volume four's been overdue for the past twenty years!"

    "Yup. We—or the Black Chamber—have a little agreement with him; he doesn't publish volume four of The Art of Computer Programming, and they don't render him metabolically challenged."