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Submitted via IRC for Bytram
In the introduction to her new book, Hannah Fry points out something interesting about the phrase "Hello World." It's never been quite clear, she says, whether the phrase—which is frequently the entire output of a student's first computer program—is supposed to be attributed to the program, awakening for the first time, or to the programmer, announcing their triumphant first creation.
Perhaps for this reason, "Hello World" calls to mind a dialogue between human and machine, one which has never been more relevant than it is today. Her book, called Hello World, published in September, walks us through a rapidly computerizing world. Fry is both optimistic and excited—along with her Ph.D. students at the University of College, London, she has worked on many algorithms herself—and cautious. In conversation and in her book, she issues a call to arms: We need to make algorithms transparent, regulated, and forgiving of the flawed creatures that converse with them.
I reached her by telephone while she was on a book tour in New York City.
(Score: 3, Funny) by darkfeline on Monday November 19 2018, @08:45PM (1 child)
Algorithms are math, what's there to regulate? You cannot make bubble sort run in O(log n) worst case any more than Indiana can define the value of pi through legal fiat.
I mean, I guess you could make using bubble sort illegal, punishable by death, but where's the fun in that?
What I see is someone who doesn't know the difference between computer science and computer engineering and hence her opinions are of little value.
Join the SDF Public Access UNIX System today!
(Score: 2) by legont on Tuesday November 20 2018, @03:31AM
Don't they try to regulate crypto - a tiny math subject?
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.