Nostr notes by Colin the Mathmo

The original said: "Programming is only 'free' if ...

2026-07-09T10:25:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…h8n2
_________________________

The original said:

"Programming is only 'free' if your time is worthless."

We agree that one's time is not worthless, so applying the propositional calculus (there is a fancy Latin name for this particular rule of deduction[0]) we can take the contra-positive and get:

Your time is not worthless, therefore programming is not "free".

So ... regardless of whether we have to pay for compilers or compute time or anything else, programming is not free.

Ever.

In the context of the original thread this isn't necessarily helpful, or even necessarily relevant, but it is certainly true.

[0] Modus Tollens

2/n

CC: Σ(i³) = (Σi)² (npub1kgl…pskh)

In idle chat one usually doesn't worry too much about any of ...

2026-07-09T10:20:32Z

In reply to nevent1q…r7d5
_________________________

In idle chat one usually doesn't worry too much about any of this ... it's idle chat.

As you get a broader audience, some people will start to question things more deeply: ask for definitions, try to specify scope, etc.

The questions you ask are reasonable when taking that deeper dive, and I suspect that we all mostly agree on mostly everything.

But we can, I think, all agree that one's time is not "free", it's worth thinking about how we spend the limited time we have, and how to make sure we spend it wisely, for ourselves, and for others.

None of this deeper contemplation is well-suited to the "clever quip" format ... though it definitely has a place elsewhere.

But to go back to the original ...

1/n

CC: Σ(i³) = (Σi)² (npub1kgl…pskh)

My reading of this comment is exactly that one's time is not ...

2026-07-09T09:21:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…a3dv
_________________________

My reading of this comment is exactly that one's time is not worthless, and therefore programming is *not* free.

We trade our time for many things ... some are of value to the world, and some are to refresh us. But we need to recognise that our time is not worthless, so we "spend" it, and it's reasonable to ask what we get in return.

The comment is making exactly this point.

Anything that takes your time is not free;

Programming takes your time;

Therefore programming is not free.

It might have value, but it's not free.

CC: Σ(i³) = (Σi)² (npub1kgl…pskh)

I did not know about the Liverpool Tool Library ... going to look ...

2026-05-21T11:50:06Z

In reply to nevent1q…58y7
_________________________

I did not know about the Liverpool Tool Library ... going to look it up now.

Anything interesting/useful you can tell me about it?

https://liverpooltoollibrary.org.uk/

The irrationals are those exactly those reals that are a ...

2026-04-23T08:30:03Z

The irrationals are those exactly those reals that are a different distance from every rational.

"If you're thinking without writing, you only think ...

2026-04-16T08:30:03Z

"If you're thinking without writing, you only think you're thinking." -- Leslie Lamport

John Conway, talking about Martin Gardner ... ...

2026-04-10T09:56:43Z

John Conway, talking about Martin Gardner ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgbVmsnmqUo

Separate from, but related to, my previous question ... My work ...

2026-04-08T22:41:51Z

Separate from, but related to, my previous question ...

My work machine boots into Ubuntu. I'm trying to get to the BIOS to ask it to try first booting from the USB, but I can't work out how to get to the BIOS.

I've tried various keys while powering on ... ESC, F1, F2, DEL ...

What do you need to know to help me work it out?

I'm going to bed now, but I'll be back in about 9 hours. Let me know how stupid I've been, and what I should be doing.

Or alternatively, let me know what info you need to be able to help me.

Thanks in advance ... and good night.

(Added in edit: There are no external markings on the machine to tell me the manufacturer, make, or model number.)

#BIOS #Linux #Boot

there was a time I had an account on LinkedIn.... I used an email ...

2026-03-26T14:23:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…hh9l
_________________________

there was a time I had an account on LinkedIn.... I used an email account specifically created for it, and used in no other locations.

On the day I deleted the account I started to receive spam to that email address.

Draw your own conclusions.

Have you ever watched the TV program: "Forged in Fire". ...

2026-03-23T23:06:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…gysl
_________________________

Have you ever watched the TV program:

"Forged in Fire".

Fascinating. Absolutely fascinating.

We(*) are finding it tricky to find an appropriate instance of ...

2026-03-22T13:34:52Z

We(*) are finding it tricky to find an appropriate instance of #PeerTube for me to start posting short maths-based videos.

In parallel with us looking and checking out tags, etc., does anyone here have any thoughts to share?

TIA.

#AskingForAdvice

(*) Rachel Wright (npub1gp5…spne) and I

"The secret to your success is found in your daily ...

2026-03-04T09:30:03Z

"The secret to your success is found in your daily routine." -- John C. Maxwell

Don't make me regret this ... I'm thinking of making a ...

2026-03-01T10:47:46Z

Don't make me regret this ...

I'm thinking of making a timeline of characters and events from history that school children might know of and be interested in. Most timelines you find are overly complex, or overly simplistic.

Who and what would you include?

I'm interested in connecting science people with historical context, and pulling in non-(old dead white dude)s.

1/n

People have been telling me that while ChatGPT and other ...

2026-02-05T17:25:48Z

People have been telling me that while ChatGPT and other "AI"s can't reason, they can at least be great search engines. They have (illegally) slurped all of the internet, and can find things that you otherwise wouldn't be able to find.

So I thought I'd test this.

1/n

Apparently in Italian there is a word for: "Men of retirement ...

2026-01-28T19:46:05Z

Apparently in Italian there is a word for:

"Men of retirement age who spend their time watching construction sites, especially roadworks – stereotypically with hands clasped behind their back and offering unrequested advice to the workers."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umarell

Hi ... You've used several tags on this post that seem to ...

2026-01-27T23:48:02Z

In reply to nevent1q…d9qw
_________________________

Hi ...

You've used several tags on this post that seem to have no relationship to the content. In this specific case:

#computerscience
#physics
#art
#biology
#nature
#meme
#comedy

And you're using the same tags over and over again, regardless of the content.

Could I ask you not to do that?

Mastodon doesn't have a meaningful search facility and relies on tags being semantically meaningful.

Tags work best when they are targetted. They help people find the content they're looking for, otherwise they have the flavour of spam.

Thanks.

I have no idea what this question is asking for: ...

2026-01-16T09:46:23Z

I have no idea what this question is asking for:

https://f.cz/@xChaos/115904069494172138

Natural language is not good for precise specifications, which is exactly why we have mathematical notation and computer programming languages, and why good specifications have multiple, well-chosen examples.

Something our minister said yesterday made me look up a ...

2026-01-12T14:07:57Z

Something our minister said yesterday made me look up a quotation, and once again, "AI" shows just how reliable it is. With a stray "W" in the quotation it gets attributed to one writer, and without it the quotation gets attributed to someone else entirely.

Don't. Trust. "AI".

"I once absent-mindedly ordered Three Mile Island dressing in ...

2026-01-08T09:30:03Z

"I once absent-mindedly ordered Three Mile Island dressing in a restaurant and, with great presence of mind, they brought Thousand Island Dressing and a bottle of chilli sauce." -- Terry Pratchett

HAPPY PERIHELION !! Less often celebrated, here we are at our ...

2026-01-03T17:34:18Z

HAPPY PERIHELION !!

Less often celebrated, here we are at our closest point to the Sun and travelling at the highest speed in our orbit.

So Happy Perihelion everyone!

"Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, ...

2026-01-02T09:30:03Z

"Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder." -- Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi

For everyone, whether you celebrate Christmas or not ... HAPPY ...

2025-12-25T14:10:45Z

For everyone, whether you celebrate Christmas or not ...

HAPPY SOLSTHELION !!

You also need the observation that no element is its own inverse, ...

2025-12-24T14:40:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…0pna
_________________________

You also need the observation that no element is its own inverse, which isn't hard, but needs to be mentioned.

Going with "al-Haytham's theorem" seems to be the best version so far, even if it is naming it after a person, and is therefore non-descriptive.

This is a tricky problem, and there may be more pressing issues around. Even so, although naming things is hard, I think it's at least important to think about it.

Never totally comfortable mixing the name of a theorem with its ...

2025-12-24T13:47:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…2uaf
_________________________

Never totally comfortable mixing the name of a theorem with its method of proof.

I never did this theorem in my course work, I knew and quoted the result for quite some time, and one day I realised for myself why it was true.

I feel like the name of a theorem should be about the result, not the proof. After all, there might be a completely different proof.

(But I do love how it drops out of the pairing)

It's usually known as Wilson's Theorem, but according to ...

2025-12-24T12:35:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…ctm7
_________________________

It's usually known as Wilson's Theorem, but according to the wikipedia page[0] :

First stated by Ibn al-Haytham c. 1000 AD;

Edward Waring announced the theorem in 1770 without proving it, crediting his student John Wilson for the discovery.

Lagrange gave the first proof in 1771.

So ... what name should we give it?

(Yes, I'm aware of Stigler's law of eponymy[1])

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson%27s_theorem

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stigler's_law_of_eponymy

4/n, n=4

What would be a nice, clear, reasonably descriptive name for this ...

2025-12-24T12:31:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…dyja
_________________________

What would be a nice, clear, reasonably descriptive name for this theorem?

Given an integer n>1,

\( (n-1)! \equiv -1 \pmod n \)

\( \iff \)

n is prime.

3/n

Moreover, if you start with a (positive) non-prime then this ...

2025-12-24T12:27:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…rg9r
_________________________

Moreover, if you start with a (positive) non-prime then this doesn't work:

Example:
6 -> 5 -> 120 -> 121 ... not a multiple of 6.

Now, I know the name usually given to this theorem, and I know some of it's history.

But ...

It's named after someone who neither proposed it, nor solved it (I'll tell you the name and give a reference later in this thread).

And it's not clear that if we pick a different name then it would be right to name it ... again ... after some old, dead, white dude.

So ...

2/n

OK, so I'd appreciate people's thoughts on this. ...

2025-12-24T12:25:40Z

OK, so I'd appreciate people's thoughts on this.

There's a very nice theorem that says this, using non-overly-specialist language.

Take any prime number (example: 7);

Subtract 1 (giving 6);

Take the factorial: (So 6x5x4x3x2x1=720)

Add back the 1 you took off (giving 721);

The result will always be a multiple of the (prime) number you first thought of.

1/n

So in Dyson Freeman's terms you are more a bird than a frog: ...

2025-12-22T17:37:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…fcr5
_________________________

So in Dyson Freeman's terms you are more a bird than a frog:

https://www.math.uni-bielefeld.de/~ringel/themen/frogs.html

Indeed ... minimal checking shows that there are multiple ...

2025-12-20T11:22:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…gp8x
_________________________

Indeed ... minimal checking shows that there are multiple vegetable orchestras.

It's ... whimsical.

I feel better for knowing that such things exist.

OK ... just heard on Radio 3: ...

2025-12-20T09:53:52Z

OK ... just heard on Radio 3:

https://londonvegetableorchestra.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Vegetable_Orchestra

“It is understood to be the only vegetable orchestra in the United Kingdom”

!!!!

Some people cannot make logical deductions for themselves, they ...

2025-12-05T23:32:09Z

In reply to nevent1q…8pk5
_________________________

Some people cannot make logical deductions for themselves, they require every consequence and corollary to be spelled out in minute detail.

Of course:

“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it!”

While I understand what you are both saying, and I have some ...

2025-12-04T22:58:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…rm26
_________________________

While I understand what you are both saying, and I have some sympathy, I think that in the context of teaching kids about numbers and number systems it is extremely unhelpful to claim that integers, fractions, and decimals are fundamentally "different things".

Seeing that they are specific examples of a larger system is of much greater utility to the development of the understanding of number and quantity.

"Integers, fractions, and decimals are totally different ...

2025-12-04T21:57:25Z

"Integers, fractions, and decimals are totally different things to kids."

-- https://mikesmathpage.wordpress.com/2015/03/06/integers-fractions-and-decimals-are-totally-different-things-to-kids/

I'm always somewhat bemused by reviews on Trip Advisor ... I ...

2025-12-02T19:18:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…0j62
_________________________

I'm always somewhat bemused by reviews on Trip Advisor ... I might have to try the place for myself.

I'm assuming you mention it, but don't recommend it ... but equally don't *dis*-recommend it.

That, I do not know. Now on my list ...

2025-12-02T16:01:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…jgrt
_________________________

That, I do not know. Now on my list ...

They've asked me to provide a review on various sites, and I ...

2025-12-02T11:17:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…xgs8
_________________________

They've asked me to provide a review on various sites, and I will do so.

But they asked me to say:

The service is terrible, but the food is good.

Reader, the service is friendly, efficient, and in its way, charming.

Accidentally in London overnight, so enjoying breakfast at the ...

2025-12-02T11:06:54Z

Accidentally in London overnight, so enjoying breakfast at the Kennington Lane Cafe.

Fabulous, as always.

Rules of the game: * Grab the nearest book. * Turn to page 42. * ...

2025-11-20T16:48:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…98g7
_________________________

Rules of the game:

* Grab the nearest book.
* Turn to page 42.
* Find the 2nd sentence.
* Post the sentence in a toot with the hashtag "page42" and write the rules as a comment to it.
* Don't look for your favorite, coolest or wittiest book. Go for the closest.

'For fourteen years America had been in the throes of a ...

2025-11-20T16:48:24Z

'For fourteen years America had been in the throes of a publicity craze over this "mathematician".' #page42

"There are two ways to write error-free programs; only the ...

2025-11-20T09:30:03Z

"There are two ways to write error-free programs; only the third one works" -- Alan Perlis

Mixed numbers don't exist in some countries. If you use them ...

2025-11-10T09:30:03Z

Mixed numbers don't exist in some countries. If you use them in written form, some people may not understand them at all.

You're welcome. I have a lot of quotations and other snippets ...

2025-11-09T17:21:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…c6rj
_________________________

You're welcome.

I have a lot of quotations and other snippets in that file, and not all have been checked. When someone expresses a doubt I can take it as the opportunity to investigate, so it's genuinely useful.

So ... thank you!

Also this page[4] has this text: "Get your facts first, and ...

2025-11-09T16:10:02Z

In reply to nevent1q…4f02
_________________________

Also this page[4] has this text:

"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please."

As quoted[5] in "An Interview with Mark Twain", From Sea to Sea: Letters of Travel (1899) by Rudyard Kipling, Ch. 37, p. 180

[4] https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mark_Twain

[5] https://web.archive.org/web/20181106220834/https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/k/kipling/rudyard/seatosea/chapter37.html

So according to this page[3] we have: From Sea to Sea: Letters of ...

2025-11-09T15:59:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…qydy
_________________________

So according to this page[3] we have:

From Sea to Sea:
Letters of Travel (Part II)
By Rudyard Kipling
New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons
1899
Pg. 265:
An Interview with Mark Twain
Pg. 281:

“My own knowledge of mathematics stops at ‘twelve times twelve,’ but I enjoyed that article immensely. I didn’t understand a word of it; but facts, or what a man believes to be facts, are (Pg. 282—ed.) always delightful. That mathematical fellow believed in his facts. So do I. Get your facts first, and”—the voice dies away to an almost inaudible drone—“then you can distort ‘em as much as you please.”

========

So I'm inclined to believe it.

[3] https://barrypopik.com/blog/get_your_facts_first

2/2

According to this page[0] he was being quoted by Rudyard Kipling ...

2025-11-09T15:58:21Z

In reply to nevent1q…lk5a
_________________________

According to this page[0] he was being quoted by Rudyard Kipling in "From Sea to Sea" where it says:

"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please."

According to this page[1] we have:

"Facts, or what a man believes to be facts, are always delightful. . . . Get your facts first, and . . . then you can distort 'em as much as you please."

It's also here[2]:

"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please."

==========

[0] http://www.twainquotes.com/Facts.html

[1] https://www.britannica.com/quotes/Mark-Twain

[2] https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7041-get-your-facts-first-and-then-you-can-distort-them

1/2

"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you ...

2025-11-09T09:30:03Z

"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please." -- Mark Twain

Yes, someone suggested that, so I've searched in all my ...

2025-11-08T23:58:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…eg9v
_________________________

Yes, someone suggested that, so I've searched in all my timelines back past the time of the original ... it doesn't appear at all.

Mastodon confusion ... Person X is on the same instance as me. I ...

2025-11-08T23:07:41Z

Mastodon confusion ...

Person X is on the same instance as me. I follow them, and have notifications turned on for them.

They have boosted a post, and it appears not to have turned up in my "Home" feed, nor in my notifications.

This has surprised me ... should I not be surprised?

Registration for G4G16 is open, and scholarships are available. ...

2025-10-31T20:40:34Z

Registration for G4G16 is open, and scholarships are available.

Main page:
https://www.gathering4gardner.org/g4g16-info/

What is the "Gathering 4 Gardner"?

Introductory video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37aDKvnyQWU

#G4G #G4G16

Hello all, I have a friend who has been on mastodon.social for a ...

2025-10-27T11:44:44Z

Hello all,

I have a friend who has been on mastodon.social for a while but is looking to become more active. I've suggested they move to a different instance, but now we are both wondering what instance would be a good one for them.

They say they are here for #Science and #Art ... they are a performer and performance-designer ...

Any suggestions? Are there any helpful sites for choosing an instance? I have my own, so I've not had this issue.

If you're comfortable, boosts would be welcome.

Thanks in advance!

#Advice #Fedi

Doing a quick check on the Ko-Fi list of contributions people ...

2025-10-24T11:33:58Z

Doing a quick check on the Ko-Fi list of contributions people make to help keep this site running, and as always, I'm somewhat humbled that people contribute.

For most it's only £5/month, for some it's much more, but everything helps ... it really does ... and it means we can keep running the site.

The first few years I paid out of my own pocket, but when the site exploded I started to worry.

I needn't have.

Thank you all.

"Be more Mercury" says @npub1gp5…spne ...

2025-10-22T07:36:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…s4mk
_________________________

"Be more Mercury" says Rachel Wright (npub1gp5…spne) ...

"When I was young I didn't know much about being a ...

2025-10-16T08:30:03Z

"When I was young I didn't know much about being a teacher. But after years of hard work, I am no longer young." -- Julia Dweck

"If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at ...

2025-10-15T08:30:03Z

"If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to." -- Dorothy Parker

Yes, and analogous to one's Bacon Number ... shortest path ...

2025-10-07T08:53:45Z

In reply to nevent1q…4kpl
_________________________

Yes, and analogous to one's Bacon Number ... shortest path via some kind of connecting thingy.

"Of the second type" doesn't work for films, but does work for academic papers ... it's where you only consider papers with exactly the two authors concerned.

So I have an Erdős number of the first (the usual) type of 2, and an Erdős number of the second type of 3.

But my Tutte number is 2 for each type.

Unreasonably pleased to discover, somewhat by accident, that I ...

2025-10-07T07:48:52Z

Unreasonably pleased to discover, somewhat by accident, that I have a Tutte number (of the second type) of 2.

For some reason that makes me very happy.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Apparently YouTube is not ...

2025-10-01T21:03:39Z

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Apparently YouTube is not displaying properly because of the ad-blocker in FireFox on Windows.

Really?

Anyway, thoughts welcome ... constructive advise actively encouraged.

https://mathstodon.xyz/@virtuosew/115300601610001761

Boosts for reach welcome, but only if you're comfortable doing so. Let's have a good rant about the current state of "computing" ...

CC: Rachel Wright (npub1gp5…spne)

"Fox News did to our parents what our parents were afraid ...

2025-09-27T08:30:03Z

"Fox News did to our parents what our parents were afraid video games would do to us." -- Stephen King

I've just heard that Reform plans to scrap "Indefinite ...

2025-09-22T10:47:26Z

I've just heard that Reform plans to scrap "Indefinite Leave to Remain". If that happens I will no longer be permitted legally to remain in the UK.

This is now a significantly non-zero threat to my existence here as a resident.

I wonder how soon I need to start making concrete plans to move.

I'm giving a talk: ...

2025-09-19T22:13:41Z

I'm giving a talk:

https://www.gathering4gardner.org/com-2025-09-21/

Exactly so, but ... well ... when it comes to things like black ...

2025-09-17T11:10:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…zfd3
_________________________

Exactly so, but ... well ... when it comes to things like black holes I've learned to be suspicious of my intuitions.

Reversing the direction of the swirling mass of material falling into it seems similarly unexpected.

Whatever is happen, it's weird. And interesting.

Naive question ... Has it "turned over" and we're ...

2025-09-17T10:05:48Z

In reply to nevent1q…539e
_________________________

Naive question ...

Has it "turned over" and we're viewing it from the other side?

For people who like to explain maths: Suppose you have a ...

2025-09-13T22:31:27Z

For people who like to explain maths:

Suppose you have a struggling student, and you need to explain why:

"Probability of one in five"

... is the same as ...

"Odds of one to four".

How would you do that?

#MathEd #MathEdChat #MTBoS
#MathsEd #MathsEdChat

Other HashTags?

@npub1skd…0st4 Hi, and welcome to Mathstodon ... one of the ...

2025-09-10T20:20:16Z

mathyeti (npub1skd…0st4) Hi, and welcome to Mathstodon ... one of the "instances" or "servers" or "communities" in the world of:

Mastodon-the-Platform.

It can be a little confusing to start with, but in general you post things, read things, comment on other people's posts.

Then you follow people you like the look of, and you're well on your way.

If you have any questions ... post.

There are accounts to follow that will help:

https://mathstodon.xyz/@FediTips@social.growyourown.services

Hashtags to search for and follow:

#FediTips

And you can always just ask.

Welcome!

Seen elsewhere, appearing in many places, perhaps the best ever ...

2025-09-10T10:19:33Z

Seen elsewhere, appearing in many places, perhaps the best ever account of an attempted crime.

From the Edinburgh Evening News, 18 August 1978.

"While they were waiting at a bus stop in Clermiston, Mr and Mrs Daniel Thirsty were threatened by Mr Robert Clear. 'He demanded that I give him my wife's purse, said Mr Thirsty. 'Telling him that the purse was in her basket, I bent down, put my hands up her skirt, detached her artificial leg and hit him over the head with it. It was not my intention to do anything more than frighten him off, but unhappily for us all, he died."

If you are unfamiliar with the Quakers, also known as "The ...

2025-09-07T12:12:57Z

If you are unfamiliar with the Quakers, also known as "The Society of Friends", you might not realise just how ... direct ... this language is. It feels so mild, but I can feel them vibrating with anger.

https://www.quaker.org.uk/documents/re-statement-of-policy-on-provision-of-trans-inclusive-facilities

Reminder: the UK's emergency alert system will be tested at ...

2025-09-07T10:33:10Z

Reminder: the UK's emergency alert system will be tested at about 3pm today. If you have a secret phone, turn it off or place it into aircraft mode before then. Putting it into silent mode will not stop the alert from sounding.

Please boost for reach. As I post this it's just over 3 hours away, and many people are unaware.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpw15l5n78jo

That looks very similar to the results from "The Big ...

2025-09-06T16:35:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…r3gx
_________________________

That looks very similar to the results from "The Big Gee".

I've had kagi.com on my radar for a while, but I don't seem to do enough organic searches to make it worthwhile.

That may yet happen.

So, I did a search for: "ILUG" "ICUE" (Including ...

2025-09-06T16:24:05Z

So, I did a search for:

"ILUG" "ICUE"

(Including the quotation marks).

DuckDuckGo, my default search engine, returned "no results"

Google (in an incognito window) returned *lots* of results.

What am I to make of this?

A new video from Matt Parker: ...

2025-09-02T15:13:25Z

A new video from Matt Parker:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6S5gHjuN48

And I'm in it !!

Don't let that put you off ... the rest of it is pretty good.

What hashtags should I use?

#Maths #mathstodon #Mathematics #MathChat #MathCommunity

"I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but ...

2025-08-15T08:30:04Z

"I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity." -- Albert Einstein, "Out of My Later Years"

Another true giant and true gentleman has left us. We are the ...

2025-08-08T19:21:29Z

Another true giant and true gentleman has left us. We are the poorer for his passing, but the richer for him having graced the world and our company.

I was lucky enough to have met and spent some time with Jim Lovell. An absolute gentleman, and it was a joy to have been in his company.

Ad Astra.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Lovell

Another question about #Portuguese , especially as delivered by ...

2025-08-08T12:00:54Z

Another question about #Portuguese , especially as delivered by Duolingo.

It has offered:

"A ponta da mesa"

I (a native English speaker) would have translated that as:

"The edge of the table".

Duolingo has said:

"The tip of the table."

But ... what? A table doesn't have a "tip".

I'm still using Duolingo to help build vocabulary, to encourage daily exposure, to reinforce the words I already have, to practice the phrases I already have, and to make me think about PT.

But ... is the above example a good one?

Is it time to ditch Duolingo completely?

Thanks.

(Boosts for reach would be welcome)

Sadly, most people teaching math are not adequately equipped to ...

2025-08-08T08:15:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…296p
_________________________

Sadly, most people teaching math are not adequately equipped to have that conversation, and certainly don't have the time.

CC: Diffgeometer1 (npub1hdk…9se4)

That's fascinating, and you're not alone ... other people ...

2025-07-29T20:54:18Z

In reply to nevent1q…sqam
_________________________

That's fascinating, and you're not alone ... other people feel the same.

Can you explain more?

Been having a discussion, and thought I'd have a quick poll. ...

2025-07-29T16:23:23Z

Been having a discussion, and thought I'd have a quick poll. Please boost to get this beyond my bubble.

Is zero:

Wonderful story about a prank that Tom Lehrer played on the NSA ...

2025-07-28T10:15:19Z

Wonderful story about a prank that Tom Lehrer played on the NSA and which took 60 years to be discovered:

https://bsky.app/profile/opalescentopal.bsky.social/post/3luxxx27nos23

Sent to me by Wendy M. Grossman (npub1gsa…q4wj) :

Wendy M. Grossman (npub1gsa…q4wj)/114930270736764439">https://mathstodon.xyz/Wendy M. Grossman (npub1gsa…q4wj)/114930270736764439

Thank you WG !!

A decision last month by RFK Jr.’s fake vaccine advisory panel ...

2025-07-25T14:00:04Z

A decision last month by RFK Jr.’s fake vaccine advisory panel is about to kill children:

https://news.immunologic.org/p/thimerosal-isnt-mercury-but-to-rfk

"What happens if you get scared half to death twice?" -- ...

2025-07-22T08:30:03Z

"What happens if you get scared half to death twice?" -- Steven Wright

Would you really say it like this in English? Would you not ...

2025-07-15T09:47:50Z

Would you really say it like this in English?

Would you not instead say:

"We need you to tell the truth"

??

I'm right on the brink of giving Duolingo the Heave-Ho ... but I need something to replace it to make sure I start making progress again.

"Children don't hate maths. What they hate is being ...

2025-07-13T08:30:03Z

"Children don't hate maths. What they hate is being confused, intimidated, and embarrassed by maths. With understanding comes passion, and with passion comes growth--a treasure is unlocked." -- Larry Martinek

My first academic paper, despite being a Pure Mathematician, was ...

2025-07-11T08:06:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…2sml
_________________________

My first academic paper, despite being a Pure Mathematician, was in archaeology.

We applied Linear Programming to solve The Diet Problem for hominids in the late upper paleolithic in the South West of France. Having computed the "Optimal Diet" from first principles, we then predicted what should appear in middens, and achieved very good agreement.

The limiting factor in the diet was, indeed, fat, so despite the wealth of rabbits and roe deer, there was an unexpectedly large amount of nut debris, and this was explained by the calculations.

I should try to find copies of the papers ... I think there were two.

CC: Sarah Taber (npub17v8…nhln)

Equivalently (though with fewer details): ...

2025-07-10T16:18:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…3my2
_________________________

Equivalently (though with fewer details):

https://favpng.com/png_view/line-point-line-constructible-number-square-root-of-2-compass-and-straightedge-construction-png/chrHzNCU

CC: TobyBartels (npub1x4d…6lp6) John Carlos Baez (npub1nf4…nqe4)

I use the swype-style keyboard a lot, so I've had experience ...

2025-07-10T10:45:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…rrtg
_________________________

I use the swype-style keyboard a lot, so I've had experience of the error modes and how (sometimes) to preempt them. As with anything, reflective experience leads to skill and/or perception.

But thank you.

Elias Mårtenson (npub1qhm…qhxt)

I figured from the sentence that it should have been about. The ...

2025-07-10T10:26:06Z

In reply to nevent1q…y4dc
_________________________

I figured from the sentence that it should have been about. The Swype-style keyboard has you run your finger from the first letter, through the middle letters, to the final letter.

The "A" and "S" are close
The "B" was "missing"
The "OU" of "about" are close to the "P"
The "T" and "Y" are close.

Hence in this metric, "about" and "spy" are close, just missing a diversion for the "B".

It's an interesting metric.

CC: John Carlos Baez (npub1nf4…nqe4)

Woo Hoo !! 😁 CC: @npub1nf4…nqe4

2025-07-10T10:13:48Z

In reply to nevent1q…qh5u
_________________________

Woo Hoo !!

😁

CC: John Carlos Baez (npub1nf4…nqe4)

Spotting "spy" ... I'm guessing you used a ...

2025-07-10T10:11:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…3lw9
_________________________

Spotting "spy" ...

I'm guessing you used a Swype-style keyboard to create this comment.

(random drive-by observation)

CC: John Carlos Baez (npub1nf4…nqe4)

Nice question on the "Problem of the Week" list: Problem ...

2025-07-10T08:40:27Z

Nice question on the "Problem of the Week" list:

Problem 1397: What Are the Odds of Even?

Suppose x and y are uniformly distributed random reals between 0 and 1.

What is the probability that Round[x/y] is even?

What is the probability that Floor[x/y] is even?

Finding pi using this method would take an infinite amount of ...

2025-07-09T23:40:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…jdvs
_________________________

Finding pi using this method would take an infinite amount of time, yes, but taking a square root is very easy.

You probably know that ... I'm adding it for other readers who might be less knowledgable.

CC: Greg Egan (npub12cu…d38p) John Carlos Baez (npub1nf4…nqe4)

That's ... very odd. I'm using the web interface, ...

2025-07-07T19:50:07Z

In reply to nevent1q…zg66
_________________________

That's ... very odd. I'm using the web interface, unmodified.

In your list of notifications do you get and retain a separate notification for every individual "fav" and "boost" ??

If so, I don't know how to help.

Desculpe.

You can see here that there are a total of 4 favs on this toot, ...

2025-07-07T19:37:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…v5vj
_________________________

You can see here that there are a total of 4 favs on this toot, but only one box to tell me that. It used to be that each "Fav" would get its own notification.

Now they're bundled. Here's a screenshot of an example.

I think it happens automatically. Stand by ...

2025-07-07T19:32:32Z

In reply to nevent1q…93e0
_________________________

I think it happens automatically. Stand by ...

Oh, So you are talking about the phenomenon where I toot ...

2025-07-07T19:08:45Z

In reply to nevent1q…s6r2
_________________________

Oh, So you are talking about the phenomenon where I toot something, and lots of people boost it or favourite it, but I only end up with one notification for all the boosts, and one notification for all the favs.

OK, that's been around for some time now, and I thought you were talking about something I'd not seen.

Thanks for the clarification.

Can you tell me more? I'm not aware of this ... Thx.

2025-07-07T18:51:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…vw5p
_________________________

Can you tell me more? I'm not aware of this ...

Thx.

Using Ubuntu on my laptop ... my trackpad pointer has suddenly ...

2025-06-27T20:37:43Z

Using Ubuntu on my laptop ... my trackpad pointer has suddenly stopped working. I'm sure that a reboot will fix it, but it's tricky performing a reboot when you don't have a working mouse.

So I've plugged in a USB mouse for now, but I was wondering ... what's the best way to reset the trackpad on Ubuntu?

This, and some of the comments in the thread, is magnificent. ...

2025-06-24T20:47:50Z

This, and some of the comments in the thread, is magnificent.

Fesshole 🧻 (npub1l0m…geaf)/114732427463893771">https://mathstodon.xyz/Fesshole 🧻 (npub1l0m…geaf)/114732427463893771

(NB: I am biased)

"When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a ...

2025-06-22T08:30:03Z

"When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace becomes a circus" -- Turkish proverb

That's certainly true, but that was because I'd been at ...

2025-06-19T13:26:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…hhqm
_________________________

That's certainly true, but that was because I'd been at one speaking engagement in the South, and when I returned was going directly into *another* speaking engagement in the South.

So ... humour acknowledged.

But to visit again I need to be down South again, with at least a little time to spare to be able to make the detour. I hope I can make that happen again.

CC: Rachel Wright (npub1gp5…spne)

Gosh I miss loquats. We had a tree in our yard when I was growing ...

2025-06-19T07:33:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…z2dj
_________________________

Gosh I miss loquats. We had a tree in our yard when I was growing up, but I've had them exactly once in the last 42 years since moving to England.

Need to check again with the local exotic fruit store as to when they will be available.