The Complexity of Songs

Subject: The Complexity of Songs
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 18 Oct 09 - 08:59 PM

Hilarious article by Don Knuth, analyzing Old MacDonald and other songs from the point of view of computational complexity, at http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/arvindn/misc/knuth%5Fsong%5Fcomplexity.pdf

Subject: RE: The Complexity of Songs
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 16 Feb 17 - 06:45 PM

That link appears to be dead. Try this one instead: https://meangreenmath.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/knuth_song_complexity.pdf

Subject: RE: The Complexity of Songs
From: michaelr
Date: 16 Feb 17 - 06:55 PM

I'll have to take your word that it's hilarious, because I went cross-eyed by the second sentence.

Subject: RE: The Complexity of Songs
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 16 Feb 17 - 07:26 PM

Looking at the publication date shouldn't you have kept this back for ~6 weeks ? ;-)

Subject: RE: The Complexity of Songs
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 Feb 17 - 08:26 PM

Brilliant! 😂

Subject: RE: The Complexity of Songs
From: G-Force
Date: 17 Feb 17 - 05:43 AM

I knew this wasn't serious when the second paragraph reckons the speed of light is less than 1.

Subject: RE: The Complexity of Songs
From: GUEST,Reinhard
Date: 17 Feb 17 - 06:15 AM

Not everything named c is the speed of light. Regard the context.

Subject: RE: The Complexity of Songs
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 17 Feb 17 - 10:27 AM

Some people have way too much spare time. I'm increasing my loft insulation this afternoon, much more productive!

Subject: RE: The Complexity of Songs
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 17 Feb 17 - 06:15 PM

I actually had a brief acquaintance with the author of this article many years ago. We were both enrolled as freshman at Case Institute of Technology (now part of Western Reserve University) in Cleveland, Ohio. I can tell you that he has an IQ well above 200!

I struggled through four years of math, science and engineering courses and barely managed to graduate. When 300 or so of us assembled in our black robes and "mortarboards" outside of Severance Hall awaiting the start of the graduation ceremony, Donald Knuth stood out from the crowd because he was wearing a gold mantle indicating that he was also receiving his master's degree which he apparently earned in his "spare time". Did I mention that he was the first person in the history of the institution to receive the grade of A in every one of his courses. His picture was prominently displayed on the cover of the next issue of the alumni magazine.

Jerry of

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: The Complexity of Songs
From: leeneia
Date: 17 Feb 17 - 06:23 PM

The author talks about a lemma. Is that half of a dilemma?

Subject: RE: The Complexity of Songs
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Feb 17 - 07:44 PM

you wouldn't really want to play Glasgow Empire with that as the basis of your act...