Talk:Turing machine examples: Difference between revisions
"multiply" is "a problem that cannot be solved"??? |
corrected typos in the first posting |
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''It is used in the "multiply" routine, "a problem that cannot be solved by any finite-state machine"'' |
''It is used in the "multiply" routine, "a problem that cannot be solved by any finite-state machine"'' |
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in the first paragraph |
in the first paragraph of the ''copy subroutine'' section |
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is completely confusing. Is appears to imply that |
is completely confusing. Is appears to imply that |
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'''multiplication cannot be performed using a finite T.M.''' which I believe is incorrect |
'''multiplication cannot be performed using a finite T.M.''' which I believe is incorrect |
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(I am not a computer theory scientist but otherwise it contradicts |
(I am not a computer theory scientist but otherwise it contradicts |
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the very idea of a universal |
the very idea of a universal machine modeling real computers). |
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If in fact such a statement IS correct, it |
If in fact such a statement IS correct, it |
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the natural disbelief. |
the natural disbelief. |
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If the above statement in bold is incorrect but such an judgement |
If the above statement in bold is incorrect but such an incorrect judgement |
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was actually made by Minsky, this should be clarified/specified. |
was actually made by Minsky, this should be clarified/specified. |
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Revision as of 02:22, 22 August 2007
"multiply" is "a problem that cannot be solved"???
The statement
It is used in the "multiply" routine, "a problem that cannot be solved by any finite-state machine"
in the first paragraph of the copy subroutine section is completely confusing. Is appears to imply that multiplication cannot be performed using a finite T.M. which I believe is incorrect (I am not a computer theory scientist but otherwise it contradicts the very idea of a universal machine modeling real computers).
If in fact such a statement IS correct, it should be given somewhat more discussion and preferably a hyperlink to a wiki page with appropriate title (even if such page does not exist or a two-sentence stub page is created). This would both clarify that this is indeed what is meant and would address the natural disbelief.
If the above statement in bold is incorrect but such an incorrect judgement was actually made by Minsky, this should be clarified/specified.
If something else is meant, this should be explained as now it is completely misleading.
It would also be great to give a short informal definition of the "multiply" algorithm (or the corresponding problem) -- is it the problem of printing a product of two integers given those integers?