HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: marc%eris.Berkeley.EDU@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Marc DeGroot)
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
Subject: SCI: Object behavior in VR
Date: 2 Oct 92 01:53:46 GMT
Organization: University of Washington
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu



I've been following with interest some of the discussion about how to
describe the behavior of virtual objects.  Lance Norskog's thoughtful
postings have been wonderful, yet I have a bone to pick with the
choice of Scheme as the description language.

If I'm not mistaken (and someone will surely correct me if I am)
Scheme uses garbage collection to return unused cons cells to the free
list, just like LISP.  Seems to me that it's unacceptable to have the
virtual world freeze for a moment to let the interpreter clean up
after itself.

My own choice for an interpreted language would be Forth, which has
all the advantages of LISP-like languages, plus a few more:

Forth is small and does not require a garbage collection system,
though it does not make it impossible to use one.

Forth is extremely easy to implement -- I wrote a Forth interpreter
for the 32532, in assembler, in three days.  I had never seen the
processor before.  And yes, the interpreter WORKED.

Forth an extensible language, that is to say that the act of
programming in Forth adds to the reserved word set of the language.
Unlike preprocessor tricks in C, the added reserved words are
first-class citizens, and are the same class of object as the reserved
words in the Forth kernel.

Forth allows object-oriented programming with a few simple extensions
to the language, for those of us who feel that object-oriented
programming is the way to go in VR.  Note that these extensions do not
"pervert" the language, as they would in C, i. e. C++ is not C.
Because Forth is extensible, these are extensions are no more
intrusive to the language standard than a library of code is to C.

Data-flow diagrams, such as those used by VPL's Body Electric, are
easily translated into Forth code.  With a few restrictions, Forth
code can also be translated into data-flow diagrams.

Forth runs about a third as fast as straight assembly language, at
least the last time I checked, which was on a Z80.  I wonder if it
doesn't do even better on modern RISC architectures.

Some implementations of Forth compile to a standard byte-code.  This
byte- code is interpreted by a platform-independent engine.  This
allows compiled code to be moved among machines regardless of
processor.  It is commonplace in the computer world to move data from
machine to machine using a standard (ASCII is the example that
immediately comes to mind.)  It would be extra- ordinary indeed to be
able to move code the same way.  Using such a compiled Forth would
allow object behavior to be transmitted PROCEDURALLY to other users on
a VR network.  Note that such a Forth already exists and is widely
distributed.  It's called F-code and it's in the boot ROM on all
current Sun workstations.

Any comments?
-- 
Marc de Groot (KG6KF) San Francisco | 
Internet: marc@kg6kf.ampr.org       |          "Dare to dream..."
UUCP: ..!uunet!hoptoad!noe!marc     |
Packet radio: KG6KF @ K3MC          |
From: deloura@cs.unc.edu (Mark A. DeLoura)
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
Subject: PUB: VIRTUAL WORLDS - New VR book?
Date: 28 Sep 92 08:21:50 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Sep28.082150.14466
Organization: University of Washington
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu



I just found a book entitled "Virtual Worlds", by Benjamin Woolley.
Has anyone picked this up yet?  Is it any good?  It looked like
More VR Hype to me, but then I only spent a minute or two buzzing
through it.

        --Mark
=========================================================================
Mark A. DeLoura   deloura@cs.unc.edu    U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: kbsw1!chris@uunet.UU.NET (Chris Kostanick 806 1044)
Subject: Re: IND: Ono-Sendai Mission Statement
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu
Organization: Kentek Information Systems
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 18:04:20 GMT



What plans do you have for third party software developers?  Will it
be an open architecture or will independent developers need to get a
developers kit?

Chris Kostanick
"Have z buffer, will fill"
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: bittar@dingo.imag.fr (Eric bittar (Magistere))
Subject: TECH: Nintendo Power-Glove: What's it do?
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu
Organization: University of Washington
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 18:25:55 GMT



There is one point I never understood about the data-Glove, 

Do you really get 3-d information, or is it a new kind of Joystick ?

Sometimes ago a saw the plans for Mac-Nintendo glove interface, and it
only gave x and y coordinates.

        Anybody knowing more about it ?
-- 

    _____  _____    __  _____
   / ___/ / __  /  / / / ___/
  / _/   / __  /  / / / /__
 /____/ /_/  \_\ /_/ /____/ 
bittar@dingo.imag.fr
University of Grenoble, France
From: dhayward@mtroyal.ab.ca
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
Subject: WHO: VR research at Banff Centre?
Date: 2 Oct 92 17:34:47 GMT
Organization: Mount Royal College, Calgary, Alberta
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu



Does anyone have info about the VR project at the Banff Centre?  I am
going to write an article on the project for an in-house publication.
I am planning to contact the researchers to arrange for a hands-on
demo and any information could be helpful.  An article in the Globe &
Mail mentioned a connection with U of C -?
From: thiel@hardy.u.washington.edu (me me me me...)
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
Subject: TECH: More Powerglove questions
Date: 27 Sep 92 02:48:23 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Sep28.081250.14317
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu



   I recently bought a powerglove and have just hooked it up to my
parallel port in accordance with the instructions on
sunee.uwaterloo.ca.  I used a disk power cable to get the 5v and
ground.  I wasn't sure which wires were which on the cable, but made a
good guess from other wires, their colors, and their voltages, and
used a red wire for 5v and a black wire for ground.  I also hooked the
wires from the nintendo female plug into the parallel port at pins
18,2,3, and 13.  I turned on the computer and the glove beeped whirred
appropriatly, but the LED's in the upper right-hand sensor all lit and
stay lit.  When i tried the glove with rend386's demo4, it would only
give me a "Glove: flat" status, and I can't find any other executable
tests for the glove.

   I am looking for *any* suggestions on what to do - they will all be
greatly appreciated, so please give me input. It's very frustrating to
be this close, and ...

Thanks in advance...
thiel
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: strength@milton.u.washington.edu (Julian Bleecker)
Subject: Re: MEDIA: Business Week Cover Story on Virtual Reality
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 22:32:51 GMT



In article <1992Sep28.080420.13819@u.washington.edu> "Dan D.
Gutierrez" <73317.646@CompuServe.COM> writes:

>To ALL VR'ers:
>
>Check out the current, October 5 1992, issue of BusinessWeek.  Its
>front page feature article is "Virtual Reality".  Nothing new said in
>the article for most of us here, but a great introduction to the
>industry for all others.  Pass it along to your friends and family.
>Finally, an article bringing VR to the masses!

I've only skimmed the article, but what I noticed was quite
interesting from a media/communications perspective.  I mean I don't
normally read Business Week, but I am assuming their editorial
archetype is rather conservative, but bullish on business, the economy
and the "entrepreneurial spirit."  In my mind the Business Week
article read like a Mondo2000 spread, what with all the talk about
making people smarter with VR.  It is not unlike the article a month
or so ago in U.S. News and World Report on "smart drugs."

I don't know if this is good or bad.  Popular magazines like these,
despite their orientation toward traditionally reserved audiences ,
are becoming marketing vehicles for new products and new ideas,
despite any serious problems these new products may pose.  This is the
image Mondo 2000 creates: religious reverence toward technology.  The
article may "bring VR to the masses," but the image of the
techhnology, where it comes from, what it can *really* do, and what it
*really* does right now for whom, is unfaithful.  Perhaps the article
lets outsiders, "the masses", see what is brewing in the Media Lab and
the HITLab or perhaps it is a way for VR developers to create a
popular, fictional image of VR so that they may garner public support
and funding.  I don't know.

Julian
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: "Dan D. Gutierrez" <73317.646@CompuServe.COM>
Subject: PHIL: Virtual Worlds discussion
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu
Organization: University of Washington
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 16:13:03 GMT



The various forms you've mentioned could indeed be considered virtual
worlds in today's terms.  But the fact remains that those mentioned
are also old-technology VR.  Movies and TV could be considered VWs,
but I think what most here are looking forward to is advanced VR; an
eye to the future if you will.  I think most will agree that the
secrets that VR holds shall be realizable via computers, hence the
computer slant on discussions here.  It is a matter of classification,
as much can be termed VR now, whereas in 10-20 years, VR shall be
solely the domain of the computer.

_ddg
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: d3g450@tnp_op.pnl.gov
Subject: IND REQUEST: Fake Space address?
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu
Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs, Richland, WA
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 15:29:53 GMT



Howdy...

   Does anyone have a phone# or address for Fake Space? I'd like to get
some specs on their equipment.

Thanks,

-Marc
From: edgar@shape.mps.ohio-state.edu (Gerald Edgar)
Newsgroups: sci.math
Subject: Re: various number systems
Date: 30 Sep 1992 10:10:28 -0400
Organization: The Ohio State University, Dept. of Math.
NNTP-Posting-Host: shape.mps.ohio-state.edu


Let's come back down to reality.  The original question was for number
systems to be mentioned in a college pre-calculus course.  Unless that
college is really different than the colleges of my experience, mention
of any number systems will cause more confusion than enlightenment.
Even mention of the complex numbers (which may, in fact, be required
by the course syllabus) will require extensive mental efforts on the part
of the students.  I think throwing in other number systems is not a good idea.
-- 
  Gerald A. Edgar                Internet:  edgar@mps.ohio-state.edu
  Department of Mathematics      Bitnet:    EDGAR@OHSTPY
  The Ohio State University      telephone: 614-292-0395 (Office)
  Columbus, OH 43210             -292-4975 (Math. Dept.) -292-1479 (Dept. Fax)
From: ara@zurich.ai.mit.edu (Allan Adler)
Newsgroups: sci.math
Subject: Re: various number systems
Date: 29 Sep 92 20:36:38 GMT
	<1992Sep29.180205.26078@galois.mit.edu>
Organization: M.I.T. Artificial Intelligence Lab.

Tell them that the result of millenia of subtle introspection is that
there is no such concept as "number". Then tell them why (if they want
to know).

Allan Adler
ara@altdorf.ai.mit.edu
Newsgroups: sci.math,rec.puzzles
From: tordm@vana (Tord G.M. Malmgren)
Subject: Re: EASY NUMBER SEQUENCE PUZZLE...
Reply-To: TordM@VanA.PhySto.SE
Organization: Department of Physics, University of Stockholm -- Sweden
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1992 19:37:55 GMT

In article <1992Oct2.201633.21393@galois.mit.edu>, jbaez@riesz.mit.edu (John C. Baez) writes:

>I too can fit polynomials to points, but I know (as do you) that that's
>not what's intended.  It is a GAME.  But there is a serious point here.
>You may spend most of your time on math, but in other sciences one is
>often trying to guess what the world will do next.  This is a problem
>rather analogous to guessing the next digit - one seeks a maximally
>parsimonious and elegant fit to the data, not just "any old" fit.  If
>you try to fit everything with polynomials, nature will snicker at you
>because you don't get the point.  

 the question "what is the ??? most likely to be?", sounds fine to me,
or "what is the most likely routine to get the ???", but since it's
obvious just about ANY pattern or fit is fine, a "what is ???" is not
a good way to put it I think...





---------------+--------------------------------
 Tord Malmgren | InterNet: TordM@VanA.PhySto.SE | These opinions are my OWN,
               | BITNet  : TordM@SESUF51        | and NOT of this department!
---------------+--------------------------------
 Department of Physics, University of Stockholm
Newsgroups: sci.math
Subject: E-mail Address J. Neukirch
From: Nicky Hekster <INICKY@HASARA11.BITNET>
Date: Monday, 5 Oct 1992 13:35:33 CET
Organization: SARA - Stichting Academisch Rekencentrum Amsterdam

Hello readers,
 
Does anybody of you the e-mail address of J. Neukirch
of Regensburg Univ. (Germany)?
Thanks in advance,
Nicky Hekster
Newsgroups: sci.math
From: tim@maths.tcd.ie (Timothy Murphy)
Subject: Re: 200 Digit Integer C Code Wanted
Organization: Dept. of Maths, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 17:03:58 GMT

edc323usft@vx24.cc.monash.edu.au writes:


>       I need some source code ('C') to handel integers that are
>between 150 and 200 digits long.  I don't need anything fancy, as
>long as the four basic operations are supported.  In case your wondering
>it is for a RSA encryption algorithim.  If anyone can offer any help
>i would appriciate it greatly

There is a GNU library, gmp (mp = Multiple Precision),
which should do exactly what you want.
It is available from prep.ai.mit.edu in the directory pub/gnu
(and I'm sure at many other sites).

You might also find something useful in the C++ Answer Book, by Tony Hansen.
The code from this book is available by FTP
from research.att.com [username: netlib] directory c++/answerbook .
This contains a C++ class which does more or less the same as gmp.


-- 
Timothy Murphy  
e-mail: tim@maths.tcd.ie
tel: +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
From: dsimon@atlas.nafb.trw.com
Newsgroups: sci.math
Subject: Re: Infinity
Date: 1 Oct 92 08:53:45 PST

> Answer 1:
> There are an infinite number of places to stop and rest while walking
> from Lincoln Nebraska to Terre Haute Indiana, and an infinite number of  
> possible times each rest can last.

I am looking for an infinity of physical things.  There are a finite 
number of atoms (or electrons or quarks) between Lincoln and Terre Haute. 
You can say that each atom has an infinite number of "points", but a 
"point" is a mathematical abstraction - it doesn't really exist.  

True, there are an infinite number of possible times each rest can last,
but I'm looking for an infinity of physical things.

> Answer 2:
> Does "one" actually exist, or is it simply a mathematical tool, 

I can actually have "one" of something.  I don't know if it is possible
for there to be "infinity" of anything.
----------
Dan Simon
Newsgroups: sci.math,sci.physics
From: jjchew@math.toronto.edu (John J. Chew III)
Subject: Re: Another Cute Math Joke  (explanation of)
Summary: Use Gregorian calendar
Organization: The Poslfit Committee
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 92 21:34:48 GMT

jarleb@athena.uio.no (Jarle Brinchmann) writes:
>         TOP TEN EXCUSES FOR NOT DOING THE MATH HOMEWORK
> 
> 2.      Isaac Newton's birthday.

erick@fraser.sfu.ca (Erick Bryce Wong) writes:
> I thought Newton was born on December 25, 1642?  :-)

Yes, by the Julian calendar.  If you count actual (say mean solar) years
however, the anniversary of his birth occurs in early January in the
Gregorian calendar that many of us use today.

John
-- 
john j. chew, iii / department of mathematics / university of toronto
poslfit@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca / poslfit@utorgpu.bitnet / jjchew@math.toronto.edu
Newsgroups: sci.math
From: martin@lyra.cis.umassd.edu (Gary Martin)
Subject: Re: Roman Numerals
Organization: University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 21:55:39 GMT

In article <1992Oct4.203159.27522@umbc3.umbc.edu> cs202144@umbc8.umbc.edu (cs202144) writes:


   This may be a dumb question, but I am curious...How are roman numerals 
   larger than 3999 expressed? Is there an extended symbology or are the 
   existing symbols altered in some way to express larger values?

Try {\rm 4000}. :-)
--
Gary A. Martin, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, UMass Dartmouth
Martin@cis.umassd.edu
Newsgroups: sci.math
From: cwalsh@laurel.ocs.mq.edu.au (Craig Walsh)
Subject: Re: Opinions Sought (Why major in math?)
Organization: Macquarie University, Australia.
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 03:25:58 GMT

In article <BvGLMu.8tn@unix.amherst.edu> mkrogers@unix.amherst.edu (MICHAEL K ROGERS) writes:
>Kaushik Banerjee (kbanerje@grad09.math.ncsu.edu) wrote:
>: Another possibility for a math major is to be an actuary.
>: I would reccomend to someone considering the actuary field
>: to major in statistics or computer science; if the actuary
>: field doesn't work out, there are more doors open for
>: a statistics or computer science major.
>
>One interesting facet of the actuarial field is that you
>do not have to have a college degree to be an actuary.  You
>do have to know a lot of special mathematics.  Anyone
>who can pass the tests can be an actuary.  But what tests
>I am told!
>
>I am also told that universities want the Society of Actuaries
>(or whatever the governing body is called) to set curriculum
>standards so that a B.S. in actuarial science would be
>equivalent to passing the first few tests, but the actuarial
>society refuses.  I hope they continue to do so.

Actually, Macquarie Uni does offer an actuarial program leading to a 
B Ec. It basically consists of some first year economics, accounting
and demography, some second year stats and a lot of actuarial courses.

Some courses are exemption courses and if you do well enough in them
you are granted the appropriate test. You can do the first six 
courses (A levels) this way.

I started in this program, but found it pretty amazingly boring, so 
I switched to stats. Much more fun :)

Craig Walsh.

Xref: sparky sci.math:12313 rec.puzzles:6481 comp.theory:2062
From: markh@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Mark)
Newsgroups: sci.math,rec.puzzles,comp.theory
Subject: Re: more on .999... = 10.0
Date: 28 Sep 1992 12:21:27 GMT
Organization: Computing Services Division, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Distribution: inet
NNTP-Posting-Host: 129.89.7.4

In article <1992Sep22.142321.29598@watson.ibm.com> mittle@watson.ibm.com (Josh Mittleman) writes:
>Neal Howard writes:
>
>> >	   x =  9.999...
>> >     10x = 99.999...
>>       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>       NOT !!!!!!!
>> 
>>       10x would equal 99.999...9990 with the "0" at the infinity(th)
>>       rightmost position !!!!!
>
>How creative.

The number 9.999... is the infinite series:

           x = sum (i = 0 to epsilon) (9* 10^(-i)),

where epsilon is an infinite number.  Thus,

          10x = 90 + sum (i = 0 to epsilon - 1) (9* 10^(-i)),

and their difference is:

                        9x = 90 - 9*10^(-epsilon).

And thus:
                          x = 10 - 10^(-epsilon).

So ACTUALLY, x differs from 10 by an infinitesimal power of 10 as was pointed
out above.  Which decimal position it differs in depends on which 9.999...
you chose, since there's a huge number of distinct 9.999...'s that differ at
some infinite decimal position but are the same at all finite decimal positions.
Newsgroups: sci.math
From: annius@sif.research.ptt.nl (Annius Groenink)
Subject: Re: Mattel says "Math is tough."
Organization: PTT Research
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 16:54:18 GMT

hdev@dutiag.tudelft.nl (Hans de Vreught) writes:

>hougen@vision.csl.uiuc.edu (Darrell Roy Hougen) writes:

>>matmcinn@nuscc.nus.sg (Mcinnes B T (Dr)) writes:

>>*>What would you have her say?: 

>If it must be a puzzle, how about: "Don't believe dolls."

Which completes the circle: People will go crazy: `math is tough'.


-- 
Annius Victor Groenink      Universiteit Utrecht      PTT Research Leidschendam
Mathematics/Comp. Sc.        avgroeni@cs.ruu.nl       +31 70 3325445 (weekdays)
Atari ST/Music          A.V.Groenink@research.ptt.nl  +31 70 3464732 (evenings)
_____________My opinions are my opinions____________  +31 5700 29396 (weekends)
Newsgroups: sci.math
From: gsmith@lauren.uucp (Gene W. Smith)
Subject: Normalizer of Gamma_0(n) question
Organization: IWR, University of Heidelberg, Germany
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 92 13:52:24 GMT


Let G be the normalizer of Gamma_0(n) in PSL_2(R).  Attached to G will
be certain modular functions invariant under G.  When G is of genus 0,
the Hauptmodul for G will in fact be one of the "Monstrous Moonshine"
functions mentioned in Conway and Norton's paper.  When G has genus
greater than 0, I am interested in knowing if anyone has worked out
explicitly a basis for the modular functions for particular values of
n.  (I am especially interested in the case where n is a square-free
composite.)

-- 
     Gene Ward Smith/Brahms Gang/IWR/Ruprecht-Karls University 
               gsmith@kalliope.iwr.uni-heidelberg.de
From: alanw@mingus.berkeley.edu (Alan Weinstein)
Newsgroups: sci.math
Subject: Sattinger/Weaver textbook
Date: 5 Oct 1992 19:16:58 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
NNTP-Posting-Host: mingus.berkeley.edu


I am considering using the book, "Lie groups and algebras with
applications to physics, geometry, and mechanics," by Sattinger and
Weaver, for an advanced undergraduate course aimed at both math and
physics students.  Before making my choice, I would be interested in
hearing from anyone having classroom experience with this book.

Alan Weinstein
Department of Mathematics
University of California
Berkeley
Newsgroups: sci.math
From: gwoeging@iaik.wu-wien.ac.at (Guestaccount G.Woeginger)
Subject: Re: finding the units digit of a big number
Organization: Angewandte Informationsverabeitung und Kommunikationstechnologien, TU-Graz
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 92 08:12:45 GMT

In article <1992Sep29.004246.14564@news2.cis.umn.edu> John Hoffman writes:
>
>What is the units digit in the decimal expansion of 
>         A= (15 + \sqrt{220})^19 + (15 + \sqrt{220})^82.
>Any simple solution would be appreciated.  ( I think calculators were not  
>allowed during the exam)
>

First note that 0 < (15-\sqrt{220})^19 + (15-\sqrt{220})^82 < 1 holds and
call this number B.  Now consider the number A+B.  By the Binomial Theorem,
all irrational parts \sqrt{220} cancel.  It remains something like

    2*15^19 + (.....)*10 + 2*15^82 + (.....)*10

Since 220 is divisible by 10.  Hence, the unit digit of A+B is 0 and the 
unit digit of A is 9.

Gerhard Woeginger
From: wsadjw@rw8.urc.tue.nl (Jan Willem Nienhuys)
Newsgroups: sci.math
Subject: Re: Mattel says "Math is tough."
Date: 5 Oct 92 18:53:47 GMT
Reply-To: wsadjw@urc.tue.nl
Organization: Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands

In article <1992Oct5.145314.2836@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca> mroussel@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca (Marc Roussel) writes:
>In article <5805@tuegate.tue.nl> wsadjw@urc.tue.nl writes:
>>Would people get upset if barbie said "Running marathons is tough"?
>>Or "relativity is tough"?  Or "Homer is tough"?
>
>No, maybe and yes.  The whole point of a marathon is that it is hard.
>The problem with Barbie saying that math is hard is that this doll will
>be not be given to college-aged women but to young girls.  There is

[etc.]

I get it.  To give a girl a doll that says "X is hard"  "Y is tough" or
anything like that, will brainwash the little brat and condemn her to a
lifetime of simpering weakness.  Presumably little boys who want to be
president or astronaut or fireman or whatever are not daunted by the 
possibility that it may require some effort.
But then, little boys don't get barbie dolls.  Maybe that is the problem.
JWN