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Computer Scientists Break Traveling Salesperson Record

quantamagazine.org

21–30 of 188 posts

Re: Computer Scientists Break Traveling Salesperson Record

#21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, the generally-accepted term has been "salesman" for over a hundred years. Whether or not you approve, it's definitely a conscious choice. As an aside, can someone explain why a generic "-man" suffix is taken to indicate only the masculine by some people? It's no different than using the masculine for indefinite gender, so why the objections?

Well, because it says "man" and that means a male. Never mind its from the German where 'man' meant 'person'; today in English we are where we are. And 'a hundred years' is not much of a defense. Women couldn't sign a mortgage in the US in the 70's. I imagine folks defended that too - "Its the way we've always done it."

> Women couldn't sign a mortgage in the US in the 70's.

yeah you're going to need to provide a source for such a ridiculous claim. My grandmother has owned her house for much longer than that.

* edit: all you downvoters need to look at the claim being made instead of bringing up different issues. credit cards are not mortgages. "couldn't sign" is not the same as "needed a cosigner" or "discounted rates". the original claim implies that women could not own houses through a bank loan, which is very much false.

Re: Computer Scientists Break Traveling Salesperson Record

#22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From my point of view, having negative emotions about this at all seems "ridiculous", much more describing it as "a mouthful", and framing it as their having "insisted" on doing something, rather than simply having done it.

Well, the generally-accepted term has been "salesman" for over a hundred years. Whether or not you approve, it's definitely a conscious choice. As an aside, can someone explain why a generic "-man" suffix is taken to indicate only the masculine by some people? It's no different than using the masculine for indefinite gender, so why the objections?

Look buddy, if you don't understand that certain things just mean certain things, I don't know what to tell you. Stop making everything complicated and just get with the plan.

Re: Computer Scientists Break Traveling Salesperson Record

#23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, because it says "man" and that means a male. Never mind its from the German where 'man' meant 'person'; today in English we are where we are. And 'a hundred years' is not much of a defense. Women couldn't sign a mortgage in the US in the 70's. I imagine folks defended that too - "Its the way we've always done it."

Hupersons, personkind etc. This is not where we are in English.

We'll get there! Baby steps...

Re: Computer Scientists Break Traveling Salesperson Record

#24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, the generally-accepted term has been "salesman" for over a hundred years. Whether or not you approve, it's definitely a conscious choice. As an aside, can someone explain why a generic "-man" suffix is taken to indicate only the masculine by some people? It's no different than using the masculine for indefinite gender, so why the objections?

Look buddy, if you don't understand that certain things just mean certain things, I don't know what to tell you. Stop making everything complicated and just get with the plan.

I'm not going to "get with" anyone's plan before I know what it is and why I should support it.

Re: Computer Scientists Break Traveling Salesperson Record

#25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, because it says "man" and that means a male. Never mind its from the German where 'man' meant 'person'; today in English we are where we are. And 'a hundred years' is not much of a defense. Women couldn't sign a mortgage in the US in the 70's. I imagine folks defended that too - "Its the way we've always done it."

> Women couldn't sign a mortgage in the US in the 70's. yeah you're going to need to provide a source for such a ridiculous claim. My grandmother has owned her house for much longer than that. * edit: all you downvoters need to look at the claim being made instead of bringing up different issues. credit cards are not mortgages. "couldn't sign" is not the same as "needed a cosigner" or "discounted rates". the original…

Sure, own one by inheiriting or paying outright. Its the credit issue that prevented borrowing to buy one.

Our recently deceased Supreme Court Justice was instrumental in securing that right.

Here's a brief history for the Google-challenged: https://www.directlendingsolutions.com/women_and_credit.htm

Re: Computer Scientists Break Traveling Salesperson Record

#26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, the generally-accepted term has been "salesman" for over a hundred years. Whether or not you approve, it's definitely a conscious choice. As an aside, can someone explain why a generic "-man" suffix is taken to indicate only the masculine by some people? It's no different than using the masculine for indefinite gender, so why the objections?

Well, because it says "man" and that means a male. Never mind its from the German where 'man' meant 'person'; today in English we are where we are. And 'a hundred years' is not much of a defense. Women couldn't sign a mortgage in the US in the 70's. I imagine folks defended that too - "Its the way we've always done it."

[deleted]

Re: Computer Scientists Break Traveling Salesperson Record

#27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, because it says "man" and that means a male. Never mind its from the German where 'man' meant 'person'; today in English we are where we are. And 'a hundred years' is not much of a defense. Women couldn't sign a mortgage in the US in the 70's. I imagine folks defended that too - "Its the way we've always done it."

> Women couldn't sign a mortgage in the US in the 70's. yeah you're going to need to provide a source for such a ridiculous claim. My grandmother has owned her house for much longer than that. * edit: all you downvoters need to look at the claim being made instead of bringing up different issues. credit cards are not mortgages. "couldn't sign" is not the same as "needed a cosigner" or "discounted rates". the original…

> yeah you're going to need to provide a source for such a ridiculous claim. My grandmother has owned her house for much longer than that.

Maybe not mortgages but this article from 2013: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/25-years-since-women-need_b_4... "25 Years Since Women Needed a Male Co-Signer". (Link should end "b_4164299".)

Re: Computer Scientists Break Traveling Salesperson Record

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, because it says "man" and that means a male. Never mind its from the German where 'man' meant 'person'; today in English we are where we are. And 'a hundred years' is not much of a defense. Women couldn't sign a mortgage in the US in the 70's. I imagine folks defended that too - "Its the way we've always done it."

> Women couldn't sign a mortgage in the US in the 70's. yeah you're going to need to provide a source for such a ridiculous claim. My grandmother has owned her house for much longer than that. * edit: all you downvoters need to look at the claim being made instead of bringing up different issues. credit cards are not mortgages. "couldn't sign" is not the same as "needed a cosigner" or "discounted rates". the original…

That's not a particularly ridiculous claim if you are familiar with the recent history of civil rights.

https://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/07/living/sixties-women-5-th...

Specifically there wasn't a law to prevent it AFAIK, but in practice banks denied women lines of credit without their husband's approval as a course of normal business.

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