It is funny that the article linked is from this month, but the actual anonymous post seems to be from 2011, and it looks like the research paper itself is from 2018.
Anime fans stumbled upon a mathematical proof
71–80 of 255 posts
Re: Anime fans stumbled upon a mathematical proof
#72Earlier quoted context omitted.
4chan has a large cesspit, but it gathers a lot of intelligent people who can ignore the noise. For any interest, there’s someone somewhere who made a half decent thread on the topic. There’s decent barriers too (as in the less talked about boards are more thoroughly moderated than the ones that make the news, much like Reddit)
Shhh!!! Don't tell them that 4chan is the best origami/paper craft website on the internet!
one letter off from the alt-right!
Re: Anime fans stumbled upon a mathematical proof
#73[deleted]
Re: Anime fans stumbled upon a mathematical proof
#74Previous discussions: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18292061 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23968618 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39325146 See also: https://mathsci.fandom.com/wiki/The_Haruhi_Problem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superpermutation#Lower_bounds,...
Wow I had no idea. Thanks! Macroexpanded:
Unscrambling the hidden secrets of superpermutations - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39325146 - Feb 2024 (8 comments)
Mystery math whiz and novelist advance permutation problem - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36191831 - June 2023 (92 comments)
An Anonymous 4chan Post Helped Solve a 25-Year-Old Math Puzzle (2018) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23968618 - July 2020 (7 comments)
Nobody knows how to cite 4chan mathematicians who solved an interesting problem - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18292061 - Oct 2018 (198 comments)
If anyone can find other threads in this set, let me know and I'll add them here.
Re: Anime fans stumbled upon a mathematical proof
#75Earlier quoted context omitted.
I used to be a subscriber for years a long time ago. I’m not sure where you got this opinion unless you are basing things on recent years. There was always something interesting in them.
I used to enjoy the magazine and am basing my negative opinion (expressed above) on reading experience on more recent readings. I used to enjoy the amateur scientist and mathematical recreation the most. Then those sections disappeared. I have not been reading it recently so maybe things have changed some.
You are not wrong. Check the archives before the 2000s and it’s a very different magazine. A while back, the editorial direction changed. It used to be aimed at scientists who might be in a different field from the article, or amateurs/nonscientists who were at that level. Then it became more for nonscientists who are somewhat interested in the topic. The new editors seemed to wish it was Discover magazine, and now it basically is.
Bear in mind this is a magazine that published complete plans for building an argon laser in your garage. Including the glassblowing.
Re: Anime fans stumbled upon a mathematical proof
#76Yea, that absolutely checks out.
Being able to apply your work to something you enjoy is a discipline and motivation multiplier.
Re: Anime fans stumbled upon a mathematical proof
#77Loath as I am to give 4chan credit for anything positive, I feel like the article subject is slightly dismissive with its use of the phrase "stumbled upon." The anonymous 4chan user clearly did the work , it's not as though they came upon a proof written in the sand. For all we know it was a grad student with an ABD in Statistics who just happened to like anime. But the phrasing almost implies it's not a true accompl…
>Loath as I am to give 4chan credit for anything positive I love the fact we have somewhere unambiguously lowbrow on the internet. It's fun to watch how highbrow places talk about it.
As the saying goes, most social media is stupid people pretending to be smart; 4chan is smart people pretending to be stupid.
Re: Anime fans stumbled upon a mathematical proof
#78At one of my old jobs, the bathroom was locked with a 4 digit code followed by the key symbol. We jokingly made up "Bathroom Code" as an interview question/to nerd snipe each other instead of working, which was "assuming you don't have to press key, and that the bathroom door will unlock if the correct 4 digits are entered in order at any time, write the code to print the shortest possible test sequence to guarantee…
If the code is allowed repeats then the problem is much easier: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Bruijn_sequence .
Superpermutation must repeat all possible combination in the shortest number possible. De Bruijn sequence places a lower bound on the length of superpermutations but shorter sequences are possible. De bruijn is also cyclical, which superpermutations in the literature are not.
Re: Anime fans stumbled upon a mathematical proof
#79"Permutate"?
Re: Anime fans stumbled upon a mathematical proof
#80Loath as I am to give 4chan credit for anything positive, I feel like the article subject is slightly dismissive with its use of the phrase "stumbled upon." The anonymous 4chan user clearly did the work , it's not as though they came upon a proof written in the sand. For all we know it was a grad student with an ABD in Statistics who just happened to like anime. But the phrasing almost implies it's not a true accompl…
This story resurfaces every few years but the original post was on the /sci/ board in 2011. That was a loooooong time ago and although no one back then would have said 4chan was good (it was never good), it also doesn't surprise me it was originally posted there at that time. I don't think it would happen now.
4chan was great, but it very much was one of the oldest proprietors of the so called "normie filter". The biggest most offensive boards caused 95% of the trouble the site is known for.
the smaller boards and threads could get some interesting stories and content (of all were of course, of reasonable falseness and potential homosexuality). The vibe was fine as long as you avoided the modern attitude and approach everything with hostility. Unlike say, modern twitter, everyone in 4chan was in agreement that they were full of shit. It was never trying to be this platform of serious debate. Understanding that ironically enough frees you of a lot of inhibitions.
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All the "elites" were definitely gone by the middle of the 2010's, though. Probably to less controversial and more popular platforms. It's nearly impossible to replicate this nowadays.