Path: csiph.com!usenet.pasdenom.info!weretis.net!feeder1.news.weretis.net!feeder.erje.net!eu.feeder.erje.net!xlned.com!feeder5.xlned.com!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed2a.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.003 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.99; '*S*': 0.00; 'algorithm': 0.04; 'anyway.': 0.05; 'assign': 0.07; 'oh,': 0.09; 'subject:set': 0.09; 'cc:addr:python-list': 0.11; '(which,': 0.16; 'ahead,': 0.16; 'finite': 0.16; 'from:addr:rosuav': 0.16; 'from:name:chris angelico': 0.16; 'iteration': 0.16; 'quantum': 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.18; 'feb': 0.22; '(in': 0.22; 'cc:addr:python.org': 0.22; 'cc:2**0': 0.24; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.27; 'chris': 0.29; 'message-id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.30; 'branches': 0.31; 'fine,': 0.31; 'probability': 0.31; 'subject:numbers': 0.31; 'bus': 0.33; 'cases': 0.33; 'fri,': 0.33; 'subject:the': 0.34; 'subject:with': 0.35; "can't": 0.35; 'but': 0.35; 'received:google.com': 0.35; '14,': 0.36; "he's": 0.36; 'returning': 0.36; 'requirements': 0.37; 'pm,': 0.38; 'even': 0.60; 'guarantee': 0.63; 'finish': 0.65; 'to:none': 0.92 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:cc :content-type:content-transfer-encoding; bh=1pZHJ5HtIsKop0CWHS2y0PDcrvYHx0hl9mIeNIUgez8=; b=dOyrc65jjwWwjFm0EGRXel9YoI1X0Hfpi8HCbZkQ/znqedElD38A2lwaNPRoljW9jb HZ4csT7FlqUs7u9VUDzfmJ9eHceO5eDs8u70OxDUmZiA7NEV+cWvSchwvO74+OKT3qI2 RW6/X6bYvYAfInZrKnEOE+thvPfUxh3Ofwnn/ALLnxUpTZc490xMw/SdXRBIA+JhJ/vo LkGVu0tmlJ8kAoU5gos7p9vLhU9zXt5p1h1gFqrBPf6Z9ireOZsPnUomf9e5LcH9hQ02 piHQVEFHsIqIUJ+bQRLT25QmNQNoE251b9sstiYJ8nLfV8tQLt2ljEJeAsUQKofu9y7U 2ixg== MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Received: by 10.66.160.2 with SMTP id xg2mr6912040pab.23.1392360271481; Thu, 13 Feb 2014 22:44:31 -0800 (PST) In-Reply-To: References: <8e4c1ab1-e65d-483f-ad9d-6933ae2052c3@googlegroups.com> <888bd2fc-54b0-4c46-9d7b-d81d01a78b52@googlegroups.com> <52f59aeb$0$29972$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> <7cc8f49d-a4c7-48c2-a0af-ac58c847d794@googlegroups.com> <71e578f8-0d23-4b8e-b9f2-b987bdc9c01d@googlegroups.com> <85r478bv99.fsf_-_@benfinney.id.au> <85ioskbtfm.fsf@benfinney.id.au> <85eh38bq5z.fsf@benfinney.id.au> <871tz7864a.fsf@elektro.pacujo.net> Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2014 17:44:31 +1100 Subject: Re: Working with the set of real numbers From: Chris Angelico Cc: "python-list@python.org" Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 20 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1392360280 news.xs4all.nl 2887 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:33519 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:66286 On Fri, Feb 14, 2014 at 5:37 PM, Gregory Ewing wrote: > Chris Angelico wrote: >> >> Even adding to your requirements that it have an =E2=84=B5=E2=82=81 Hz b= us (which, by >> the way, I *totally* want - the uses are endless), it would take a >> >> finite amount of time to assign to x the "next number", ergo your >> algorithm can't guarantee to finish in finite time. > > > If it's a quantum computer, it may be able to execute > all branches of the iteration in parallel. But it > would only have a probability of returning the right > answer (in other cases it would kill your cat). Oh, that's fine, he's not my cat anyway. Go ahead, build it. ChrisA