From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,c42dbf68f5320193 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2002-05-09 16:51:58 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news1.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed1.cidera.com!Cidera!cyclone.socal.rr.com!cyclone3.kc.rr.com!news3.kc.rr.com!twister.socal.rr.com.POSTED!not-for-mail Message-ID: <3CDB0BB2.DF5ECED0@san.rr.com> From: Darren New X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.77 [en] (Windows NT 5.0; U) X-Accept-Language: en MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: Generation of permutations References: <3CDAE30B.CFFB6F29@san.rr.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Date: Thu, 09 May 2002 23:51:58 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 66.75.151.160 X-Complaints-To: abuse@rr.com X-Trace: twister.socal.rr.com 1020988318 66.75.151.160 (Thu, 09 May 2002 16:51:58 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 09 May 2002 16:51:58 PDT Organization: RoadRunner - West Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:23810 Date: 2002-05-09T23:51:58+00:00 List-Id: tmoran@acm.org wrote: > > > It's impossible to [always] reliably determine if a given set of instructions > > (i.e., one given to you, not one chosen by you) does indeed sort an > > arbitrary list of numbers. > With the word "always" that's true. Without that word it's false. If I give you a set of instructions, it's impossible for you to reliably determine if that set of instructions implements a sort. "Reliably" implies "always", doesn't it? I mean, if I give you a block of instructions and ask "does this implement a sort", and sometimes you can say "Yes, I'm sure it does", and sometimes you can only say "I can't tell", then doesn't that mean your program doesn't reliably give the right answer? Again, we're talking about the method of figuring out whether it's a sort that's reliable, not whether the program itself sorts correctly. Your program doesn't reliably calculate square roots if it only works for the number 25 either - it has to work for all inputs in the domain. I mean, my car starts very reliably, except when it doesn't. That doesn't make any sense. -- Darren New San Diego, CA, USA (PST). Cryptokeys on demand. The 90/10 rule of toothpaste: the last 10% of the tube lasts as long as the first 90%.