Feeling out of sorts about learning styles

["W. Wesley Groleau (Wes)" <wwgrol@PSESERV3.FW.HAC.COM>]

The first time I saw quicksort in a high-level language, it took a little
while to understand it, even though I had been given a verbal explanation.

Robert's two-line explanation of the algorithm as applied to a deck of
cards was instantly clear.

Tim's assembly approaches the other extreme.  Knowing assembler has its
advantages, but it will NEVER make quicksort easier to understand!

But neither speed, simplicity, nor size (table space) is necessarily
the criteria for selecting an algorithm...

The best algorithm for sorting a deck of cards is the most fun:

until sorted, loop
  Play solitaire!
  if deadlock then
    cheat
  end if
  if still deadlocked
    report missing cards or something
  end if
end loop;

(All work and no play...)

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W. Wesley Groleau (Wes)                                Office: 219-429-4923
Hughes Defense Communications (MS 10-40)                 Home: 219-471-7206
Fort Wayne,  IN   46808                  (Unix): wwgrol@pseserv3.fw.hac.com
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