Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2001 11:28:13 -0500 From: Kevin Brunelle <kruptos@netzero.net> Cc: questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: patenting the digit 1 and 0 Message-ID: <3AC4B41D.F60548BA@netzero.net> References: <20010330003425.429EA274B@sitemail.everyone.net>
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Ignoring the humor in this article there is one huge mistake. > containing zeroes and ones -- the mathematical building blocks of all computer languages and > programs This is not correct. One and Zero are the most common human readable REPRESENTATION of binary data. Your computer does not see them at all, it sees a high or not high electrical pulse. I challenge any one to show me ones and zeros on their hard drive with a magnifying glass. Am I the only person who remembers some of the older hex charts [I am a youngin so I have just read books that used them]. 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,u,v,w,x,y,z :: the human representation is completely independent to what happens. Anyway, enough of a rant today. This is to be taken with a grain of salt -- I am a freak and I know it. Personally I like Tron's view of what a bit was. Shrinking and blinking based on state. It doesn't get any kinkier than that. Now, changing all the programs to display a - or + for 0 or 1 respectively would be the hard part. ;-) --+-+-+- == 42 -Kevin Brunelle Credo quia Absurdum To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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