tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post7790370201813322565..comments2024-03-28T10:08:38.560-04:00Comments on The Adventures of Roberta X: Charles Babbage, Geek Of GeeksRoberta Xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956807794520627885noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-45490622551900838402010-11-09T14:43:44.323-05:002010-11-09T14:43:44.323-05:00I believe Mark's head for math has led us to a...I believe Mark's head for math has led us to a much-promulgated typo in the original, as the version with "one-sixteenth" also fails to scan: it's got an extra syllable. "One <i>sixth,</i>" however, works.<br /><br /> I'm reading a Dover reprint of the Philip and Emily Morrison collection of works by Babbage and others. Charles Babbage, whatever else his failings (or twisted sense of humor), had a very fine ear for language; I doubt he'd've missed the extra syllable.Roberta Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09956807794520627885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-6942016133951281932010-11-09T11:43:27.617-05:002010-11-09T11:43:27.617-05:00Being That Guy is like being insane -- if you wond...Being That Guy is like being insane -- if you wonder about being That Guy, chances are you're fine. It's the oblivious ones that are dangerous.Joannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10952078709114872197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-14606649726199269122010-11-09T10:58:04.139-05:002010-11-09T10:58:04.139-05:00Hmm. I have heard the Oxford English Dictionary...Hmm. I have heard the Oxford English Dictionary's definition of a "moment" (1909 edition?) was the medieval 1.5 minutes.<br /><br />Am I That Guy?Davidwhitewolfhttp://www.softgreenglow.com/wpnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-79806831975409572722010-11-09T09:24:38.112-05:002010-11-09T09:24:38.112-05:00Oh geez. Babbage was That Guy.
(Don't be Tha...Oh geez. Babbage was That Guy. <br /><br />(Don't be That Guy.)Joannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10952078709114872197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-63429658225190324482010-11-09T07:35:17.110-05:002010-11-09T07:35:17.110-05:00Mr. Babbage needed to learn the techniques practic...Mr. Babbage needed to learn the techniques practiced by modern economists, global warming analysts and statisticians: all departures from expected results are to be disposed of as "rounding errors", or, better, with an arcane reference to standard deviations. <br /><br />That'll get'em.John Peddie (Toronto)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-21367045210845692232010-11-09T00:48:52.436-05:002010-11-09T00:48:52.436-05:00Perhaps it is that Randall Monroe has channelled a...Perhaps it is that Randall Monroe has channelled a little of his sense of humour.<br /><br />JimAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-64314513569420757892010-11-09T00:18:23.450-05:002010-11-09T00:18:23.450-05:00I could be wrong, but I believe the result of the ...I could be wrong, but I believe the result of the operation 1/16 is .0625, while .167 is approximately 1/6.<br /><br />Not that that matters to the verity of the larger point.<br /><br />MMark Algerhttp://www.babytrollblog.comnoreply@blogger.com