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> probably won't see application in software and networking until a number of conjectures in prime number theory are answered The thing about conjectures like
by bigbillheck 5y ago
> probably won't see application in software and networking until a number of conjectures in prime number theory are answered
The thing about conjectures like those and their relevance to practical applications is you can just assume whichever ones you like.
That's because either your choice is correct (or, for the pedants, at least 'not inconsistent') in which case great you didn't need to wait for a proof, or your choice is incorrect. In that case, then if that wrecks your application you've just found some excellent observational evidence towards resolving it. If it doesn't wreck your application, then that means you didn't need to have considered in in the first place.
- lixtra 5y agoTopology is often used to prove existence or non-existence. If you base that on a shaky conjectures you’re not any wiser. If you apply it to algorithms that means the difference may be that the algorithm encrypts your data safely every time or just 99.99% of the time. Or you can crack it by precomputing something for 100k CPU years.
- bigbillheck 5y agoPlease name some actual examples in which the truth or falsity of any particular "conjecture[] in prime number theory" has a observable bearing on the performance of any algorithm. I felt it was clear from context that the OP meant one of the serious conjectures like GRH, which is an awful long way away from being 'shaky'.