4 ms·
This article reminds me of an essay by Edsger Dijkstra, EWD1036 [0], comparing digital vs analog processes, and how they lead us to think of discrete bugs vs co
by opminion 14y ago
This article reminds me of an essay by Edsger Dijkstra, EWD1036 [0], comparing digital vs analog processes, and how they lead us to think of discrete bugs vs continuous errors.
(I recall it as arguing against the naive tendency of considering machines as continuous devices).
Interestingly, Dijkstra also uses a musician as example, for the alternative view:
if the violinist slightly misplaces his finger, he plays slightly out of tune
[0] http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~EWD/transcriptions/EWD10xx/EWD1036.html http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~EWD/transcriptions/EWD10xx/EWD1036...
- derleth 14y ago> if the violinist slightly misplaces his finger, he plays slightly out of tune This depends on whether the slightly misplaced finger ends up on the correct string, correct? I suppose to a violinist, however, a finger that was no longer on the correct string would not be slightly misplaced.