POV-Ray : Newsgroups : povray.off-topic : Oi, Darren : Re: Oi, Darren Server Time
7 Sep 2024 07:23:47 EDT (-0400)
  Re: Oi, Darren  
From: Darren New
Date: 11 Jul 2008 15:02:32
Message: <4877ae48$1@news.povray.org>
Orchid XP v8 wrote:
> What is Ackermann's function, why does it grow so fast, 

That I imagine wikipedia can answer...

> and why does anybody care anyway?

I wouldn't guarantee I'm write, but I believe it's because it's the 
first function demonstrated that (basically) you needed indefinite loops 
to calculate.

In other words, no number of bounded for-loops will evaluate the 
function. You *have* to have while loops in your language to evaluate 
the value of the ackerman function.

That's my understanding of why anyone cares, but it's an old memory, so 
I might be messing things up.

-- 
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
  Helpful housekeeping hints:
   Check your feather pillows for holes
    before putting them in the washing machine.


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