On 12/13/2010 02:36 PM, Mike McCarty wrote: > Marko Vojinovic wrote: >> On Sat, Nov 6, 2010 at 8:43 AM, Mogens Kjaer<mk@xxxxxxx> wrote: >>>> http://www.kurims.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~ooura/pi_fft.html >>>> >>>> You'll need RAM to get many digits. >>> 1.6 G decimals in 20 hours on a machine with 16G RAM, running >>> x86_64 Fedora 12. >> >> Really, I'm curious, is there any real-world problem where anyone >> would actually *need* pi to a G decimal places? I mean, are these kind >> of computations actually useful for someone, or is it just a matter of >> "we have the power to do it, so let's do it" thing? Other than entry >> into the Guinness book of records, that is? > > Yes, there is. Belated response, I know. > > There are two important uses for such computations I can > think of off the top of my head. > > First, it's a good test of the functionality of a new machine. > When the first new unit runs off the factory floor, this type > of lengthy computation with known results is a good test. (Flash back 15 years) "I am Pentium of Borg. Division is futile. You will be approximated." > Second, there are certain theoretical ideas about the distribution > of digits in transcendental numbers which can make progress via > such lengthy computations. > > Nobody needs more than about 6 figures for doing any engineering > work, however. Is string theory, quantum mechanics or relativity the "truer" reflection of reality? Hell, we sent space probes on close fly-bys of Uranus and hit asteroids using good ol' Newtonian mechanics. (Just twisting the tail!) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - Rick Stevens, Systems Engineer, C2 Hosting ricks@xxxxxxxx - - AIM/Skype: therps2 ICQ: 22643734 Yahoo: origrps2 - - - - Make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -- users mailing list users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe or change subscription options: https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/users Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines
