tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post5574783568084259030..comments2024-03-27T19:58:17.387-05:00Comments on Computational Complexity: To Write, or Not to Write, That Is the QuestionLance Fortnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752030912874378610noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-15950669828380962322013-12-28T15:55:21.204-06:002013-12-28T15:55:21.204-06:00re writing books on a blog or on internet, 2nd tha...re writing books on a blog or on internet, 2nd that motion a lot. ryan odonnell <a href="http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~ryanod/" rel="nofollow">"analysis of boolean functions"</a> is pioneering and deserves an award. unfortunately there are some aspects of blogs that make them "not-so-well organized" (esp. cf. books) but that can be somewhat overcome with TOCs of links etc.vznhttp://vzn1.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-90572779312422774932013-12-27T22:32:46.734-06:002013-12-27T22:32:46.734-06:00Anonymous, you are entirely correct. I saw "...Anonymous, you are entirely correct. I saw "posted by Lance Fortnow", but overlooked "guest post by Vijay Vazirani", for which apologies are tendered.John Sidleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16286860374431298556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-44678911378022041132013-12-27T21:37:44.350-06:002013-12-27T21:37:44.350-06:00It's not a bad idea to keep following how book...It's not a bad idea to keep following how books are written. Gower's suggestions of using hyperlinks and other stuff is cute but that's that. At the end of the day, who do u want to please ? who is ur audience ? Look, you want to write a textbook and not necessarily webpage book. There's nothing wrong with having a pdf version that has hyperlink features but can be printed out coherently as a textbook format. <br /><br />The web has been around for how long ? And the idea of a textbook has been around of how long ? I'm just pointing out the obvious here that textbook design has undergone changes but ultimately there's a definitive style that hasn't changed and that for a good reason. Just like the keyboard design has been undergoing changes, but there's a definite keyboard design for typing. (and yes, it's kinda not ergonomically optimal to type on a touchscreen as u and the rest of the world might have realized by now.) So definite features have already reached a certain optimum and u can stick with those.<br /><br />Lance loves gadgets such as the kindle. I think there are horrible devices. I want a physical copy, with index, on paper, something I'd like to feel, something i can physical mark and annotate. something that's gonna last power outage and broken screens. Of course, i have a problem with carrying heavy books around, but here's the snag, u can't optimize all criteria. <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-84571410490083746612013-12-27T16:16:06.468-06:002013-12-27T16:16:06.468-06:00No John, it's not Lance who confesses. I think...No John, it's not Lance who confesses. I think it's really poor to write a random comment like that one and not even properly read the post beforehand.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-2308970078521918842013-12-27T13:10:57.189-06:002013-12-27T13:10:57.189-06:00Lance confesses "When faced with the prospect...<b>Lance</b> confesses "When faced with the prospect of writing a new book, I am filled with trepidation and self-doubt: Am I up to the effort needed?"<br />---------<br />Scott Aaronson's recent <i>Shtetl Optimized</i> column <b>"<a href="http://www.scottaaronson.com/blog/?p=1628" rel="nofollow">My quantum computing research explained, using only the 1000 most common English words</a>"</b> ingeniously solves the "too long/hard, did not read/write" problem by applying the <b><a href="http://splasho.com/upgoer5/" rel="nofollow">XKCD Up-Goer V restriction</a></b> <br /><br />Already Gil Kalai has <b><a href="http://www.scottaaronson.com/blog/?p=1628#comment-97714" rel="nofollow">posted an "Up-Goer V" riposte</a></b>, and Gil's popular <i>MathOverflow</i> wiki <b>"<a href="http://mathoverflow.net/questions/54232/a-book-you-would-like-to-write" rel="nofollow">A book you would like to write</a>"</b> has provided an on-line venue for my own application-oriented <b><a href="http://mathoverflow.net/a/54364" rel="nofollow"> "Up-Goer V" book-preface</a>.</b><br /><br /><b>Q</b> Does *anyone* read long books any more? Are "Up-Goer V" essays showing us the future the 21st century future of STEM publishing? Lance, what would an "Up-Goer V" preface look-like for your book?John Sidleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16286860374431298556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722233.post-91024696773099335442013-12-26T16:26:39.729-06:002013-12-26T16:26:39.729-06:00Thanks to Tim Gowers for a fine suggestion
https:/...Thanks to Tim Gowers for a fine suggestion<br />https://plus.google.com/+LanceFortnow/posts/jgtZDjj7vNkVijay Vaziranihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17192690647930757263noreply@blogger.com