[Cialug] [OT] Dates [Originally: Tribox]

[Nathan Stien]

On Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 3:29 PM,  <jrnosee at gmail.com> wrote:
> To reduce future load on the intertubes Google has implemented quantum
> routing.  Excessive packets are routed back to a previous lull in IP traffic
> and then held for delivery at the appropriate time once the packet's TTL has
> been properly adjusted for years of wait time.

Funny you should mention that, as my next browser tab over has this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_loop_logic

"""
Time loop logic is a system of computation that requires the computer
to be able to send data backwards through time, and relies upon the
Novikov self-consistency principle to force the result of a
computation sent backwards through time to be correct. This approach
can overcome many limitations on traditional algorithmic complexity.
It is commonly used as a hypothetical example of an ontological
paradox in quantum physics.

Example:
A program exploiting time loop logic can be quite simple in outline.
So for example, to find a factor for a large number:

   1. wait for the result to be transmitted from the future.
   2. upon receiving the result, test whether it is a factor by
dividing the input number by it.
         1. if the received result is indeed a correct factor of the
number, send the result back in time.
         2. else if the received result is not a correct factor of the
number (or no result is received at all within the desired timeframe),
generate a number different from the received result and send it back
in time. Note that this results in a paradox, since the result sent
back is not the same as the one that was received.
"""

When I try this, for some reason my program never gets past step 1.
Maybe I have a semicolon in the wrong place.

- Nathan