One algorithm I think is very elegant is John Carmack’s Doom hack. This is a bit shift algorithm to calculate Pythagorean theorem very quickly. It changed the entire landscape of computer 3D graphics in the 1990’s.
Thanks, Alejandro. You will help a lot of us who are not well-versed in types of algorithms begin to understand how AI—and GarageBand!—work. I was struck by Genetic Families and Back propagation and intend to dive into them myself. In both I saw inklings of ways to improve my writing when interacting with a bot. I’m also very interested in comments you made re some algorithms linked more closely to biology than other algorithms. I’m stoked that you’re doing this! Your writing always seems to take me to the edge of my comprehension and then…give me something to hold onto. You are an amazing teacher!
Thanks, Terry, for your kind words. Your comments are always welcome. Just hope I can keep up to satisfy your curiosity and spark some interesting thought from time to time. I think you're gonna to love the upcoming posts!
I think the simplest algorithm with the highest technological impact was the “Statistical Processing” algorithm, which simply assumes the next bit in a data stream, a one or a zero, will be the same as the previous bit, until it isn’t. This ridiculously simple algorithm made possible every digital communications technology from the fax machine to the interstellar space probe.
One algorithm I think is very elegant is John Carmack’s Doom hack. This is a bit shift algorithm to calculate Pythagorean theorem very quickly. It changed the entire landscape of computer 3D graphics in the 1990’s.
Oh I saw that one a long time ago in undergrad I think. Thanks. Carmack is a real legend.
Thanks, Alejandro. You will help a lot of us who are not well-versed in types of algorithms begin to understand how AI—and GarageBand!—work. I was struck by Genetic Families and Back propagation and intend to dive into them myself. In both I saw inklings of ways to improve my writing when interacting with a bot. I’m also very interested in comments you made re some algorithms linked more closely to biology than other algorithms. I’m stoked that you’re doing this! Your writing always seems to take me to the edge of my comprehension and then…give me something to hold onto. You are an amazing teacher!
Thanks, Terry, for your kind words. Your comments are always welcome. Just hope I can keep up to satisfy your curiosity and spark some interesting thought from time to time. I think you're gonna to love the upcoming posts!
Looking forward!
Interestingly, I've just written about Genetic Algorithms here: https://feasible.substack.com/p/63-why-vns-beats-genetic-algorithms
And my next post will be about them too as I found a really interesting paper that uses them with LLMs to solve optimization problems.
Great article. Joy to read. You could make long posts on each one and include graphics. Thanks
I think the simplest algorithm with the highest technological impact was the “Statistical Processing” algorithm, which simply assumes the next bit in a data stream, a one or a zero, will be the same as the previous bit, until it isn’t. This ridiculously simple algorithm made possible every digital communications technology from the fax machine to the interstellar space probe.
Wonderful post. Really looking forward to the per algorithm follow-ups