[HN Gopher] Why Did Thomas Harriot Invent Binary? ___________________________________________________________________ Why Did Thomas Harriot Invent Binary? Author : nanna Score : 51 points Date : 2023-04-22 05:58 UTC (17 hours ago) (HTM) web link (link.springer.com) (TXT) w3m dump (link.springer.com) | smitty1e wrote: | Vinary? | breck wrote: | Fascinating! I was unaware of Thomas Harriot. | | If you're interested in Leibniz and his invention of binary, I | highly recommend Wolfram's post on that: | https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2013/05/dropping-in-on-g... | | I have a project on the backburner to create a "Handwriting | Simulator", that you could give a task/equation to, and have it | generate animations of performing that calculation as a human | would with a pen and paper according to a named writing system | (binary, roman numerals, hindu-arabic, et cetera). I would like | to compare and contrast the efficiency of handwriting systems, | and perhaps explore if there are some potential new ones yet to | be invented. I've come full circle to the opinion that I've been | undervaluing 2D handwritten notations as tools for thought. If | anyone has any pointers I'd appreciate it! This reminds me of | that, because I'd expect binary notation by hand to be extremely | inefficient compared to other systems, so there was little/no | value for it until logic machines. | [deleted] | wslh wrote: | The quest for the root and archeology of ideas and applications | is fascinating. | | With all due respect with well known scientists like Leibniz, the | distribution of your ideas was and remains to be key to be named. | It is always nice to keep searching for prior influences and | inventions. | thriftwy wrote: | Unless people are willing to forge "unpublished manuscripts" to | gain priority. Need to be careful with that stuff - even when | those are legit, the fact that they were not published | immensely increases the complexity of priority. Imagine some | goat herder invented binary in 4000 BC without telling anybody. | sublinear wrote: | https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egyptian_multiplication | | "Ancient Egyptian multiplication" is also worth mentioning if | slightly off topic. ___________________________________________________________________ (page generated 2023-04-22 23:00 UTC)