Proposal for new subforum - Page 2

ppo · 2005-09-19, 23:45

if we MUST continue this thread, (and I think we should not), can we have a better name for it?

ppo · 2005-09-20, 00:04

sorry, I was thinking of the name of the subforum, not of

this thread

ppo · 2005-09-20, 00:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheesehead

Hmmm... There are errors in the August 18, 2004 postings of that "LL test speed up?" thread ( http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=2783 ), but they don't seem to me to be in the crank/kook/malfeasant category.

if the errors are in my posts, can you please tell me ?
thanks, pierpaolo

cheesehead · 2005-09-20, 00:33

Give me some time, then check that thread.

ppo · 2005-09-20, 07:55

I think that we should have a moderated "meta" forum, to discuss things like rules, policies, etc. and move the discussion out of the math forum.
This should help to extinguish flames.
I also would like some comment about my proposal of a sticky thread for recommended books to read (I know that DR. Silverman would say: " mandatory books to study

)
pierpaolo

Numbers · 2005-09-20, 08:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by ppo

I also would like some comment about my proposal of a sticky thread for recommended books to read

Some time ago I started a thread in the lounge for this very purpose. I posted a recommendation of my own but no one seems to have followed it up. One thing you can do is search the forum for threads that mention books; there is one thread where many members list their favourite maths books here:
http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthr...ghlight=Escher

And two books in particular are mentioned quite often. One is the Crandall and Pomerance book called Prime Numbers, A Computational Perspective, which can be found here:
http://www.perfsci.com/primenumbers.htm#primekit

The other is Art of Computer Programming, 3-vols, by Donald E Knuth.
At the end of 1999 American Scientist named this among the best twelve scientific monographs of the century and it is frequently referred to in this forum simply as “Knuth”. It used to be titled The Art… and so is often known by the acronym TAOCP.

Other books that come well recommended (not by me, by experts who know what they are talking about) include:
Richard Guy - "Unsolved Problems in Number Theory".
H. Cohen - "A Course in Computational Algebraic Number Theory",
And either Reisel's or Bressoud's books on Factoring .

But obviously much will depend on what kind of book you are looking for, what you want to study, what level you are currently at and where you want to go. Just asking people to recommend books doesn’t give them much to go on. Another thing to be wary of is that I have in my house a book that came highly recommended by a number of people. I use it as a doorstop because it is completely impenetrable to me as a book.

akruppa · 2005-09-20, 08:53

How about a Wiki page, "Recommended reading" ?

Alex

R.D. Silverman · 2005-09-20, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Numbers

Some time ago I started a thread in the lounge for this very purpose. I posted a recommendation of my own but no one seems to have followed it up. One thing you can do is search the forum for threads that mention books; there is one thread where many members list their favourite maths books here:
http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthr...ghlight=Escher

And two books in particular are mentioned quite often. One is the Crandall and Pomerance book called Prime Numbers, A Computational Perspective, which can be found here:
http://www.perfsci.com/primenumbers.htm#primekit

The other is Art of Computer Programming, 3-vols, by Donald E Knuth.
At the end of 1999 American Scientist named this among the best twelve scientific monographs of the century and it is frequently referred to in this forum simply as “Knuth”. It used to be titled The Art… and so is often known by the acronym TAOCP.

Other books that come well recommended (not by me, by experts who know what they are talking about) include:
Richard Guy - "Unsolved Problems in Number Theory".
H. Cohen - "A Course in Computational Algebraic Number Theory",
And either Reisel's or Bressoud's books on Factoring .

But obviously much will depend on what kind of book you are looking for, what you want to study, what level you are currently at and where you want to go. Just asking people to recommend books doesn’t give them much to go on. Another thing to be wary of is that I have in my house a book that came highly recommended by a number of people. I use it as a doorstop because it is completely impenetrable to me as a book.

I would add:

Hardy & Wright Introduction to the Theory of Numbers
D. Shanks Solved & Unsolved Problems in Number Theory

If more advanced books are desired, I can recommend them.

Stay away from Serre's "A Course in Arithmetic" or any of Serge Lang's
books [RIP]

xilman · 2005-09-20, 13:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by R.D. Silverman

I would add:

Hardy & Wright Introduction to the Theory of Numbers
D. Shanks Solved & Unsolved Problems in Number Theory

If more advanced books are desired, I can recommend them.

Stay away from Serre's "A Course in Arithmetic" or any of Serge Lang's
books [RIP]

While browsing in a secondhand bookshop in Exeter a few years ago I came across:

"An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers" by Niven, Zuckerman & Montgomery.

I rather like it, though mine is the 3rd edition. The latest is the 5th and is described by Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books

Another one is Baker's "A Concise Introduction to the Theory of Numbers", http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books

It is undoubtedly condensed, but another nice book I picked up very cheaply.

Paul

philmoore · 2005-09-20, 22:58

My apologies, I missed the postings in this thread that were made over a week ago. I didn't realize that it was my co-moderator stirring things up! I notice now that the renamed "Miscellaneous Math Threads" subforum contains 33 threads, a bit under 9% of the total number of threads that were in the regular math forum. Does this serve a useful purpose? I will start a poll in the lounge and see how people respond.

akruppa · 2005-09-20, 23:18

Ernst Mayer sent an email out today. He got into a severe car accident on Fr. 9th, i.e. the day after he moved the threads. He is now recovering and apparantly will make it out of the whole affair in one piece. He'll still need quite a bit of time to recover, though. I think maybe we should delay further action on this subforum issue until Ernst is back and can share his view on it.

I'm a bit shaken, his email really sounded rather serious. I can only hope he'll be alright and will make a speedy and complete recovery.

Gute Besserung, Ernst!

Alex

2005-09-19, 23:45	#12
ppo Aug 2004 italy 113 Posts	name of this thread if we MUST continue this thread, (and I think we should not), can we have a better name for it?

2005-09-20, 07:55	#16
ppo Aug 2004 italy 113 Posts	proposal for a meta forum I think that we should have a moderated "meta" forum, to discuss things like rules, policies, etc. and move the discussion out of the math forum. This should help to extinguish flames. I also would like some comment about my proposal of a sticky thread for recommended books to read (I know that DR. Silverman would say: " mandatory books to study ) pierpaolo

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2005-09-20, 00:04	#13
ppo Aug 2004 italy 113 Posts	sorry, I was thinking of the name of the subforum, not of this thread

2005-09-20, 00:33	#15
cheesehead "Richard B. Woods" Aug 2002 Wisconsin USA 2²·3·641 Posts	Give me some time, then check that thread.

2005-09-20, 08:53	#18
akruppa "Nancy" Aug 2002 Alexandria 2467₁₀ Posts	How about a Wiki page, "Recommended reading" ? Alex

2005-09-20, 22:58	#21
philmoore "Phil" Sep 2002 Tracktown, U.S.A. 2⁵·5·7 Posts	My apologies, I missed the postings in this thread that were made over a week ago. I didn't realize that it was my co-moderator stirring things up! I notice now that the renamed "Miscellaneous Math Threads" subforum contains 33 threads, a bit under 9% of the total number of threads that were in the regular math forum. Does this serve a useful purpose? I will start a poll in the lounge and see how people respond.

2005-09-20, 23:18	#22
akruppa "Nancy" Aug 2002 Alexandria 2,467 Posts	Ernst Mayer sent an email out today. He got into a severe car accident on Fr. 9th, i.e. the day after he moved the threads. He is now recovering and apparantly will make it out of the whole affair in one piece. He'll still need quite a bit of time to recover, though. I think maybe we should delay further action on this subforum issue until Ernst is back and can share his view on it. I'm a bit shaken, his email really sounded rather serious. I can only hope he'll be alright and will make a speedy and complete recovery. Gute Besserung, Ernst! Alex