Scratch

bharvey wrote:

@hm:  We're finished arguing about OS capabilities.  Now we're on teasing nXIII.

…what?

(I am thoroughly enjoying ellipses today)

I am thoroughly enjoying ellipses-the-plural-of-ellipsis today.

shadow_7283 wrote:

Now that is just counter-intuitive... 0_0

What, you think his personality is more hyperbolic?

@bharvey's wiki comment: kinda… can we discuss on the Wiki?

technoboy10 wrote:

bharvey wrote:

What, you think his personality is more hyperbolic?

This thread is the most fun to read. 

I was thinking that. 

bharvey wrote:

Okay, so, the evil king hates computer science, and he rounds up the 100 greatest computer scientists in the kingdom to put them to death.  But, strangely, but as is customary in this sort of problem, he gives them a sporting chance to save their lives.  He tells them that he will line them up along the side of a mountain, facing downslope, so that each of them can see the heads of the people below them, but not those above them, nor, of course, their own head.  He will then place either a white hat or a black hat on each computer scientist's head, choosing by coin toss (i.e., randomly).  Starting at the top of the mountain, each computer scientist has to guess his/her own hat color.  Those who guess correctly will be spared.  Having explained all this, he leaves them to plan their strategy.  What should they do to guarantee the most lives spared, and how many can they save?

Are they required to guess "black" or "white," or can they guess any color?

For anyone who's interested (and using Ubuntu or another form of Linux), I've got Snap working as a (fake) desktop app. It appears and functions like a normal app, but it still opens web Snap!.

Also, @bharvey why would the king hate CS?! 

blob8108 wrote:

nXIII wrote:

Are they required to guess "black" or "white," or can they guess any color?

I think we have to assume they can only say black or white, otherwise we could find some convoluted way to encode 99 bits, and it'd be easy. (Light-pale-yellow-tinted-blueish-green, anyone?) 

That's a brilliant outside-the-box idea, guys, but, yeah, black or white.  The king doesn't like wise guys. 

Last edited by bharvey (2013-02-19 17:45:44)

I think I can save 99…

The first guy says white if there are an odd number of black hats, and black if even. Guy #2 looks at the number of black hats, and if his parity differs from guy #1, he knows he's wearing black. Guy #3 does the same thing: he counts the number of black hats, adds one for each parson who said black before him (except, of course, guy #1), and says black if his parity differs from what Guy #1 said. Keeps going until guy #100.

Too bad for Guy #1: 50/50 chances of survival.

Hey nXIII do you think I try out your BYOB 3 converter?
EDIT: Aw, c'mon Jens, no 3 character usernames? 

Last edited by shadow_7283 (2013-02-19 21:19:00)

shadow_7283 wrote:

no 3 character usernames

Where?

Why doesn't everyone tell the person in front of them what colour hat they're wearing? :s

jji7skyline wrote:

Why doesn't everyone tell the person in front of them what colour hat they're wearing? :s

Oh yeah, I guess I forgot to say they're not allowed side comments once the event starts!  That was so far below my consciousness that at first I thought you meant "why doesn't everyone guess the color of the person in front of them!