Research and Advances

On the problem of communicating complex information

The nature of the difficulty involved in communicating mathematical results between scientists using a computer based information retrieval system is examined. The problem is analyzed in terms of psychological and information-processing processes, and what turns out to be a vicious circle of effects is described. The paper then considers how the presentation of information by a computer-based information retrieval system, or by other media, can be improved. Some trade-offs which affect the design of the presentation are mentioned, and a number of ideas for improvement are described. These include ways of augmenting written natural language by various notational and linguistic devices, the exhibition of the structure inherent in the information we are communicating, and a sophisticated interactive system controlled by computer.

Advertisement

Author Archives

Research and Advances

A proposal for a computer-based interactive scientific community

Because of the problems created by the explosion of papers in the mathematical sciences and the drawbacks that this places on research, it is suggested that a tree of all mathematical results and terminology be maintained in a multiterminal computer system. Users of the system can store in the computer an updated file of their current knowledge, and on selecting a paper to read, they can obtain from the computer the minimum subtree of theorems required to bring them from what they already know to the background knowledge which the paper assumes. Under certain conditions, means are also provided for the contribution of useful comments by the readers of a work and for interaction between commentators and with the author. This paper describes how the system can be organized and the role required of readers, writers, and commentators.
Research and Advances

A number system for the permutations

A number system described here is particularly suitable for numbering the permutations. An algorithm is then presented by which the permutation associated with a number of this kind may be obtained. Since arithmetical operations, such as the addition of 1, are easily performed in the number system, one may make use of the algorithm to generate the permutations one at a time, using a minimal amount of work space. Employed for this purpose, it provides an alternative to the method given in [1].

Shape the Future of Computing

ACM encourages its members to take a direct hand in shaping the future of the association. There are more ways than ever to get involved.

Get Involved