Archive for the ‘computer science’ tag
But What Does It All Mean?? The Semantic Web & Metadata
Thinking about the Semantic Web is a lot like looking at a double rainbow all the way across the sky… what does it mean?? As I’m sure we’ve all recognized, the Internet is bursting at the seams with information. Some information comes in the form of human-readable content, sometimes it’s computer-readable data. The problem, though, is that tons of data on the internet isn’t nearly as useful because a computer cannot understand how it’s all interrelated.
The Semantic Web is an idea set to bring a higher level of semantics to the internet. The concept is all about structuring data to be both human-readable and machine-readable.
Perlin Noise: Oscar-winning Randomness
Since when does math win Oscars? Back in 1982, Ken Perlin created a random distribution function that efficiently generates life-like textures for computer graphics. Featured in the movie Tron, Perlin won an Academy Award for Technical Achievement for his now ubiquitous formula. In this article, we’ll talk about the most famous math function used in computer graphics today.
The Halting Problem: There’s No App for That
Think software can do anything? Think again. Theoretical computer scientists have come up with all kinds of airtight proofs about what computers can and cannot do. The most famous of these is the Halting Problem.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a program that tells you when your software has crashed and will never quit? According to the Halting Problem, no such program exists. And, the proof is actually quite simple.
5 Reasons to Love Programming
It’s no secret that I love writing code. I’ve been writing software for over a decade, making programming not only my longest-running hobby, but the cornerstone of my career.
Why do I love it so much? Here’s my list.
Hashing Part 1: Not just for potatoes!
Mmmm... hash browns.
Hash functions are an often-overlooked staple of good software. Hidden deep within code that you rely on every day are these mathematical gems that tell us what to trust and what to investigate.
The need for hash functions come up pretty often in software, lending themselves to a variety of uses like cryptography, speed, and reliability.
In this 2-part article, we’ll talk about how hash functions can be used in all sorts of ways.