Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site eosp1.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!princeton!astrovax!fisher!eosp1!robison From: robison@eosp1.UUCP (Tobias D. Robison) Newsgroups: net.lang.c,net.music,net.music.classical,net.books Subject: Re: (C Algorithm) "ringing changes" Message-ID: <1301@eosp1.UUCP> Date: Tue, 18-Dec-84 14:43:00 EST Article-I.D.: eosp1.1301 Posted: Tue Dec 18 14:43:00 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 19-Dec-84 03:06:35 EST References: <1289@eosp1.UUCP> <174@masscomp.UUCP> <1557@sdcrdcf.UUCP> Reply-To: robison@eosp1.UUCP (Tobias D. Robison) Organization: Exxon Office Systems, Princeton Lines: 39 Xref: watmath net.lang.c:3518 net.music:5472 net.music.classical:717 net.books:1109 Summary: I am starting a discussion here, I hope, so this note has been posted to many groups. Please post followups to fewer groups, perhaps net.music and net.books! In article <1557@sdcrdcf.UUCP> lwall@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Larry Wall) writes, regarding a permutation algorithm: > >Yes, it is interesting. It looks suspiciously like a change ringing >algorithm.... >For those of you who haven't heard of change ringing, it is an artform >practiced by the British in which a set of tuned bells is rung through >all possible permutations. For an enjoyable introduction to the topic >I would recommend the mystery novel The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. >Sayers. The Nine Tailors in NOT an enjoyable introduction to the topic of bell-ringing! It is a terriffic teaser, because she never quite explains to an outsider how change-ringing algorithms work. I would greatly appreciate explanations, and pointers to books with better descriptions of change-ringing. The Nine Tailors is certainly an exciting mystery novel. It follows the wonderful principle that the reader should always be one tantalizing step AHEAD of the master detective in understanding what's going on. The underlying plot is so complex that one step is, of ourse, never enough. the bells play an integral role in the mystery; but even for those who guess how, there are plenty of surprises left all through the book. One thing about bell-ringing that the book makes clear, is that the indivual bells are not played all the same. Some are trickier than others, and some require more intelligent, or more dependable ringers. I would be interested to see how this relates to the types of permutation algorithms that are permitted. - Toby Robison (not Robinson!) {allegra, decvax!ittvax, fisher, princeton}!eosp1!robison