Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watmath.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!csc
From: csc@watmath.UUCP (Computer Sci Club)
Newsgroups: net.math
Subject: Re: "Proof" of Fermat's Last Theorem
Message-ID: <10761@watmath.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 8-Jan-85 11:39:00 EST
Article-I.D.: watmath.10761
Posted: Tue Jan  8 11:39:00 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 9-Jan-85 02:05:48 EST
References: <8197@watarts.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 22

The announcement is not a hoax.  The abstract was in fact submitted
to the American Mathematical Society, and the paper is due to be
submitted at the Annual Meeting.

However, don't hold your breath waiting for this wonderful proof.
This is not the first announcement of a "Proof" of Fermat's
Last Theorem, and it probably won't be the last.   It
is not unusual for extraordinary claims to be made in the AMS
abstracts.  I am told that these talks are quite popular
with "lots of professors there, giggling".

People around here (University of Waterloo) are somewhat
sceptical of the claims made.  The claim that one case
is impossible, while the other is nonexistent, seems
strange (what is the difference).  Also there is good
reason to suppose that an elementary proof does not
exist.

I will try to get more details after the meeting.
 
                                  William Hughes