The Published Data of Robert Munafo
xkcd readers: RIES page is here
Robert Munafo |
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My resume (a bit untraditional, like me).
More pages and topics, grouped by subject:
Mathematics
Dice : Links to examples of all known types of dice, mainly organised by number of sides; and lists of tabletop games telling which dice are used for each.
Exponentially Distributed Dice : Dice to roll random numbers whose logarithms are evenly distributed. Benford: It's Not Just the Law — It's How We Roll.
Formal Power Series algorithms (for now, just the square root)
Generating Functions are discussed in the context of decimal expansions of fractions like 1/98 = 0.0102040816...
How Many Squares : One of the more popular types of mathematical troll-bait.
Hypercalc is my "calculator that cannot overflow", available as a web app and a more powerful Perl version for UNIX/Linux/Mac OS X and Cygwin.
Integer Sequences : I have many pages on specific integer sequences like A181785 and A020916 (some of which required quite specialized high-speed programs); pages on sequence categories like 2nd-order linear recurrence and Narayana numbers; and a sorted table of sequences I find interesting, with links to these and many other pages.
Large Numbers : The -illion names, tetration and faster-growing functions, Graham's number, and other fascinating ways to go far beyond the merely astronomical.
Lucas Garron's "Three Indistinguishable Dice" Problem : a fun little puzzle involving how to make better use of a basically useless three-dice-in-a-box thingy. As seen on Numberphile.
mcsfind : A program that will find the simplest recurrence-generated integer sequence given some initial terms.
Minimally Complex Sequences : An exhaustive index of integer sequences generated by simple "classical" formulas.
My Laws of Mathematics : Kinda humorous, kinda serious.
Numbers : Notable properties of specific numbers, like 2.685452..., 107, and 45360.
Puzzles : Not always mathematical, but those are the ones that I seem to discuss more often. MIT Mystery Hunt stuff is here too.
Riemann Zeta Function MP3 File : Music that only a number theorist would love...
Rubik's Cube and Other Rectangular Delights : My unique solution algorithms from 1982, some software, and a survey of similar puzzles like the 2×2×3.
Sloandora : An interactive browser for the OEIS, using a text concordance metric.
Science
Computational Science :
I discovered that the Gray-Scott system supports patterns about as complex as those in Conway's Game of Life. This page links to the paper I wrote and the talk I gave on the same topic.
"Popular" Science :
Orrery : A solar system model built from LEGO parts.
Size Scales Exhibit : An adapted and improved version of the AMNH Rose Center exhibit.
Slide Rules : Notes about slide rules and photos of ones I made myself.
Solar System : Some facts and figures about the planets and their orbits.
Tides : A step-by-step explanation of the tides, designed to explain all the differences that occur from one day to the next and from one location to another.
Computer Science
Here are most of the topics that will not be obsolete with [company]'s next release of [product].
Alternative Number Systems : A list of the most popular alternatives to fixed-point (integer) and floating-point representations, and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Answers to Questions on Stack Exchange Sites : I couldn't add corrections or comments directly, so I have published them here.
automeme : A tool for the automatic generation of "mad-libs" style texts, with a simple and powerful specification language.
Diameter-Degree or "TTL" problem : a graph theory problem related to wiring multi-processor computer networks.
Floating-Point Formats : A list of the ranges and precisions of various floating-point implementations over the years.
Functional Computation : A set of recursive definitions starting with a minimal set of LISP-like functions, and specifically related to work of Turing and Gödel.
My High-Performance Projects : Just a brief summary of all the CPU-intensive projects I've created over the years, from Z80 assembly-language to the present.
Hypercalc : The calculator that doesn't overflow. Available as a JavaScript web application courtesy of Kenny TM~ Chan, and in a standalone Perl version that supports 295-digit precision and is programmable in BASIC.
LogCPU : a simple, very efficient load monitor for MacOS X. (This is in the general CS category because it is a good example of elegant display and UI)
Minimal RNN Implementation in Python : A recurrent neural network that models plain text, based on this gist by @karpathy, but greatly enhanced.
MIRA : A text-only web browser with unique features, designed for scholars and others who conduct research on the Internet.
Perl scripts : The language of choice of those who have that occasional "hankerin' for some hackerin'"
png-csum-fix : Program that recomputes the CRCs in a PNG file; also allows changing colour table (palette) entries on the fly.
Programming Languages : An automated survey of the popularity of various computer languages.
RHTF : The "embarassingly-readable" markup language I created for these webpages.
SimpleGet : A small stand-alone replacement for the perl library LWP::Simple.
The SPEC Benchmarks : Conversion formulas for the industry-standard CPU benchmarks.
This QR does not loop.
Computers, Videogames, etc.
Items in this section are brand-specific, dated, and/or purely recreational.
Apple II Colors : An exact calculation of the RGB values of the lores (COLOR=) and hires (HCOLOR=) colors on the Apple ][, derived by converting through the Y R-Y B-Y and YUV systems.
Apple Product History : List of computer and PDA models released by Apple, some with details.
Chip's Challenge : Maps and hints, and some walkthroughs, for the Atari Lynx version of the videogame.
Computer History : The history of the development of computers, with a focus on performance issues and the adoption of supercomputer design ideas into desktop machines.
The Eden World Builder File Format : Eden World Builder is a Minecraft-like game for iOS. I worked out the internal data format so I could print maps.
Eden World Builder : Other pages about Eden World Builder, including a change log and versions of my main creation Mega City Tokyo Unified.
Fitbit Flex : Technical specifications, a list of the flashing light patterns, and some instructions that should have been included in the manual.
Ghiblicraft Projects by Alan Becker : Some Minecraft worlds I have worked on, that were inspired by the films "My Neighbour Totoro" and "Spirited Away" (among others).
iBook: How to Prevent Sleep : A simple, cheap and reversible way to prevent the iBook from going to sleep when you close the lid.
LibreOffice Bugs and Workarounds : Making a great free software project slightly greater.
The Lunacraft/Mooncraft File Format : Lunacraft, originally called Mooncraft is a Minecraft-like game for iOS. I worked out the internal data format so I could print maps and recover from the dreaded "terrain regen bug".
Lynx Chip's Challenge : My maps and hints rendered with a custom font.
MacBook Pro : mainly concerned with hard drive upgrades.
Minecraft: Commands, Files, Versions : A start at reconciling the lack of documentation for those who need to run an older version of Minefraft Java Edition.
Missile : My first Macintosh program also happens to be one of the few programs that ran from the Mac's introduction in 1984 until the switch to Intel twenty years later.
Playstation : My notes about Sony Playstation games.
Pokémon GO Raid-Ladder Nuzlocke : A set of Nuzlocke rules that are suitable for the Pokémon GO gym raid system.
Pokémon Sword and Shield : Presently just an online calculator to help you find when and where to buy the TR you want.
Q04B : Based on 2048, with color graphics, boosts, and a lot more (artwork by Randall Munroe).
SDRAM : A list of some older SDRAM chip types giving their speed and size.
TextEdit: Fixing the Margins Bug : How to alter TextEdit's printing code so that it respects the margins from Page Setup.
UNIX Project Build Tools : A partial history of the tools (cc, make, etc.) used to build from source and why it keeps getting more and more complicated.
xapple2 : My modifications to add accurate sound reproduction (/dev/audio) to the xapple2 Apple ][ emulator for UN*X and Linux.
Other pages of perhaps lesser interest:
Abbreviations : Common phrases that are frequently made obscure by abbreviation.
Archetypes : A Periodic Table of Jungian personality archetypes.
Associativity Matrix : A little twisty maze of thoughts, all different.
Blogs : In addition to my primary blog, Robert Munafo's General Weblog, I also have two blogs hosted by blog-specific websites: Robert Munafo on Blogspot and Robert Munafo on WordPress.
Core Values : An attempt to describe my preferences for how to prioritise life and make decisions (thus, highly subjective and in need of continual revision).
Data : Miscellaneous small bits of data I want to publish.
Experimental page : For my experiments with HTML and JavaScript (it's published mainly so I can check it from gatewayed ISP's like AOL and WebTV, and limited viewers like smartphones).
Extropianism : Why we shouldn't feel quite so bad about the future.
Filk : Some funny lyrics I've written.
Friends : Links to Web pages of various friends and co-conspirators.
Gearing Ideas and Notes : Mosty related to my orrery work.
General Blog : A weblog of articles not limited to any particular topic.
History of Music : Focusing on the industrialized distribution of music as a recent and unnatural phenomenon.
Index to the One True Thread : Silliness and serious creativity for hopelessly obsessed xkcd fans.
Linux rules : Duh.
Mamma Mia : The Broadway musical.
MBTI : A Karnaugh map of the Myers-Briggs personality types
Mispronounced Words : My bid for the "most useless collection of data on a web page" world record.
MIT OCW 18.06SC errata : Has several corrections and a cross-reference guide to the newer textbook by Prof. Strang.
Movies : Some material I have written that relates to a few movies. (See also the Top Movies list.)
Nest Thermostat: Using Auxiliary Heat : One of the many topics that are poorly documented on the official website.
Non-Obvious Answers to the Stupid Problems Life Gives Us : like how to find a practical lid-wrench.
Non-Obvious Answers to the Senseless Impediments Google Throws at Us : pretty much what it says on the tin.
Pod People : from Apple Customers to Werewolves — organized and classified for your amusement and as a public service.
PVC Espas : A musical instrument I have built.
SAMPA : A clear concise way to represent phonetics in ASCII.
South Park on the Gun Debate, Without Blood or Bullets : Fan fiction written for early 2013.
Split Sleep : Sleeping twice per day for greater efficiency
Top Movies : My list of top movies of all time, rated by attendance (number of tickets sold) in U.S. theatres.
xkcd 1190 "Time" : discussion forum index
You do.
Incomplete Work
The following links represent projects that I lost interest in.
Apple Computer : Notes about the company and its history (currently just covers the "1984" commercial)
DVCRs : The "digital VCRs" TiVo and ReplayTV.
F161 : High-precision floating-point data types. This software is complete, but effort to document it is not.
United States Constitution : Reordered so as to place each provisison of the Amendments in its most logical place within the original seven Articles.
Windows Answers : Answers to questions encountered by Microsoft WindowsTM users.
Abandoned or Obsolete
The following are articles that I no longer consider accurate.
Digital Video : QuickTime Codec performance, efficiency and quality. (Was accurate around 2002)
GarageBand : Hints and tips relating to the Apple program GarageBand (became obsolete with iLife 05).
Identity Fraud : How to discover and cancel fraudulent credit applications made in your name. (This is out of date mainly because of changes due to the Patriot act.)
Stages of Civilization : A brief discussion of where we've been and where we are headed.
Waiting
Accuracy yet to be determined.
Predictions of the Future : Written in 2000, most has neither been disproven nor has come to pass.
My old Google searchstories video
LEGO is a registered trademark of the LEGO Company, which does not sponsor, authorize, or endorse this site.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
This website is the property of Munafo Robotics. Is and its content are not connected to or endorsed by any other company or corporation.
This page was written in the "embarrassingly readable" markup language RHTF, and was last updated on 2022 Nov 29.
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