The Numberphile Podcast A Very Bad Estimator - with Donald Knuth
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Jan 16, 2024 Renowned computer scientist Donald Knuth discusses his mischievous high school behavior and his introduction to computers. He shares his fascination with math and data analysis, including analyzing Bible texts. Knuth explores his attitude towards mistakes and his experimentation with chat GPT.
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Rhinoceros Attitude
- Donald Knuth was a "wise guy" in school, making teachers miserable.
- One teacher described him as having a "rhinoceros attitude."
Ziegler's Giant Bar
- As a child, Donald Knuth won a contest by finding 4,500 words from "Ziegler's Giant Bar".
- This earned him a TV for his school and showcased his analytical mind.
First Computer
- Donald Knuth's first computer encounter was with an IBM 650 at age 18.
- The poor manual allowed him to recognize his own talent for computing.