Modifications for A069623, added formula

Marc LeBrun mlb at well.com
Mon Oct 14 20:01:43 CEST 2002


Omitting a sequence will generally reduce, not enhance, the value of the 
OEIS as a research tool.

Unless you can assure that Superseeker (or whatever) will actually reliably 
automatically rederive these supposedly "derivative" sequences when needed 
it is better to include them.

Keep in mind that the most valuable editorial contributions are your wise 
augmentations of the raw numerical information: references, links, 
formulas, commentary and the like.  Next comes maintaining and improving 
overall data quality via the endless work of verifications, corrections, 
merging duplicates, etc.  Far less demonstrable value arises from our 
restrictive opinions of intrinsic worthiness (which have a place, but not a 
central one).

Despite the literary metaphors we often use (such as "editor", or 
"encyclopedia" for that matter) the OEIS is much more than a mere 
electronic "publication", in the sense of a journal or reference work (eg 
the JIS or MathWorld).

It's more akin to a specimen collection (I've half-joked that it should be 
renamed the Museum of Integer Sequences).  Its most important and unique 
value is delivered when a user successfully compares an unknown to this 
corpus and thereby connects it into the context of existing knowledge.

Mass storage is relatively cheap, but no query technology will supply 
missing information.  Filtering superfluous hits--the chaff that comes with 
those kernels of relevance--is just motivation for forging better search 
tools.  Rather a zillion silly sequences be included than one serious 
inquiry be needlessly unserved.







More information about the SeqFan mailing list