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.
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