[seqfan] Re: Sequences do not die

[Charles Greathouse]

I've always liked the idea of writing fini(60) for "finite sequence with 60
terms". Perhaps one day we will have this capability.

Charles Greathouse
Analyst/Programmer
Case Western Reserve University


On Fri, Apr 18, 2014 at 6:32 PM, T. D. Noe <noe at sspectra.com> wrote:

> There are about 40 languages listed on https://oeis.org/
>
> I think it would be much clearer if we used "ends", "becomes undefined", or
> something that is more mathematical and translates clearly.  OEIS editors
> are always editing comments to make them more clear.  I urge someone whose
> mother language is not English to comment.  My first language was Dutch.
>
> Let's be accurate, not colorful.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Tony
>
>
> At 5:16 PM -0400 4/18/14, Neil Sloane wrote:
> >T.N. persists in disagreeing with me.
> >
> >So let me explain: a sequence can die for several reasons,
> >one of which is that after a while, the recurrence for
> >a(n) may not define the next term.
> >
> >When this comes as a surprise, one may describe this
> >event in dramatic language by saying that the sequence dies.
> >http://oeis.org/A046700 is a good example. It dies after 164 terms.
> >
> >This is perfectly acceptable language.
> >
> >A240817, a sequence I added the other day, after hearing
> >Doug Hofstadter talk about meta-Fibonacci sequences
> >dying, is another example. The lifetimes of sequences
> >in this family (see A134680, A240818, etc.) are extremely
> >erratic and interesting.
> >
> >Neil
> >
> >
> >On Fri, Apr 18, 2014 at 3:58 PM, T. D. Noe <noe at sspectra.com> wrote:
> >
> >> There is no need to extend this nomenclature to sequences.  Sequences do
> >> not die.
> >>
> >> Tony
> >>
> >> At 3:53 PM -0400 4/18/14, Neil Sloane wrote:
> >> >Tony Noe said:
> >> >"Rabbits die, but not sequences.  Sequences end.  Sequences become
> >> >undefined... Let's be mathematical."
> >> >
> >> >Me: I strongly disagree. The terms "birth" and "death" have
> >> >always been used in mathematics. (E.g. in game theory, number theory,
> >> etc.)
> >> >
> >> >I see that Tony's comment has already resulted in
> >> >some changes to OEIS entries. I will attempt to undo those changes.
> >> >
> >> >Neil Sloane
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >On Fri, Apr 18, 2014 at 3:05 PM, T. D. Noe <noe at sspectra.com> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Rabbits die, but not sequences.  Sequences end.  Sequences become
> >> >> undefined...
> >> >>
> >> >> Let's be mathematical.
> >> >>
> >> >> Best regards,
> >> >>
> >> >> Tony
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> _______________________________________________
> >> >>
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> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >--
> >> >Dear Friends, I have now retired from AT&T. New coordinates:
> >> >
> >> >Neil J. A. Sloane, President, OEIS Foundation
> >> >11 South Adelaide Avenue, Highland Park, NJ 08904, USA.
> >> >Also Visiting Scientist, Math. Dept., Rutgers University, Piscataway,
> NJ.
> >> >Phone: 732 828 6098; home page: http://NeilSloane.com
> >> >Email: njasloane at gmail.com
> >> >
> >> >_______________________________________________
> >> >
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> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >>
> >> Seqfan Mailing list - http://list.seqfan.eu/
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >--
> >Dear Friends, I have now retired from AT&T. New coordinates:
> >
> >Neil J. A. Sloane, President, OEIS Foundation
> >11 South Adelaide Avenue, Highland Park, NJ 08904, USA.
> >Also Visiting Scientist, Math. Dept., Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ.
> >Phone: 732 828 6098; home page: http://NeilSloane.com
> >Email: njasloane at gmail.com
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >
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>
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