From: Spike Jones (spike66@attglobal.net)
Date: Wed Nov 14 2001 - 23:57:18 MST
Spike Jones wrote:
> The Taliban is crushed and fleeing in panic, the eight
> western aid workers have been rescued unharmed
> and a neeeeewwwww Mersenne prime has been
> detected.
On page 87 of The Spike, Damien Broderick speculates:
"...we can estimate that there's nearly an 80 percent chance that
a three million digit prime will be discovered by November 2001."
How cheerful that the new Mersenne would be found on the
ides of November (in Australia at least). {8-] So now we are
left to argue over what the definition of "by" is. {8^D
{Bill Clinton will *never* outlive that "is is" comment.}
Nowthen, the value of the new record prime has not been announced,
but by looking at which GIMPS candidates that were still out, it
appears to be closer to 4 million digits than 3 million. So in
Damien's next edition, he can gloat a bit. The prediction was
first calculated in December 1999, refined in late 2000
and published in February 2001.
George Woltman has a verification process going which will
take 6.4 days. The official announcement to the popular
press is scheduled for 24 November. spike
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