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The P/NP Policy of the Journal of the ACM

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Carciofus Is that cake frosting? from Alpha Tucanae I Since: May, 2010
Is that cake frosting?
#1: Jan 27th 2012 at 9:08:27 AM

This is hilarious.

Some context: the Journal of the ACM is one of the most important computer science-related academic journals around. A lot of huge papers get published there, and it's generally one of the go-to places were to publish very big results.

Apparently they are having some problems with people submitting faulty proofs of P/NP (the biggest and most famous open problem in theoretical computer science right now). Enough problems, it appears, for them to make a policy that

No author may submit more than one paper on the P/NP or related long-standing questions in complexity theory in any 24 month period, except by invitation of the Editor-in-Chief. This applies to resubmissions of previously rejected manuscripts.

So yeah. You are not allowed to solve P/NP more often than once every two years.

edited 27th Jan '12 9:10:24 AM by Carciofus

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.
Zyxzy Embrace the mindscrew from Salem, OR Since: Jan, 2001
Embrace the mindscrew
#2: Jan 27th 2012 at 9:49:12 AM

But-but-but this proof is the one that's gonna crack it once and for all!

What's the frequency Kenneth?|In case of war.
Carciofus Is that cake frosting? from Alpha Tucanae I Since: May, 2010
Is that cake frosting?
#3: Jan 27th 2012 at 10:16:23 AM

Too bad, you'll have to publish it into a second-rate journal.

I hope that the million dollars Millennium Prize for solving it, your pick for a permanent position at whatever university you'd like and the hot computer scientist groupies that that solution will get you will be consolation enough... tongue

As an aside, I mentioned the Millennium Prize to my parents once, in answer to their query if one could get filthy rich doing the sort of thing I do.*

Their answer?

Bah, a million dollars is nothing. A good lawyer can get richer than that.
And the thing is, they are right...

edited 27th Jan '12 10:20:12 AM by Carciofus

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.
MarkVonLewis Since: Jun, 2010
#4: Jan 27th 2012 at 3:28:02 PM

But the Lawyer class is closed to anyone of Good alignment, though. tongue

TheOneWhoTropes Dread Sorcerer of Auchtermuchty from Newton-le-willows, quaint town Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: With my statistically significant other
Dread Sorcerer of Auchtermuchty
Morven Nemesis from Seattle, WA, USA Since: Jan, 2001
Nemesis
#6: Mar 22nd 2012 at 11:52:23 AM

The best lawyer I know has SOULESS as her license plate.

A brighter future for a darker age.
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