1/26    Please list what you think are the most influential/important
        math/science algorithms of the 20th century:   (--PeterM)
        \_ Let's try this one again...
        \_ Fast Fourier Transform
        \_ quicksort
        \_ fast fourier transform
        \_ Simplex, resolution theorem proving, belief propagation,
           Shor's quantum factoring.  -- ilyas
           \_ He said 20th century, not 21st, jackass.  Most poeple
              wouldn't regard factoring the number 15 as
              influential/important. I think that the factoring of 15 was
              done after 2000 anyway.
                \_ Those sound pretty obscure.
                   \_ to someone who can't even format properly, no doubt.
        \_ RSA to encrypt billions of dollars of transactions   -business guy
           \_ Maybe a more general statement would be "public key crypto"
              \_ Not an algorithm, maybe a class of algorithms, or better,
                 a research area.
        \_ Generational garbage collection
        \_ 2+2=5
        \_ ee equals em cee squared.  Boom.
           \_ That's an equation; I don't think that's what the OP was asking
              for.
        \_ quicksort
        \_ fast fourier transform
        \_ hamsterdance
        \_ Simplex, resolution theorem proving, belief propagation,
           Shor's quantum factoring.  -- ilyas
        \_ philcompress
        \_ "1) invent algorithm, 2) ..., 3) profit!" is my choice.
        \_ Hashes / hash tables
           \_ That's a data structure, not an algorithm, and it only works
              because we have constant time lookup up to 2^32 (or 64).
              You can't do better than O(log n) access.
        \_ Generational garbage collection
        \_ all answered purged because some humorless jerk censored my very
           harmless 1 line joke.  fuck you.  i'm taking your ball home with me.
           \_ Big man.  And what a sense of humor too.