Sunday, January 13, 2008

Potrzebie System on Google Calculator
By Tony Ruscoe

I’m not sure whether this is new or not, but Google Calculator can perform calculations using the Potrzebie System of Weights and Measures as defined in issue 33 of the satirical magazine Mad in 1957. (1 potrzebie equals around 2.2633 mm – the thickness of Mad issue 26.)

The system was created by Donald Knuth, a former computer scientist at Stanford University who recently celebrated his 70th birthday.

Here are a few examples using his units:

• 1 farshimmelt potrzebie (length)
• 1 ngogn (volume)
• 1 furshlugginer blintz (mass)

[Via TechBlog.]

Potrzebie System on Googl ... by Tony Ruscoe | Comments (6)

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