Re: Samuel Johnson, Noah Webster and Sonny Bono

>... and surreal numbers.

Many of us find that the surreal numbers are just too big. If real numbers aren't enough for you, but the surreals are too bizzare, consider the hyperreals, which allow infinitesimals (so that "dt" from calculus makes sense as a number, and you really can divide dx by dt), but you don't have the odd properties of surreals (that require that you throw out most of axiomatic set theory and start talking about "classes" instead).

Note that the constructions of the hyperreals and surreals are widely reprinted without obtaining formal permission from the original authors. Usually this involves creation of derivative works since the details of the exposition are often modified slightly. Fair use, one would hope -- but we've seen many claims by the "property protection" wing of the IP world that would even disallow this sort of reuse without permission. I think one of the things that many of us in academia worry about is the possibility that the enlargement of publisher rights over the past few years could endanger such basic scientific communication. Those of you who are in that camp should at least acknowledge our fears, even if you think they are baseless.

JQ Johnson                    	Office: 115F Knight Library
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