Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by yters 2271 days ago
Let's say I have a computer that can only store 10 bits worth of information, but generates 100 bits of information. Then obviously the information cannot entirely originate in the computer.
1 comments

Sure it can. Compression. Kolmogorov complexity.

I don't need to 'store' the infinite set of natural numbers - that would require infinite space (memory).

But I can describe the infinite set in a single line of Python. Nat = lambda x=0: Nat(x+1)

It's just a space-time tradeoff.

If the sequence isn't compressible, then you can eliminate that possibility.
You can never determine this with 100% certainty - that is what we have falsification for.

The non-compressibility of a sequence is a falsifiable claim.

All it takes is a single demonstration of successful compression.

for limited runtime you can
So you were unable to compress the stream given the allocated time.

Perhaps you could've compressed it had you kept running for just a second longer?

i mean run all the shorter bitstrings until time runs out or they terminate.