[varjag]

Merging on a collator is different from merge sort. And yes, the concept of sorting was known before von Neumann. Still, not sure about you but my first computer program was quite a bit more basic, so allow me to remain impressed.

[Sharlin]

Well, out of all people it was von Neumann, who at six years old could divide eight-digit numbers in his head, and who even his fellow "Martians" [1] speculated might not be merely human.

"I have sometimes wondered whether a brain like von Neumann’s does not indicate a species superior to that of man." – Hans Bethe

"von Neumann would carry on a conversation with my 3-year-old son, and the two of them would talk as equals, and I sometimes wondered if he used the same principle when he talked to the rest of us." – Edward Teller

“There was a seminar for advanced students in Zürich that I was teaching and von Neumann was in the class. I came to a certain theorem, and I said it is not proved and it may be difficult. von Neumann didn’t say anything but after five minutes he raised his hand. When I called on him he went to the blackboard and proceeded to write down the proof. After that I was afraid of von Neumann” – George Pólya

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Martians_(scientists)

[082349872349872]

> he went to the blackboard and proceeded to write down the proof.

cf Kolmogorov, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40444641