Translation into English by R.Girvin
This problem of a label – or more correctly, problem of disposing with a label -– we'll look at in solving an ancient English puzzle about fishermen and fish:
"Three fishermen lay down to sleep, not having counted or divided their catch. In the night, one of them woke up, and (not quite trusting the others) decided to divide the pile of fish and take his share. But the number of fish wasn't visible by three. However, he found he could throw one fish away, then take exactly a third. This he did (noting, in the true spirit of fairness, that an even number of fish was left for his comrades) and went back to sleep. Later, the second and third fishermen woke in turn, and each went through the same process. The question is, what is the minimum number of fish in the catch that fulfils these conditions?"
The reader might like first to try to solve this task by hand; but we'll involve the computer in this for two reasons. Firstly, it lets us consider some ways to structuralize programs in the Mathcad environment: methods of clearing programs of labels, and 'squeezing' them into the rigorous framework of structural design. Secondly, we'll show that the Fishermen's Problem has, until now, been solved incorrectly...
A pirate's open letter to computer publications
(Translation into English by R.Girvin)
1. A philosophical-religious aspect of the problem
2. A cultural aspect of the problem
3. A police aspect of the problem
4. A moral aspect of the problem
On opening any issue of any computer publication, one can stumble upon articles concerning the problem of illegal copying and program distribution. This letter broaches this subject, but in a slightly different context. It makes no attempt to condemn or justify piracy. The author merely tries to examine this problem from unusual angles: philosophical, religious, cultural, police, moral ... and even sexual.
