[prog] questions, what is a turing machine

[Sue Stones]

A Turing Machine is a theoretical computer that can carry out any symbol 
manipulation, that is it can compute any reasoning that can be represented by 
symbols.  (a Turing machine has unlimited memory etc)  

Invented by a Mathematician called Alan Turing in the early 20th century.

The argument goes that any reasoning can be represented by symbols, and any 
symbol manipulation can be carried out by a Turing machine.

Computers are based on his idea of a theoretical machine that can "do the 
work of the mind".  Actually a Turing machine is more like how we think of a 
program than how we think of a computer, ie softwear more than hardware.  So 
we would put the emphasis on the softwear part of the Turing machine.

More specifically the computer has the ability to read a paper tape encoded 
with zeros and ones, and the machine can be in certain "states".  As it reads 
the tape it alters its state based on its initial state and the infomation on 
the tape.

I think tat about sums it up.

sue


On Sun, 29 Dec 2002 20:16, Guru - wrote:
> "If people are wondering what a Turing machine is, they should ask"
> Ok, what is a Turing machine? I've heard of it before, does it relate to
> teaching how a processor functions?
>
> "If people prefer $foo, great, prefer $foo. ".
> I'm really confused on what you are talking about, BTW where is 'foo' and
> 'bar' used?? All GNU/Linux programmers seem to enjoy using the names...
>
>
>
>
>
>
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