Subject: RE: [lojban] periodic hexadecimal reminder

From: Nick NICHOLAS <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2001 16:55:42 -0700 (PDT)

cu'u la kreig.

>Tell me a culture that uses a base lower than 10 (as opposed to
>no base at all).

Look, I really don't want to have to start yelling RTFM, but statements
like these are just inexcusable. Have you bothered to *check* that
cultures using bases lower than 10 exist? And why should I have to do your
homework for you?

http://www.scit.wlv.ac.uk/~cm1993/maths/mm2217/ocm.htm
http://euslchan.tripod.com/index.html

Of course decimal is culture-specific.

And I also agree with xod that there is no need to apologise for
decimal-default, either. Lojban is not a culturally neutral enterprise
(how many tribesmen do you know that would give two hoots about Lojban's
concerns?) It is culture-specific to those cultures preoccupied with
literacy, logic, and language-play. Which (through memetic conspiracy)
happen to be decimal. You can use any base you like in Lojban, but if it's
going to have to supply a default (and unary base is just unworkable),
then I'm just fine with it being decimal.

-- 
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Upon completing His outburst, God fell silent, standing quietly at the
podium for several moments. Then, witnesses reported, God's shoulders
began to shake, and He wept.
[http://www.theonion.com/onion3734/god_clarifies_dont_kill.html]

Nick Nicholas. [email-masked] http://www.opoudjis.net