[Theory] Halting problem

[%u]

== Quote from Norbert Nemec (Norbert at Nemec-online.de)'s article
> On 10/10/10 19:36, %u wrote:
> > == Quote from Norbert Nemec (Norbert at Nemec-online.de)'s article
> >> In language design, the theoretical halting problem actually is often an
> >> argument because the compiler does not know the memory limitation at run
> >> time. The finite memory of the machine can therefore not be used to
> >> reason about a piece of code. For the purpose of the compiler, the
> >> machine has to be assumed to have arbitrarily much (i.e. infinite) memory.
> > I don't know people in language design, but I suspect they know their stuff and I
> > would be surprised to hear that they would think of the theoretical Halting
> > problem where the practical halting problem as an argument would suffice. Programs
> > generally can't index an infinite amount of memory.
> > Why would they use an argument which rests on an abstract system where they could
> > just as easily use an argument based on an actual system.
> Basically: because 1GB=infinity for all purposes of logical reasoning.
No no no! :D
If you'd left out logical it would have been just fine :D
I'm not even going to give ridiculous logical proof with this assumption.. no I
will not..
..
assume inf is 1GB.. No!
..

> > Anyway, I made this thread because in uni I got the Halting problem explained in
> > totally the wrong context and would like other people not to make the same wrong
> > first step.
> I know that situation very well: having the big Aha-effect after years
> of misunderstanding calls for telling people about it. Actually, I find
> it quite interesting to discuss this kind of issues once in a while.