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Questions tagged [algorithm]

1 vote
0 answers
369 views

What's the oldest software or algorithm still in general usage in its original form? [closed]

With all the focus on new tech, I was wondering what the oldest tool or algorithm still in general usage is. The oldest that I've seen so far is the diff algorithm, from 1986, based on a paper by ...
Ryan Donovan's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
645 views

Significance of compass heading values 4100-8200 in an old game?

I'm developing a server for an old game client. The client sends the character's compass heading as a big-endian uint16 with a strange value. Due south is 4100. The value increases westward, ...
Kevin Krumwiede's user avatar
14 votes
2 answers
684 views

How does the Atari ST's VDI polygon filling algorithm work?

I recently noticed something in Neochrome as well as Larry Mears' "Instant Graphics and Sound" programs: Polygons have slightly different shapes depending on whether an outline is drawn or ...
Kirkman14's user avatar
  • 291
31 votes
2 answers
4k views

What "spectacular to watch" algorithms were used for sorting tapes?

Python's heapq.__about__ variable contains an anecdote (François Pinard, circa 2000): [1] The disk balancing algorithms which are current, nowadays, are more annoying than clever, and this is a ...
wizzwizz4's user avatar
  • 18.9k
19 votes
3 answers
5k views

What is happening in this algorithm scaling an 8-bit 0-99 value to full-range 16-bit?

Can anyone help me understand what is happening inside this algorithm scaling an 8-bit value to 16-bit? PATCH_LOAD_QUANTISE_VALUE: ASLA LDAB #165 MUL ASLB ROLA RTS https://github.com/ajxs/...
ajxs's user avatar
  • 884