Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

I think he's saying "Wow, those fractals! How profound!"

For me the amazing thing about fractals is that they come often as a result of very simple equations.

They show that simplicity and complexity go hand in hand.




You can get complexity from a simple pseudo-random number generator.

Fractals are more interesting than PRNG's to me because they not only result in complexity from simplicity, but because of their self-similarity and beauty.


Pseudo-random generators also have this self-similarity and beauty if you dig into them deep enough.

And if you take an arbitrary thin slice through a fractal it looks pseudo-random.

Consider equation like x <- kx(1-x) that turns chaotic for some values of k.

When you plot its behavior for various values of k around that point you'll see weird self-similarities like in fractals on the border of apparent chaos.


But fractals have self-similarity on many (infinite) scales. They don't simply repeat. Do PRNG's also have this quality?


Check out this video about the chaotic equation I mentioned: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ovJcsL7vyrk




Consider applying for YC's Spring batch! Applications are open till Feb 11.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: