Yhn first seen 1 d ago, last 58 min ago, peak #6
Donald Knuth's famous reward checks explained
Original: Knuth reward check
Donald Knuth, the Stanford computer scientist, has for decades mailed personal cheques to readers who find errors in his books, typically for small amounts such as $2.56, derived from hex values. Recipients rarely cash them, as the cheques have become collector's items. A page describing the practice is drawing renewed attention, with readers sharing stories of Knuth's meticulousness and the rarity of the checks, since Knuth stopped mailing them and now lists corrections instead.
Why now: Interest in Donald Knuth's long-running tradition of rewarding error spotters with personal cheques resurfaces among programmers and computer science enthusiasts.
Donald KnuthStanford University
Rank over time, top of the chart is #1. 21 snapshots from 5 h ago to 58 min ago.
Evidence
- Knuth Reward Check · Curiositry · 217
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