[9.2.4] "The ersatz Agent Murphey" - Syntax - 2/5/08

**CPT_Starschwar**

Poor guy - I hope we can help him get back to his senses.

**Omega0**

Procurator wrote:

Omega0 wrote:
It's not very accurate to say that. What a binary number represents is entirely dependent on the context (and they are not always separated into bytes). They can be used to represent many different things, including integers, floating points, addresses, boolean values, ASCII characters, or any other information that a computer might need. (I've learned about this stuff in college.) In this context, they don't represent anything, they're just clues. I think that people were calling them codes because they don't realize that binary is just another way to represent a number (before I became an electrical engineer, I didn't realize that either).
I know it's dependent on the context, which was why I said 'once separated into bytes' and 'usually represent ASCII characters'. And whenever binary comes up around here it's invariably a sequence of ASCII characters. Anywhere else they could be numbers or codes with any meaning possible, but here they're always codes, so we might as well call them that.

No, they're not. There is no reason to separate these binary numbers into bytes, but if you did that with the first number, you would get this:

01010100 11100011 10100100 10111001

or 84 227 164 185 (decimal).

Except for the first byte, none of those can be ASCII, because ASCII only represents 128 characters. (You obviously haven't done your homework.) These numbers did not have to be translated or converted into anything to solve the puzzle. Therefore, they're not codes.

**Procurator**

You missed my point, and your attitude isn't helping anyone.

**Omega0**

Then why don't you explain it to me? Why do you think that whenever binary comes up around here it's invariably a sequence of ASCII characters? I've done a lot of work with binary numbers, and I can't think of any reason why that would be the case.

(Also, I think it's kind of hypocritical of you to talk about my attitude. I've seen you make posts where all you say is that you laughed at someone. Do you think that attitude helps anyone?)

**Procurator**

No, it doesn't, but I'm rarely outright insulting someone, nor am I taking a holier-than-thou approach when I do so.

All I see from your last few posts is 'I've worked a lot with binary numbers,' 'I know binary numbers,' 'I did computing in college.' Yes. Excellent. I'm glad you have the capacity for study. So do a lot of other people here. It's the Matrix Online, for pity's sake - probably the majority of the player base has an interest in computers.

The reason that binary is invariable binary code around here has nothing to do with the nature of binary. It's the nature of the game! When puzzles like this come up, we get codes in god knows how many forms: hex, binary, encoded in many different ways. It's a simple fact.

**GypsyJuggler**

Omega0 wrote:

Why do you think that whenever binary comes up around here it's invariably a sequence of ASCII characters?

He's not speaking hypothetically here, he's speaking from experience/reality. This is the one time in MxO history that I can remember binary NOT being encoded ASCII characters.

**Procurator**

Excellent! You managed to say exactly what I meant, minus the babbling and the ranting. Well done. SMILEY

**Omega0** · 02/10/2008 01:00:53

First of all, I didn't outright insult you, nor am I taking a holier-than-thou approach. (I'm taking a more-knowledgeable-than-thou approach.)

Second of all, if that's all you see from my last few posts, you need to read them again. I separated the first binary number into bytes, converted those into decimal, and explained why *in this case* it can't possible be encoded ASCII. I didn't just say that I know binary numbers, I actually demonstrated my knowledge.

Lastly, I'm not talking about any other time in MxO history. I'm only talking about this time. I realize that whenever binary numbers come up in this game, they're almost always encoded ASCII. (I don't know of any other time binary has come up, but I didn't start keeping up with live events until fairly recently, so it wouldn't surprise me. Also, I remember seeing a couple images during the first Algorithm: Black event, one had hexadecimal numbers and the other had base-64 numbers, and both turned out to be encoded ASCII characters.)

However, that's not what you said. You said "here they're always codes." The word "always" includes this event. Gitano said that in this case the binary numbers were not codes (unlike other cases), which is what I've been trying to explain this whole time, and now you're finally saying the same thing? Thanks for wasting my time.

**mantra777**

You two has to stop about this. You two Are fighting like children. "BINARY is just a word" that resembles Zeros and Ones. Whether or not they are encoded, They could have other meanings other than the normal ASCII Characters. They're just Swithches that turns on (1) and off (0) so a Computer can read them.

**GypsyJuggler**

Procurator wrote:

Excellent! You managed to say exactly what I meant, minus the babbling and the ranting. Well done. " />

I would offer my services but I just don't have the patience to deal with these people for long.

Croesis · 02/10/2008 08:33:45

Omega0 wrote:

However, that's not what you said. You said "here they're always codes." The word "always" includes this event. Gitano said that in this case the binary numbers were not codes (unlike other cases), which is what I've been trying to explain this whole time, and now you're finally saying the same thing? Thanks for wasting my time.

Did you see the sign they were on? It said 'Code X-Change'. Whether or not they actually coded into anything they represent binary code as part of it's advertising. It's also the first thing you think of when seeing a string of 1's and 0's associated with this game so we generally call it Binary Code. I don't give a frig if technically it's called Binary numbers or digits or string, it's quicker and easier to say code but to be honest is basically all the same thing, Binary. There is absolutely no reason to get so technical about it in a game and you have no right to tell people how to speak. I'm here to play and have fun, not learn about code engineering.

What a bloody stupid argument...

**Omega0**

Listen. When I noticed Ouranos referring to those numbers as "binary codes," even though he surely knew that they weren't encoded ASCII in this case, I got the impression that he (and possibly a few others) didn't know the difference between binary numbers and binary codes. So I thought I would take a moment to try and explain that when you see a series of 0's and 1's, it's okay to call it a "binary number," but I guess I could've done a better job. I will admit that now I have a better understanding of why he called them "binary codes," thanks to Vinia and Gitano, and maybe he did actually know the difference (if so, then I apologize). I didn't mean to be condescending to Ouranos. I even put that funny quote and smily face in there to try and lighten up the mood.

I didn't think that anyone would argue about this, and if I knew that it would turn into such a stupid argument, I wouldn't have brought it up in the first place. It was just supposed to be a harmless little FYI.

**GamiSB**

Croesis

Anyway... On a different subject 'Ersatz' is todays 'word of the day' on Dictionary.com strangely enough... (yes I subscribe to the daily e-mail... never hurts to impress colleagues daily by slipping into a general conversation)

For those that don't know/havent looked it up it means:

Being a substitute or imitation, usually an inferior one.

**Omega0** · 02/11/2008 09:47:06

Oh, okay, now this title makes a lot more sense. Thanks, Vinia.