Sunday, April 30, 2006

The Secret Of 42

The Secret Of 42
[ #128457 ] Tuesday February 07, @02:13PM

When I just saw the number 42 in part of the nickname 'Marxist Hacker 42', I didn't bear it in my mind so firmly, of course I wondered what the number 42 is. I thought he would be a president at age 42. And when I read his analysis -it's life, universe, and everything, I never thought it as it is.
After I came across other slashdotters who use the number 42 in their nickname as well- Krach42, I still had kept on not correlating this number to something meaningful, but at the same time I had no idea about the number.
Through many reading of journals of other users, I just noticed the number is from the book called 'Hitchhiker's Guide To Galaxies', but I was unable to know what the background of this number.
Tonight I acted to wipe away the ambiguity I've been held as to the meaning of the figure. I was able to know many possible explanations by reading Wikipedia articles, all were interestig, however, as the author himself confessed, there seemed no profound meaning in itself.
Try just picking out the random figure, and try explaining however you think it's true. You are sure to find many explanations. It is needless to say this journal does not mean to underestimate the value of their journals. I just wanted to know the secret of 42.


I know(Score:2)
by FidelCatsro (861135) * <fidelcatsro@@@gmail...com> on Tuesday February 07, @02:46PM (#14661623) (Last Journal: Monday April 17, @09:49AM)
It's the answer to the meaning of life ."But what is the question" ;) so the earth was built as a giant computer to work out the question , unfortunately before it could finish its task it gets destroyed .
Re:I know(Score:1)
by mercedo (822671) * on Tuesday February 07, @03:45PM (#14662358) (http://mercedo-compl.../2006/04/zen-ya.html Last Journal: Thursday April 27, @02:11PM)
As to HM in your previous comment, I sent a personal letter to your gmail account, please check. I put the name mercedo in a sender section. Also I registered in grouphudson.com today, is that you who made this site? Incredibly comfortable to use.
My question is 'is it common in any culture the mystic use of some sort of number?'
[ Parent ]
Re:I know(Score:2)
by FidelCatsro (861135) * <fidelcatsro@@@gmail...com> on Tuesday February 07, @04:04PM (#14662579) (Last Journal: Monday April 17, @09:49AM)
That is Tom hudsons site ;) I just piggyback on it so people can download my podcastI havn't got any mail from you ?You did use Fidelcatsro (AT) Gmail . com
[ Parent ]
Re:I know(Score:1)
by mercedo (822671) * on Tuesday February 07, @04:22PM (#14662777) (http://mercedo-compl.../2006/04/zen-ya.html Last Journal: Thursday April 27, @02:11PM)
I sent my email to real fidelcaSTro, I hope I will not receive reply from real Castro.
I will send my email now.
[ Parent ]
Re:I know(Score:2)
by FidelCatsro (861135) * <fidelcatsro@@@gmail...com> on Tuesday February 07, @05:49PM (#14663751) (Last Journal: Monday April 17, @09:49AM)
? what post was that again that I mention HM
[ Parent ]
Re:I know(Score:1)
by mercedo (822671) * on Wednesday February 08, @10:33AM (#14669203) (http://mercedo-compl.../2006/04/zen-ya.html Last Journal: Thursday April 27, @02:11PM)
Yes, thanks. This is it [slashdot.org].
[ Parent ]
Ardvork(Score:2)
by FidelCatsro (861135) * <fidelcatsro@@@gmail...com> on Wednesday February 08, @12:22PM (#14670021) (Last Journal: Monday April 17, @09:49AM)
OHHHH , that .. well I just make up random crap for titles .. that was probably just Hm.. as in "I wonder"
[ Parent ]
Re:Ardvork(Score:1)
by mercedo (822671) * on Wednesday February 08, @02:03PM (#14670986) (http://mercedo-compl.../2006/04/zen-ya.html Last Journal: Thursday April 27, @02:11PM)
It's interesting. CO is carbon monoxide, Co is company. NO is nitogen, No is No. I thought it completely another way, but it's another story.
[ Parent ]
Re:Ardvork(Score:2)
by FidelCatsro (861135) * <fidelcatsro@@@gmail...com> on Wednesday February 08, @02:51PM (#14671504) (Last Journal: Monday April 17, @09:49AM)
Hydrogen Monoxide ;) .nasty stuff
[ Parent ]
What(Score:2)
by Stargoat (658863) <stargoat@gmail.com> on Tuesday February 07, @02:47PM (#14661636) (Last Journal: Tuesday April 25, @12:52PM)
What is the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?
Re:What(Score:1)
by mercedo (822671) * on Tuesday February 07, @03:28PM (#14662156) (http://mercedo-compl.../2006/04/zen-ya.html Last Journal: Thursday April 27, @02:11PM)
In Wikipedia, you can read the article. You just refer to 42, then you will find it in pop culture section as,
The number 42 is The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything, according to Douglas Adams' series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Numerous others have parodied this supposed mysticism of 42. If one types "the answer to life, the universe, and everything" in Google, one will receive the answer 42 by Google calculator (See the above).
Link is here [wikipedia.org].
[ Parent ]
Re:What(Score:2)
by Marxist Hacker 42 (638312) * <seebert@aracnet.com> on Tuesday February 07, @04:27PM (#14662830) (http://www.informationr.us/ Last Journal: Friday April 28, @12:56PM)
If you have yet to read this, and Douglas Adams' other 9 published works, all of which tie together in a very strange fashion, then you have a treat in store for you. My recommendatation is to actually start with the Radio Play, which I'm sure various people have archived online. Then find yourself the BBC TV series, the online copy of Marvin's released songs, then you can dive into the books, starting with The Ultimate HitchHiker's Guide (a massive volume of the 5 Hitchhiker's books plus a short story and a brochure), then the Dirk Gently Detective Novels, then the semi-non-fiction _The Meaning of Liff_ (a dictionary), the sadly non-fiction _Last_Chance_to_See_ (Douglas going around the earth cataloging nearly extinct species with less than 50 known individuals), and finally, the unfinished posthumous publication of the hard drive of his Macintosh, _The_Salmon_of_Doubt_.Then when you're done with all of that- last time I did it, and I already own all of the above works, it took me about a month- you too will know the meaning of 42.
[ Parent ]
Re:What(Score:2)
by Farmer Tim (530755) < > on Tuesday February 07, @11:31PM (#14666460) (Last Journal: Tuesday March 07, @06:21PM)
I'd disagree with you on the order; definitely the radio play first, but I'd suggest the books before the TV series if only so you aren't left with the BBC visuals (which IMO didn't do justice to the granduer of the story...budget cuts.)Adams was also the script editor for the series Doctor Who during the Tom Baker era. An animated version of one of his stories, Shada (which wasn't finished because of industrial action) can be downloaded from the BBC website here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/webcasts/sh ada/ [bbc.co.uk]. Officianados might notice certain similarities between this story and Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.

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