Glossary

When I learn a new concept/term, add a basic definition and links here:

• Turing Complete: Alan Turing envisioned a machine that could take a program of any complexity and run it (given enough tape and enough time). A calculator isn't Turing Complete - it can only do pre-defined operations. Most programming languages, assuming infinite memory and time, are Turing Complete. Why do we care? There seem to be tons of resources and debates online whether x or y is Turing Complete. I think it's cool that the conversation can help the world become more familiar with and celebrate the work of Alan Turing, but I'm working on understanding why Turing Completeness is an important distinction today.