tea.mathoverflow.net - Discussion Feed (Hidden votes to close "Open problems with monetary rewards")

E.S comments on "Hidden votes to close "Open problems with monetary rewards"" (14653)

2011-06-01T10:21:24-07:00

@fedja, the first 5 lines summarise the whole point. I am interested neither in the names nor in the amount of money, really, but the mathematical problems some wanted to get across but couldn't have have done it 'effectively' otherwise.

To share an experience, I have a twin who majors in Physics. Sometimes, he comes up with questions he found interesting while solving Physics questions. He would then tell me that he is generalising the method he used, and wants me in. But sometimes, I find the questions specific and refrain thinking 'you can ask infinitely many questions of that kind'...
I think if he told me he would gift me some hard cash to print some lecture notes, I would have certainly missed classes and chipped away at any of the problems I recognise were within my 'reach'.

fedja comments on "Hidden votes to close "Open problems with monetary rewards"" (14647)

2011-05-31T15:13:24-07:00

I'm one of the closure voters. Despite this question has verifiable answers, I do not find it much different from "List all math. problems containing the word "conjugate"". You can do it, all right, but what's the point? The selection criterion is certainly arbitrary. You may argue that there is some correlation between a reward attached and the quality of the problem but there is much stronger correlation if one uses uses the name of the problem proposer instead of the monetary value. If people like such questions, I do not mind: I just have my one vote per question and use it now and then to show my personal preferences.

E.S comments on "Hidden votes to close "Open problems with monetary rewards"" (14631)

2011-05-27T04:00:50-07:00

Oh, I am sorry. I think I was not logged in first. Then I hastened to log in and acknowledge the vote withdrawal. I still see the votes though given the high number of answers and presence of active participants I can't cook up a reason to accept the closure.

Qiaochu Yuan comments on "Hidden votes to close "Open problems with monetary rewards"" (14630)

2011-05-27T03:42:22-07:00

I still see two votes to close. What do you mean by "hidden"?

E.S comments on "Hidden votes to close "Open problems with monetary rewards"" (14629)

2011-05-27T03:38:03-07:00

Sigh. There are no closing votes now.

E.S comments on "Hidden votes to close "Open problems with monetary rewards"" (14628)

2011-05-27T02:02:57-07:00

If it is not my eye, I see there are two votes to close this post: http://mathoverflow.net/questions/66084/open-problems-with-monetary-rewards

If there is anything un-mathematical that is lit up by this question, I am ready to hear.