Not signed in (Sign In)

Vanilla 1.1.9 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.

Is this question acceptable?: Looking for a copy of some unpublished notes: can I ask on MathOverflow?

Bottom of Page

1 to 11 of 11

  1.  
    • CommentAuthorGro-Tsen
    • CommentTimeFeb 22nd 2013
     
    Hi! I'm looking for someone who would have a copy of some unpublished notes ("Kolmogorov's R-operator and the first nonprojectible ordinal" written around 1977 by Leo Harrington; the author didn't answer my emails and is perhaps retired, and a number of other people I tried either had never seen them or also didn't reply). Is this the sort of things one can ask on MathOverflow? If so, how should I tag the question?
  2.  
    I would think this is appropriate, maybe even more so if you relate the above, and are also open to accounts of the results in the notes (or improvements) that may have been written by other people. As for tagging, either computability-theory or set-theory or higher-recursion-theory or something along these lines that you find most appropriate, *and* reference-request.

    (Independently of the above: I do not think Leo is retired yet, but he does not really use email much. I think Ted and Antonio are not at Berkeley this term, but if you know somebody else in the area, they may perhaps stop by Leo's office and ask him directly. Have you asked Yiannis, or Sacks, or Lubarsky?) Good luck!
    • CommentAuthorgrp
    • CommentTimeFeb 22nd 2013
     
    To improve the speed of the endeavour you might offer additional incentive and/or information.
    For example, I might do it for you, but I don't get to Berkeley that often. Offer me a nice
    Starbucks card and I might get it done in under a month (or not). Or, there may be some
    topologists or geometers who might do it for you, but you need to give them your contact
    info or something similar to pass on or in case trouble arises (Leo "R-operator or the R-functor
    notes?" Kind helpful algebraist "Uh... I'm just the messenger. Don't shoot.").

    Will Jagy might have a helpful suggestion or offer. Or not.

    Gerhard "Might See Evans In March" Paseman, 2013.02.22
  4.  

    I think it's very appropriate, and there are precedents such as http://mathoverflow.net/questions/37963/lecture-notes-by-thurston-on-tiling/37973#37973. I second the recommendations of Andres. Please ask!

  5.  
    • CommentAuthorWill Jagy
    • CommentTimeFeb 22nd 2013
     
    You know of any other books by Harrington? All that Evans Hall library lists is

    http://oskicat.berkeley.edu/record=b13329091~S33

    but there is a known problem of book theft before they put in electronic gates a few decades ago.
    • CommentAuthorWill Jagy
    • CommentTimeFeb 22nd 2013
     
    I called Harrington. While we were on the phone i sent him an email, which he did receive. He is not so sure he will be able to find something from that long ago. He says he will look around, I should call him next week. He says he was never that fond of writing finished books, he preferred notes of this type.

    Put it together, I think there is somebody somewhere who can make a pdf of this before it can be found in Berkeley.
    • CommentAuthorWill Jagy
    • CommentTimeFeb 22nd 2013
     
    Alright, Gro-Tsen, could you please send me an email of some kind, in case this works out? I see a site for you off your profile on Main that suggests a real person in France or at least related to French, and under another name. Just check for me at

    http://www.ams.org/cml/

    with my last name.
    • CommentAuthorGro-Tsen
    • CommentTimeFeb 25th 2013
     
  10.  
    Ted Slaman has answered, with a link to a scan of the paper.
    • CommentAuthorWill Jagy
    • CommentTimeMar 27th 2013
     
    A few things...Harrington wrote to Gro-tsen with a detailed summary of what had to be in the notes. I just wrote to Harrington today with the pdf. Finally, it turns out that Ted Slaman is also at Berkeley, so there is also a chance of a paper copy changing hands at the end.

1 to 11 of 11

  1.  
Back to Discussions Top of Page