A draft solution to the so-called "P versus NP" problem generated excitement in 2010; will 2011 bring a correct proof?
Vinay Deolalikar made waves in August when his draft solution to a mathematical problem that haunts computer science hit the internet.
It's known as "P versus NP," and a correct solution is worth $1 million. Sadly for Deolalikar, of Hewlett-Packard Labs in Palo Alto, CA, his work didn't check out. But the flurry of online activity surrounding the paper demonstrated a new way of doing mathematics—via blogs and wikis—and generated fresh excitement around the problem.
From New Scientist
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