> Well, I'm prepared to have a go. Could we tighten up the spec a bit?
>
> (a) There's also been some interest in something else that Prime95
> doesn't do - trial factoring 2^p+1.
(Note that this form also form also has factors of the form k*p+1.)
> (b) I assume we're only interested in 2kp+1 factors. This means that
> we will miss any factors which are not of this form. (Applies to
> Mersenne numbers with composite exponents, and all 2^p+1 numbers -
> though I believe that the "missed" exponents are easy to derive
> analytically.)
Yes, those mersenne numbers with composite exponents have factors of
the form 2^d-1 where d|p, but the remaining unfactored portion must have
factors of the form k*p+1. (I believe that is Legendre's theorem)
(or rather a consequence of it)
> It's probably sensible to go for an application which runs in a "DOS
> box" rather than a proper windowed application. This makes it a bit
> easier (for me) to write & also makes deriving a linux variant almost
> trivial. (Does anyone know for sure whether or not there's a DOS box
> in "Millenium"? I heard a nasty rumour...)
Egad! If true then it would be added to the long list of complaints I have
with microsoft.
> If we can agree on that, then I have a basis to begin coding. Will
> certainly take a month or two to produce even a pre-pre-release as I
> am very pushed for time at the moment.
No need to rush, I wouldn't call the need for such a program urgent.
-Lucas
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