I was lying in bed this morning, half awake and thinking about ... embarrassing to admit ... Minesweeper. Yes, I have found another evil procrastinatory tool. Fortunately, it doesn't work as well as spider solitaire, because the games end so quickly. Also (bonus!) it doesn't give me tennis elbow. It is soon to be deleted. I plan.
Anyhow, I started to wonder about the distribution of mines across the screen, and my mind wondered in several directions. First, how do they get the pattern? They must first put the mines in place, and then allocate numbers to all spots adjacent to them; then whatever's left becomes blank spaces. Second, how do they create random distribution? I began to imagine the computer algorithms involved, starting with the ULH space and spreading out from there, determining for each square if it would or wouldn't contain a mine. Then I wondered about the people who create those algorithms. They must be good at planning the fastest, most efficient routes for distribution of items. This transitioned to contemplating disaster zones, and then the epiphany came: who better than a computer programmer to manage supply distribution in crisis situations?
A brand new career option to IT graduates!
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