Pi has enemies.

[Indian]

The mathematical constant pi is under threat from a group of detractors who will be marking "Tau Day" on Tuesday.

Tau Day revellers suggest a constant called tau should take its place: twice as large as pi, or about 6.28 - hence the 28 June celebration.

Linky (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13906169).

:D

[xkit0katx]

Some very good reasons why given here (http://vihart.com/blog/pi-is-still-wrong/) by the lovely Vi Hart

[guizot]

I could never get home from school with being bullied by piists--pious piists, who think they own the world. I came from a poor tau family, and every day my dad would come home from the bar drunk, saying how some day he was going to show those "goddamn, self-righteous, stuck-up, Cadillac pis just what was what." And that's what he did. He stormed into the Bureau of Weights and Measures office one clear morning--I'll never forget that day--and went on a rampage, recalculating everything by different terms. It was a horrible scene. They still talk about it today. He was a good man. I can't say I agree completely with what he did, but I'll always be proud of my dad for sticking up for our people.

[VunderBob]

This entire topic is irrational.

[Autolycus]

At first I was all like pffft, those posers. Pi is awesome and everyone knows it. How dare they besmirch the beautiful boundless pi? But then I read the manifesto. Like Paul of Tarsus inventing the slide rule, the scales fell off my eyes. I knew then and there that Tau is the one true trig constant.

http://tauday.com/

[CCYMan]

After reading the OP, and knowing The Dope, I thought the rest of the thread would be a serious discussion of math(s) that was way over my head.

Imagine my relief when I discovered it's going to be a good ol' train wreck instead!

Now, let's see, I should contribute something...um...PI SUCKS! TAU RULES!

[UncleRojelio]

Some very good reasons why given here (http://vihart.com/blog/pi-is-still-wrong/) by the lovely Vi Hart

I think I've just been converted. I will forever more worship at the altar of Tau.

[Zeldar]

My reaction to learning the existence of tau in this sense and usage is that 2Pi or Tu-Pi makes more sense. Think Tu-Pi Shakur! :)

[mrklutz]

When come back, bring... tau?

[UncleRojelio]

When come back, bring... tau?

No, when come back, bring two-pie.

[Siam Sam]

Pi are square?

[Canadjun]

This entire topic is irrational.

But it's so transcendental!

[Polycarp]

This entire topic is irrational.

But reading it has been a transcendental experience!


ETA: Damn you, Canadjun!! :D

[njtt]

Mmmmm, pi.

[EvilTOJ]

But reading it has been a transcendental experience!


No, no. That was zen, this is tau.

[BDoors]

I think if early mathematicians had gone for the more sensible Tau, and we'd had six fingers on each hand (hence widespread use of the more tractable base 12), we would already be scooting around in flying cars, rather than in the 2150 estimated by latest projections. Just another reason to hate Pi.

[Kyrie Eleison]

From the article:

Almost anything you can do in maths with pi you can do with tau anyway... (emphasis mine)

Almost? Can anyone provide an example of something you can do with pi and can't do with tau? Other than make pi/pie jokes?

[Gangster Octopus]

Isn't Tau-pi the capital of Tau-one?

[Zeldar]

Isn't Tau-pi the capital of Tau-one?

How does Tau-pi differ from cow-pie?

[Malacandra]

No, no. That was zen, this is tau.

Ow. :smack:

[EvilTOJ]

:D

[The Second Stone]

This thread will go on forever and never repeat itself, but seem to be saying only the same 10 things.

[TriPolar]

Heresy!!!

[etv78]

Tau would have made trig a LOT EASIER!

[Siam Sam]

Mmmm, I loves me a little tau-pi on the weekends.

[pravnik]

This thread will go on forever and never repeat itself, but seem to be saying only the same 10 things.Kind of a Mandelbrot set of the entire internet, then.

[Siam Sam]

Into eternity (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=13968027#post13968027)

[RadicalPi]

At first I was all like pffft, those posers. Pi is awesome and everyone knows it. How dare they besmirch the beautiful boundless pi? But then I read the manifesto. Like Paul of Tarsus inventing the slide rule, the scales fell off my eyes. I knew then and there that Tau is the one true trig constant.

Yup. That is exactly what happened to me about a year ago, last tau day.

[Indian]

RadicalPi[/B];13968115]Yup. That is exactly what happened to me about a year ago, last tau day.

Why did you turn radical from a simple one?

[standingwave]

Decided to resurrect this thread instead of starting a new one. The guys over at Numberphile just released a video, Tau vs Pi Smackdown (http://youtu.be/ZPv1UV0rD8U)! I think the scoring was incredibly biased in favor of π but what can you do?

eiτ = 0!

[user_hostile]

I'm a Pi-sces.

Anyone here a Tau-rus?

[Canadjun]

I'm a Pi-sces.

Anyone here a Tau-rus?

No, but I am a Scor-pi-o.

[Ale]

Well, that makes sense.

But now I can't help thinking that, after sending all those interstellar radio messages using Pi in some way or another to show how smart we are, extraterrestrial civilizations will think of us as knuckle dragging oafs.

[hammos1]

But now I can't help thinking that, after sending all those interstellar radio messages using Pi in some way or another to show how smart we are, extraterrestrial civilizations will think of us as knuckle dragging oafs.It's OK, we transmitted it in binary. They'll just think it's a bit shift error.

[Napier]

This entire topic is irrational.

Not the whole thing. Tau is divisible by 2. Obviously.

[Hari Seldon]

Now we have a transcendental zombie thread.

[Kamino Neko]

Pi must be eradicated. For the Greater Good.

[Napier]

Pi must be eradicated. For the Greater Good.

Yeah. Let's eat it.

[Boyo Jim]

Pi also has friends.

[Indian]

Pi also has friends.

Life of pi must be interesting.

[Canadjun]

Now we have a transcendental zombie thread.

That's a pretty irrational thing to think about!

[Rachellelogram]

I guess pi isn't the end-all be-all it's tauted to be.

[Black Bisector]

Humanity! Tau have come to spread the Greater Good! (http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Greater_Good) Do not resist the Tau (http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Tau), for they only wish to bring peace to your species!