# Infinite Monkeys

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infinite-monkeys/278519>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 7, 2004, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infinite-monkeys/278519 "2004-12-07T09:47:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Gotterfunken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@Gotterfunken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotterfunken)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infinite-monkeys/278519/41 "2004-12-09T15:44:10Z")

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> [@kevsnyde](#):
>
> Right. For all we know the monkeys might like to hit the “K” key over and over and over ad infinitum. To me, saying it’ll take infinite time to bang out Shakespeare is really saying you’ll have to wait forever… which is really saying never.
> 
> Damn monkeys.

Actually, this experiment suggests that they prefer the “s” key:

[Notes Towards the Complete Works of Shakespeare](http://www.vivaria.net/experiments/notes/publication/) (pdf version is free to download)

[Based on the efforts of [five Sulawesi Crested Macaques](http://www.vivaria.net/experiments/notes/documentation/) named Elmo, Gum, Heather, Holly, Mistletoe and Rowan–not quite an infinite number, but, hey, it’s a start]

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**Author:** ![Ninja\_Pizza\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f04885/32.png) [@Ninja\_Pizza\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ninja_Pizza_Guy)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infinite-monkeys/278519/42 "2004-12-10T03:07:40Z")

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[semi-hijack]  
There’s another "infinite monkeys/time/typewriters story I’ve been trying to find.

Way, way back, just after the war in heaven, an angel was exiled by both sides. He wasn’t good or evil, but too wishy-washy to pick a side. So, he ends up with a bunch of monkeys and an equal number of typewriters. The monkeys have to type Shakespear. The “punchline” as I remember it is “damn that sticky g-key!”

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**Author:** ![sweepkick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@sweepkick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweepkick)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infinite-monkeys/278519/43 "2004-12-10T20:26:06Z")

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There are more imaginitive [texts](http://www.brunching.com/randommonkeys.html) that these monkeys should be able to come up with.

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**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/infinite-monkeys/278519/44 "2004-12-10T21:24:17Z")

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Was there an actual reason in the story for the Monkeys to never fail to produce some classical script por whatever? Die the monkeys just channel the psychic energy of Shakespeare or what?

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