Talk:Mnemonic major system

READ IT AND WEEP?
Sun Microsystems has applied for a patent on using a computer program to generate mnemonics for memorizing 128 encryption keys. Here I am noticing VERY LOUDLY that 128 bits is just about what it takes to code all of the number on a five dollar quick pick, i.e. the Nth permuation in 40 million or more permuations to the fifth power. How's that for the "locker combination" or "other pattern of numbers referred to?

http://www.peertopatent.org/patent/20070300076/discussion/action_item

Is it important to take note that the Sun Patent was applied for in June 2006, but the GPL'ed source code referred to on this page dates back to 2003 or 2004? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.17.57.227 (talk) 06:42, 22 June 2008 (UTC)

The GPL'd section of code was posted on or around September 13, 2004 - which is more than one year prior to the date of the Sun application. In order to constitute "prior art" which invalidates any part of a patent claim, the rule is apparently that the "prior art" must pre-date the patent application by more than a year - which in this case appears to be the case.

75.17.57.227 (talk) 19:13, 22 June 2008 (UTC)

Broken links
I removed two broken links: Feel free to fix them. 12:14, 19 November 2008 (UTC)
 * Memory Master
 * The Memory Forums

External Link: Using the Major System to Learn Abstract Words.
The major system is typically used to memorize numbers, but it may also be used to memorize the definitions of abstract words. I posted a description of how this works to my blog at the address below:

http://cruelbutkind.blogspot.com/2009/02/using-peg-system-to-memorize-abstract.html

I'm wondering if this should be added as an external link. Since the blog post belongs to me, there are no copyright issues. Also, I do not attempt to use my blog for any kind of commercial purpose. However, in keeping with Wikipedia guidelines, there is a conflict of interest if I attempt to add the link myself, since the blog belongs to me.

Wallyflint (talk) 01:12, 11 February 2009 (UTC) Wally Flint, Tuesday, February 10, 2009


 * I've just added an external link to a simple tool I wrote for the express purpose of providing an additional resource for this page - I check through the spam guidelines and it hecked out, but obviously there is a conflict of interest here so it would be great for someone to confirm the inclusion.  K  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 139.133.7.237 (talk) 07:42, 17 March 2011 (UTC)

Contradiction
There is a major contradiction in the "history" section of this article. It claims that the major system was taught until the 16th century, then later says the major system was invented 300 years ago. Let99 (talk) 06:37, 18 January 2010 (UTC)

I believe this has since been fixed. The reference was to the method of loci being taught until that time. Snark35 (talk) 09:24, 2 May 2020 (UTC)

Section "Indexing Sequences" describes the peg system
The use of the major system with the peg system is described in the introduction so this section is superfluous and should be removed. For now, I have added to reference to the peg system. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 150.203.204.174 (talk) 04:53, 18 July 2011 (UTC)

Name...
Would "Major System (Mnemonic)" be a better fit for the article? Failedwizard (talk) 08:28, 13 January 2012 (UTC)
 * Yes, that would be much better. Or maybe "Major System (Mnemonics)". Let99 (talk) 02:37, 29 October 2012 (UTC)

Should the "Major System" be used in the title or common name of the system at all? Presumably as mentioned in the article: "The name 'Major System' may refer to Major Bartlomiej Beniowski, who published a version of the system in his book, The Anti-Absurd or Phrenotypic English Pronouncing and Orthographical Dictionary." There is very little evidence (if any?) of the phrase being popularly used to describe this system other than within the community at http://forum.artofmemory.com/ over the past decade. Are there any historical references to back this up? There's also some discussion at https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/the-major-system-some-historical-background/31831 for background as well. Even Beniowski didn't seem to refer to it as the Major System and most of the mnemonists who followed him didn't use that phrase in their writing either. Most name variations of the system after themselves or left it unnamed or used more generic terms. While naming it after Pierre Hérigone seems to have also been done at the top of the article, that may also seem unwise as I've seen references to even earlier versions, though that record may not be as well researched. In any case Beniowski didn't invent it and didn't do much more than any others either before or after to popularize it, so why link the idea to him? (Even worse, Major was his military rank and not even his name!) Snark35 (talk) 09:45, 2 May 2020 (UTC)

To the person who deleted one of the mnemonic's I added
Explain yourself, or explain what the criteria is for adding a mnemonic. I simply added the mnemonic that I use for P and B. PB is a common abbreviation for "peanut butter", and a lot of people eat peanut butter sandwiches. Traversc (talk) 05:05, 28 January 2015 (UTC)


 * The removed text was "PB&J sandwiches have nine ingredients: peanuts, butter, jelly and bread." In this, I count four ingredients, which makes this not a good mnemonic for the number nine. &mdash; Sebastian 05:46, 28 January 2015 (UTC)


 * The criteria for adding anything on Wikipedia are laid down in the list of content policies. Of these, the one that applies most to this situation is Wikipedia is not for things made up one day. &mdash; Sebastian 06:02, 28 January 2015 (UTC)
 * I didn't "make it up one day" PB is a common abbreviation for peanut butter. I also don't see any references for the other mnemonics.  Traversc (talk) 22:06, 28 January 2015 (UTC)


 * In your original post, I read two questions:
 * Why was the mnemonic deleted?
 * What are the criteria for adding a mnemonic?
 * I wanted to help you, so I answered each of your questions. The answers are separate. Of these, the first answer sufficiently answers the question you are focusing on now. &mdash; Sebastian 02:41, 30 January 2015 (UTC)

Numeral 6 Examples
Commonly associated letters: sc (in fascist and schedule)

The word "schedule" has a really ambiguous way of pronunciating it, which is why I don't think it's a pedagogical example and should be removed/replaced. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.226.255.150 (talk) 17:21, 14 August 2015 (UTC)

Some options for replacing "schedule" can be found in https://www.morewords.com/contains-by-length/sch/ - I might suggest "schwa" or "eschew" --Msemtd (talk) 11:53, 3 February 2016 (UTC)

Relation to gregg shorthand
I have to question whether mentioning Gregg shorthand at all is justified. The only citation given is a musing on a coincidence noted by the blogger Chris Aldrich who has no special expertise in a subject related to either Gregg shorthand or the mnemonic major system. There are no valid references given in his blog post, and if there are, then they should be used directly. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 220.240.235.71 (talk) 13:51, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

Soft th (theta or thorn) associated with 1?
Surely a more correct (if not more common) association of soft th is with 8, especially in a Cockney or other British working-class accent? After all, in such an accent "I think these things are..." is often rendered as "I fink dese fings are..."; although I agree that it is correct to associate hard th (aka dh, dth or eth) with 1, which (as the example I gave shows) is also consistent with such an accent. — 2A02:C7D:419:2500:C04E:A5CA:373C:544 (talk) 03:56, 17 July 2017 (UTC)

Can someone help me grasp this bit?
What does the /z/ mean that z does not mean. Sorry if this is a really uneducated thing to be asking I just don't know where else to ask. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Brettwardo (talk • contribs) 05:08, 24 August 2017 (UTC)


 * "z" refers to the letter in the alphabet, whereas "/z/" refers to the sound and is written in the notation of the International Phonetic Alphabet. -Stelio (talk) 09:28, 29 July 2022 (UTC)