Talk:Simon Newcomb

Education
Did Newcomb have a formal education or didn't he? The article is inconsistent. 192.18.43.225 18:46, 27 February 2007 (UTC)

Yes, the second paragraph contradicts the first.

The ending of the first paragraph says "Newcomb appears to have enjoyed no formal education beyond his short apprenticeship to a charlatan herbalist in 1851."

The ending of the second paragraph says "he enrolled at the Lawrence Scientific School of Harvard University, graduating in 1858."

At Harvard, Newcomb was a student of Benjamin Peirce, who was the most famous mathematician in American in the 19th century. That would have been an excellent formal education.

The first paragraphs of the Wikipedia article on Newcomb are more or less identical to this biography: http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Newcomb.html -> At least a footnote to the source would be in order, I think. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 87.77.138.15 (talk) 10:00, 14 May 2012 (UTC)


 * I assume it means that his pre-college education was highly erratic and irregular... AnonMoos (talk) 13:24, 14 May 2012 (UTC)

Cleanup
I spent last night (GMT) cleaning this up. I can't see why we shouldn't be aiming for FA status here. The text that was dumped at the top of the page looked like it was duplicated from some obscure blog but looked useful and properly referenced so I integrated and rewrote it, toning it down a bit and making it less POV.

An outstanding issue is nationality. I have put Canadian-American. Sombody has put Newcomb in categories British immigrants to the United States and Canadian immigrants to the United States. I can see where they are coming from but both cannot be true, or can they?Cutler 12:05, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * First paragraph is definitely improved over what it was before. Best to remove British category (even though Canada was ruled by Britain when he emigrated). AnonMoos 17:58, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Any specific info on his science-fiction novel? Also, if he had children, then it would be good to mention who his wife was... AnonMoos 18:01, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Quote problem?
In the quote on flying machines, the phrase "power of electricity of steam" doesn't seem to make too much sense... AnonMoos 17:58, 27 August 2007 (UTC)


 * I agree that the whole section is not very encyclopaedic at the moment but I trust that we can eventually extract the pearl from the oyster.Cutler 22:07, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Updating a Citation
I have never offered an edit before and am having some difficulty figuring out just how to do that. Perhaps others can show me the way. Do I actually make the change, or do I submit the necessary change to an editor who in turn evaluates the change and makes it as appropriate?

Here's my change: At the end of the section entitled "Chandler wobble" there is a reference that says "citation needed." Here's the cite for that comment: Chandler, Astronomy for Everybody, 1902, p. 116.

Also, in the listing of Newcomb's publications at the end of the article the book Astronomy for Everybody is listed with a publication date of 1903, but the copy I have in front of me says 1902 so I cited 1902 in my previous paragraph.

I appreciate any help you might offer.

Marc Bateman (talk) 01:11, 12 December 2007 (UTC)
 * Just go ahead and do it-no approval is necessary. Just click on the "edit this page" tab, and type your change in. Saros136 (talk) 02:51, 12 December 2007 (UTC)
 * The Library of Congress also has 1902. Actually, the reference incorrectly calls it Astronomy for Everyone, as opposed to Astronomy for Everybody. Just click on the edit tab next to Bibliography. Correct the title and date, if you'd like. I know that's not all you wanted to change, but it's a start. I'll be back soon with more advice. Saros136 (talk) 03:02, 12 December 2007 (UTC)
 * One way to figure out how to make a reference is to look at those already made. Take, say the Relationship with Peirce family section, which has several references. Click on edit. The words in between the the ref markers are what you would write. The references section on the bottom is what it would look like. Here you could write, "Newcomb (1902) p 116." The Bibliography listing shows what work that refers to. Saros136 (talk) 04:13, 12 December 2007 (UTC)

Saros136--Thanks for your comments. I see now that I have the right cite but I attributed it to Chandler, Astronomy for Everybody, whereas it obviously should be Newcomb, Astronomy for Everybody. Mea Culpa! —Preceding unsigned comment added by Marc Bateman (talk • contribs) 19:46, 12 December 2007 (UTC)

Hassler Whitney
The article says "cite needed" for the comment that Hassler Whitney was Simon Newcomb's grandchild.

Edward Baldwin Whitney and Simon Newcomb's daughter had six children. One died in childhood. Five survived: Simon Newcomb Whitney, Hassler Whitney, William D. Whitney, Roger Whitney, and Lisa Whitney Sparre.

Simon Newcomb Whitney was my father.

Simon Newcomb Whitney (Jr.) swhitney@bcm.edu

Swhitney99 (talk) 22:53, 4 October 2008 (UTC)

Time Machine
I notice that a copy of H G Wells' "The Time Machine" is in external links. Do we need to mention that he is used in that book? what's the link between the two men? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.233.72.76 (talk) 15:42, 18 December 2008 (UTC)

Relation with Peirce family
The section on the relation with the Peirce family, particularly with CS Peirce needs citations. Newcomb lived 44 years, and the article mentioned that he successfully blocked tenure/grants to C.S. Peirce 20 years apart. He would have been 24 at his first attempt. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.159.77.23 (talk) 13:38, 31 August 2009 (UTC)

Calculation of logarithms
Did he any effort in the calculation of logarithms, as in one book of him I read an extensive explanation of the creation of a logarithm table? Did he scientific research in this area? -- Room 608 (talk) 14:57, 29 October 2014 (UTC)

External links modified
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External links modified (January 2018)
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 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20041126025315/http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/newcomb/index.htm to http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/newcomb/index.htm

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