Strategy

It has been said that there is more than one way to skin a cat. I have, wisely, never looked into how many ways there are. The same is frequently true for algorithms in computer programming. Frequently there are numerous versions of an algorithm that trades off memory usage for CPU usage. Sometimes there are different approaches that provide different levels of fidelity. For example, performing a geo-location on a smart phone typically uses one of three different sources of data:

  • GPS chip
  • Cell phone triangulation
  • Nearby WiFi points

Using the GPS chip provides the highest level of fidelity however it is also the slowest and requires the most battery. Looking at the nearby WiFi points requires very little energy and is very quick, however it ...

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