Talk:Glyph

Flawed Math, etc.
The math/logic on this page is flawed. A normal gate address for a point in our galaxy consists of seven symbols, or glyphs. The seventh is the point of origin for the outgoing wormhole. Only on Earth is it Earth's (the delta with the circle above). Also, if this is the symbol for Earth (a planet), then it is the only symbol on the gate that does not represent a constellation. This would also mean that each planet with a stargate would have a unique series of symbols (which would fit with the feature film as Jackson was going to be needed to decipher the glyphs necessary to dial home). Also, since constellations only exists as we see them from a single point of view, the constellation design representing "point A" in our view from earth would look totally different from another planet.

However, I digress. Let us say that this is a given, that all gates ARE different, so that the above can be true. This still means that the math is flawed. A gate address uses six unique glyphs to locate the destination, with the seventh always being the point of origin. The point of origin can also be called the point of view. Let us say, for example, that glyph A (whatever it is) represents the constellation on the right side of the cosmic 3D cube surrounding the destination, glyph B is for the left side, C is for the front, D is for the back, E is for the top, and F is for the bottom. It will not matter what order I put those six glyphs in, A is for the right side. The constellation will never “jump” to the left side, the top, the bottom, or anywhere else from my POV (the point of origin, the seventh glyph). So ABCDEF would give me exactly the same stargate that FABECD, DACEFB, or any other combination of those six letters would.

The math on this page assumed that the point of origin glyph will be used in every gate address from that gate. Correct. So we removed it from every combination. That leaves 38 other glyphs. However, the math then went on to come up with EVERY combination of six glyphs, NOT taking into account the non-uniqueness of most of those addresses. "1,987,690,320 possible addresses" is incorrect. It should read "1,987,690,320 possible combinations." But not all those combinations will be unique gate addresses. Only 1 in 720 (6x5x4x3x2x1) will be unique. Which should reduce the number to 2,760,681 possible addresses.

Right?

-Dtubbe 17:19, 7 January 2009 (UTC)