I would have to say I am less excited about the topics promised in Volume 4 (supposedly Combinatorial Algorithms, but way too much time in the Facicles is spent on explicit enumeration) than those found in Volumes 1 (Fundamental Algorithms), Volume 2 (Seminumerical Algorithms) and Volume 3 (Search and and Sorting). I grew up with "The Art of Computer Programming," but I think not all of the volumes are equal or have aged similarly. For example Volume 2 now can be seen to fail to anticipate a lot of exciting results in pseudo-randomness, quasi-randomness and de-randomization. On the other hand Volume 3 is, due to our current obsession with search, possibly even more exciting than the day it was new.

anyone care to elaborate on this (from the bottom of the page under Public Lectures):

Wednesday, 30 June, at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco (some time in the afternoon) speaking (and making an Earthshaking Announcement) at TeX's 32nd Anniversary Celebration, on the final day of the TUG 2010 Conference

I think the earthshaking announcement was that he is actually going to finish the next book in the AOCP series. I know that he is very painstaking in making the books and it was widely thought that he will not finish them before he passes. Hopefully he has that much left in him as they are the canonical references for the subjects he writes.

Open-sourcing the .tex for the first 3 volumes?

A new and improved TeX?

Release of version pi?

that's not very fun. I was thinking something more along the lines of "the rumors are true I am an alien and here is my spaceship". that would be earthshaking

Hm. But less likely! Recording contract? Knuth plays Bach on the organ!:

http://www-cs-staff.stanford.edu/~knuth/duets.html

He’s been retired since 1993.

You don't say, someone that is 72 that has already retired...

whoosh.

Sorry. I first assumed you were joking, but then I re-read the context, and I gave your sense of humor the benefit of the doubt. :P It’s not wholly unprecedented for professors to keep teaching to quite an advanced age. Harvey Mansfield, for instance, whose class I took a couple years ago, is 78.

I spent quite a bit of time reading up on Donald Knuth, have his books on my shelves here (second copy, first one got misplaced during an emigration).

He's a very interesting man with lots of depth outside of our field as well, especially in music.

The retirement was sort of half way because I think he really is pushing himself very hard for someone that advanced in age, but I can see how he would like to complete his magnum opus in the foreseeable future.

Outstanding! I think I'll pick one up, when available. No hint of a schedule for vols 4b, 4c (and possibly d), or 5.

the volumne 4 fascicle 1 (Bitwise Tricks & Techniques) can be found and downloaded from safari o'reily. have no idea about the others, though.