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computer science Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to Applied science, practical discipli ...
, an
online algorithm In computer science, an online algorithm is one that can process its input piece-by-piece in a serial fashion, i.e., in the order that the input is fed to the algorithm, without having the entire input available from the start. In contrast, an o ...
measures its competitiveness against different adversary models. For deterministic algorithms, the adversary is the same as the adaptive offline adversary. For randomized online algorithms competitiveness can depend upon the adversary model used.


Common adversaries

The three common adversaries are the oblivious adversary, the adaptive online adversary, and the adaptive offline adversary. The oblivious adversary is sometimes referred to as the weak adversary. This adversary knows the algorithm's code, but does not get to know the randomized results of the algorithm. The adaptive online adversary is sometimes called the medium adversary. This adversary must make its own decision before it is allowed to know the decision of the algorithm. The adaptive offline adversary is sometimes called the strong adversary. This adversary knows everything, even the random number generator. This adversary is so strong that randomization does not help against it.


Important results

From S. Ben-David, A. Borodin, R. Karp, G. Tardos, A. Wigderson we have: * If there is a randomized algorithm that is α-competitive against any adaptive offline adversary then there also exists an α-competitive deterministic algorithm. * If G is a c-competitive randomized algorithm against any adaptive online adversary, and there is a randomized d-competitive algorithm against any oblivious adversary, then G is a randomized (c * d)-competitive algorithm against any adaptive offline adversary.


See also

*
Competitive analysis (online algorithm) Competitive analysis is a method invented for analyzing online algorithms, in which the performance of an online algorithm (which must satisfy an unpredictable sequence of requests, completing each request without being able to see the future) is co ...
* K-server problem *
Online algorithm In computer science, an online algorithm is one that can process its input piece-by-piece in a serial fashion, i.e., in the order that the input is fed to the algorithm, without having the entire input available from the start. In contrast, an o ...


References

* * {{cite journal , author= S. Ben-David , author2=A. Borodin , author3=R. Karp , author3-link=Richard Karp , author4=G. Tardos , author5=A. Wigderson. , title= On the Power of Randomization in On-line Algorithms , journal= Algorithmica , year= 1994 , volume= 11 , pages= 2–14 , url=http://www.math.ias.edu/~avi/PUBLICATIONS/MYPAPERS/BORODIN/paper.pdf , doi=10.1007/BF01294260


External links


Bibliography of papers on online algorithms
Analysis of algorithms Online algorithms