I wrote a Lua program that generates a fractal using a recursive function which is mediated by a random number generator. Depending on the RNG, any given iteration of the function may or may not proceed. With each frame of the following animation, the threshold for this slowly becomes more permissiv...
Here is a upper bound for the smallest universal computer in Bliptile, which emulates W110. I haven't put much effort into making it smaller. The part that does computations fits in a 12x26 bounding box, and the remainder of the pattern is the tape, which can be expanded indefinitely. I'm sure it c...
I was working on a large (secret) project, and wanted to save a bunch of intermediary versions, kind of like a source code version control system. The way I did this was simply to copy the entire file every time. That means if you make a 1-cell change to a large pattern, and save it, that 1-cell cha...
I wanted to update this that I have correctly implemented the guts of a metacell, but the fanout assembly is elusive (namely the diagonals). It must be possible but I always get tangled when I try. I've done this so many times I can do it with my eyes tied behind my back. Here's how it looks; a 2-c...
period 4n oscillator (I think) x = 34, y = 27, rule = 345/2/4 .A10.A8.A10.A$3A8.3A6.3A8.3A$.A.8A.A8.A.8A.A$.A.8A.A8.A.8A.A$3A8.3A6. 3A8.3A$.A4.2C4.A8.A4.2C4.A$5.B2.B16.B2.B$4.AC2ACA14.AC2ACA$5.B2.B16.B 2.B$.A4.2C4.A11.C4.C$3A8.3A$.A.8A.A$.A.8A.A$3A8.3A$.A10.A7$21.A10.A$20. 3A8.3A$21.A.8A.A$21.A.8A....
In general, 3D circuitry is easier than 2D because you don't have to worry about cross-overs, and it's harder to paint yourself into a corner. Admittedly, it's been the better part of a decade since I did 3D circuitry. They're definitely possible -- in the sense that there are quite a few people aro...
I have finished the metafier program, at least as much as I care to. Attached is a meta-fied version of the WireWorld computer I modified so you can still read the 7-segment displays without having to zoom in. I think this demonstrates the strengths of my program, since in Golly you have to edit the...
It is now no less valid to say "The QFT computer was made in B3/S23" as it is to say "The WireWorld computer was made in B3/S23". [M2] (golly 4.2) #R B3/S23 $$$.....**$.....*$...*.*$...**$ 4 0 0 1 0 5 0 0 2 0 6 0 0 3 0 $$$.**$.*$..***$....*$ 4 5 0 0 0 5 6 0 0 0 6 7 0 0 0 $...*$...***$......*$.....**...
(Flow6 and its Turing machine) Thanks for your suggestions. I've added them both, although I only added the Read-If/Else machine to honourable mentions rather than the main computer list since, to me, it belongs more in the realm of theoretical computer science than normal CPU design. My general ru...
Added to the list . It's the smallest CPU there, taking the 298*248 Pulse2 CPU 's place, although since it's an OISC the density is not directly comparable. I'm particularly impressed with what I assume are decoder units that convert a 4 bit value to 7 bits that are fed into the display. Did you sta...
(Sorry for the late reply.) Nice. I said you probably didn't have the devotion to see it through, and you proved me wrong. I've added it to the list , as well as its system, Fireworld2, which I classified as "MID" (I may elaborate on this choice in a PM). I look forward to seeing you publish some mo...
As a young child, I once went to the Grand Exchange in Runescape and started counting up from 1, saying "1", "2", "3", and so on, expecting people to give me in-game currency in return. Nobody did. The rationale in my mind was that counting up to large numbers (I think I got into the 3-digit range) ...
The big problem with many of these kinds of problems is not so much that they can't be turned into runnable code. Often the real problem is getting a good estimate of the amount of CPU time or memory resources needed to complete the work -- and in many cases the estimate turns out to be "sometime a...
I just watched a talk by Brian Kernighan about programming language design. The main takeaway from it for me was that the ideal time to create a new DSL (Domain Specific Language) is when you keep encountering problems that, intuitively, feel like they should be one line, but are not; which, I argue...
If we're counting historical versions of software for which newer versions are still available, TR's hlife, which I believe still exists as part of Golly, is available on his site as version 0.96 . The Wayback Machine goes back to 0.8 . Are earlier versions still around anywhere? Here's one I've rea...
The documentation on the MC format states that '.'s at the end of a row are suppressed, but doesn't say anything about '$'s at the end of a line being suppressed. It also gives "$$..*$...*$.***$$$$" as an example node, which clearly implies that they are not, and that an MC decoder can safely assum...
I just don't see any way to write a general algorithm that censuses rules that do pretty much always explode, but maybe count something different from what you'd normally count. What if you don't actually want a comprehensive census? This thread reminded me of an idea I had a while ago, and finally...
Many formats include redundant information that could ultimately be deduced from the pattern context, but that make various operations easier if they are directly available. [examples] That's a valid point (the RLE example is even used by some decoders I've written). But it raises another question:...
Why does the Macrocell format require the depth of nodes to be specified? They can be deduced by incrementing the depth of the subnodes. Ambiguity between leaf and non-leaf nodes in 3+ state rules can be resolved some other way, like prepending those lines with some specific character. I know .mc is...
An even further reduction of the AND gate: x = 9, y = 28, rule = Sticky 4A.4A$4A.4A$4A.4A$4A.4A$A7.A$2A.3A.2A$2A.3A.2A$2A.3A.2A$2A.3A.2A2$2.C 3.C$2.B3.B5$2.C$2.B9$6.C$6.B! At period 6 (the lowest period at which signals can trivially crossover) this is not an AND gate, it's an SR latch (?), as you ...
I've recently been revisiting epsrc. I may post an update to the code. Just found a new high period record based on the old one, (386,792)c/7556: #C by blah and gameoflifemaniac x = 1, y = 1, rule = MAPhQAMHAREoIgIhgCIgAAAAACAgAQBOQgAAEAEABCAAAAAgAAgIAAAAAAAQAAAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAAQAEABAAAA o! Soon we ...
The script seems to work, but how do you play this game? I tried different arrow combinations, but I don't see any changes on the display. You have to hold the keys down for a while, it's not very responsive. Also, the program won't register the keypress if multiple input keys are held down simulta...