Talk:Moon

I like the idea of adding pages for common patterns in other rules, but I have one question about this page: Is the name "moon" used elsewhere, or did the author make it up? I'd like to see it sourced if possible.

Nathaniel 12:16, 22 March 2013 (UTC)

For me, I saw it from Live Free or Die, first used in this revision.

Zhuyifei1999 23:15, 22 March 2013 (UTC)

The name "moon" comes from the site linked to on the Live Free or Die page. The site now gives an error, but there is this internet archive snapshot that has the information. According to the top of the page, it was named by Luke Bradford. This particular spaceship is more commonly called the "photon" which refers to its small size and the fact that it travels at the speed of light ("photon" dates back at least to a June 2000 email by David Eppstein). Jason Summers suggested that photon guns could be called "lasers".
~Sokwe 06:26, 23 March 2013 (UTC)

FWIW I would suggest reserving "photon" for the minimal 2-cell spaceship in B2 Generations rules. There is no shortage of p1 lightships across cellular automata & since we already have the term "lightship", "photon" seems best suited for the smallest case. --Tropylium 01:34, 3 April 2013 (UTC)

That's a good idea. Since this pattern looks like a moon, and the spaceship has no name, we can name them both. Also, I suggest adding a new wiki for other rules, including some rules in Generations. Zhuyifei1999 13:49, 3 April 2013 (UTC)