Thread for basic questions

[confocaloid]

What would this type of pattern called?

It is a growing pattern that uses slide guns to construct stationary ash, similar to blockstacker (but with ash instead of an easily described resulting pattern).

Newbie here, I found this 4x4 methuselah about a year ago, and I was just wondering if anyone else had come across it. It has 10 cells and lasts about 4079 generations before stabilizing.

Code: Select all

x = 4, y = 4, rule = B3/S23
b2o$o2bo$4o$obo!

It seems this pattern was posted by Kazyan in 2014: viewtopic.php?p=11142#p11142

I found a 4x4 methuselah that outlasts even the multum in parvo derivative.

Code: Select all

#C 10-cell 4x4 pattern stabilizes at generation 4079
x = 4, y = 4, rule = B3/S23
b2o$o2bo$4o$bobo!

This 5x5 pattern creates a LWSS and an integral, among other junk, and lasts over 3000 generations.

Code: Select all

x = 7, y = 7, rule = B3/S23
2$obo$ob2o$bo2bo$2obo$o2bo!

There was also this:

A 4x4 methuselah that lasts for 4616 generations.

Code: Select all

x = 4, y = 4, rule = B3/S23
3o$2obo$ob2o$bobo!

[unname4798]

What would this type of pattern called?

Code: Select all

x = 376, y = 59, rule = B3/S23
56b2o260b2o$56b2o260b2o2$78bo218bo$78bobo214bobo$81b2o6b2o194b2o6b2o$
38b2o27b2o12b2o4bo3bo192bo3bo4b2o12b2o27b2o$38b2o16b3o8b2o12b2o3bo5bo
8b2o170b2o8bo5bo3b2o12b2o8b3o16b2o$78bobo4b2obo3bo8b2o170b2o8bo3bob2o
4bobo$56bobo19bo7bo5bo190bo5bo7bo19bobo$55b5o27bo3bo192bo3bo27b5o$54b
2o3b2o4b2o22b2o194b2o22b2o4b2o3b2o$54b2o3b2o3bo2bo11bo216bo11bo2bo3b2o
3b2o$64bo12b2o218b2o12bo$64bo13b2o216b2o13bo$64bob2o240b2obo$66b2o240b
2o2$83b2o206b2o$59b2o4b2o15b2o10bobo182bobo10b2o15b2o4b2o$59bo5b2o17b
o8bo2bo182bo2bo8bo17b2o5bo$60b3o16b2o11b2o10b2o164b2o10b2o11b2o16b3o$
62bo16bobo8b2o3bo8b2o164b2o8bo3b2o8bobo16bo$74b2o6bo9b2o5b2o174b2o5b2o
9bo6b2o$73bo2bo2bo2bo10bo2bo4bo172bo4bo2bo10bo2bo2bo2bo$73b3o6bo11bob
o182bobo11bo6b3o$46b3o22b3o5bobo212bobo5b3o22b3o$48bo15bo5bobo6b2o214b
2o6bobo5bo15bo$47bo14b2o6bo234bo6b2o14bo$63b2o4b2o234b2o4b2o$55bo264b
o$35b2o17bobo262bobo17b2o$35bo18b2obo14b2o228b2o14bob2o18bo$24bo8bobo
18b2ob2o14bo228bo14b2ob2o18bobo8bo$24b4o5b2o19b2obo15bobo10bo202bo10b
obo15bob2o19b2o5b4o$8bo16b4o15b2o8bobo4b2o11b2o9b4o198b4o9b2o11b2o4bo
bo8b2o15b4o16bo$7bobo5b2o8bo2bo14bobo9bo5bobo7bo12b2ob4o5b2o180b2o5b4o
b2o12bo7bobo5bo9bobo14bo2bo8b2o5bobo$5b2o3bo14b4o14bo19bo6b2o11b3ob2o
3bo3bo2bo176bo2bo3bo3b2ob3o11b2o6bo19bo14b4o14bo3b2o$2o3b2o3bo4bobob2o
3b4o14b2o19b2o5bobo11b2ob2o3bo7bo174bo7bo3b2ob2o11bobo5b2o19b2o14b4o3b
2obobo4bo3b2o3b2o$2o3b2o3bo5b2o3bo2bo60b5o3bo6bo6b2o158b2o6bo6bo3b5o60b
o2bo3b2o5bo3b2o3b2o$7bobo10bo18b2o45bo3b3o7bo6b2o158b2o6bo7b3o3bo45b2o
18bo10bobo$8bo8bo2bo10b3o4bobo27b2o26bo2bo176bo2bo26b2o27bobo4b3o10bo
2bo8bo$33bo3b3o28bo2bo24b2o180b2o24bo2bo28b3o3bo$32bo4b2o298b2o4bo$40b
2o26bo2bo12bo206bo12bo2bo26b2o$27bo11b3o25bo2bo11b2o208b2o11bo2bo25b3o
11bo$28bo38bobo12b3o206b3o12bobo38bo$28bo39bo11b3o210b3o11bo39bo$24bo
2bo11b2o39b2o212b2o39b2o11bo2bo$6bo5b2o9bo15b2o27b2o236b2o27b2o15bo9b
2o5bo$4bo3bo3b3o10bo42b2o16b2o9bo180bo9b2o16b2o42bo10b3o3bo3bo$8bo5b2o
bo11bo55b4o7bobo178bobo7b4o55bo11bob2o5bo$3bo5bo4bo2bo10b2o50bobo2bo2b
3o5b2obo176bob2o5b3o2bo2bobo50b2o10bo2bo4bo5bo$3b2o9b2obo9b2o4b2o2b2o
40bo2bo2b2o9b2ob2o3b2o164b2o3b2ob2o9b2o2bo2bo40b2o2b2o4b2o9bob2o9b2o$
12b3o11b3o4b2o2b2o31b2o6b2o9bo6b2obo4b2o164b2o4bob2o6bo9b2o6b2o31b2o2b
2o4b3o11b3o$12b2o13b2o4b2o35b2o4b2o3bo8bo5bobo178bobo5bo8bo3b2o4b2o35b
2o4b2o13b2o$28b2o48b2o10bo6bo180bo6bo10b2o48b2o$29bo49bo2bo210bo2bo49b
o$80bobo210bobo!

Puffer emulator.

[qqd]

Has anyone tried using an infinite number of parallel gliders to represent some real number and then do computation on it?

[unname4798]

Has anyone tried using an infinite number of parallel gliders to represent some real number and then do computation on it?

Please do not quote without a comment.
My 333rd post!
333=37*9

[TYCF]

What is Base64?

[unname4798]

What is Base64?

In computer programming, Base64 is a group of binary-to-text encoding schemes that represent binary data (more specifically, a sequence of 8-bit bytes) in sequences of 24 bits that can be represented by four 6-bit Base64 digits.

As with all binary-to-text encoding schemes, Base64 is designed to carry data stored in binary formats across channels that only reliably support text content. Base64 is particularly prevalent on the World Wide Web where one of its uses is the ability to embed image files or other binary assets inside textual assets such as HTML and CSS files.

Base64 is also widely used for sending e-mail attachments. This is required because SMTP – in its original form – was designed to transport 7-bit ASCII characters only. This encoding causes an overhead of 33–37% (33% by the encoding itself; up to 4% more by the inserted line breaks).
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base64

[qqd]

Has anyone tried using an infinite number of parallel gliders to represent some real number and then do computation on it?

Please do not quote without a comment...

Well, can someone answer the question then?

[unname4798]

What is this pattern called?

Code: Select all

x = 7, y = 4, rule = B3/S23
b5o$o5bo$obobobo$b2ob2o!

[hotdogPi]

What is this pattern called?

Code: Select all

x = 7, y = 4, rule = B3/S23
b5o$o5bo$obobobo$b2ob2o!

Clip? "Clips" is what you have when there are two of them stabilizing each other.

[unname4798]

What is this pattern called?

Code: Select all

x = 7, y = 4, rule = B3/S23
b5o$o5bo$obobobo$b2ob2o!

Clip? "Clips" is what you have when there are two of them stabilizing each other.

Yes.

[Haycat2009]

Has anyone tried using an infinite number of parallel gliders to represent some real number and then do computation on it?

Yes. The pi calculator works this way.

[EvinZL]

Yes. The pi calculator works this way.

It does not. The pi calculator uses succesively better rational approximations stored as pairs of binary numbers

[HerscheltheHerschel]

Can someone make a debrisless variant of this reaction which I call the Pulsonar?

Code: Select all

x = 17, y = 13, rule = B3/S23
2b3o3b3o2$o4bobo4bo$o4bobo4bo3bo$o4bobo4bobobo$2b3o3b3o3b3o$14bo$2b3o
3b3o$o4bobo4bo$o4bobo4bo$o4bobo4bo2$2b3o3b3o!

[confocaloid]

Can someone make a debrisless variant of this reaction which I call the Pulsonar?

Code: Select all

x = 17, y = 13, rule = B3/S23
2b3o3b3o2$o4bobo4bo$o4bobo4bo3bo$o4bobo4bobobo$2b3o3b3o3b3o$14bo$2b3o
3b3o$o4bobo4bo$o4bobo4bo$o4bobo4bo2$2b3o3b3o!

What counts as a variant? This is not debrisless, but it has less debris and creates more escaped gliders:

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 21, rule = B3/S23
7b2o$7b2o2$17b2o$17b2o4$2b3o3b3o2$o4bobo4bo$o4bobo4bo3bo$o4bobo4bobobo
$2b3o3b3o3b3o$14bo$2b3o3b3o$o4bobo4bo$o4bobo4bo$o4bobo4bo2$2b3o3b3o!

[HerscheltheHerschel]

Can someone make a debrisless variant of this reaction which I call the Pulsonar?

Code: Select all

x = 17, y = 13, rule = B3/S23
2b3o3b3o2$o4bobo4bo$o4bobo4bo3bo$o4bobo4bobobo$2b3o3b3o3b3o$14bo$2b3o
3b3o$o4bobo4bo$o4bobo4bo$o4bobo4bo2$2b3o3b3o!

What counts as a variant? This is not debrisless, but it has less debris and creates more escaped gliders:

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 21, rule = B3/S23
7b2o$7b2o2$17b2o$17b2o4$2b3o3b3o2$o4bobo4bo$o4bobo4bo3bo$o4bobo4bobobo
$2b3o3b3o3b3o$14bo$2b3o3b3o$o4bobo4bo$o4bobo4bo$o4bobo4bo2$2b3o3b3o!

My definition: A variant is anything similar enough to another specific pattern/reaction, but with different results.

[qqd]

Has anyone tried using an infinite number of parallel gliders to represent some real number and then do computation on it?

To be clear, I meant parallel gliders on different equally spaced lanes, not the same lane. (This is the 3rd time I am asking this question).

[dvgrn]

Has anyone tried using an infinite number of parallel gliders to represent some real number and then do computation on it?

To be clear, I meant parallel gliders on different equally spaced lanes, not the same lane. (This is the 3rd time I am asking this question).

I tend to ignore questions that I don't understand, hoping that they'll be clearer to someone else. Are you suggesting storing an infinite number of bits (representing an arbitary binary real number) in an infinitely large array of... some kind of Life circuitry? Half-infinite, presumably, so you could arrange for some kind of readout at one edge of the structure?

I think that the short answer is: no, nobody has tried that. But then it's not clear to me exactly how anyone would try that, or what kinds of computations they might do that would be interesting.

[TYCF]

Is there a moving sawtooth variant whose back part moves at c/10?

[qqd]

Has anyone tried using an infinite number of parallel gliders to represent some real number and then do computation on it?

To be clear, I meant parallel gliders on different equally spaced lanes, not the same lane. (This is the 3rd time I am asking this question).

I tend to ignore questions that I don't understand, hoping that they'll be clearer to someone else. Are you suggesting storing an infinite number of bits (representing an arbitary binary real number) in an infinitely large array of... some kind of Life circuitry? Half-infinite, presumably, so you could arrange for some kind of readout at one edge of the structure?

I think that the short answer is: no, nobody has tried that. But then it's not clear to me exactly how anyone would try that, or what kinds of computations they might do that would be interesting.

Yes, except there is no readout (you can just read off the binary real number), and it extends in both directions. I don't understand how it is impossible, though. Sure, it might take a long (perhaps even infinite) amount of time to do a computation on it, but locally it is just doing computation on a finite number of inputs. Not much different from circle-free Turing machines doing computation, except now there is an input. It might theoretically be possible, even if in practice no computer can store an infinite amount of bits.

[dvgrn]

Yes, except there is no readout (you can just read off the binary real number), and it extends in both directions. I don't understand how it is impossible, though.

I didn't say that it was impossible, only that I didn't understand your question well enough to try to answer it. I still don't see a clear question.

What computation are you envisioning doing to this infinite array of bits, exactly? If the array extends in both directions, how would it be interpreted as a real number? I take it that there's a defined location that would be the "ones place"?

Once you solve the interpretation problem, clearly there are operations that wouldn't take very long at all to complete with the appropriate circuitry -- "invert" is easy, for example, if the circuitry is hard-wired to perform it. (If there's some central computer that's the source of the computation commands, then a lot of operations will definitely never complete, because they can't be communicated to all memory cells in a finite time.)

"Add 1" might take a short time (if all bits are 0, for example) ... or it might take forever, if all bits are 1 and the carry operation never finds a place to stop. Multiplying or dividing by 2 could technically be done in a short amount of time, with every memory cell copying the contents of its neighbor simultaneously -- but again, only if the circuitry is hard-wired to perform that particular operation, with no central processing unit directing things.

Squaring the current value in the infinite register would be ... um ... tricky, I think? And it would probably never finish any more than a neverending carry would.

So it's all sorta kinda theoretically possible, but the thought experiment seems too vague to really make a lot of sense.

[TYCF]

Is there a catalyst that can turn a pre-beehive into a block?

[squareroot12621]

Is there a catalyst that can turn a pre-beehive into a block?

Assuming the block works in any spot, this works:

Code: Select all

x = 8, y = 10, rule = B3/S23
2o$bo$bobo$2b2o$5b3o$5b3o$2b2o$bobo$bo$2o!

[TYCF]

Is there a catalyst that can turn a pre-beehive into a block?

Assuming the block works in any spot, this works:

Code: Select all

x = 8, y = 10, rule = B3/S23
2o$bo$bobo$2b2o$5b3o$5b3o$2b2o$bobo$bo$2o!

Thank you, but is there one that can work here ?(The white part is the original block.)

Code: Select all

x = 8, y = 13, rule = LifeHistory
3.2E$3.E$.E.E$.2E3.2A$2.2D2.A$4.A.A$4.2A$2CA$2CA$4.2A$4.A.A$6.A$6.2A!


[[ GPS 3 ]]

[Haycat2009]

Is there a moving sawtooth variant whose back part moves at c/10?

Yes. The c/3 part can be replaced with c/10 rakes.

[Haycat2009]

Are there any known keepers where the object produced catalyses the active reaction such that it is eaten?