blinkers

[evilbento]

I know this is such a noob question, but someone please help me understand how a blinker works.

I understand how 3 dots in a line would produce 2 more dots making it a + shape. But wouldn't that kill the dot in the center and form a still life. I know the + missing the center dot isn't one of the still lifes generated through iterations. So I know I'm missing something.

I'm not a programmer, nor am I good at math. So please be patient with me.

Thanks!!!

[thunk]

I know this is such a noob question, but someone please help me understand how a blinker works.

I understand how 3 dots in a line would produce 2 more dots making it a + shape. But wouldn't that kill the dot in the center and form a still life. I know the + missing the center dot isn't one of the still lifes generated through iterations. So I know I'm missing something.

Survival conditions for cells are predicated on the neighbors that exist before the birth conditions are applied, not after. In the blinker, the center cell has two neighbors (initially), and the edges have only one. The two edge cells die, and two new cells are born on the side of the center, which remains, forming a blinker in the opposite phase.
The important thing to note is that birth and survival occur at the same time, not one after the other.

Also, the + missing the center is called a "tub".

[evilbento]

thank you so much!!! that makes so much sense!!!

[Kazyan]

Or, in other words: you figure out what every cell is going to do based on what the field is like right now, then it happens all at once to get the next generation.

Life's rules are presented as if they're simple, which they are, but short explanations do leave questions like yours. Welcome aboard!

[Saka]

Hi evilbento! I suggest you to look at the wiki here