LifeWiki - User contributions [en]

Lifeline/project

2010-03-04T20:18:20Z

Methodood: /* Issues status */ P6 to check

== Project ==

*As stated in [[http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=139#p1821 ConwayLife forums]] :
Lifeline #5 is on the way. The process might be shortened with a project where contributors register themselves for limited tasks and publish every step on this subpage :
*scan a magazine issue
*OCR and check text
*create images
*check work, create links and edit wiki page

== Issues status ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! issue !! scan !! OCR !! check_text !! images !! links_check_all !! summary !! collate
|-
|| 1 ||X||X||X||X||X||X|| |
|-
|| 2 ||X||X||X||X||X||X|| |
|-
|| 3 ||X||X||X||X||X||X|| |
|-
|| 4 ||X||X||X||X||X||X|| |
|-
|| 5 ||X||X||X|| x ||x|| || |
|-
|| 6 ||X||X|| || || || || |
|-
|| 7 ||X|| || || || || || |
|-
|| 8 ||X|| || || || || || |
|-
|| 9 ||X|| || || || || || |
|-
|| 10 ||X|| || || || || || |
|-
|| 11 ||X|| || || || || || |
|}
*''Please help fixing this table!''
* "X", done ; "x", partially ; " ", please help = fill blanks with your name if you have some time.
*Summaries are in [[Lifeline|Lifeline#Summary of the issues]]
*To collate a Lifeline issue is to check wether a picture exists under some other name, or if a question in issue # N :
gets its answer in # N+1 => create a link
or stays unanswered => add to "[[Open problems in the Game of Life]]" which is to be created.

== Lifeline style ==

Be bold! ''Please add guidelines for :''

=== Text ===
The proposal is to keep linefeeds in the wiki source and let it flow on the page, except maybe in a table.

=== References and links ===
As usual in a wiki, only the first occurrence of a possible link is set.

=== Pictures ===
Pictures are conveniently :
*Drawn using ''golly'' and its grid that may be made 5*5, the same as Wainwright's pics
*Uploaded with the applet and saved in ConwayLife.com (.rle, to store the source file)
*Saved as .png and uploaded here : there exists a shorter way with a link to the CL site.
Naming pictures with page number looks easier (lifeline_vol05_503.png is pic 3 of page 5 of issue 5)

There must be a common way to label a picture (insert text of specific font, put "x" instead of cells, and so on) : the howto is lacking for now.

Lifeline Volume 6

2010-03-04T20:16:57Z

Methodood: pp 7-8 with multiple exponents markup to check

__NOTOC__{{LifeLine|vol=6|date=October 1972}}

<center><pre>A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR ENTHUSIASTS OF JOHN CONWAY'S GAME OF LIFE

O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO O O OOOOO
O O O O O O OO O O
O O OOO OOO O O O O O OOO
O O O O O O O OO O
OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O O OOOOO

Number 6 OCTOBER 1972</pre>

• Editor and Publisher: [[Robert T. Wainwright]] •</center>

====Page 1====
Only one day before picking up the freshly printed copies of [[Lifeline Volume 5|LIFELINE Number Five]] I received a letter from [[John Conway|JHC]] himself describing several new conjectures which he put forth regarding [[Conway's Game of Life|Life]]. I immediately prepared a short note describing one of the conjectures, 'The Grandfather Problem' for insertion into each of the newsletters which were about to be sealed for mailing.

I would now like to further elaborate upon that small note inserted into LIFELINE Number Five and also present another of Conway's amazing conjectures.

The Grandfather Problem: here is a problem that as Conway says seems
compIeteIy untouchabIe - even the Moore type argument fails completely.*
Is there a configuration which has a father but no grandfather? Your
obvious ideas are most likely wrong. For instance although the pattern
below left has at least one father which is an orphan there are very
likely other fathers which are not orphans. What we are looking for
is a pattern with only orphans for fathers. Of course, we can ask
similar questions about great-grandfathers etc. Conway is offering
$50 to the first person to settle the grandfather problem either way.

tick tock

Editor's Note (EN): this is a highly artificial object.

The Unique Father Problem: Conway has posed another related problem which
is the following: is there a stable configuration whose only father is
itself (with some fading junk some distance away not being counted)?
For example, is there any father to the 'tock' other than the 'tick'
(these are the two phases of the clock shown above right)? There is
and I will present all submitted in LIFELINE Number Seven next month
but for some other configuration there may be no other predecessors
other than itself.

Conway offers a $50 prize for this as well. All decisions for validity
of proofs to be his alone, I shall forward all proofs to Conway who will
act as the final arbiter of the contest.

* The reader may enjoy reading 'Mathematics in the Biological Sciences'
by Edward F. Moore in the September 1964 issue of Scientific American.
Additionally, page five of this LIFELINE contains an article regarding
the Moore-Myhill criterion for existance of Garden of Eden configurations.

====Page 2====
Class E, Evolutionaries, Exercises, Et cetera . . .

'LIFEXPLANATIONS' by Peter Raynham of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

There are various lifeforms such as the beehive, which
are small and stable. However bigger life is unstable, and
tends to break down. For instance, a superbeehive, with
edges of three instead of two, is unstable, and in twelve
generations, it splits apart into four normal beehives.
A superblinker also is unstable, and in six generations,
becomes four normal size blinkers.
Life can also be cross bred, to create new life with
traits of both original objects. For example, the super-beehive
produces beehives but it stabilizes. A blinker,
however,oscillates, but leaves no debris. Now by combining
these two objects into one, a pattern is produced which both
oscillates and leaves beehives. All these are shown here:

super- beehive splits into ... 
super blinker becomes ... 
hybrid: super- beehive blinker 
EN: interesting, any others?

Reader Briefs ...

Mark Horton of Cardiff by Sea, Ca. 
notes that: the figure two forms a 
beehive and block in sixteen generations 
which then conservatively 
interacts as described on page 15 
of LIFELINE Number Three. 
GENERATlON 0000 / NUMBER TWO

Christopher Scussel of Birmingham Mi. 
notes that the collision of a glider 
and a lightweight spaceship will in 
130 generations result in a pure census 
of twenty blinkers. (EN: a blinding 
finish!) 
SPACESHIP-GLIDER CRASH
RESULTING IN MANY BLINKERS

Class l, Still Lifes and Stable Forms . . .

Lee H. Skinner of Albuquerque,N.M. has now verified that of the still
lifes there are 24 ten-bit objects, at least 40 eleven-bit objects, about
65 twelve-bit objects, about 75 thirteen-bit objects and about 100
fourteen-bit objects. Based upon this and other empirical information,
several interesting generalizations have now been made regarding Life
structures. These will be introduced in a later issue of LIFELINE.
EN: try identifying all two dozen of the tens.

====Page 3====
Class II, Oscillators . . .

The cover page of LIFELINE Number Five illustrated a set of oscillators
With periods of 8, 4, 3, 5, 6 2, 7, and 9.(a thru h respectively)!
Excluding (a) all these were discovered and sent in by Buckingham's
Combine, the prolific group who have now reported over thirtyfive new
oscillators with a period greater than two! For variety the writer
included (a). To insure appropriate credit and authorship I will now
indicate the specific discoverer and exact name as coined by same.

Object Name Period Discoverer. 
(a) 'roteightor' 8 Wainwright 
(b) 'boss' 4 Buckingham 
(c) 'biting off more
than they can chew' 3 Raynham 
(d) 'mathematician' 5 Buckingham 
(e) '$rats' 6 Buckingham 
(f) 'snake pit' 2 Niemiec 
(g) 'burloaferimeter' 7 Buckingham 
(h) 'worker bee' 9 Buckingham 
(1) 'dinner table' 12 Wainwright 

EN: I have included (i) 
here for completeness.

Lifeobservation by Glenn Puro of Geneva N Y

While reading The UFO Experiences A Scientific Inquiry by J. Allen
Hynek, I noticed a feature of interest in Figure 7, one of the photographs
following page 52. In the photograph, six images of apparently
opaque objects are grouped in a formation strongly resembling the
beehive of John H. Conway's game "life," instead of a line or hexagon
as would seem more likely in a natural phenomenon. The only obvious
way one would be led to such a pattern is by using rules to fabricate
a space, as has been done in designing cellular automata. Of course,
there is also the possibility that the pattern resulted from a wide,
if not broad, circulation of Scientific American.

Reader Reply . . .

Regarding the 'Line-Block' Oscillator by Harry J. Riley of Trenton,N.J.

Three more oscillators residing on a 4x12 torus have been reported by
Riley. The first is simply a period two flip-flop consisting of two
adjacent lines (see diagram a). The second is a period four oscillator
consisting of a block between two lines (see diagram b). The third is
a period twelve oscillator which emulates a spaceship-wick moving west
at the speed of light as was first reported in LIFELINE Number Three
on page 18 (see diagram c).

EN: the_* are empty cells.

====Page 4====

Lifecomic by Richard Holmes of
Fayetteville, N.Y.
I'm a real son of a Gun!

Lifecomic by Traw
pant, pant.

Excursions Into the Universe of '3-4' Life . . .
Into the foreseeable future, this variation to Conway's basic rules
will probably hold and sustain more interest than any other variation
yet reported. Several developments in 3-4 Life since its first introduction
in issue Number Four (Page 8) make it as interesting as regular
Life during its earlier stages. Here are a few:

James B. Shearer of Livermore, Ca. has discovered
several still life forms other than the block
(see No.4,p.8)! The object on the right is one
of these new surprising discoveries.

Paul Dietz or Ellicott City, Md. reports the
two oscillators shown below in this interesting
variation on Life.

Raynham has determined there are 44 different collisions involving
pairs of the period three orthogonal spaceship (see No.5,p.5). One
of the more interesting results is shown below.

"diamond ring"
period 4 oscillator
in 4 generations

generation 7

Lifequotes
'If it were possible to spend one hour with Albert Einstein, I would
use my share of that hour to introduce and explain Life.'
. . . an anonomous  Lifenthusiast.

Editor's Errors_and Embarrassment . . .

On page six of LIFELINE Number Five Answers to Reader Exercises 5.1,
c. should read: The dented row of bits forms two beehives and a blinker
after fourteen moves.

====Page 5====

Reader Article . . .

ON THE GARDEN-OF-EDEN THEOREM 
by 
Frank Bernhart, Kansas State University

It is remarkable that several years before Conway invented the
"Life" game, Edward F. Moore proved a theorem showing that certain types
of cellular automata must have Garden-of-Eden configurations, and although
this proof applied to "Life", no example was known for some time.
The theorem has been strengthened by John Myhill, and now provides a
complete criterion for the existence of GOE's. Both results are collected
in ESSAYS ON CELLULAR AUTOMATA, edited by Arthur W. Burks (U. of Ill.
Press, 1970). The argument underlying the Moore-Myhill criterion is not
basically hard to follow, and this article presents a brief exposition
for readers of Life-Line.

To avoid tangling with a number of discrepancies that exist between
the two results, the terminology here is redefined and the argument reworded.
Readers interested in the original definitions should refer to
the papers.

For definiteness, four properties of cellular automata are stated.

(a) The space of the automaton is an infinite cellular square array.

(b) Changes occur in discrete time steps, and each step is called a
generation.

(c) The change in each cell occurs simultaneously, and depends on a
universal rule that only takes into account the contents of that cell
and its neighbors.

(d) The rule is deterministic, hence each pattern has precisely one
successor, although a pattern may have none, one or more than one
predecessor ('father').

In physics space is said to be homogeneous if the natural laws
treat all the points alike, and anisotropic if all directions at a point
are treated alike. The universality of the rule means that our automata
are homogeneous in the discrete sense, or that a sequence of generations
is unchanged if the entire pattern is shifted to the right, the left,
up, or down. We do not care about anisotropy, but Conway's game is
anistropic in the sense that rotation of the pattern 90° or reflection
does not alter the rule. In short, the rule retains all the symetry
originally possessed by the infinite square array.

Define a Garden-of-Eden or GOE pattern to be any pattern which is
not the successor of any other pattern, or in other words cannot be
any generation of a sequence other than the first or 0-generation. In
"Life" a finite pattern may be called a GOE, but with the understanding
that the rest of space is in a blank state. A blank state is defined
as a state which remains the same when it is surrounded by identical
states --- we will assume there is at most one blank state. Because
the existence theorem is not limited to automata possessing a blank
state, we need a way to refer to finite patterns that doesn't depend
on blank states. Let us employ the word orphan ( a term due to Conway)
to mean any finite pattern with the property that any total pattern
including it must be a GOE.

====Page 6====

The possibility remains open that a GOE pattern might have no
orphans at all, i.e. each finite part can occur as a successor if its
environment is suitably changed. About such GOE's, if they exist, we
have nothing to say --- the proof is concerned with the existence of
orphans. Given an orphan the remaining cells may be filled with any
states at all, and a GOE is obtained. The 9X33 rectangle published
as an orphan (see "Math. Games", SCI.AM., 11-71) properly includes at
least two layers of blanks to 'insulate' it from the environment ---
in games without blanks other states may act as insulation.

It is amazing that Moore's proof shows only that an orphan exists
in "Life" not larger than about 25Xl09 by 25Xl09. The discovery of a
small orphan was an important step, and probably one much smaller than
the known one exists. Moore's proof is not a 'pure' existence proof,
since a definite bound can be calculated, but obviously no one cared
to comb through all configurations of that size!
Let P be a finite pattern, square in shape, presumed to be part
of a total pattern. When P is given, the next state may be computed
for any cell not in the outermost layer. A boundary cell of course
depends both on cells within P, and cells outside P. The new states
of the inner cells from a square Q, smaller than P by two rows and two
columns. If P is size nxn, then Q is (n-2)x(n-2). Let T, or T:P->Q
denote the transformation taking P to Q. This notion is applicable to
all the automata under consideration. Note that another equivalent
definition of orphan is a configuration Q which is not the successor
of any P under T. Merely taken an orphan of any shape and add enough
cells for padding to make the shape square.

Two states of the 'universe' will be called indistinguishable with
respect to each other if two things are true:

(a) They have the same sussessor, and

(b) The states are the same, except for a finite number of cells.

Two square arrays P,P1 of the same size will be called mutually erasable if

(a') The size is at least 5x5 and the outer two layers are identical.

(b') Both P,P1 yield the same square Q under T.

It is now not hard to see that two universal states U, U1 are indistinguishable
just in case there is a pair of ME squares P,P1 such that
P occurs in U, and if P is replaced by P1, U1 is obtained. We assume
of course that P,P1 and consequently U, U1 are distinct. Suppose U, U1
are indistinguishable, then a square array P in U may be singled out,
large enough to include all the cells where U, U1 differ, and at least
two layers besides. It is clear that this square pattern P and its
correspondent P1 in U1 form an ME pair. On the other hand, if U contains
P, and P,P1 are ME, form U1 by replacing P with P1. Suppose
T: P,P1 ->Q. Each cell of the space either has identical contents for
itself and its neighbors in both U and U1 , or else is in the area that
becomes Q, hence U, U1 are followed by identical generations. Here is
seen the reason for two identical layers of insulation instead of one.

====Page 7====

Notice that any finite pattern containing P of arbitrary shape is
an orphan if P is, and is mutually erasable if P is. This is the
reason it is no loss to consider square arrays only.

We are now ready for the Moore-Myhill Theorem. It states that an
automata of the sort described above possesses a finite Garden-of-Eden
(orphan) if and only if there is a finite pair of mutually erasable
square arrays.

First consider the-case where P,P1 are squares, say of size nxn,
which are mutually erasable. The idea of the proof is to range copies
of these together to obtain patterns which have only one successor for
a large number of predecessors. The occurence of such "greedy" children
with so many fathers eventually predominates to such an extent that
there are not enough fathers remaining for the rest, and some must be
orphans. Compare the strain in Marxist thought that predicts the concentration
of goods in the hands of a rich few with the passage of time,
so that many are left without.

For a bit of rationale, consider the border which is lost in applying
the transformation T. This depends roughly on the size of the
square array, whereas the number of copies of P or P1 that can be packed
into the array depends more on the area. As the area has a faster
growth rate, loss due to 'erasure' should eventually overtake and exceed
the loss of states due to the border. In giving a numerical argument,
we omit the calculation of an exact bound.

For some k > 1, consider all possible square arrays R of size
kn x kn. Each R can be partitioned into k2 subarrays of size nxn.
Suppose P is one of these subarrays, and T: R -> S. Replace P by P1
and get R1. Since T: R1-> S, in looking at arrays R with distinct
succesors, we can pass over those cases which contain P rather than P1
as a subarray. Let A be the number of states per cell. There are then
An2 possibilities for an nxn array, but with P omitted, only An2-1.
This happens in all k2 possibilities for an nxn array, but with P omitted,
only An2-1) k2 arrays R with distinct successors can be found.
But the number of possible successors S is the number of arrays
of size (kn-2) x (kn-2), which is A(kn-2)2. All that is needed to argue
the existence of an orphan is the inequality

An2-1 k2 < A(kn-2)2

for large enough k, for then 'children' exceed 'fathers'. But consider
the equivalent condition obtained by raising both sides to the 1/k2 power.

(An2 - 1) < A(kn-2)2/k2 = A(n-2/k)2

By increasing k, n - 2/k can be made close to n, so that the right side
can be made as close to An2 as desired. The left side is less than
this amount by the fixed quantity 1, hence the inequality can be achieved.

====Page 8====

To make the argument in reverse, assume that some array P of size
nxn is an orphan. Consider the A (kn-2)2 different arrays S of size
(kn-2) x (kn-2). By adding two identical layers to all of these, obtain
the same number of arrays Q of size (kn+2 x (kn+2). Consider
the transformation T:Q -> R, where R is nxn. Now if R is the successor
of some Q, none of the k2 different subarrays of size nxn can be the
orphan P. Using an argument almost identical to the one above, the
number of possible distinct R with P excluded from each subarray is
at most An2-1 k2 . By again considering the Moore inequality,
we find the number of arrays R which can be successors is less than
the number of Q, and there are then two arrays of size (kn+2) x (kn+2),
say Q and Q , which have the same successor. Since these have the
same two outer layers, they form a mutually erasable pair.

To find a pair of mutually erasable arrays in "Life" consider two
5x5 squares, one blank, the other almost, with a single live bit in
the center. This application was apparently first noticed by Alvy
Ray Smith III.
This completes the result, but the "grandfather" problem is still
unsolved: is there a configuration with a father, but every father of
i is itself an orphan?

Class III, Spaceships and Pure Glider Generators . . .

Roger P. Linfield of Millersville,
Pa. notes that the fourteen-bit
string in 38 generations forms a
single glider headed northwest.

STEP NUMBER 0

Raynham notes that two pi-heptominoes
of 'houses' as he calls them will,
in 33 generations, form a beacon
with two gliders sucessfully escaping
to the southwest.

generation 0
house-house collision

Lifequote:
'Life will die if held too tightly,
Life will fly if held too lightly,
Lightly, tightly, how do we know,
whether we're holding or letting Life go.
. . . Oscar Wilde.

Lifecomic by Michael Moore
of Utica, N.Y.
Quit
tailgating
me!

COMING EVENTS:
GAMES COMPUTERS PLAY
Kinkbombs
more Lifecomics
A new contest!
A survey of Life objects

some intriguing pseudo-oscillators
Lifacts (empirical and theoretical)
another Conwat conjecture
Fly-by-fuses a second flight
annoucement of local Lifeditors

LIFELINE Numbers seven and Eight will be mailed in November & December!

...editing in progress - volunteer to help (patterns, &c.) ...

==Page Scans==
<gallery>
Image:Lifeline_vol_6.png|Page 1
Image:Lifeline_vol_6_p2.jpg|Page 2
Image:Lifeline_vol_6_p3.jpg|Page 3
Image:Lifeline_vol_6_p4.jpg|Page 4
Image:Lifeline_vol_6_p5.jpg|Page 5
Image:Lifeline_vol_6_p6.jpg|Page 6
Image:Lifeline_vol_6_p7.jpg|Page 7
Image:Lifeline_vol_6_p8.jpg|Page 8
</gallery>

Lifeline Volume 6

2010-03-04T18:15:07Z

Methodood: p. 6

__NOTOC__{{LifeLine|vol=6|date=October 1972}}

<center><pre>A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR ENTHUSIASTS OF JOHN CONWAY'S GAME OF LIFE

O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO O O OOOOO
O O O O O O OO O O
O O OOO OOO O O O O O OOO
O O O O O O O OO O
OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O O OOOOO

Number 6 OCTOBER 1972</pre>

• Editor and Publisher: [[Robert T. Wainwright]] •</center>

====Page 1====
Only one day before picking up the freshly printed copies of [[Lifeline Volume 5|LIFELINE Number Five]] I received a letter from [[John Conway|JHC]] himself describing several new conjectures which he put forth regarding [[Conway's Game of Life|Life]]. I immediately prepared a short note describing one of the conjectures, 'The Grandfather Problem' for insertion into each of the newsletters which were about to be sealed for mailing.

I would now like to further elaborate upon that small note inserted into LIFELINE Number Five and also present another of Conway's amazing conjectures.

The Grandfather Problem: here is a problem that as Conway says seems
compIeteIy untouchabIe - even the Moore type argument fails completely.*
Is there a configuration which has a father but no grandfather? Your
obvious ideas are most likely wrong. For instance although the pattern
below left has at least one father which is an orphan there are very
likely other fathers which are not orphans. What we are looking for
is a pattern with only orphans for fathers. Of course, we can ask
similar questions about great-grandfathers etc. Conway is offering
$50 to the first person to settle the grandfather problem either way.

tick tock

Editor's Note (EN): this is a highly artificial object.

The Unique Father Problem: Conway has posed another related problem which
is the following: is there a stable configuration whose only father is
itself (with some fading junk some distance away not being counted)?
For example, is there any father to the 'tock' other than the 'tick'
(these are the two phases of the clock shown above right)? There is
and I will present all submitted in LIFELINE Number Seven next month
but for some other configuration there may be no other predecessors
other than itself.

Conway offers a $50 prize for this as well. All decisions for validity
of proofs to be his alone, I shall forward all proofs to Conway who will
act as the final arbiter of the contest.

* The reader may enjoy reading 'Mathematics in the Biological Sciences'
by Edward F. Moore in the September 1964 issue of Scientific American.
Additionally, page five of this LIFELINE contains an article regarding
the Moore-Myhill criterion for existance of Garden of Eden configurations.

====Page 2====
Class E, Evolutionaries, Exercises, Et cetera . . .

'LIFEXPLANATIONS' by Peter Raynham of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

There are various lifeforms such as the beehive, which
are small and stable. However bigger life is unstable, and
tends to break down. For instance, a superbeehive, with
edges of three instead of two, is unstable, and in twelve
generations, it splits apart into four normal beehives.
A superblinker also is unstable, and in six generations,
becomes four normal size blinkers.
Life can also be cross bred, to create new life with
traits of both original objects. For example, the super-beehive
produces beehives but it stabilizes. A blinker,
however,oscillates, but leaves no debris. Now by combining
these two objects into one, a pattern is produced which both
oscillates and leaves beehives. All these are shown here:

super- beehive splits into ... 
super blinker becomes ... 
hybrid: super- beehive blinker 
EN: interesting, any others?

Reader Briefs ...

Mark Horton of Cardiff by Sea, Ca. 
notes that: the figure two forms a 
beehive and block in sixteen generations 
which then conservatively 
interacts as described on page 15 
of LIFELINE Number Three. 
GENERATlON 0000 / NUMBER TWO

Christopher Scussel of Birmingham Mi. 
notes that the collision of a glider 
and a lightweight spaceship will in 
130 generations result in a pure census 
of twenty blinkers. (EN: a blinding 
finish!) 
SPACESHIP-GLIDER CRASH
RESULTING IN MANY BLINKERS

Class l, Still Lifes and Stable Forms . . .

Lee H. Skinner of Albuquerque,N.M. has now verified that of the still
lifes there are 24 ten-bit objects, at least 40 eleven-bit objects, about
65 twelve-bit objects, about 75 thirteen-bit objects and about 100
fourteen-bit objects. Based upon this and other empirical information,
several interesting generalizations have now been made regarding Life
structures. These will be introduced in a later issue of LIFELINE.
EN: try identifying all two dozen of the tens.

====Page 3====
Class II, Oscillators . . .

The cover page of LIFELINE Number Five illustrated a set of oscillators
With periods of 8, 4, 3, 5, 6 2, 7, and 9.(a thru h respectively)!
Excluding (a) all these were discovered and sent in by Buckingham's
Combine, the prolific group who have now reported over thirtyfive new
oscillators with a period greater than two! For variety the writer
included (a). To insure appropriate credit and authorship I will now
indicate the specific discoverer and exact name as coined by same.

Object Name Period Discoverer. 
(a) 'roteightor' 8 Wainwright 
(b) 'boss' 4 Buckingham 
(c) 'biting off more
than they can chew' 3 Raynham 
(d) 'mathematician' 5 Buckingham 
(e) '$rats' 6 Buckingham 
(f) 'snake pit' 2 Niemiec 
(g) 'burloaferimeter' 7 Buckingham 
(h) 'worker bee' 9 Buckingham 
(1) 'dinner table' 12 Wainwright 

EN: I have included (i) 
here for completeness.

Lifeobservation by Glenn Puro of Geneva N Y

While reading The UFO Experiences A Scientific Inquiry by J. Allen
Hynek, I noticed a feature of interest in Figure 7, one of the photographs
following page 52. In the photograph, six images of apparently
opaque objects are grouped in a formation strongly resembling the
beehive of John H. Conway's game "life," instead of a line or hexagon
as would seem more likely in a natural phenomenon. The only obvious
way one would be led to such a pattern is by using rules to fabricate
a space, as has been done in designing cellular automata. Of course,
there is also the possibility that the pattern resulted from a wide,
if not broad, circulation of Scientific American.

Reader Reply . . .

Regarding the 'Line-Block' Oscillator by Harry J. Riley of Trenton,N.J.

Three more oscillators residing on a 4x12 torus have been reported by
Riley. The first is simply a period two flip-flop consisting of two
adjacent lines (see diagram a). The second is a period four oscillator
consisting of a block between two lines (see diagram b). The third is
a period twelve oscillator which emulates a spaceship-wick moving west
at the speed of light as was first reported in LIFELINE Number Three
on page 18 (see diagram c).

EN: the_* are empty cells.

====Page 4====

Lifecomic by Richard Holmes of
Fayetteville, N.Y.
I'm a real son of a Gun!

Lifecomic by Traw
pant, pant.

Excursions Into the Universe of '3-4' Life . . .
Into the foreseeable future, this variation to Conway's basic rules
will probably hold and sustain more interest than any other variation
yet reported. Several developments in 3-4 Life since its first introduction
in issue Number Four (Page 8) make it as interesting as regular
Life during its earlier stages. Here are a few:

James B. Shearer of Livermore, Ca. has discovered
several still life forms other than the block
(see No.4,p.8)! The object on the right is one
of these new surprising discoveries.

Paul Dietz or Ellicott City, Md. reports the
two oscillators shown below in this interesting
variation on Life.

Raynham has determined there are 44 different collisions involving
pairs of the period three orthogonal spaceship (see No.5,p.5). One
of the more interesting results is shown below.

"diamond ring"
period 4 oscillator
in 4 generations

generation 7

Lifequotes
'If it were possible to spend one hour with Albert Einstein, I would
use my share of that hour to introduce and explain Life.'
. . . an anonomous  Lifenthusiast.

Editor's Errors_and Embarrassment . . .

On page six of LIFELINE Number Five Answers to Reader Exercises 5.1,
c. should read: The dented row of bits forms two beehives and a blinker
after fourteen moves.

====Page 5====

Reader Article . . .

ON THE GARDEN-OF-EDEN THEOREM 
by 
Frank Bernhart, Kansas State University

It is remarkable that several years before Conway invented the
"Life" game, Edward F. Moore proved a theorem showing that certain types
of cellular automata must have Garden-of-Eden configurations, and although
this proof applied to "Life", no example was known for some time.
The theorem has been strengthened by John Myhill, and now provides a
complete criterion for the existence of GOE's. Both results are collected
in ESSAYS ON CELLULAR AUTOMATA, edited by Arthur W. Burks (U. of Ill.
Press, 1970). The argument underlying the Moore-Myhill criterion is not
basically hard to follow, and this article presents a brief exposition
for readers of Life-Line.

To avoid tangling with a number of discrepancies that exist between
the two results, the terminology here is redefined and the argument reworded.
Readers interested in the original definitions should refer to
the papers.

For definiteness, four properties of cellular automata are stated.

(a) The space of the automaton is an infinite cellular square array.

(b) Changes occur in discrete time steps, and each step is called a
generation.

(c) The change in each cell occurs simultaneously, and depends on a
universal rule that only takes into account the contents of that cell
and its neighbors.

(d) The rule is deterministic, hence each pattern has precisely one
successor, although a pattern may have none, one or more than one
predecessor ('father').

In physics space is said to be homogeneous if the natural laws
treat all the points alike, and anisotropic if all directions at a point
are treated alike. The universality of the rule means that our automata
are homogeneous in the discrete sense, or that a sequence of generations
is unchanged if the entire pattern is shifted to the right, the left,
up, or down. We do not care about anisotropy, but Conway's game is
anistropic in the sense that rotation of the pattern 90° or reflection
does not alter the rule. In short, the rule retains all the symetry
originally possessed by the infinite square array.

Define a Garden-of-Eden or GOE pattern to be any pattern which is
not the successor of any other pattern, or in other words cannot be
any generation of a sequence other than the first or 0-generation. In
"Life" a finite pattern may be called a GOE, but with the understanding
that the rest of space is in a blank state. A blank state is defined
as a state which remains the same when it is surrounded by identical
states --- we will assume there is at most one blank state. Because
the existence theorem is not limited to automata possessing a blank
state, we need a way to refer to finite patterns that doesn't depend
on blank states. Let us employ the word orphan ( a term due to Conway)
to mean any finite pattern with the property that any total pattern
including it must be a GOE.

====Page 6====

The possibility remains open that a GOE pattern might have no
orphans at all, i.e. each finite part can occur as a successor if its
environment is suitably changed. About such GOE's, if they exist, we
have nothing to say --- the proof is concerned with the existence of
orphans. Given an orphan the remaining cells may be filled with any
states at all, and a GOE is obtained. The 9X33 rectangle published
as an orphan (see "Math. Games", SCI.AM., 11-71) properly includes at
least two layers of blanks to 'insulate' it from the environment ---
in games without blanks other states may act as insulation.

It is amazing that Moore's proof shows only that an orphan exists
in "Life" not larger than about 25Xl0^9 by 25Xl0^9. The discovery of a
small orphan was an important step, and probably one much smaller than
the known one exists. Moore's proof is not a 'pure' existence proof,
since a definite bound can be calculated, but obviously no one cared
to comb through all configurations of that size!
Let P be a finite pattern, square in shape, presumed to be part
of a total pattern. When P is given, the next state may be computed
for any cell not in the outermost layer. A boundary cell of course
depends both on cells within P, and cells outside P. The new states
of the inner cells from a square Q, smaller than P by two rows and two
columns. If P is size nxn, then Q is (n-2)x(n-2). Let T, or T:P->Q
denote the transformation taking P to Q. This notion is applicable to
all the automata under consideration. Note that another equivalent
definition of orphan is a configuration Q which is not the successor
of any P under T. Merely taken an orphan of any shape and add enough
cells for padding to make the shape square.

Two states of the 'universe' will be called indistinguishable with
respect to each other if two things are true:

(a) They have the same sussessor, and

(b) The states are the same, except for a finite number of cells.

Two square arrays P,P1 of the same size will be called mutually erasable if

(a') The size is at least 5x5 and the outer two layers are identical.

(b') Both P,P1 yield the same square Q under T.

It is now not hard to see that two universal states U, U1 are indistinguishable
just in case there is a pair of ME squares P,P1 such that
P occurs in U, and if P is replaced by P1, U1 is obtained. We assume
of course that P,P1 and consequently U, U1 are distinct. Suppose U, U1
are indistinguishable, then a square array P in U may be singled out,
large enough to include all the cells where U, U1 differ, and at least
two layers besides. It is clear that this square pattern P and its
correspondent P1 in U1 form an ME pair. On the other hand, if U contains
P, and P,P1 are ME, form U1 by replacing P with P1. Suppose
T: P,P1 ->Q. Each cell of the space either has identical contents for
itself and its neighbors in both U and U1 , or else is in the area that
becomes Q, hence U, U1 are followed by identical generations. Here is
seen the reason for two identical layers of insulation instead of one.

...to be continued...

==Page Scans==
<gallery>
Image:Lifeline_vol_6.png|Page 1
Image:Lifeline_vol_6_p2.jpg|Page 2
Image:Lifeline_vol_6_p3.jpg|Page 3
Image:Lifeline_vol_6_p4.jpg|Page 4
Image:Lifeline_vol_6_p5.jpg|Page 5
Image:Lifeline_vol_6_p6.jpg|Page 6
Image:Lifeline_vol_6_p7.jpg|Page 7
Image:Lifeline_vol_6_p8.jpg|Page 8
</gallery>

Lifeline Volume 6

2010-03-04T18:04:46Z

Methodood: pp 4- 5

Lifeline Volume 10

2010-03-01T20:58:17Z

Methodood: Page 1 = now give us better scan difinitions please!

__NOTOC__{{LifeLine|vol=10|date=June 1973}}

<center><pre>A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR ENTHUSIASTS OF JOHN CONWAY'S GAME OF LIFE

O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO O O OOOOO
O O O O O O OO O O
O O OOO OOO O O O O O OOO
O O O O O O O OO O
OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O O OOOOO

Number 10 JUNE 1973</pre>

• Editor and Publisher: [[Robert T. Wainwright]] •</center>

====Page 1====
Since publishing the [[Lifeline Volume 9|last issue]] of [[Lifeline|LIFELINE]], I received a unique letter which I am including in this issue in its entirety and without any editing. This reply is not only laid out in newsletter fashion but also includes a kaleidoscope of new and interesting discoveries. I certainly welcome any and all letters of this nature no matter how long or short!

As usual, I will present a cross-section of the new and more recent discoveries reported by all the readers who have taken the time and effort to reply.

Petrie's pentadecathlon, profound, and Prolific predecessors

The glider arrangements shown on this cover page of LIFELINE Number Ten
are described in the previously mentioned letter sent in by Douglas G.
Petrie of Lake Oswego, Ore. These patterns discovered by Petrie produce
respectively in a varying number of generations, the pentedecathlon(!),
Conway's heavyweight spaceship(l!), and Corderman's Switch
Engine(!!!). Details of these reactions and other newsworthy events
are described in Petrie's letter which begins on page three. Is there
anything beside Gardens of Eden that can not be constructed with gliders?

Lifequote submitted by Mark Linimon of Houston, Tx:
'Life is too important a matter to be taken seriously.'
. . . Oscar Wilde

====Page 2====
...to be continued...

==Page Scans==
<gallery>
Image:Lifeline_vol_10.png|Page 1
Image:Lifeline_vol_10_p2.jpg|Page 2
Image:Lifeline_vol_10_p3.jpg|Page 3
Image:Lifeline_vol_10_p4.jpg|Page 4
Image:Lifeline_vol_10_p5.jpg|Page 5
Image:Lifeline_vol_10_p6.jpg|Page 6
Image:Lifeline_vol_10_p7.jpg|Page 7
Image:Lifeline_vol_10_p8.jpg|Page 8
</gallery>

File:Patterns by person.png

2010-02-28T11:26:29Z

Methodood: Patterns found by person as at March 1, 2010.

Patterns found by person as at March 1, 2010.

File:Patterns by year.png

2010-02-28T11:25:27Z

Methodood: Patterns found by year as at March 1, 2010.

Patterns found by year as at March 1, 2010.

User:Methodood

2010-02-28T10:39:35Z

Methodood: /* To be done */ LifeLine, Silver's, newbies

Hello Life!

== Pages ==

=== [[User:Methodood/sandbox]] ===
--Words starting with : and redlinked in this wiki--

''Source'' : Silver's list.

--All words--

* Silver's A-H
* Silver's I-Z

=== [[User:Methodood/sandbox1]] ===
--Lifeline title--

Only # 1 used O's, other issues used squared (underlined and piped) |O|'s.

Ugly, but so true ?
''Source'' : Lifeline quarterly.

== To be done ==

===Statistics===

Unless someone begins, I'll bring charts of - patterns by year, patterns by cells, &c. - according to taste.

===General===

* Sort uncategorized or ":Everything_else" which is almost the same.
**Patterns are cat'd OK. People ; other rules ; cell automaton theory ; literature ; need categories ...
* Enter here, <s>[[Martin Gardner]]</s>! and other Life heroes.

===LifeLine===

Recognise texts, draw patterns for Lifeline issues :
* See [[Lifeline/project]]

===Silver's===

Good old ''lexikon'' needs synonyms treatment.
* See [[User:Methodood/sandbox]] = list of redlinked terms

===Newbies===

Check new contributions! see how to revert (?)

Edge shooter

2010-02-05T21:57:23Z

Methodood: added pic

An '''edge shooter''' is a [[gun]] which fires [[glider]]s or other spaceships beyond edge of the pattern, so that it can be used to fire them closely parallel to others. This is useful for constructing complex guns. Compare [[glider pusher]], which can in fact be used for making edge shooters.

This term should not be confused with '''side shooter''', which is [[Dietrich Leithner]]'s original name for the [[slide gun]].

Paul Callahan found a p46 edge-shooter in June 1994:

OO............OO..O....OO..OO.............
OO............O.OO......OO.OO.............
...............O......O.O.................
...............OOO....OO..................
..........................................
...............OOO....OO..................
...............O......O.O.................
OO............O.OO......OO................
OO............OO..O....OO.................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
...............................OOO...OOO..
..............................O...O.O...O.
.............................O...OO.OO...O
.............................O.OO.....OO.O
...............................O.......O..
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
...............................OO.....OO..
...............................OO.....OO..

[[image:edgeshooter.png|thumb|left|edge shooter (p46)]]
[[image:edgeshooter.gif|thumb|right|edge shooter (p46)]]

File:Edgeshooter.gif

2010-02-05T21:54:41Z

Methodood:

File:Edgeshooter.png

2010-02-05T21:54:08Z

Methodood:

Lifeline

2010-02-04T17:36:32Z

Methodood: help wanted poster

<center><pre>A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR ENTHUSIASTS OF JOHN CONWAY'S GAME OF LIFE

O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO O O OOOOO
O O O O O O OO O O
O O OOO OOO O O O O O OOO
O O O O O O O OO O
OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O O OOOOO

</pre></center>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|The setup for the whole Lifeline issues data is a work in project. You can help [[Lifeline/project|HERE]] 
Thank you!
|}

'''Lifeline''' was a newsletter for "enthusiasts of [[John Horton Conway]]'s [[game of Life]]", first edited and published by [[Robert Wainwright]]. It was published quarterly, the first issue being in March 1971, and ran for twelve issues. The original newsletter was typewritten and the sheets were stapled together.
The newsletter itself followed an enthusiastic response to the first ''Martin Gardner'''s column in ''Scientific American'' (October 1970).

== Summary of the issues ==

=== [[Lifeline Volume 1|Volume 1]] MARCH 1971 ===
8 pages
*N-ominoes ([[Polyominos|Polyomino]])
*A classification system for Life '[[Pattern|Objects]]'
*Colliding spaceships
*Subclasses of Class II - [[Oscillators]]
*Known Class V (''Unstable, predictable'') object Life histories

=== [[Lifeline Volume 2|Volume 2]] JUNE 1971 ===
18 pages
*Fates of the last four unknown heptominoes
*An expanded classification system for finite Life objects
*Examples for each objects class
*Coming events
*A comprehensive file of information generated by life experimenters
*''Boltwood'''s Life program in FORTRAN

=== [[Lifeline Volume 3|Volume 3]] SEPTEMBER 1971 ===
32 pages
*Smallest [[still life]] objects : 4 to 9 cells
*The variety of flip-flop symmetry
*[[Shuttle]]s, [[Flotilla|flottillae]], [[glider gun]]s, [[puffer train]]s
*The Breeder (photographed on page 1)
*[[Methuselah]]s' census
*Spaceship factories
*[[Acorn]] data - generations, contents of the final population ('oak tree')

'''[[Wick]]s and [[agar]]s'''
*A classification system for 'wicks' (one-dimensionally infinite objects)
*Illusion of motion' (IoM)
*A summary of [[fuse]]s
*A classification system for 'agars' (two-dimensionally infinite objects)
*The smallest area that should contain a [[Garden of Eden]] (GoE) pattern
*Coming events

=== [[Lifeline Volume 4|Volume 4]] DECEMBER 1971 ===
12 pages
*Publisher R. T. Wainwright willing to be an antecessor
*The incredible '[[Switch engine]]'
*Diagonal [[puffer train]]
*Methuselah census
*'Natural pentadec'(athlon)
*Toroidal surface and variations to [[Conway]]'s basic [[rules]]
*Coming events
*Lifefile - ''Thompson's'' codex system for known Life objects

=== [[Lifeline Volume 5|Volume 5]] SEPTEMBER 1972 ===
7 pages
*New discoveries sent in by 'Buckinghams Combine'
*Summary of Conway' Life rules
*HOW TO PLAY LIFE
*Class E, Evolutionaries, Exercises, Et cetera . . .
*Class I, Still Lifes and Stable Forms . . .
*Class II, Oscillators . . .
*Reader Article . . .
*Excursions Into Other Universes . . .
*Answers to Reader Exercises
*COMING EVENTS
*RANDOM BITS
*LIFELINE EDITORIAL BOARD
*LIFE SAVER survey

==External links==
{{LinkLexicon|lex_l.htm#lifeline}}
{{LinkWeisstein|LifeLine.html}}

Topology

2010-01-29T20:54:11Z

Methodood: add categ.

'''Topology''' is a branch of mathematics dealing with the properties of space - whether it is contiguous, contains holes, and so on.

A surface - e.g. the grid used to play the Game of Life - may be infinite, like a plane, a cylinder, or finite like a sphere (see a map of the earth) or a torus.
A finite surface has to be curved to form those three forms : [[cylinder]], (infinite in only one direction), [[torus]] and [[Klein bottle]]. The image shows how to roll and seam the sides in each case :
[[Image:topol.png|center|thumb|Topologies]]
*Normal surface : no effect
*Cylinder : rolling and pasting opposite sides "1".
*Torus : from the cylinder, then rolling and pasting opposite circles appearing in "2"
*Klein bottle : ouch! sides "1" go together and one of sides "2" is first torned to have opposite corners coïncide (hence "2" - "S").

[[Category:Topologies]]

File:Topol.png

2010-01-29T18:16:18Z

Methodood: illustration for finite and infinite topologies

illustration for finite and infinite topologies

Topology

2010-01-29T18:15:36Z

Methodood: create page

Neighbourhood

2010-01-29T18:05:29Z

Methodood: /* Neighbourhood */ topology link

Machines which perform useful work have a long history, but their operation usually has to be guided. When guidance was eventually mechanized as well, the result was called an automaton. Irrespective of the physical form of the machine, its behavior could be summarized by calling portions of that behavior '''states''' and saying that changes in its mode of operation were accompanied by the emission and reception of '''signals'''. Altogether the result was a theory of automata, such as seen in Claude Shannon's analysis of the telephone switching system. When John von Neumann, thinking of such things as biological systems and automated factories, decided to use a mathematical model of construction and reproduction, he also decided to refer them to a two dimensional coordinate grid. '''Cells''' of the automaton were situated at integer coordinates, exchanging information with nearby cells. Thus the term '''cellular automaton''' came to mean a lattice of cells, each with a repertoire of states, uniformly connected with a '''neighborhood''' of other cells (possibly including itself), driven by signals which were simply the combined states of the cells within its neighborhood. External signals were neither received nor emitted. Dynamically, the states of the cells were updated at intervals according to a '''transition rule''' relating the new state of the cell to its old neighborhood; all updating was to be calculated simultaneously, and completed before altering any of the cells.

In summary, the four ingredients of a cellular automaton are:
*a lattice,
*some states,
*the neighborhood geometry,
*and a rule of evolution.
Each of these requirements can be examined in turn.

== States ==

Although the states can be given names, the simplest choice is to state their number, and enumerate them. Binary automata with states (0, 1) are the simplest; Life calls them ''dead'' or ''inert'', and ''live''. It is possible to quibble whether a state which has never been alive should be called dead, but it is a convenient appellation. Von Neumann's automaton<ref>John von Neumann (Edited and Completed by Arthur W. Burks), ''Theory of Self-Reproducing Automata,'' University of Illinois Press, 1966.</ref>, had 29 states, ten of which were ''quiescent''.

== Lattice ==

The selection of a lattice is rarely controversial; the square Cartesian grid, of any dimension, is quite common but the low dimensions are easiest to visualize. A planar hexagonal grid is sometimes convenient; there are several three dimensional lattices, but lattice types are quite restricted in higher dimensions. There are three regular 2D lattices, one regular 3D lattice, and three regular 4D lattices. Interesting lattices in higher dimensions include the E8 lattice and Leech lattice. The latter has extraordinary symmetry but it is not known to have been used in a cellular automaton.

Normally evolution follows the Markov property, that the next configuration depends only on the present configuration; but it could reach a finite distance into the past. Edward Fredkin postulated a lattice of two time steps in order to construct reversible cellular automata, in analogy to first and second order differential equations. Diffusion equations, of first order usually not reversible, but wave equations, of second order, often are.

== Rules ==

Transition rules admit many possibilities, usually being chosen for the intended application; certainly von Neumann carefully engineered his choices. Each of the 29 states has a useful purpose: the sixteen transmission states are used for basic signal propagation; the four confluent states have many uses; the eight sensitised states are necessary for construction, and one ground state that acts as a background. [[John Conway]] chose his '''Game of Life''' rule with equal care, seeking a well balanced evolution. Symmetry constitutes a general criterion for rule selection; simply counting the occupancy of a neighborhood's symmetry class fulfills this requirement. [[totalistic]] rules count all the cells of a given state in a neighborhood,[[semitotalistic]] rules set the reference cell apart. Golay surrounds, especially is a hexagonal lattice, make a finer distinction.

== Neighbourhood ==

Finally, there is the matter of neighbourhoods. They could be quite capricious, but that is rarely contemplated. Giving them a radius - distance from the reference cell - is a natural choice:

*Von Neumann chose nearest neighbors with respect to Cartesian coordinates, which means i-1, i, i+1 and j-1, j, j+1 for the site (i, j). If only one index is varied at a time, the result is the [[von Neumann neighborhood]] of whose five members one is central with four ringing it.

*Varying both indices independently results in the [[Moore neighborhood]] whose nine members split into a center surrounded by a ring of eight, which in turn contains four orthogonal neighbors and four diagonal neighbors<ref>Edward F. Moore, ''Machine Models of Self Reproduction,'' American Mathematical Society ''Proceedings of Symposia in Applied Mathematics'' '''14''' pp. 17-33 (1962). </ref>,. He explicitly mentioned that the von Neumann neighborhood could be embedded in the one he proposed. All these schemes retain the eightfold dihedral symmetry of the square lattice.

**Even though counting neighbors seems to be a sufficient and rational decision, it was soon realized that functional analysis employs a whole series of variants of the Pythagorean theorem, the Lp spaces, defining their respective circles; the von Neumann neighbourhood could be an L1 circle of unit radius, the Moore neighborhood an Linfinity unit circle. Larger radii create characteristic discs. L2 is a natural reference [[topology]], being the one which makes ordinary circles.

**To make better sense of the use of topological discs, consider that for a von Neumann neighborhood, a cell's evolution then depends on a minimal (but symmetric) sampling of the surrounding dimensions, while the Moore neighborhood achieves a maximal sampling.

Aside from explorations resulting from tinkering with the topology used to define a neighborhood, there is a natural hierarchy of neighborhoods resulting from iterating the rule of evolution; after all, the ability to do so was a motivation for creating the concept of a cellular automaton. To ascertain the result of two generations of evolution, it is necessary to go back one step to see how the first generation could have arisen. A second generation neighborhood is therefore the union of all the neighborhoods of cells in the first generation and so on backwards for the third and further generations.

In this sense, there is a predecessor to Moore's 3x3 square, namely a 2x2 square (1x1 is considered too small to be worthy of mention as a cellular automaton). Which of the four cells is to be considered the reference cell? It need not even be near the remainder of the neighborhood; visually at least, and to make Lp radii meaningful, it is usually the cell sitting at the center of the neighborhood. To maintain the artistic integrity for square neighborhoods of even width, the lattice spacing could be doubled with cells sitting at even lattice points. Placing the evolved cells at the odd lattice points and adjusting the area allocated to depict the cell's state allows the evolution to continue while alternating parities between the sublattices.

Even width neighborhoods so constructed and utilized are called '''Margolus neighborhoods'''; Moore neighborhoods have odd widths. Two generations of a Margolus rule are equivalent to a single generation of a Moore rule; Margolus rules can even be changed on alternate generations. While this factorizes many 3x3 Moore rules, it only accounts for a small fraction of them.

Margolus neighborhoods are small enough that devising totalistic rules renders little benefit. On the other hand, Margolus
was interested in reversible cellular automata<ref>Tommaso Toffoli, Norman Margolus, ''Cellular Automata Machines: A New Environment for Modelling,'' The MIT Press, 1987 .</ref>, for which rules encompassing shifting, reflection, creation, annihilation, and complementation abound in such small neighborhoods; the '''billiard ball machine''' was a result.

==Other arrangements==

Blocking is another arrangement which Stephen Wolfram studied extensively, albeit mostly in the context of one-dimensional cellular automata. Groups of cells, say a Margolus neighborhood within a Moore neighborhood, are taken as a single entity, this increasing the number of states within an indvidual cell. The rule of evolution has to be modified accordingly, especially if the blocks overlap.

Sterechronic blocking is also permitted; Fredkin's reversible automata are the relevant example.

== See also ==
[[:Category:Everything else|Von Neumann neighbourhoods]]

[[:Category:Everything else|Moore neighbourhoods]]

[[:Category:Everything else|2x2]]

== references ==

<references />

[[Category:Glossary]]
[[Category:Everything else]]

Lifeline/project

2010-01-29T17:39:23Z

Methodood: be bold

== Project ==

*As stated in [[http://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=139#p1821 ConwayLife forums]] :
Lifeline #5 is on the way. The process might be shortened with a project where contributors register themselves for limited tasks and publish every step on this subpage :
*scan a magazine issue
*OCR and check text
*create images
*check work, create links and edit wiki page

== Issues status ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! issue !! scan !! OCR !! check_text !! images !! links_check_all !! summary !! collate
|-
|| 1 ||X||X||X||X||X||X|| |
|-
|| 2 ||X||X||X||X||X||X|| |
|-
|| 3 ||X||X||X||X||X||X|| |
|-
|| 4 ||X||X||X||X||X||X|| |
|-
|| 5 ||X||X||X|| x ||x|| || |
|-
|| 6 || || || || || || || |
|-
|| 7 || || || || || || || |
|-
|| 8 || || || || || || || |
|-
|| 9 || || || || || || || |
|-
|| 10 || || || || || || || |
|-
|| 11 || || || || || || || |
|}
*''Please help fixing this table!''
* "X", done ; "x", partially ; " ", please help = fill blanks with your name if you have some time.
*Summaries are in [[Lifeline|Lifeline#Summary of the issues]]
*To collate a Lifeline issue is to check wether a picture exists under some other name, or if a question in issue # N :
gets its answer in # N+1 => create a link
or stays unanswered => add to "[[Open problems in the Game of Life]]" which is to be created.

== Lifeline style ==

Be bold! ''Please add guidelines for :''

=== Text ===
The proposal is to keep linefeeds in the wiki source and let it flow on the page, except maybe in a table.

=== References and links ===
As usual in a wiki, only the first occurrence of a possible link is set.

=== Pictures ===
Pictures are conveniently :
*Drawn using ''golly'' and its grid that may be made 5*5, the same as Wainwright's pics
*Uploaded with the applet and saved in ConwayLife.com (.rle, to store the source file)
*Saved as .png and uploaded here : there exists a shorter way with a link to the CL site.
Naming pictures with page number looks easier (lifeline_vol05_503.png is pic 3 of page 5 of issue 5)

There must be a common way to label a picture (insert text of specific font, put "x" instead of cells, and so on) : the howto is lacking for now.

Lifeline

2010-01-29T17:25:06Z

Methodood: /* Summary of the issues */ Vol 5 summary

<center><pre>A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR ENTHUSIASTS OF JOHN CONWAY'S GAME OF LIFE

O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO O O OOOOO
O O O O O O OO O O
O O OOO OOO O O O O O OOO
O O O O O O O OO O
OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O O OOOOO

</pre></center>

'''Lifeline''' was a newsletter for "enthusiasts of [[John Horton Conway]]'s [[game of Life]]", first edited and published by [[Robert Wainwright]]. It was published quarterly, the first issue being in March 1971, and ran for twelve issues. The original newsletter was typewritten and the sheets were stapled together.
The newsletter itself followed an enthusiastic response to the first ''Martin Gardner'''s column in ''Scientific American'' (October 1970).

== Summary of the issues ==

=== [[Lifeline Volume 1|Volume 1]] MARCH 1971 ===
8 pages
*N-ominoes ([[Polyominos|Polyomino]])
*A classification system for Life '[[Pattern|Objects]]'
*Colliding spaceships
*Subclasses of Class II - [[Oscillators]]
*Known Class V (''Unstable, predictable'') object Life histories

=== [[Lifeline Volume 2|Volume 2]] JUNE 1971 ===
18 pages
*Fates of the last four unknown heptominoes
*An expanded classification system for finite Life objects
*Examples for each objects class
*Coming events
*A comprehensive file of information generated by life experimenters
*''Boltwood'''s Life program in FORTRAN

=== [[Lifeline Volume 3|Volume 3]] SEPTEMBER 1971 ===
32 pages
*Smallest [[still life]] objects : 4 to 9 cells
*The variety of flip-flop symmetry
*[[Shuttle]]s, [[Flotilla|flottillae]], [[glider gun]]s, [[puffer train]]s
*The Breeder (photographed on page 1)
*[[Methuselah]]s' census
*Spaceship factories
*[[Acorn]] data - generations, contents of the final population ('oak tree')

'''[[Wick]]s and [[agar]]s'''
*A classification system for 'wicks' (one-dimensionally infinite objects)
*Illusion of motion' (IoM)
*A summary of [[fuse]]s
*A classification system for 'agars' (two-dimensionally infinite objects)
*The smallest area that should contain a [[Garden of Eden]] (GoE) pattern
*Coming events

=== [[Lifeline Volume 4|Volume 4]] DECEMBER 1971 ===
12 pages
*Publisher R. T. Wainwright willing to be an antecessor
*The incredible '[[Switch engine]]'
*Diagonal [[puffer train]]
*Methuselah census
*'Natural pentadec'(athlon)
*Toroidal surface and variations to [[Conway]]'s basic [[rules]]
*Coming events
*Lifefile - ''Thompson's'' codex system for known Life objects

=== [[Lifeline Volume 5|Volume 5]] SEPTEMBER 1972 ===
7 pages
*New discoveries sent in by 'Buckinghams Combine'
*Summary of Conway' Life rules
*HOW TO PLAY LIFE
*Class E, Evolutionaries, Exercises, Et cetera . . .
*Class I, Still Lifes and Stable Forms . . .
*Class II, Oscillators . . .
*Reader Article . . .
*Excursions Into Other Universes . . .
*Answers to Reader Exercises
*COMING EVENTS
*RANDOM BITS
*LIFELINE EDITORIAL BOARD
*LIFE SAVER survey

==External links==
{{LinkLexicon|lex_l.htm#lifeline}}
{{LinkWeisstein|LifeLine.html}}

Lifeline Volume 5

2010-01-29T17:18:20Z

Methodood: /* Page 5 */ image legends

__NOTOC__{{LifeLine|vol=5|date=September 1972}}

<center><pre>A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR ENTHUSIASTS OF JOHN CONWAY'S GAME OF LIFE

O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO O O OOOOO
O O O O O O OO O O
O O OOO OOO O O O O O OOO
O O O O O O O OO O
OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O O OOOOO

Number 5 SEPTEMBER 1972</pre>

• Editor and Publisher: [[Robert T. Wainwright]] •</center>

====Page 1====
Activity regarding [[Conway's Game of Life|Life]] and [[Lifeline|LIFELINE]] is beginning to pick up again after a rather quiet spring. In May I sent out a status report with a questionnaire to all 700 of the previous correspondents. The response has been very encouraging and after thinking about the fate of LIFELINE for awhile, I have decided there is definitely enough interest to keep it going with some help from other readers like yourself. I have contacted and made arrangements for a local commercial service to handle the very time consuming burden of mailing label preparation and printing. For this reason, I have decided to oversee the entire effort myself assuming most of the creating articles and material will be supplies by various 'satellite' groups.

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_101.png|framed|center|Some of the fantastic new discoveries sent in by 'Buckinghams Combine', a prolific group of Lifenthusiasts... see page four for details.]]

The last sheet of this newsletter titled LIFESAVER is a renewal in questionnaire form which can be conveniently detached, folded, and mailed. The name and address information to be included in the return will be used to update the computer file of all 700 existing correspondents. If a reply is not received, I will assume you are no longer interested in obtaining LIFELINE. With regard to the new subscription procedure, my feeling right now is that if someone submits a usable article, he would be entitled to a years subscription at no cost. On the other hand, you may elect to be a regular subscriber and simply pay the nominal annual rate which is explained in the LIFESAVER. Remember, only your completed and returned LIFESAVER will guarantee a subscription to LIFELINE.

====Page 2====
For the benefit of those of your who have not yet had the pleasure to read Martin Gardner's popular October 1970 column in Scientific American, I will now summarize [[John Conway|Conway]]'s original Life rules and also suggest a convenient method to play the game.

Life is based on [[cellular automaton|cellular automata]] theory and uses the two-dimensional square space which is simply a matrix or grid. Each square or cell within this grid has two possible states: either empty or full (that is occupied with a '[[bit]]'). Each cell also has a set of eight surrounding neighbor cells that can influence its own state.

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_02.png|center]]

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_03.png|right|framed|The possible transitions]] A cell's state will change according to a set of transition rules that aply simultaneously to every cell in the space. These rules are based on both the current state of the cell and also the collective state of its neighbors and need only consider and be defined for a cell going from empty to full (birth) or from full to empty (death). These possible combinations of state change are shown here to the right.

Conway's specific rules are the key to Life and will now be described:

'''Births:''' each empty cell with exactly 3 neighbors whose cells are full (contain a bit) is a birth cell. A bit is placed in it for the next move.

'''Deaths:''' each full cell (containing a bit) requires 2 OR 3 neighbors to survive for the next move. Every bit with four or more neighbors dies from overpopulation and every bit with one or no neighbors dies from isolation.

When Conway originally stated his rules, he presented a third rule for survivals but here we have included it with the death rule since it is implied by same. It is very important to understand that all births and deaths occur simultaneously. Together they constitute a single move, or as we shall call it, a [[generation]], in the complete Life history of an initial pattern which may be constructed of cells occupied with any arrangement of bits. Any given pattern will then change its state in discrete steps by recursively applying Conway's rules.

A simple procedure of steps is suggested on the top of page three for manually making these moves on graph paper.

====Page 3====
HOW TO PLAY LIFE

Step 1. Choose your initial configuration by marking all live or full cells with an '0' (a bit). Note that you are free to choose any pattern desired for this beginning or zero generation. After this, the pattern is governed by Conway's rules.

Step 2. Scan* the pattern and mark all birth cells (i.e., those empty cells with exactly three neighbors containing a bit) with a '.' (a dot).

*scanning can be done by either or both (for double check) of these methods:

Method a. scan each empty cell of every row or column passing through and adjacent to the pattern.

Method b. scan each empty cell immediately around the pattern and within the pattern.

Step 3. Check each bit for the possibility of death (those with other than two or three neighbors containing a bit) and mark over the '0' with an 'X'.

Step 4. Copy all '0' and '.' to a new area or page for the next generation. You will now have the first generation in the Life history of your initial pattern. Go back to Step 2.

====Page 4====
Class E, Evolutionaries, Exercises, Et cetera . . .

The reader is invited to discover the fate of the two L's (a below),
the string of seven bits (b), the dented row of bits (c), and the bits
and block (d). The outcome of these exercises given on page six
illustrate the common classes of object types that we have defined
previously in LIFELINE.

<center>Reader exercises 5.1</center>
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_401.png|framed|center|a - b - c - d]]

Class I, Still Lifes and Stable Forms . . .

In the last newsletter I requested all known 10 and 11-bit still life
objects. This seemingly 'simple' request is apparently more difficult
than first imagined. While generalizing Class I structures, I found
a mere nine-bit still life that had not been previously reported. Those
heretofore known are shown below. Additional investigation then yielded
even two more still lifes bringing the new total to ten different
objects. Question 5.2: Can you discover any of these?

<center>The set of previously published nine-bit still lifes</center>
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_402.png|framed|center|hat - 9.1 - 9.2 - 9.3 - 9.4 - 9.5 - 9.6]]

Class II, Oscillators . . .

The objects shown on the cover page of LIFELINE Number Five are but a
small sampling of the many new discoveries made and sent in by David
Buckingham, Mark Niemiec, and Peter Raynham of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.
They include several objects with periods never before reported.
However, the most amazing aspect of this collection beside the periods
(incidentally all eight are different) is the fact that they were all
discovered manually. This should be a refreshing contrast to many
readers the writer included who stared in awe at the cover features on
the two previous issues of LIFELINE which obviously could never have
been constructed or discovered without an excellent computer resource.
Since each of the objects shown on the cover are easy to track I will
leave for the reader the enjoyment of determining their periods. Hint:
as a collection, the exact arrangment as shown on the cover will reappear
again only after 2,520 generations! I will have more discoveries to
report from this group in future issues of LIFELINE.

Class III, Spaceships and Pure Glider Generators . . .

The Curious 3-1-8 by Curt Gibson of New York, N.Y. and Robert Bison of
Hopewell Jct., N.Y.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|Gibson's sparse 3-1-8 becomes a 
glider heading southeast in 16.
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_403.png|framed|center|]]
|Bison's dense 3-1-8 (a duodecomino) 
becomes a glider heading southwest 
in 32.
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_404.png|framed|center|]]
|}

====Page 5====
Reader Article . . .

The Period 12 'Line·Block' Oscillator by Edward Fitzgerald, David
Lawson, and Tad Marshall of Irvington, N.Y.

An oscillator of period twelve has been discovered which
exists on a 4x12 torus. The oscillator consists of a line and a
block, and interestingly enough it is the only possible oscillator
of its type which can exist on a torus of the size specified.
It's twelve states are shown in the acconpianing illustration.
I have taken as the primary state the one in which the line and
the block are seperated in one direction by 2 spaces and in the
other by 7 (the 2/7 state). In the second generation the line
and block are in the 4/5 state, in Gen. 6 the oscillator is in
the 8/1 state, and in Gen. 8 it is in the 6/3 state. Since the
line and the block themselves occupy three horizontal spaces of
the torus, the oscillator has all possible seperations of the
line and the block, l.e. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8.
Since a torus can be considered analagous with an agar, the
line-block oscillator can be considered as an agar oscillator,
and, with the addition of a properly spaced block on the opposite
side of the line, it can exist on a cylinder. A cylinder is
analogous with a wick, thus giving the line-block oscillator a
wick form as well.
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_501.png|framed|center| 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11]][[Image:Lifeline vol05_502.png|framed|center|etc. _ _ _ _ _ _ etc.]]

Excursions Into Other Universes . . .

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|An Alien Spaceship From The Universe of '3-4' Life by Rici Liknaitzky 
and The Other Hackers from the A.I.Lab at M.I.T. 
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_503.png|framed|center|Phase One Phase Two Phase Three]]
 
Editor's Note: recall the simple rules 
ln this variation; 3 or 4 bits for 
birth and 3 or 4 bits for survival. In 
otherwords a cell will be on in the 
next generation if and only if it now 
has 3 or 4 neighbors on.
|Lifecomic by Traw
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_504.png|framed|center|I'm hungry]]
|}
 

====Page 6====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
! '''Answers to Reader Exercises 5.1: ''' !! '''Answers to Question 5.2:'''
|-
|a. The two L's rearrange themselves in the fifth generation 
then die five generations later. 

b. The string of seven bits evolves into a large S-shape 
still life object in six generations. 

c. The dented row of bits forms the beautiful CP 48-56-72 
period three oscillator after 40 moves. 

d. The bits and block create a single glider headed 
southeast in three generations.

|Three new nine-bit still lifes
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_601.png|framed|right|*9.7 
*9.8 
*9.9]]
|}

'''COMING EVENTS:'''

.establishment of permanent newsletter departments

.some more eater-bound oscillators

.'Research in Occult Symbology' - a reader article

.Moore's garden of eden proof

.summary of answers to LIFESAVER questionnaire
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_602.png|framed|right|Lifecomic by Traw Let's get together and take a trip]]
.'Evolution' - a reader article

.more from Buckingham's Combine

.'BATTLEFIELD' - a new board game

.a bibliography of other newsletters devoted to 
simulation games

'''RANDOM BITS:'''

.Thompson has now tracked and/or tabulated 
over 19,000 patterns! He 
estimates there are about 68,000 
different spatially-connected seven-bit 
patterns.

.There are 71 different two-glider 
collisions (right angle and head-on) 
which have all been tracked.

.LIFELINE Numbers Six and Seven will 
be mailed In October and November.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Reader Brief . . . !! Reader Brief . . .
|-
|Don Woods of Natick, Mass. notes that: 8 squares form 8 square [[Image:Lifeline vol05_603.png|framed|center|(left) Gen: 0 (right) Gen: 5]]
| Charles L. Corderman of Westborough, Mass. notes that: [[Image:Lifeline vol05_604.png|framed|center|...]] has a final population of 633 bits including 13 gliders but that the remainder of the final census is not the same as the acorn!
|}

LIFELINE EDITORIAL BOARD

Editor-in-chief: Robert T. Wainwright

Associate Editors: Names and addresses yet to be determined pending 
response from LIFESAVER.

====Page 7====

'''LIFE SAVER'''

There are many geographic concentrations of 'Lifenthusiasts'. For example,
in the greater Boston area alone there_are 27 readers. Does the idea of form-
ing a local group in your area for participation in Life activities appeal?

No[ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes[ ] for_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ activities

This group might center around an installation with good computing capabili-
ties. For instance, a university or research center with a graphical display
device. Could/would you be able to offer such a facility to a local group?

No[ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes [ ] (explain)

In addition to local activities, such a group or even an individual could
provide input to LIFELINE on a regular basis by reporting on their own ac-
complishments. Whether acting as an associate editor for such a group or by
contributing to one does this idea appeal to you?

No [ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes[ ] contributing Yes[ ] assoc.editor

Independent of any computer resources at your disposal, would you be inter-
ested in contacting others in your area and starting a group if provided with
an address list of all readers near you?

No [ ] Maybe [ ] Yes[ ] my phone number is: _ _ _-_ _ _-_ _ _

As interesting as Life is, there is a real gap in the spectrum of resources
available to 'play' or investigate its mysteries. As the return questionnaire
from May confirmed, the readership is definitely divided into two separate
groups with large differences in exploratory capability. The 'Life-Club'
concept would vastly improve this situation. More interestingly, a small
keyboard device which can compute and display Life on an ordinary TV set will
very probably be made available. If such a device were now available what is
the maximum price (within your own reason) that you would be willing to pay?

$20 [ ] $50 [ ] $100 [ ] $200 [ ] $500 [ ] $1000 [ ] Other _ _ _ _ _ _ _

In order to just cover printing and mailing costs, the regular annual (4 lssue)
subscription rate for LIFELINE will be two dollars for U.S. and Canada readers,
one pound for U.K. readers, and three dollars (or the approx. equivalent) for
all other foreign readers. If you are interested in participating in LIFELINE's
endevours please indicate this by completing and returning LIFESAVER now.
Although LIFELINE will continue to be primarily devoted to Life and related
subjects, its actual format and specific content will evolve as other readers
begin to take more of an active part in writing and editing. with this in
mind, are you interested in subscribing as a:

[ ] Regular member (nov enclosing payment)

[ ] Participating member (will contribute to newsletter)

[ ] Other (explain)

With regard to'other', perhaps there are other means of exchange particular
to your specific resources.

PLEASE NOTE: LIFELINE Numbers Six and Seven will be published in October and
November so that we can be back on schedule with No.8 in December!

DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE YOUR CORRECT NAME AND ADDRESS AND ZIP! (please print)

==Page Scans==
<gallery>
Image:Lifeline_vol_5.png|Page 1
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p2.jpg|Page 2
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p3.jpg|Page 3
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p4.jpg|Page 4
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p5.jpg|Page 5
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p6.jpg|Page 6
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p7.jpg|Page 7
</gallery>

Lifeline Volume 5

2010-01-29T17:07:51Z

Methodood: /* Page 1 */ image 5_101

__NOTOC__{{LifeLine|vol=5|date=September 1972}}

<center><pre>A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR ENTHUSIASTS OF JOHN CONWAY'S GAME OF LIFE

O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO O O OOOOO
O O O O O O OO O O
O O OOO OOO O O O O O OOO
O O O O O O O OO O
OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O O OOOOO

Number 5 SEPTEMBER 1972</pre>

• Editor and Publisher: [[Robert T. Wainwright]] •</center>

====Page 1====
Activity regarding [[Conway's Game of Life|Life]] and [[Lifeline|LIFELINE]] is beginning to pick up again after a rather quiet spring. In May I sent out a status report with a questionnaire to all 700 of the previous correspondents. The response has been very encouraging and after thinking about the fate of LIFELINE for awhile, I have decided there is definitely enough interest to keep it going with some help from other readers like yourself. I have contacted and made arrangements for a local commercial service to handle the very time consuming burden of mailing label preparation and printing. For this reason, I have decided to oversee the entire effort myself assuming most of the creating articles and material will be supplies by various 'satellite' groups.

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_101.png|framed|center|Some of the fantastic new discoveries sent in by 'Buckinghams Combine', a prolific group of Lifenthusiasts... see page four for details.]]

The last sheet of this newsletter titled LIFESAVER is a renewal in questionnaire form which can be conveniently detached, folded, and mailed. The name and address information to be included in the return will be used to update the computer file of all 700 existing correspondents. If a reply is not received, I will assume you are no longer interested in obtaining LIFELINE. With regard to the new subscription procedure, my feeling right now is that if someone submits a usable article, he would be entitled to a years subscription at no cost. On the other hand, you may elect to be a regular subscriber and simply pay the nominal annual rate which is explained in the LIFESAVER. Remember, only your completed and returned LIFESAVER will guarantee a subscription to LIFELINE.

====Page 2====
For the benefit of those of your who have not yet had the pleasure to read Martin Gardner's popular October 1970 column in Scientific American, I will now summarize [[John Conway|Conway]]'s original Life rules and also suggest a convenient method to play the game.

Life is based on [[cellular automaton|cellular automata]] theory and uses the two-dimensional square space which is simply a matrix or grid. Each square or cell within this grid has two possible states: either empty or full (that is occupied with a '[[bit]]'). Each cell also has a set of eight surrounding neighbor cells that can influence its own state.

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_02.png|center]]

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_03.png|right|framed|The possible transitions]] A cell's state will change according to a set of transition rules that aply simultaneously to every cell in the space. These rules are based on both the current state of the cell and also the collective state of its neighbors and need only consider and be defined for a cell going from empty to full (birth) or from full to empty (death). These possible combinations of state change are shown here to the right.

Conway's specific rules are the key to Life and will now be described:

'''Births:''' each empty cell with exactly 3 neighbors whose cells are full (contain a bit) is a birth cell. A bit is placed in it for the next move.

'''Deaths:''' each full cell (containing a bit) requires 2 OR 3 neighbors to survive for the next move. Every bit with four or more neighbors dies from overpopulation and every bit with one or no neighbors dies from isolation.

When Conway originally stated his rules, he presented a third rule for survivals but here we have included it with the death rule since it is implied by same. It is very important to understand that all births and deaths occur simultaneously. Together they constitute a single move, or as we shall call it, a [[generation]], in the complete Life history of an initial pattern which may be constructed of cells occupied with any arrangement of bits. Any given pattern will then change its state in discrete steps by recursively applying Conway's rules.

A simple procedure of steps is suggested on the top of page three for manually making these moves on graph paper.

====Page 3====
HOW TO PLAY LIFE

Step 1. Choose your initial configuration by marking all live or full cells with an '0' (a bit). Note that you are free to choose any pattern desired for this beginning or zero generation. After this, the pattern is governed by Conway's rules.

Step 2. Scan* the pattern and mark all birth cells (i.e., those empty cells with exactly three neighbors containing a bit) with a '.' (a dot).

*scanning can be done by either or both (for double check) of these methods:

Method a. scan each empty cell of every row or column passing through and adjacent to the pattern.

Method b. scan each empty cell immediately around the pattern and within the pattern.

Step 3. Check each bit for the possibility of death (those with other than two or three neighbors containing a bit) and mark over the '0' with an 'X'.

Step 4. Copy all '0' and '.' to a new area or page for the next generation. You will now have the first generation in the Life history of your initial pattern. Go back to Step 2.

====Page 4====
Class E, Evolutionaries, Exercises, Et cetera . . .

The reader is invited to discover the fate of the two L's (a below),
the string of seven bits (b), the dented row of bits (c), and the bits
and block (d). The outcome of these exercises given on page six
illustrate the common classes of object types that we have defined
previously in LIFELINE.

<center>Reader exercises 5.1</center>
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_401.png|framed|center|a - b - c - d]]

Class I, Still Lifes and Stable Forms . . .

In the last newsletter I requested all known 10 and 11-bit still life
objects. This seemingly 'simple' request is apparently more difficult
than first imagined. While generalizing Class I structures, I found
a mere nine-bit still life that had not been previously reported. Those
heretofore known are shown below. Additional investigation then yielded
even two more still lifes bringing the new total to ten different
objects. Question 5.2: Can you discover any of these?

<center>The set of previously published nine-bit still lifes</center>
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_402.png|framed|center|hat - 9.1 - 9.2 - 9.3 - 9.4 - 9.5 - 9.6]]

Class II, Oscillators . . .

The objects shown on the cover page of LIFELINE Number Five are but a
small sampling of the many new discoveries made and sent in by David
Buckingham, Mark Niemiec, and Peter Raynham of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.
They include several objects with periods never before reported.
However, the most amazing aspect of this collection beside the periods
(incidentally all eight are different) is the fact that they were all
discovered manually. This should be a refreshing contrast to many
readers the writer included who stared in awe at the cover features on
the two previous issues of LIFELINE which obviously could never have
been constructed or discovered without an excellent computer resource.
Since each of the objects shown on the cover are easy to track I will
leave for the reader the enjoyment of determining their periods. Hint:
as a collection, the exact arrangment as shown on the cover will reappear
again only after 2,520 generations! I will have more discoveries to
report from this group in future issues of LIFELINE.

Class III, Spaceships and Pure Glider Generators . . .

The Curious 3-1-8 by Curt Gibson of New York, N.Y. and Robert Bison of
Hopewell Jct., N.Y.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|Gibson's sparse 3-1-8 becomes a 
glider heading southeast in 16.
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_403.png|framed|center|]]
|Bison's dense 3-1-8 (a duodecomino) 
becomes a glider heading southwest 
in 32.
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_404.png|framed|center|]]
|}

====Page 5====
Reader Article . . .

The Period 12 'Line·Block' Oscillator by Edward Fitzgerald, David
Lawson, and Tad Marshall of Irvington, N.Y.

An oscillator of period twelve has been discovered which
exists on a 4x12 torus. The oscillator consists of a line and a
block, and interestingly enough it is the only possible oscillator
of its type which can exist on a torus of the size specified.
It's twelve states are shown in the acconpianing illustration.
I have taken as the primary state the one in which the line and
the block are seperated in one direction by 2 spaces and in the
other by 7 (the 2/7 state). In the second generation the line
and block are in the 4/5 state, in Gen. 6 the oscillator is in
the 8/1 state, and in Gen. 8 it is in the 6/3 state. Since the
line and the block themselves occupy three horizontal spaces of
the torus, the oscillator has all possible seperations of the
line and the block, l.e. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8.
Since a torus can be considered analagous with an agar, the
line-block oscillator can be considered as an agar oscillator,
and, with the addition of a properly spaced block on the opposite
side of the line, it can exist on a cylinder. A cylinder is
analogous with a wick, thus giving the line-block oscillator a
wick form as well.
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_501.png|framed|center| ]]
Excursions Into Other Universes . . .

An Alien Spaceship From The Universe of '3-4' Life by Rici Liknaitzky
and The Other Hackers from the A.I.Lab at M.I.T.

[[Image:Lifeline vol05_502.png|framed|right|Phase One Phase Two Phase Three]]
Editor's Note: recall the simple rules
ln this variation; 3 or 4 blis for
birth and 3 or 4 bits for survival. In
otherwords a cell will be on in the
next generation if and only if it now
has 3 or 4 neighbors on.

[[Image:Lifeline vol05_503.png|framed|right|Lifecomic by Traw]]

====Page 6====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
! '''Answers to Reader Exercises 5.1: ''' !! '''Answers to Question 5.2:'''
|-
|a. The two L's rearrange themselves in the fifth generation 
then die five generations later. 

b. The string of seven bits evolves into a large S-shape 
still life object in six generations. 

c. The dented row of bits forms the beautiful CP 48-56-72 
period three oscillator after 40 moves. 

d. The bits and block create a single glider headed 
southeast in three generations.

|Three new nine-bit still lifes
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_601.png|framed|right|*9.7 
*9.8 
*9.9]]
|}

'''COMING EVENTS:'''

.establishment of permanent newsletter departments

.some more eater-bound oscillators

.'Research in Occult Symbology' - a reader article

.Moore's garden of eden proof

.summary of answers to LIFESAVER questionnaire
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_602.png|framed|right|Lifecomic by Traw Let's get together and take a trip]]
.'Evolution' - a reader article

.more from Buckingham's Combine

.'BATTLEFIELD' - a new board game

.a bibliography of other newsletters devoted to 
simulation games

'''RANDOM BITS:'''

.Thompson has now tracked and/or tabulated 
over 19,000 patterns! He 
estimates there are about 68,000 
different spatially-connected seven-bit 
patterns.

.There are 71 different two-glider 
collisions (right angle and head-on) 
which have all been tracked.

.LIFELINE Numbers Six and Seven will 
be mailed In October and November.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Reader Brief . . . !! Reader Brief . . .
|-
|Don Woods of Natick, Mass. notes that: 8 squares form 8 square [[Image:Lifeline vol05_603.png|framed|center|(left) Gen: 0 (right) Gen: 5]]
| Charles L. Corderman of Westborough, Mass. notes that: [[Image:Lifeline vol05_604.png|framed|center|...]] has a final population of 633 bits including 13 gliders but that the remainder of the final census is not the same as the acorn!
|}

LIFELINE EDITORIAL BOARD

Editor-in-chief: Robert T. Wainwright

Associate Editors: Names and addresses yet to be determined pending 
response from LIFESAVER.

====Page 7====

'''LIFE SAVER'''

There are many geographic concentrations of 'Lifenthusiasts'. For example,
in the greater Boston area alone there_are 27 readers. Does the idea of form-
ing a local group in your area for participation in Life activities appeal?

No[ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes[ ] for_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ activities

This group might center around an installation with good computing capabili-
ties. For instance, a university or research center with a graphical display
device. Could/would you be able to offer such a facility to a local group?

No[ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes [ ] (explain)

In addition to local activities, such a group or even an individual could
provide input to LIFELINE on a regular basis by reporting on their own ac-
complishments. Whether acting as an associate editor for such a group or by
contributing to one does this idea appeal to you?

No [ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes[ ] contributing Yes[ ] assoc.editor

Independent of any computer resources at your disposal, would you be inter-
ested in contacting others in your area and starting a group if provided with
an address list of all readers near you?

No [ ] Maybe [ ] Yes[ ] my phone number is: _ _ _-_ _ _-_ _ _

As interesting as Life is, there is a real gap in the spectrum of resources
available to 'play' or investigate its mysteries. As the return questionnaire
from May confirmed, the readership is definitely divided into two separate
groups with large differences in exploratory capability. The 'Life-Club'
concept would vastly improve this situation. More interestingly, a small
keyboard device which can compute and display Life on an ordinary TV set will
very probably be made available. If such a device were now available what is
the maximum price (within your own reason) that you would be willing to pay?

$20 [ ] $50 [ ] $100 [ ] $200 [ ] $500 [ ] $1000 [ ] Other _ _ _ _ _ _ _

In order to just cover printing and mailing costs, the regular annual (4 lssue)
subscription rate for LIFELINE will be two dollars for U.S. and Canada readers,
one pound for U.K. readers, and three dollars (or the approx. equivalent) for
all other foreign readers. If you are interested in participating in LIFELINE's
endevours please indicate this by completing and returning LIFESAVER now.
Although LIFELINE will continue to be primarily devoted to Life and related
subjects, its actual format and specific content will evolve as other readers
begin to take more of an active part in writing and editing. with this in
mind, are you interested in subscribing as a:

[ ] Regular member (nov enclosing payment)

[ ] Participating member (will contribute to newsletter)

[ ] Other (explain)

With regard to'other', perhaps there are other means of exchange particular
to your specific resources.

PLEASE NOTE: LIFELINE Numbers Six and Seven will be published in October and
November so that we can be back on schedule with No.8 in December!

DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE YOUR CORRECT NAME AND ADDRESS AND ZIP! (please print)

==Page Scans==
<gallery>
Image:Lifeline_vol_5.png|Page 1
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p2.jpg|Page 2
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p3.jpg|Page 3
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p4.jpg|Page 4
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p5.jpg|Page 5
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p6.jpg|Page 6
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p7.jpg|Page 7
</gallery>

File:Lifeline vol05 504.png

2010-01-29T17:05:54Z

Methodood:

File:Lifeline vol05 503.png

2010-01-29T17:05:41Z

Methodood:

File:Lifeline vol05 502.png

2010-01-29T17:05:27Z

Methodood:

File:Lifeline vol05 501.png

2010-01-29T16:50:43Z

Methodood:

File:Lifeline vol05 101.png

2010-01-29T16:44:31Z

Methodood:

Lifeline/project

2010-01-28T18:01:31Z

Methodood: quick project creation

Lifeline Volume 5

2010-01-22T20:38:20Z

Methodood: /* Page 4 */ pics legends

__NOTOC__{{LifeLine|vol=5|date=September 1972}}

<center><pre>A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR ENTHUSIASTS OF JOHN CONWAY'S GAME OF LIFE

O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO O O OOOOO
O O O O O O OO O O
O O OOO OOO O O O O O OOO
O O O O O O O OO O
OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O O OOOOO

Number 5 SEPTEMBER 1972</pre>

• Editor and Publisher: [[Robert T. Wainwright]] •</center>

====Page 1====
Activity regarding [[Conway's Game of Life|Life]] and [[Lifeline|LIFELINE]] is beginning to pick up again after a rather quiet spring. In May I sent out a status report with a questionnaire to all 700 of the previous correspondents. The response has been very encouraging and after thinking about the fate of LIFELINE for awhile, I have decided there is definitely enough interest to keep it going with some help from other readers like yourself. I have contacted and made arrangements for a local commercial service to handle the very time consuming burden of mailing label preparation and printing. For this reason, I have decided to oversee the entire effort myself assuming most of the creating articles and material will be supplies by various 'satellite' groups.

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_01.png|framed|center|Some of the fantastic new discoveries sent in by 'Buckinghams Combine', a prolific group of Lifenthusiasts... see page four for details.]]

The last sheet of this newsletter titled LIFESAVER is a renewal in questionnaire form which can be conveniently detached, folded, and mailed. The name and address information to be included in the return will be used to update the computer file of all 700 existing correspondents. If a reply is not received, I will assume you are no longer interested in obtaining LIFELINE. With regard to the new subscription procedure, my feeling right now is that if someone submits a usable article, he would be entitled to a years subscription at no cost. On the other hand, you may elect to be a regular subscriber and simply pay the nominal annual rate which is explained in the LIFESAVER. Remember, only your completed and returned LIFESAVER will guarantee a subscription to LIFELINE.

====Page 2====
For the benefit of those of your who have not yet had the pleasure to read Martin Gardner's popular October 1970 column in Scientific American, I will now summarize [[John Conway|Conway]]'s original Life rules and also suggest a convenient method to play the game.

Life is based on [[cellular automaton|cellular automata]] theory and uses the two-dimensional square space which is simply a matrix or grid. Each square or cell within this grid has two possible states: either empty or full (that is occupied with a '[[bit]]'). Each cell also has a set of eight surrounding neighbor cells that can influence its own state.

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_02.png|center]]

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_03.png|right|framed|The possible transitions]] A cell's state will change according to a set of transition rules that aply simultaneously to every cell in the space. These rules are based on both the current state of the cell and also the collective state of its neighbors and need only consider and be defined for a cell going from empty to full (birth) or from full to empty (death). These possible combinations of state change are shown here to the right.

Conway's specific rules are the key to Life and will now be described:

'''Births:''' each empty cell with exactly 3 neighbors whose cells are full (contain a bit) is a birth cell. A bit is placed in it for the next move.

'''Deaths:''' each full cell (containing a bit) requires 2 OR 3 neighbors to survive for the next move. Every bit with four or more neighbors dies from overpopulation and every bit with one or no neighbors dies from isolation.

When Conway originally stated his rules, he presented a third rule for survivals but here we have included it with the death rule since it is implied by same. It is very important to understand that all births and deaths occur simultaneously. Together they constitute a single move, or as we shall call it, a [[generation]], in the complete Life history of an initial pattern which may be constructed of cells occupied with any arrangement of bits. Any given pattern will then change its state in discrete steps by recursively applying Conway's rules.

A simple procedure of steps is suggested on the top of page three for manually making these moves on graph paper.

====Page 3====
HOW TO PLAY LIFE

Step 1. Choose your initial configuration by marking all live or full cells with an '0' (a bit). Note that you are free to choose any pattern desired for this beginning or zero generation. After this, the pattern is governed by Conway's rules.

Step 2. Scan* the pattern and mark all birth cells (i.e., those empty cells with exactly three neighbors containing a bit) with a '.' (a dot).

*scanning can be done by either or both (for double check) of these methods:

Method a. scan each empty cell of every row or column passing through and adjacent to the pattern.

Method b. scan each empty cell immediately around the pattern and within the pattern.

Step 3. Check each bit for the possibility of death (those with other than two or three neighbors containing a bit) and mark over the '0' with an 'X'.

Step 4. Copy all '0' and '.' to a new area or page for the next generation. You will now have the first generation in the Life history of your initial pattern. Go back to Step 2.

====Page 4====
Class E, Evolutionaries, Exercises, Et cetera . . .

The reader is invited to discover the fate of the two L's (a below),
the string of seven bits (b), the dented row of bits (c), and the bits
and block (d). The outcome of these exercises given on page six
illustrate the common classes of object types that we have defined
previously in LIFELINE.

<center>Reader exercises 5.1</center>
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_401.png|framed|center|a - b - c - d]]

Class I, Still Lifes and Stable Forms . . .

In the last newsletter I requested all known 10 and 11-bit still life
objects. This seemingly 'simple' request is apparently more difficult
than first imagined. While generalizing Class I structures, I found
a mere nine-bit still life that had not been previously reported. Those
heretofore known are shown below. Additional investigation then yielded
even two more still lifes bringing the new total to ten different
objects. Question 5.2: Can you discover any of these?

<center>The set of previously published nine-bit still lifes</center>
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_402.png|framed|center|hat - 9.1 - 9.2 - 9.3 - 9.4 - 9.5 - 9.6]]

Class II, Oscillators . . .

The objects shown on the cover page of LIFELINE Number Five are but a
small sampling of the many new discoveries made and sent in by David
Buckingham, Mark Niemiec, and Peter Raynham of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.
They include several objects with periods never before reported.
However, the most amazing aspect of this collection beside the periods
(incidentally all eight are different) is the fact that they were all
discovered manually. This should be a refreshing contrast to many
readers the writer included who stared in awe at the cover features on
the two previous issues of LIFELINE which obviously could never have
been constructed or discovered without an excellent computer resource.
Since each of the objects shown on the cover are easy to track I will
leave for the reader the enjoyment of determining their periods. Hint:
as a collection, the exact arrangment as shown on the cover will reappear
again only after 2,520 generations! I will have more discoveries to
report from this group in future issues of LIFELINE.

Class III, Spaceships and Pure Glider Generators . . .

The Curious 3-1-8 by Curt Gibson of New York, N.Y. and Robert Bison of
Hopewell Jct., N.Y.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|Gibson's sparse 3-1-8 becomes a 
glider heading southeast in 16.
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_403.png|framed|center|]]
|Bison's dense 3-1-8 (a duodecomino) 
becomes a glider heading southwest 
in 32.
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_404.png|framed|center|]]
|}

====Page 5====
Reader Article . . .

The Period 12 'Line·Block' Oscillator by Edward Fitzgerald, David
Lawson, and Tad Marshall of Irvington, N.Y.

An oscillator of period twelve has been discovered which
exists on a 4x12 torus. The oscillator consists of a line and a
block, and interestingly enough it is the only possible oscillator
of its type which can exist on a torus of the size specified.
It's twelve states are shown in the acconpianing illustration.
I have taken as the primary state the one in which the line and
the block are seperated in one direction by 2 spaces and in the
other by 7 (the 2/7 state). In the second generation the line
and block are in the 4/5 state, in Gen. 6 the oscillator is in
the 8/1 state, and in Gen. 8 it is in the 6/3 state. Since the
line and the block themselves occupy three horizontal spaces of
the torus, the oscillator has all possible seperations of the
line and the block, l.e. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8.
Since a torus can be considered analagous with an agar, the
line-block oscillator can be considered as an agar oscillator,
and, with the addition of a properly spaced block on the opposite
side of the line, it can exist on a cylinder. A cylinder is
analogous with a wick, thus giving the line-block oscillator a
wick form as well.
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_501.png|framed|center| ]]
Excursions Into Other Universes . . .

An Alien Spaceship From The Universe of '3-4' Life by Rici Liknaitzky
and The Other Hackers from the A.I.Lab at M.I.T.

[[Image:Lifeline vol05_502.png|framed|right|Phase One Phase Two Phase Three]]
Editor's Note: recall the simple rules
ln this variation; 3 or 4 blis for
birth and 3 or 4 bits for survival. In
otherwords a cell will be on in the
next generation if and only if it now
has 3 or 4 neighbors on.

[[Image:Lifeline vol05_503.png|framed|right|Lifecomic by Traw]]

====Page 6====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
! '''Answers to Reader Exercises 5.1: ''' !! '''Answers to Question 5.2:'''
|-
|a. The two L's rearrange themselves in the fifth generation 
then die five generations later. 

b. The string of seven bits evolves into a large S-shape 
still life object in six generations. 

c. The dented row of bits forms the beautiful CP 48-56-72 
period three oscillator after 40 moves. 

d. The bits and block create a single glider headed 
southeast in three generations.

|Three new nine-bit still lifes
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_601.png|framed|right|*9.7 
*9.8 
*9.9]]
|}

'''COMING EVENTS:'''

.establishment of permanent newsletter departments

.some more eater-bound oscillators

.'Research in Occult Symbology' - a reader article

.Moore's garden of eden proof

.summary of answers to LIFESAVER questionnaire
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_602.png|framed|right|Lifecomic by Traw Let's get together and take a trip]]
.'Evolution' - a reader article

.more from Buckingham's Combine

.'BATTLEFIELD' - a new board game

.a bibliography of other newsletters devoted to 
simulation games

'''RANDOM BITS:'''

.Thompson has now tracked and/or tabulated 
over 19,000 patterns! He 
estimates there are about 68,000 
different spatially-connected seven-bit 
patterns.

.There are 71 different two-glider 
collisions (right angle and head-on) 
which have all been tracked.

.LIFELINE Numbers Six and Seven will 
be mailed In October and November.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Reader Brief . . . !! Reader Brief . . .
|-
|Don Woods of Natick, Mass. notes that: 8 squares form 8 square [[Image:Lifeline vol05_603.png|framed|center|(left) Gen: 0 (right) Gen: 5]]
| Charles L. Corderman of Westborough, Mass. notes that: [[Image:Lifeline vol05_604.png|framed|center|...]] has a final population of 633 bits including 13 gliders but that the remainder of the final census is not the same as the acorn!
|}

LIFELINE EDITORIAL BOARD

Editor-in-chief: Robert T. Wainwright

Associate Editors: Names and addresses yet to be determined pending 
response from LIFESAVER.

====Page 7====

'''LIFE SAVER'''

There are many geographic concentrations of 'Lifenthusiasts'. For example,
in the greater Boston area alone there_are 27 readers. Does the idea of form-
ing a local group in your area for participation in Life activities appeal?

No[ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes[ ] for_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ activities

This group might center around an installation with good computing capabili-
ties. For instance, a university or research center with a graphical display
device. Could/would you be able to offer such a facility to a local group?

No[ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes [ ] (explain)

In addition to local activities, such a group or even an individual could
provide input to LIFELINE on a regular basis by reporting on their own ac-
complishments. Whether acting as an associate editor for such a group or by
contributing to one does this idea appeal to you?

No [ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes[ ] contributing Yes[ ] assoc.editor

Independent of any computer resources at your disposal, would you be inter-
ested in contacting others in your area and starting a group if provided with
an address list of all readers near you?

No [ ] Maybe [ ] Yes[ ] my phone number is: _ _ _-_ _ _-_ _ _

As interesting as Life is, there is a real gap in the spectrum of resources
available to 'play' or investigate its mysteries. As the return questionnaire
from May confirmed, the readership is definitely divided into two separate
groups with large differences in exploratory capability. The 'Life-Club'
concept would vastly improve this situation. More interestingly, a small
keyboard device which can compute and display Life on an ordinary TV set will
very probably be made available. If such a device were now available what is
the maximum price (within your own reason) that you would be willing to pay?

$20 [ ] $50 [ ] $100 [ ] $200 [ ] $500 [ ] $1000 [ ] Other _ _ _ _ _ _ _

In order to just cover printing and mailing costs, the regular annual (4 lssue)
subscription rate for LIFELINE will be two dollars for U.S. and Canada readers,
one pound for U.K. readers, and three dollars (or the approx. equivalent) for
all other foreign readers. If you are interested in participating in LIFELINE's
endevours please indicate this by completing and returning LIFESAVER now.
Although LIFELINE will continue to be primarily devoted to Life and related
subjects, its actual format and specific content will evolve as other readers
begin to take more of an active part in writing and editing. with this in
mind, are you interested in subscribing as a:

[ ] Regular member (nov enclosing payment)

[ ] Participating member (will contribute to newsletter)

[ ] Other (explain)

With regard to'other', perhaps there are other means of exchange particular
to your specific resources.

PLEASE NOTE: LIFELINE Numbers Six and Seven will be published in October and
November so that we can be back on schedule with No.8 in December!

DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE YOUR CORRECT NAME AND ADDRESS AND ZIP! (please print)

==Page Scans==
<gallery>
Image:Lifeline_vol_5.png|Page 1
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p2.jpg|Page 2
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p3.jpg|Page 3
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p4.jpg|Page 4
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p5.jpg|Page 5
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p6.jpg|Page 6
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p7.jpg|Page 7
</gallery>

File:Lifeline vol05 404.png

2010-01-22T20:33:27Z

Methodood: dense 3-1-8 made with ConwayLife's applet .rle saved there too if source is to be modified

dense 3-1-8
made with ConwayLife's applet
.rle saved there too if source is to be modified

File:Lifeline vol05 403.png

2010-01-22T20:32:57Z

Methodood: sparse 3-1-8 made with ConwayLife's applet .rle saved there too if source is to be modified

sparse 3-1-8
made with ConwayLife's applet
.rle saved there too if source is to be modified

File:Lifeline vol05 402.png

2010-01-22T20:32:27Z

Methodood: nine-bit stills made with ConwayLife's applet .rle saved there too if source is to be modified

nine-bit stills
made with ConwayLife's applet
.rle saved there too if source is to be modified

File:Lifeline vol05 401.png

2010-01-22T20:31:55Z

Methodood: Class E made with ConwayLife's applet .rle saved there too if source is to be modified

Class E
made with ConwayLife's applet
.rle saved there too if source is to be modified

Lifeline Volume 5

2010-01-22T17:51:22Z

Methodood: /* Page 4 */ yes it's it!

__NOTOC__{{LifeLine|vol=5|date=September 1972}}

<center><pre>A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR ENTHUSIASTS OF JOHN CONWAY'S GAME OF LIFE

O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO O O OOOOO
O O O O O O OO O O
O O OOO OOO O O O O O OOO
O O O O O O O OO O
OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O O OOOOO

Number 5 SEPTEMBER 1972</pre>

• Editor and Publisher: [[Robert T. Wainwright]] •</center>

====Page 1====
Activity regarding [[Conway's Game of Life|Life]] and [[Lifeline|LIFELINE]] is beginning to pick up again after a rather quiet spring. In May I sent out a status report with a questionnaire to all 700 of the previous correspondents. The response has been very encouraging and after thinking about the fate of LIFELINE for awhile, I have decided there is definitely enough interest to keep it going with some help from other readers like yourself. I have contacted and made arrangements for a local commercial service to handle the very time consuming burden of mailing label preparation and printing. For this reason, I have decided to oversee the entire effort myself assuming most of the creating articles and material will be supplies by various 'satellite' groups.

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_01.png|framed|center|Some of the fantastic new discoveries sent in by 'Buckinghams Combine', a prolific group of Lifenthusiasts... see page four for details.]]

The last sheet of this newsletter titled LIFESAVER is a renewal in questionnaire form which can be conveniently detached, folded, and mailed. The name and address information to be included in the return will be used to update the computer file of all 700 existing correspondents. If a reply is not received, I will assume you are no longer interested in obtaining LIFELINE. With regard to the new subscription procedure, my feeling right now is that if someone submits a usable article, he would be entitled to a years subscription at no cost. On the other hand, you may elect to be a regular subscriber and simply pay the nominal annual rate which is explained in the LIFESAVER. Remember, only your completed and returned LIFESAVER will guarantee a subscription to LIFELINE.

====Page 2====
For the benefit of those of your who have not yet had the pleasure to read Martin Gardner's popular October 1970 column in Scientific American, I will now summarize [[John Conway|Conway]]'s original Life rules and also suggest a convenient method to play the game.

Life is based on [[cellular automaton|cellular automata]] theory and uses the two-dimensional square space which is simply a matrix or grid. Each square or cell within this grid has two possible states: either empty or full (that is occupied with a '[[bit]]'). Each cell also has a set of eight surrounding neighbor cells that can influence its own state.

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_02.png|center]]

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_03.png|right|framed|The possible transitions]] A cell's state will change according to a set of transition rules that aply simultaneously to every cell in the space. These rules are based on both the current state of the cell and also the collective state of its neighbors and need only consider and be defined for a cell going from empty to full (birth) or from full to empty (death). These possible combinations of state change are shown here to the right.

Conway's specific rules are the key to Life and will now be described:

'''Births:''' each empty cell with exactly 3 neighbors whose cells are full (contain a bit) is a birth cell. A bit is placed in it for the next move.

'''Deaths:''' each full cell (containing a bit) requires 2 OR 3 neighbors to survive for the next move. Every bit with four or more neighbors dies from overpopulation and every bit with one or no neighbors dies from isolation.

When Conway originally stated his rules, he presented a third rule for survivals but here we have included it with the death rule since it is implied by same. It is very important to understand that all births and deaths occur simultaneously. Together they constitute a single move, or as we shall call it, a [[generation]], in the complete Life history of an initial pattern which may be constructed of cells occupied with any arrangement of bits. Any given pattern will then change its state in discrete steps by recursively applying Conway's rules.

A simple procedure of steps is suggested on the top of page three for manually making these moves on graph paper.

====Page 3====
HOW TO PLAY LIFE

Step 1. Choose your initial configuration by marking all live or full cells with an '0' (a bit). Note that you are free to choose any pattern desired for this beginning or zero generation. After this, the pattern is governed by Conway's rules.

Step 2. Scan* the pattern and mark all birth cells (i.e., those empty cells with exactly three neighbors containing a bit) with a '.' (a dot).

*scanning can be done by either or both (for double check) of these methods:

Method a. scan each empty cell of every row or column passing through and adjacent to the pattern.

Method b. scan each empty cell immediately around the pattern and within the pattern.

Step 3. Check each bit for the possibility of death (those with other than two or three neighbors containing a bit) and mark over the '0' with an 'X'.

Step 4. Copy all '0' and '.' to a new area or page for the next generation. You will now have the first generation in the Life history of your initial pattern. Go back to Step 2.

====Page 4====
Class E, Evolutionaries, Exercises, Et cetera . . .

The reader is invited to discover the fate of the two L's (a below),
the string of seven bits (b), the dented row of bits (c), and the bits
and block (d). The outcome of these exercises given on page six
illustrate the common classes of object types that we have defined
previously in LIFELINE.

Reader exercises 5.1
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_401.png|framed|center|]]

Class I, Still Lifes and Stable Forms . . .

In the last newsletter I requested all known 10 and 11-bit still life
objects. This seemingly 'simple' request is apparently more difficult
than first imagined. While generalizing Class I structures, I found
a mere nine-bit still life that had not been previously reported. Those
heretofore known are shown below. Additional investigation then yielded
even two more still lifes bringing the new total to ten different
objects. Question 5.2: Can you discover any of these?

The set of previously published nine-bit still lifes
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_402.png|framed|center|]]

Class II, Oscillators . . .

The objects shown on the cover page of LIFELINE Number Five are but a
small sampling of the many new discoveries made and sent in by David
Buckingham, Mark Niemiec, and Peter Raynham of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.
They include several objects with periods never before reported.
However, the most amazing aspect of this collection beside the periods
(incidentally all eight are different) is the fact that they were all
discovered manually. This should be a refreshing contrast to many
readers the writer included who stared in awe at the cover features on
the two previous issues of LIFELINE which obviously could never have
been constructed or discovered without an excellent computer resource.
Since each of the objects shown on the cover are easy to track I will
leave for the reader the enjoyment of determining their periods. Hint:
as a collection, the exact arrangment as shown on the cover will reappear
again only after 2,520 generations! I will have more discoveries to
report from this group in future issues of LIFELINE.

Class III, Spaceships and Pure Glider Generators . . .

The Curious 3-1-8 by Curt Gibson of New York, N.Y. and Robert Bison of
Hopewell Jct., N.Y.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|Gibson's sparse 3-1-8 becomes a 
glider heading southeast in 16.
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_403.png|framed|center|]]
|Bison's dense 3-1-8 (a duodecomino) 
becomes a glider heading southwest 
in 32.
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_404.png|framed|center|]]
|}

====Page 5====
Reader Article . . .

The Period 12 'Line·Block' Oscillator by Edward Fitzgerald, David
Lawson, and Tad Marshall of Irvington, N.Y.

An oscillator of period twelve has been discovered which
exists on a 4x12 torus. The oscillator consists of a line and a
block, and interestingly enough it is the only possible oscillator
of its type which can exist on a torus of the size specified.
It's twelve states are shown in the acconpianing illustration.
I have taken as the primary state the one in which the line and
the block are seperated in one direction by 2 spaces and in the
other by 7 (the 2/7 state). In the second generation the line
and block are in the 4/5 state, in Gen. 6 the oscillator is in
the 8/1 state, and in Gen. 8 it is in the 6/3 state. Since the
line and the block themselves occupy three horizontal spaces of
the torus, the oscillator has all possible seperations of the
line and the block, l.e. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8.
Since a torus can be considered analagous with an agar, the
line-block oscillator can be considered as an agar oscillator,
and, with the addition of a properly spaced block on the opposite
side of the line, it can exist on a cylinder. A cylinder is
analogous with a wick, thus giving the line-block oscillator a
wick form as well.
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_501.png|framed|center| ]]
Excursions Into Other Universes . . .

An Alien Spaceship From The Universe of '3-4' Life by Rici Liknaitzky
and The Other Hackers from the A.I.Lab at M.I.T.

[[Image:Lifeline vol05_502.png|framed|right|Phase One Phase Two Phase Three]]
Editor's Note: recall the simple rules
ln this variation; 3 or 4 blis for
birth and 3 or 4 bits for survival. In
otherwords a cell will be on in the
next generation if and only if it now
has 3 or 4 neighbors on.

[[Image:Lifeline vol05_503.png|framed|right|Lifecomic by Traw]]

====Page 6====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
! '''Answers to Reader Exercises 5.1: ''' !! '''Answers to Question 5.2:'''
|-
|a. The two L's rearrange themselves in the fifth generation 
then die five generations later. 

b. The string of seven bits evolves into a large S-shape 
still life object in six generations. 

c. The dented row of bits forms the beautiful CP 48-56-72 
period three oscillator after 40 moves. 

d. The bits and block create a single glider headed 
southeast in three generations.

|Three new nine-bit still lifes
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_601.png|framed|right|*9.7 
*9.8 
*9.9]]
|}

'''COMING EVENTS:'''

.establishment of permanent newsletter departments

.some more eater-bound oscillators

.'Research in Occult Symbology' - a reader article

.Moore's garden of eden proof

.summary of answers to LIFESAVER questionnaire
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_602.png|framed|right|Lifecomic by Traw Let's get together and take a trip]]
.'Evolution' - a reader article

.more from Buckingham's Combine

.'BATTLEFIELD' - a new board game

.a bibliography of other newsletters devoted to 
simulation games

'''RANDOM BITS:'''

.Thompson has now tracked and/or tabulated 
over 19,000 patterns! He 
estimates there are about 68,000 
different spatially-connected seven-bit 
patterns.

.There are 71 different two-glider 
collisions (right angle and head-on) 
which have all been tracked.

.LIFELINE Numbers Six and Seven will 
be mailed In October and November.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Reader Brief . . . !! Reader Brief . . .
|-
|Don Woods of Natick, Mass. notes that: 8 squares form 8 square [[Image:Lifeline vol05_603.png|framed|center|(left) Gen: 0 (right) Gen: 5]]
| Charles L. Corderman of Westborough, Mass. notes that: [[Image:Lifeline vol05_604.png|framed|center|...]] has a final population of 633 bits including 13 gliders but that the remainder of the final census is not the same as the acorn!
|}

LIFELINE EDITORIAL BOARD

Editor-in-chief: Robert T. Wainwright

Associate Editors: Names and addresses yet to be determined pending 
response from LIFESAVER.

====Page 7====

'''LIFE SAVER'''

There are many geographic concentrations of 'Lifenthusiasts'. For example,
in the greater Boston area alone there_are 27 readers. Does the idea of form-
ing a local group in your area for participation in Life activities appeal?

No[ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes[ ] for_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ activities

This group might center around an installation with good computing capabili-
ties. For instance, a university or research center with a graphical display
device. Could/would you be able to offer such a facility to a local group?

No[ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes [ ] (explain)

In addition to local activities, such a group or even an individual could
provide input to LIFELINE on a regular basis by reporting on their own ac-
complishments. Whether acting as an associate editor for such a group or by
contributing to one does this idea appeal to you?

No [ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes[ ] contributing Yes[ ] assoc.editor

Independent of any computer resources at your disposal, would you be inter-
ested in contacting others in your area and starting a group if provided with
an address list of all readers near you?

No [ ] Maybe [ ] Yes[ ] my phone number is: _ _ _-_ _ _-_ _ _

As interesting as Life is, there is a real gap in the spectrum of resources
available to 'play' or investigate its mysteries. As the return questionnaire
from May confirmed, the readership is definitely divided into two separate
groups with large differences in exploratory capability. The 'Life-Club'
concept would vastly improve this situation. More interestingly, a small
keyboard device which can compute and display Life on an ordinary TV set will
very probably be made available. If such a device were now available what is
the maximum price (within your own reason) that you would be willing to pay?

$20 [ ] $50 [ ] $100 [ ] $200 [ ] $500 [ ] $1000 [ ] Other _ _ _ _ _ _ _

In order to just cover printing and mailing costs, the regular annual (4 lssue)
subscription rate for LIFELINE will be two dollars for U.S. and Canada readers,
one pound for U.K. readers, and three dollars (or the approx. equivalent) for
all other foreign readers. If you are interested in participating in LIFELINE's
endevours please indicate this by completing and returning LIFESAVER now.
Although LIFELINE will continue to be primarily devoted to Life and related
subjects, its actual format and specific content will evolve as other readers
begin to take more of an active part in writing and editing. with this in
mind, are you interested in subscribing as a:

[ ] Regular member (nov enclosing payment)

[ ] Participating member (will contribute to newsletter)

[ ] Other (explain)

With regard to'other', perhaps there are other means of exchange particular
to your specific resources.

PLEASE NOTE: LIFELINE Numbers Six and Seven will be published in October and
November so that we can be back on schedule with No.8 in December!

DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE YOUR CORRECT NAME AND ADDRESS AND ZIP! (please print)

==Page Scans==
<gallery>
Image:Lifeline_vol_5.png|Page 1
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p2.jpg|Page 2
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p3.jpg|Page 3
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p4.jpg|Page 4
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p5.jpg|Page 5
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p6.jpg|Page 6
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p7.jpg|Page 7
</gallery>

Lifeline Volume 5

2010-01-22T10:59:30Z

Methodood: /* Page 6 */ pics legends, tables, linefooding, &c.

__NOTOC__{{LifeLine|vol=5|date=September 1972}}

<center><pre>A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR ENTHUSIASTS OF JOHN CONWAY'S GAME OF LIFE

O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO O O OOOOO
O O O O O O OO O O
O O OOO OOO O O O O O OOO
O O O O O O O OO O
OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O O OOOOO

Number 5 SEPTEMBER 1972</pre>

• Editor and Publisher: [[Robert T. Wainwright]] •</center>

====Page 1====
Activity regarding [[Conway's Game of Life|Life]] and [[Lifeline|LIFELINE]] is beginning to pick up again after a rather quiet spring. In May I sent out a status report with a questionnaire to all 700 of the previous correspondents. The response has been very encouraging and after thinking about the fate of LIFELINE for awhile, I have decided there is definitely enough interest to keep it going with some help from other readers like yourself. I have contacted and made arrangements for a local commercial service to handle the very time consuming burden of mailing label preparation and printing. For this reason, I have decided to oversee the entire effort myself assuming most of the creating articles and material will be supplies by various 'satellite' groups.

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_01.png|framed|center|Some of the fantastic new discoveries sent in by 'Buckinghams Combine', a prolific group of Lifenthusiasts... see page four for details.]]

The last sheet of this newsletter titled LIFESAVER is a renewal in questionnaire form which can be conveniently detached, folded, and mailed. The name and address information to be included in the return will be used to update the computer file of all 700 existing correspondents. If a reply is not received, I will assume you are no longer interested in obtaining LIFELINE. With regard to the new subscription procedure, my feeling right now is that if someone submits a usable article, he would be entitled to a years subscription at no cost. On the other hand, you may elect to be a regular subscriber and simply pay the nominal annual rate which is explained in the LIFESAVER. Remember, only your completed and returned LIFESAVER will guarantee a subscription to LIFELINE.

====Page 2====
For the benefit of those of your who have not yet had the pleasure to read Martin Gardner's popular October 1970 column in Scientific American, I will now summarize [[John Conway|Conway]]'s original Life rules and also suggest a convenient method to play the game.

Life is based on [[cellular automaton|cellular automata]] theory and uses the two-dimensional square space which is simply a matrix or grid. Each square or cell within this grid has two possible states: either empty or full (that is occupied with a '[[bit]]'). Each cell also has a set of eight surrounding neighbor cells that can influence its own state.

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_02.png|center]]

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_03.png|right|framed|The possible transitions]] A cell's state will change according to a set of transition rules that aply simultaneously to every cell in the space. These rules are based on both the current state of the cell and also the collective state of its neighbors and need only consider and be defined for a cell going from empty to full (birth) or from full to empty (death). These possible combinations of state change are shown here to the right.

Conway's specific rules are the key to Life and will now be described:

'''Births:''' each empty cell with exactly 3 neighbors whose cells are full (contain a bit) is a birth cell. A bit is placed in it for the next move.

'''Deaths:''' each full cell (containing a bit) requires 2 OR 3 neighbors to survive for the next move. Every bit with four or more neighbors dies from overpopulation and every bit with one or no neighbors dies from isolation.

When Conway originally stated his rules, he presented a third rule for survivals but here we have included it with the death rule since it is implied by same. It is very important to understand that all births and deaths occur simultaneously. Together they constitute a single move, or as we shall call it, a [[generation]], in the complete Life history of an initial pattern which may be constructed of cells occupied with any arrangement of bits. Any given pattern will then change its state in discrete steps by recursively applying Conway's rules.

A simple procedure of steps is suggested on the top of page three for manually making these moves on graph paper.

====Page 3====
HOW TO PLAY LIFE

Step 1. Choose your initial configuration by marking all live or full cells with an '0' (a bit). Note that you are free to choose any pattern desired for this beginning or zero generation. After this, the pattern is governed by Conway's rules.

Step 2. Scan* the pattern and mark all birth cells (i.e., those empty cells with exactly three neighbors containing a bit) with a '.' (a dot).

*scanning can be done by either or both (for double check) of these methods:

Method a. scan each empty cell of every row or column passing through and adjacent to the pattern.

Method b. scan each empty cell immediately around the pattern and within the pattern.

Step 3. Check each bit for the possibility of death (those with other than two or three neighbors containing a bit) and mark over the '0' with an 'X'.

Step 4. Copy all '0' and '.' to a new area or page for the next generation. You will now have the first generation in the Life history of your initial pattern. Go back to Step 2.

====Page 4====
To be continued...

====Page 5====
Reader Article . . .

The Period 12 'Line·Block' Oscillator by Edward Fitzgerald, David
Lawson, and Tad Marshall of Irvington, N.Y.

An oscillator of period twelve has been discovered which
exists on a 4x12 torus. The oscillator consists of a line and a
block, and interestingly enough it is the only possible oscillator
of its type which can exist on a torus of the size specified.
It's twelve states are shown in the acconpianing illustration.
I have taken as the primary state the one in which the line and
the block are seperated in one direction by 2 spaces and in the
other by 7 (the 2/7 state). In the second generation the line
and block are in the 4/5 state, in Gen. 6 the oscillator is in
the 8/1 state, and in Gen. 8 it is in the 6/3 state. Since the
line and the block themselves occupy three horizontal spaces of
the torus, the oscillator has all possible seperations of the
line and the block, l.e. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8.
Since a torus can be considered analagous with an agar, the
line-block oscillator can be considered as an agar oscillator,
and, with the addition of a properly spaced block on the opposite
side of the line, it can exist on a cylinder. A cylinder is
analogous with a wick, thus giving the line-block oscillator a
wick form as well.
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_501.png|framed|center| ]]
Excursions Into Other Universes . . .

An Alien Spaceship From The Universe of '3-4' Life by Rici Liknaitzky
and The Other Hackers from the A.I.Lab at M.I.T.

[[Image:Lifeline vol05_502.png|framed|right|Phase One Phase Two Phase Three]]
Editor's Note: recall the simple rules
ln this variation; 3 or 4 blis for
birth and 3 or 4 bits for survival. In
otherwords a cell will be on in the
next generation if and only if it now
has 3 or 4 neighbors on.

[[Image:Lifeline vol05_503.png|framed|right|Lifecomic by Traw]]

====Page 6====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
! '''Answers to Reader Exercises 5.1: ''' !! '''Answers to Question 5.2:'''
|-
|a. The two L's rearrange themselves in the fifth generation 
then die five generations later. 

b. The string of seven bits evolves into a large S-shape 
still life object in six generations. 

c. The dented row of bits forms the beautiful CP 48-56-72 
period three oscillator after 40 moves. 

d. The bits and block create a single glider headed 
southeast in three generations.

|Three new nine-bit still lifes
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_601.png|framed|right|*9.7 
*9.8 
*9.9]]
|}

'''COMING EVENTS:'''

.establishment of permanent newsletter departments

.some more eater-bound oscillators

.'Research in Occult Symbology' - a reader article

.Moore's garden of eden proof

.summary of answers to LIFESAVER questionnaire
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_602.png|framed|right|Lifecomic by Traw Let's get together and take a trip]]
.'Evolution' - a reader article

.more from Buckingham's Combine

.'BATTLEFIELD' - a new board game

.a bibliography of other newsletters devoted to 
simulation games

'''RANDOM BITS:'''

.Thompson has now tracked and/or tabulated 
over 19,000 patterns! He 
estimates there are about 68,000 
different spatially-connected seven-bit 
patterns.

.There are 71 different two-glider 
collisions (right angle and head-on) 
which have all been tracked.

.LIFELINE Numbers Six and Seven will 
be mailed In October and November.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Reader Brief . . . !! Reader Brief . . .
|-
|Don Woods of Natick, Mass. notes that: 8 squares form 8 square [[Image:Lifeline vol05_603.png|framed|center|(left) Gen: 0 (right) Gen: 5]]
| Charles L. Corderman of Westborough, Mass. notes that: [[Image:Lifeline vol05_604.png|framed|center|...]] has a final population of 633 bits including 13 gliders but that the remainder of the final census is not the same as the acorn!
|}

LIFELINE EDITORIAL BOARD

Editor-in-chief: Robert T. Wainwright

Associate Editors: Names and addresses yet to be determined pending 
response from LIFESAVER.

====Page 7====

'''LIFE SAVER'''

There are many geographic concentrations of 'Lifenthusiasts'. For example,
in the greater Boston area alone there_are 27 readers. Does the idea of form-
ing a local group in your area for participation in Life activities appeal?

No[ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes[ ] for_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ activities

This group might center around an installation with good computing capabili-
ties. For instance, a university or research center with a graphical display
device. Could/would you be able to offer such a facility to a local group?

No[ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes [ ] (explain)

In addition to local activities, such a group or even an individual could
provide input to LIFELINE on a regular basis by reporting on their own ac-
complishments. Whether acting as an associate editor for such a group or by
contributing to one does this idea appeal to you?

No [ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes[ ] contributing Yes[ ] assoc.editor

Independent of any computer resources at your disposal, would you be inter-
ested in contacting others in your area and starting a group if provided with
an address list of all readers near you?

No [ ] Maybe [ ] Yes[ ] my phone number is: _ _ _-_ _ _-_ _ _

As interesting as Life is, there is a real gap in the spectrum of resources
available to 'play' or investigate its mysteries. As the return questionnaire
from May confirmed, the readership is definitely divided into two separate
groups with large differences in exploratory capability. The 'Life-Club'
concept would vastly improve this situation. More interestingly, a small
keyboard device which can compute and display Life on an ordinary TV set will
very probably be made available. If such a device were now available what is
the maximum price (within your own reason) that you would be willing to pay?

$20 [ ] $50 [ ] $100 [ ] $200 [ ] $500 [ ] $1000 [ ] Other _ _ _ _ _ _ _

In order to just cover printing and mailing costs, the regular annual (4 lssue)
subscription rate for LIFELINE will be two dollars for U.S. and Canada readers,
one pound for U.K. readers, and three dollars (or the approx. equivalent) for
all other foreign readers. If you are interested in participating in LIFELINE's
endevours please indicate this by completing and returning LIFESAVER now.
Although LIFELINE will continue to be primarily devoted to Life and related
subjects, its actual format and specific content will evolve as other readers
begin to take more of an active part in writing and editing. with this in
mind, are you interested in subscribing as a:

[ ] Regular member (nov enclosing payment)

[ ] Participating member (will contribute to newsletter)

[ ] Other (explain)

With regard to'other', perhaps there are other means of exchange particular
to your specific resources.

PLEASE NOTE: LIFELINE Numbers Six and Seven will be published in October and
November so that we can be back on schedule with No.8 in December!

DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE YOUR CORRECT NAME AND ADDRESS AND ZIP! (please print)

==Page Scans==
<gallery>
Image:Lifeline_vol_5.png|Page 1
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p2.jpg|Page 2
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p3.jpg|Page 3
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p4.jpg|Page 4
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p5.jpg|Page 5
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p6.jpg|Page 6
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p7.jpg|Page 7
</gallery>

File:Lifeline vol05 604.png

2010-01-22T10:28:14Z

Methodood: Corderman of Westborough

Corderman of Westborough

File:Lifeline vol05 603.png

2010-01-22T10:27:29Z

Methodood: from steps 0 to 5

from steps 0 to 5

File:Lifeline vol05 602.png

2010-01-22T10:26:56Z

Methodood: undermining comics authors confidence

undermining comics authors confidence

File:Lifeline vol05 601.png

2010-01-22T10:25:37Z

Methodood: typewriter specs refactoring

typewriter specs refactoring

Talk:Lifeline Volume 5

2010-01-21T06:21:38Z

Methodood: /* Proof reading as proposed on the forum */ mistakz

Lifeline Volume 5

2010-01-20T21:09:16Z

Methodood: page 5 as well

__NOTOC__{{LifeLine|vol=5|date=September 1972}}

<center><pre>A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR ENTHUSIASTS OF JOHN CONWAY'S GAME OF LIFE

O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO O O OOOOO
O O O O O O OO O O
O O OOO OOO O O O O O OOO
O O O O O O O OO O
OOOOO OOOOO O OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO O O OOOOO

Number 5 SEPTEMBER 1972</pre>

• Editor and Publisher: [[Robert T. Wainwright]] •</center>

====Page 1====
Activity regarding [[Conway's Game of Life|Life]] and [[Lifeline|LIFELINE]] is beginning to pick up again after a rather quiet spring. In May I sent out a status report with a questionnaire to all 700 of the previous correspondents. The response has been very encouraging and after thinking about the fate of LIFELINE for awhile, I have decided there is definitely enough interest to keep it going with some help from other readers like yourself. I have contacted and made arrangements for a local commercial service to handle the very time consuming burden of mailing label preparation and printing. For this reason, I have decided to oversee the entire effort myself assuming most of the creating articles and material will be supplies by various 'satellite' groups.

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_01.png|framed|center|Some of the fantastic new discoveries sent in by 'Buckinghams Combine', a prolific group of Lifenthusiasts... see page four for details.]]

The last sheet of this newsletter titled LIFESAVER is a renewal in questionnaire form which can be conveniently detached, folded, and mailed. The name and address information to be included in the return will be used to update the computer file of all 700 existing correspondents. If a reply is not received, I will assume you are no longer interested in obtaining LIFELINE. With regard to the new subscription procedure, my feeling right now is that if someone submits a usable article, he would be entitled to a years subscription at no cost. On the other hand, you may elect to be a regular subscriber and simply pay the nominal annual rate which is explained in the LIFESAVER. Remember, only your completed and returned LIFESAVER will guarantee a subscription to LIFELINE.

====Page 2====
For the benefit of those of your who have not yet had the pleasure to read Martin Gardner's popular October 1970 column in Scientific American, I will now summarize [[John Conway|Conway]]'s original Life rules and also suggest a convenient method to play the game.

Life is based on [[cellular automaton|cellular automata]] theory and uses the two-dimensional square space which is simply a matrix or grid. Each square or cell within this grid has two possible states: either empty or full (that is occupied with a '[[bit]]'). Each cell also has a set of eight surrounding neighbor cells that can influence its own state.

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_02.png|center]]

[[Image:Lifeline_vol05_03.png|right|framed|The possible transitions]] A cell's state will change according to a set of transition rules that aply simultaneously to every cell in the space. These rules are based on both the current state of the cell and also the collective state of its neighbors and need only consider and be defined for a cell going from empty to full (birth) or from full to empty (death). These possible combinations of state change are shown here to the right.

Conway's specific rules are the key to Life and will now be described:

'''Births:''' each empty cell with exactly 3 neighbors whose cells are full (contain a bit) is a birth cell. A bit is placed in it for the next move.

'''Deaths:''' each full cell (containing a bit) requires 2 OR 3 neighbors to survive for the next move. Every bit with four or more neighbors dies from overpopulation and every bit with one or no neighbors dies from isolation.

When Conway originally stated his rules, he presented a third rule for survivals but here we have included it with the death rule since it is implied by same. It is very important to understand that all births and deaths occur simultaneously. Together they constitute a single move, or as we shall call it, a [[generation]], in the complete Life history of an initial pattern which may be constructed of cells occupied with any arrangement of bits. Any given pattern will then change its state in discrete steps by recursively applying Conway's rules.

A simple procedure of steps is suggested on the top of page three for manually making these moves on graph paper.

====Page 3====
HOW TO PLAY LIFE

Step 1. Choose your initial configuration by marking all live or full cells with an '0' (a bit). Note that you are free to choose any pattern desired for this beginning or zero generation. After this, the pattern is governed by Conway's rules.

Step 2. Scan* the pattern and mark all birth cells (i.e., those empty cells with exactly three neighbors containing a bit) with a '.' (a dot).

*scanning can be done by either or both (for double check) of these methods:

Method a. scan each empty cell of every row or column passing through and adjacent to the pattern.

Method b. scan each empty cell immediately around the pattern and within the pattern.

Step 3. Check each bit for the possibility of death (those with other than two or three neighbors containing a bit) and mark over the '0' with an 'X'.

Step 4. Copy all '0' and '.' to a new area or page for the next generation. You will now have the first generation in the Life history of your initial pattern. Go back to Step 2.

====Page 4====
To be continued...

====Page 5====
Reader Article . . .

The Period 12 'Line·Block' Oscillator by Edward Fitzgerald, David
Lawson, and Tad Marshall of Irvington, N.Y.

An oscillator of period twelve has been discovered which
exists on a 4x12 torus. The oscillator consists of a line and a
block, and interestingly enough it is the only possible oscillator
of its type which can exist on a torus of the size specified.
It's twelve states are shown in the acconpianing illustration.
I have taken as the primary state the one in which the line and
the block are seperated in one direction by 2 spaces and in the
other by 7 (the 2/7 state). In the second generation the line
and block are in the 4/5 state, in Gen. 6 the oscillator is in
the 8/1 state, and in Gen. 8 it is in the 6/3 state. Since the
line and the block themselves occupy three horizontal spaces of
the torus, the oscillator has all possible seperations of the
line and the block, l.e. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8.
Since a torus can be considered analagous with an agar, the
line-block oscillator can be considered as an agar oscillator,
and, with the addition of a properly spaced block on the opposite
side of the line, it can exist on a cylinder. A cylinder is
analogous with a wick, thus giving the line-block oscillator a
wick form as well.
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_501.png|framed|center| ]]
Excursions Into Other Universes . . .

An Alien Spaceship From The Universe of '3-4' Life by Rici Liknaitzky
and The Other Hackers from the A.I.Lab at M.I.T.

[[Image:Lifeline vol05_502.png|framed|right|Phase One Phase Two Phase Three]]
Editor's Note: recall the simple rules
ln this variation; 3 or 4 blis for
birth and 3 or 4 bits for survival. In
otherwords a cell will be on in the
next generation if and only if it now
has 3 or 4 neighbors on.

[[Image:Lifeline vol05_503.png|framed|right|Lifecomic by Traw]]

====Page 6====

'''Answers to Reader Exercises 5.1: '''

a. The two L's rearrange themselves in the fifth generation
then die five generations later.

b. The string of seven bits evolves into a large S-shape
still life object in six generations.

c. The dented row of bits forms the beautiful CP 48-56-72
period three oscillator after 40 moves.

d. The bits and block create a single glider headed
southeast in three generations.

'''Answers to Question 5.2:'''

[[Image:Lifeline vol05_601.png|framed|right|Three new nine-bit still lifes.]]

'''COMING EVENTS:'''

.establishment of permanent newsletter departments

.some more eater-bound oscillators

.'Research in Occult Symbology' - a reader article

.Moore's garden of eden proof

.summary of answers to LIFESAVER questionnaire

.'Evolution' - a reader article

.more from Buckingham's Combine

.'BATTLEFIELD' - a new board game

.a bibliography of other newsletters devoted to
simulation games

[[Image:Lifeline vol05_602.png|framed|right|Lifecomic by Traw]]

'''RANDOM BITS:'''

.Thompson has now tracked and/or tabulated
over 19,000 patterns! He
estimates there are about 68,000
different spatially-connected seven-bit
patterns.

.There are 71 different two-glider
collisions (right angle and head-on)
which have all been tracked.

.LIFELINE Numbers Six and Seven will
be mailed In October and November.

Reader Brief . . .

Don Woods of Natick, Mass. notes that:

8 squares form 8 square
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_603.png|framed|left|Gen: 0 Gen: 5]]

Reader Brief . . .

Charles L. Corderman of Westborough,
Mass. notes that:
[[Image:Lifeline vol05_604.png|framed|right|has a final population of 633
bits including 13 gliders but
that the remainder of the final
census is not the same as the
acorn!]]

LIFELINE EDITORIAL BOARD

Editor-in-chief: Robert T. Wainwright

Associate Editors: Names ans addresses yet to be determined pending
response from LIFESAVER.

====Page 7====

'''LIFE SAVER'''

There are many geographic concentrations of 'Lifenthusiasts'. For example,
in the greater Boston area alone there_are 27 readers. Does the idea of form-
ing a local group in your area for participation in Life activities appeal?

No[ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes[ ] for_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ activities

This group might center around an installation with good computing capabili-
ties. For instance, a university or research center with a graphical display
device. Could/would you be able to offer such a facility to a local group?

No[ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes [ ] (explain)

In addition to local activities, such a group or even an individual could
provide input to LIFELINE on a regular basis by reporting on their own ac-
complishments. Whether acting as an associate editor for such a group or by
contributing to one does this idea appeal to you?

No [ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes[ ] contributing Yes[ ] assoc.editor

Independent of any computer resources at your disposal, would you be inter-
ested in contacting others in your area and starting a group if provided with
an address list of all readers near you?

No [ ] Maybe [ ] Yes[ ] my phone number is: _ _ _-_ _ _-_ _ _

As interesting as Life is, there is a real gap in the spectrum of resources
available to 'play' or investigate its mysteries. As the return questionnaire
from May confirmed, the readership is definitely divided into two separate
groups with large differences in exploratory capability. The 'Life-Club'
concept would vastly improve this situation. More interestingly, a small
keyboard device which can compute and display Life on an ordinary TV set will
very probably be made available. If such a device were now available what is
the maximum price (within your own reason) that you would be willing to pay?

$20 [ ] $50 [ ] $100 [ ] $200 [ ] $500 [ ] $1000 [ ] 0ther _ _ _ _ _ _ _

In order to just cover printing and mailing costs, the regular annual (4 lssue)
subscription rate for LIFELINE will be two dollars for U.S. and Canada readers,
one pound for U.K. readers, and three dollars (or the approx. equivalent) for
all other foreign readers. If you are interested in participating in LIFELINE's
endevours please indicate this by completing and returning LIFESAVER now.
Although LIFELINE will continue to be primarily devoted to Life and related
subjects, its actual format and specific content will evolve as other readers
begin to take more of an active part in writing and editing. with this in
mind, are you interested in subscribing as a:

[ ] Regular member (nov enclosing payment)

[ ] Participating member (will contribute to newsletter)

[ ] Other (explain)

With regard to'other', perhaps there are other means of exchange particular
to your specific resources.

PLEASE NOTE: LIFELINE Numbers Six and Seven will be published in October and
November so that we can be back on schedule with No.8 in December!

DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE YOUR CORRECT NAME AND ADDRESS AND ZIP! (please print)

==Page Scans==
<gallery>
Image:Lifeline_vol_5.png|Page 1
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p2.jpg|Page 2
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p3.jpg|Page 3
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p4.jpg|Page 4
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p5.jpg|Page 5
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p6.jpg|Page 6
Image:Lifeline_vol_5_p7.jpg|Page 7
</gallery>

Lifeline Volume 5

2010-01-20T20:46:30Z

Methodood: pp 6 & 7 minus pics

Talk:Lifeline Volume 5

2010-01-19T21:47:08Z

Methodood: linefeed effects

== Proof reading as proposed on the forum ==
Hi! This is page 7 fresh from OCR and first proofreading.
*To make checking easy, linefeed are kept in this state.
*Please tell me if it' useful. Thanks! --[[Special:Contributions/82.227.17.30|82.227.17.30]] 21:37, 19 January 2010 (UTC)
*Meaning, linefeeds are kept in the "edit" form ; and some are still needed for rendering.
*Also, do distributed proofreaders recommand keeping hyphenation or not (it's as we prefer here) --[[User:Methodood|Methodood]] 21:47, 19 January 2010 (UTC)

=== LIFE SAVER ===

There are many geographic concentrations of 'Lifenthusiasts'. For example,
in the greater Boston area alone there_are 27 readers. Does the idea of form-
ing a local group in your area for participation in Life activities appeal?

No[ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes[ ] for_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ activities

This group might center around an installation with good computing capabili-
ties. For instance, a university or research center with a graphical display
device. Could/would you be able to offer such a facility to a local group?

No[ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes [ ] (explain)

In addition to local activities, such a group or even an individual could
provide input to LIFELINE on a regular basis by reporting on their own ac-
complishments. Whether acting as an associate editor for such a group or by
contributing to one does this idea appeal to you?

No [ ] Maybe it depends [ ] Yes[ ] contributing Yes[ ] assoc.editor

Independent of any computer resources at your disposal, would you be inter-
ested in contacting others in your area and starting a group if provided with
an address list of all readers near you?

No [ ] Maybe [ ] Yes[ ] my phone number is: _ _ _-_ _ _-_ _ _

As interesting as Life is, there is a real gap in the spectrum of resources
available to 'play' or investigate its mysteries. As the return questionnaire
from May confirmed, the readership is definitely divided into two separate
groups with large differences in exploratory capability. The 'Life-Club'
concept would vastly improve this situation. More interestingly, a small
keyboard device which can compute and display Life on an ordinary TV set will
very probably be made available. If such a device were now available what is
the maximum price (within your own reason) that you would be willing to pay?

$20 [ ] $50 [ ] $100 [ ] $200 [ ] $500 [ ] $1000 [ ] 0ther _ _ _ _ _ _ _

In order to just cover printing and mailing costs, the regular annual (4 lssue)
subscription rate for LIFELINE will be two dollars for U.S. and Canada readers,
one pound for U.K. readers, and three dollars (or the approx. equivalent) for
all other foreign readers. If you are interested in participating in LIFELINE's
endevours please indicate this by completing and returning LIFESAVER now.
Although LIFELINE will continue to be primarily devoted to Life and related
subjects, its actual format and specific content will evolve as other readers
begin to take more of an active part in writing and editing. with this in
mind, are you interested in subscribing as a:

[ ] Regular member (nov enclosing payment)

[ ] Participating member (will contribute to newsletter)

[ ] Other (explain)

With regard to'other', perhaps there are other means of exchange particular
to your specific resources.

PLEASE NOTE: LIFELINE Numbers Six and Seven will be published in October and
November so that we can be back on schedule with No.8 in December!

DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE YOUR CORRECT NAME AND ADDRESS AND ZIP! (please print)

User talk:David

2010-01-08T20:59:07Z

Methodood: /* Happy birthday */ new section

==extraneous commentary by hvm==
Could these be candidates for inclusion in the list of patterns (oscillator)? There is considerable resistance to proliferating these lists unnecessarily, but there are few pages for high periods, and these two have an impressive symmetry. The period 6 oscillator has a beacon fighting a piston-scrubber combination, which could possibly be promoted into an agar or something, but in any event the preblocks confining a group of p-s's ought to be of some interest. The period 4 oscillator is so symmetric it is just plain beautiful.

Huh? Who is this? No sign in this comment...--[[User:David|David]] 10:25, 2 December 2009 (UTC)

== Happy birthday ==

If I may infer from your update this is today. All the good be with you! --[[User:Methodood|Methodood]] 20:59, 8 January 2010 (UTC)

User talk:Nathaniel

2009-12-16T21:32:31Z

Methodood: upload request

==Math formulae==
So, it was my impression that something like
:<math>\sqrt{1-e^2}</math>
should look like a math formula and those tags should do stuff. But that appears to not be the case. How come? [[User:Elithrion|Elithrion]] 03:40, 6 February 2009 (UTC)

: Stuff like that works on Wikipedia because of an extension they manually coded in. I'll see if I can find a way to install it, but it doesn't come with MediaWiki by default. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 03:45, 6 February 2009 (UTC)

:: Upon looking into this deeper, it doesn't look like it's going to be possible on the current server setup, since we're on a shared Windows host. If the wiki becomes more popular then it may become worth it to move to a Linux and/or dedicated host, but until then this won't happen. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 19:13, 1 March 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for correcting mistakes I made when editing the [[spaceship]] page (I'm a bit new to this whole wiki business). I was wondering If there were a page on conventions and standards used in this wiki.

Sokwe 17:54, 18 April 2009 (UTC)

You may want to be alerted to the [http://www.conwaylife.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:Main_Page&diff=prev&oldid=6402 spam] added to [[talk:Main Page]] by [[Special:Contributions/211.240.14.91|211.240.14.91]]

Sokwe 23:17, 21 April 2009 (UTC)

: Yep, it happens frequently enough, sadly. Thanks for deleting it -- I've banned that IP address. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 23:22, 21 April 2009 (UTC)

==Error in wickstretcher template==
The [[Template:Wickstretcher|wickstretcher template]] puts anything you write ''inside'' the infobox. This is because the table in the template has no concluding "|}". Please add a line containing "|}" directly above the <nowiki><noinclude></nowiki> tag.

~Sokwe 00:33, 25 April 2009 (UTC)

: Whoops. Thanks for letting me know, it's fixed now. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 03:02, 25 April 2009 (UTC)

==Problems with forms==
I somehow seem to have caused some problems with forms such as the [[:Category:oscillators|oscillator search form]]. I was testing their functionality for other purposes, and somehow caused an error: %DPL-1.7.4-WARNING: Wrong '$0' parameter: 'uses'! Using default: 'Template:{#request:cat}'. Help: $0=

'''Note''': "Template{#request:cat}" was part of the stuff I was doing.
I never saved any pages, I was just viewing previews for testing.

Sorry about the mess!

~Sokwe 21:31, 25 April 2009 (UTC)

: I'm hoping it's a caching issue... DynamicPageList loves giving cryptic error messages as a result of an invalid search that was performed hours earlier, so hopefully it clears up by itself soon. In the meantime, I'll look for a way to disable the caching so that this stuff doesn't happen. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 21:46, 25 April 2009 (UTC)

== Parameter search ==

I created a simple [[User:Sokwe/Template:info search|template]] to be used to look up which pattern pages are missing specific parameters in their templates (there may be some bugs, I haven't tested it much). This can be used to look up such things as which patterns do not have defined glider syntheses or bounding boxes. I was wondering if this template should be included on another page as a resource for other contributers if they feel they have the time to add information like this (for example, I recently added bounding box sizes to ''all'' of the still life pages). ~Sokwe 17:44, 26 April 2009 (UTC)

: That's pretty excellent, thanks. I think that the most natural place for it is probably [[LifeWiki:Helping out]] in a new subsection. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 17:51, 26 April 2009 (UTC)

::I added it under [[LifeWiki:Helping_out#Adding_pattern_information|Adding pattern information]], but it requires [[Template:(]] to work; this template should probably be protected. I also created a new page for it: [[Template:PatternInfoSearch]] ~Sokwe 18:50, 26 April 2009 (UTC)

==Error in GrowingSpaceship template==
It's the ''exact'' [[User_talk:Nathaniel#Error_in_wickstretcher_template|same problem]] that the wickstretcher template had: [[Template:GrowingSpaceship]] puts information from the page inside the infobox. Please add the necessary "|}" above the <nowiki><noinclude></nowiki> tag. ~Sokwe 20:19, 26 April 2009 (UTC)

: Thanks, fixed now. It's a result of the new glider synthesis boxes -- I made the necessary change on most of the other templates (such as [[Template:Oscillator]]), but I apparently missed Wickstretcher and GrowingSpaceship. Fixed now. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 20:26, 26 April 2009 (UTC)

== Some suggested updates ==

I've created a [[Template:Reflector|template for reflectors]] because they currently all use the pattern template. [[:Category:Eaters|Eaters]] also use the pattern template even though they are exclusively still lifes. I suggest adding support for type=eater to the [[Template:stilllife|still life template]]. I also suggest that you delete [[Template:People]] as it has been effectively replaced by [[Template:Person]]. ~Sokwe 13:58, 28 April 2009 (UTC)

: Those changes have now been made. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 14:31, 28 April 2009 (UTC)

===Some more ideas for updates===

First of all, I suggest that you replace the number of glider syntheses on the main page (currently "over 200") with the following:

<code><nowiki>{{#dpl:categorymatch=Patterns_that_can_be_constructed_with%|resultsheader=%TOTALPAGES%|format={{#if,:,,:|}}}}</nowiki></code>

Also, I have the basic design for a navigation box for oscillator periods. This would go on oscillator period category pages and would link to the nearest oscillator period categories (it does not link to pages that do not exist). What I haven't come up with is a good format for displaying this information, and I was wondering what you thought about it.

The basic idea:

p=2 
{{User:Sokwe/Template:osc_num|p=2}}

p=18 
{{User:Sokwe/Template:osc_num|p=18}}

p=144 
{{User:Sokwe/Template:osc_num|p=144}}

 ~Sokwe 20:41, 7 June 2009 (UTC)

: Very nice, made the glider synthesis change and inserted your template into the appropriate oscillator category pages. Thanks, and great work! [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 12:37, 8 June 2009 (UTC)

== ? ==

Why did you undo my edit?--[[Special:Contributions/71.80.49.38|71.80.49.38]] 14:09, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

== The new agar ==
I found the agar in '''Serviettes (B234/S)''' rule! 
please visit my user page.--[[User:David|David]] 13:53, 13 December 2009 (UTC)
:And, would you change this agar to oscillator or spacefiller? --[[User:David|David]] 06:19, 15 December 2009 (UTC)

== Upload request ==

Please upload the file ''Diuresis.rle'' from http://www.conwaylife.com to the extant [[Diuresis]] pattern page. You were devising a method to let people upload .rles, weren't you ?

Thanks a lot. --[[User:Methodood|Methodood]] 21:31, 16 December 2009 (UTC)

User talk:Nathaniel

2009-12-16T21:31:39Z

Methodood:

==Math formulae==
So, it was my impression that something like
:<math>\sqrt{1-e^2}</math>
should look like a math formula and those tags should do stuff. But that appears to not be the case. How come? [[User:Elithrion|Elithrion]] 03:40, 6 February 2009 (UTC)

: Stuff like that works on Wikipedia because of an extension they manually coded in. I'll see if I can find a way to install it, but it doesn't come with MediaWiki by default. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 03:45, 6 February 2009 (UTC)

:: Upon looking into this deeper, it doesn't look like it's going to be possible on the current server setup, since we're on a shared Windows host. If the wiki becomes more popular then it may become worth it to move to a Linux and/or dedicated host, but until then this won't happen. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 19:13, 1 March 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for correcting mistakes I made when editing the [[spaceship]] page (I'm a bit new to this whole wiki business). I was wondering If there were a page on conventions and standards used in this wiki.

Sokwe 17:54, 18 April 2009 (UTC)

You may want to be alerted to the [http://www.conwaylife.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:Main_Page&diff=prev&oldid=6402 spam] added to [[talk:Main Page]] by [[Special:Contributions/211.240.14.91|211.240.14.91]]

Sokwe 23:17, 21 April 2009 (UTC)

: Yep, it happens frequently enough, sadly. Thanks for deleting it -- I've banned that IP address. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 23:22, 21 April 2009 (UTC)

==Error in wickstretcher template==
The [[Template:Wickstretcher|wickstretcher template]] puts anything you write ''inside'' the infobox. This is because the table in the template has no concluding "|}". Please add a line containing "|}" directly above the <nowiki><noinclude></nowiki> tag.

~Sokwe 00:33, 25 April 2009 (UTC)

: Whoops. Thanks for letting me know, it's fixed now. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 03:02, 25 April 2009 (UTC)

==Problems with forms==
I somehow seem to have caused some problems with forms such as the [[:Category:oscillators|oscillator search form]]. I was testing their functionality for other purposes, and somehow caused an error: %DPL-1.7.4-WARNING: Wrong '$0' parameter: 'uses'! Using default: 'Template:{#request:cat}'. Help: $0=

'''Note''': "Template{#request:cat}" was part of the stuff I was doing.
I never saved any pages, I was just viewing previews for testing.

Sorry about the mess!

~Sokwe 21:31, 25 April 2009 (UTC)

: I'm hoping it's a caching issue... DynamicPageList loves giving cryptic error messages as a result of an invalid search that was performed hours earlier, so hopefully it clears up by itself soon. In the meantime, I'll look for a way to disable the caching so that this stuff doesn't happen. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 21:46, 25 April 2009 (UTC)

== Parameter search ==

I created a simple [[User:Sokwe/Template:info search|template]] to be used to look up which pattern pages are missing specific parameters in their templates (there may be some bugs, I haven't tested it much). This can be used to look up such things as which patterns do not have defined glider syntheses or bounding boxes. I was wondering if this template should be included on another page as a resource for other contributers if they feel they have the time to add information like this (for example, I recently added bounding box sizes to ''all'' of the still life pages). ~Sokwe 17:44, 26 April 2009 (UTC)

: That's pretty excellent, thanks. I think that the most natural place for it is probably [[LifeWiki:Helping out]] in a new subsection. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 17:51, 26 April 2009 (UTC)

::I added it under [[LifeWiki:Helping_out#Adding_pattern_information|Adding pattern information]], but it requires [[Template:(]] to work; this template should probably be protected. I also created a new page for it: [[Template:PatternInfoSearch]] ~Sokwe 18:50, 26 April 2009 (UTC)

==Error in GrowingSpaceship template==
It's the ''exact'' [[User_talk:Nathaniel#Error_in_wickstretcher_template|same problem]] that the wickstretcher template had: [[Template:GrowingSpaceship]] puts information from the page inside the infobox. Please add the necessary "|}" above the <nowiki><noinclude></nowiki> tag. ~Sokwe 20:19, 26 April 2009 (UTC)

: Thanks, fixed now. It's a result of the new glider synthesis boxes -- I made the necessary change on most of the other templates (such as [[Template:Oscillator]]), but I apparently missed Wickstretcher and GrowingSpaceship. Fixed now. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 20:26, 26 April 2009 (UTC)

== Some suggested updates ==

I've created a [[Template:Reflector|template for reflectors]] because they currently all use the pattern template. [[:Category:Eaters|Eaters]] also use the pattern template even though they are exclusively still lifes. I suggest adding support for type=eater to the [[Template:stilllife|still life template]]. I also suggest that you delete [[Template:People]] as it has been effectively replaced by [[Template:Person]]. ~Sokwe 13:58, 28 April 2009 (UTC)

: Those changes have now been made. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 14:31, 28 April 2009 (UTC)

===Some more ideas for updates===

First of all, I suggest that you replace the number of glider syntheses on the main page (currently "over 200") with the following:

<code><nowiki>{{#dpl:categorymatch=Patterns_that_can_be_constructed_with%|resultsheader=%TOTALPAGES%|format={{#if,:,,:|}}}}</nowiki></code>

Also, I have the basic design for a navigation box for oscillator periods. This would go on oscillator period category pages and would link to the nearest oscillator period categories (it does not link to pages that do not exist). What I haven't come up with is a good format for displaying this information, and I was wondering what you thought about it.

The basic idea:

p=2 
{{User:Sokwe/Template:osc_num|p=2}}

p=18 
{{User:Sokwe/Template:osc_num|p=18}}

p=144 
{{User:Sokwe/Template:osc_num|p=144}}

 ~Sokwe 20:41, 7 June 2009 (UTC)

: Very nice, made the glider synthesis change and inserted your template into the appropriate oscillator category pages. Thanks, and great work! [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 12:37, 8 June 2009 (UTC)

== ? ==

Why did you undo my edit?--[[Special:Contributions/71.80.49.38|71.80.49.38]] 14:09, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

== The new agar ==
I found the agar in '''Serviettes (B234/S)''' rule! 
please visit my user page.--[[User:David|David]] 13:53, 13 December 2009 (UTC)
:And, would you change this agar to oscillator or spacefiller? --[[User:David|David]] 06:19, 15 December 2009 (UTC)

Please upload the file ''Diuresis.rle'' from http://www.conwaylife.com to the extant [[Diuresis]] pattern page. You were devising a method to let people upload .rles, weren't you ?

Thanks a lot. --[[User:Methodood|Methodood]] 21:31, 16 December 2009 (UTC)

Diuresis

2009-12-16T21:27:05Z

Methodood: page renormalization

{{Oscillator|name=Diuresis|pname=Diuresis|p=90 |c=121 |bx=29 |by=25 |animated=yes |discoverer=David Eppstein |discoveryear=1998}}
Pattern which stabilizes after 90 generations into numerous complicated still lifes.
Found by [[:Category:Patterns found by David Eppstein|David Eppstein]] in October [[:Category:Patterns found in 1998|1998]] and by [[Dean Hickerson]] the following day.

File:Diuresis.gif

2009-12-16T21:16:37Z

Methodood:

File:Diuresisvariant.png

2009-12-16T21:14:17Z

Methodood:

LifeWiki:Pattern pages

2009-12-16T21:02:05Z

Methodood: /* Pattern pages : howto in a nutshell */ help link

:'' "LW:PATTERNS" and "LW:PP" redirect here.''

Pattern pages are pages within [[LifeWiki:About|LifeWiki]] that describe specific [[pattern]]s of interest in [[Conway's Game of Life]] and related [[cellular automata]].

{{PatternTemplates|intro=true}}

In addition to any of the template-specific parameters listed on those template pages (such as s for speed in [[Template:Spaceship]]), ''all'' pattern templates have access to the following parameters. If the value of a particular parameter is unknown to you or if you are not completely sure what a particular parameter does, it is best to omit it completely. To learn how to use these templates and parameters, it is likely best to view the source code of an existing pattern page by clicking on the "Edit" button at the top of it.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Parameter
! Description
! Example
|-
| '''name'''
| ''(required)'' The name of the pattern being described.
| name=17c/45 reaction
|-
| '''pname'''
| ''(required)'' The name of the pattern being described, but converted to lowercase and with all non-alphanumeric characters and spaces removed.
| pname=17c45reaction
|-
| discoverer
| ''(optional)'' The name of the person who first discovered the pattern. Only list one name even if the pattern was found by multiple people.
| discoverer=David Bell
|-
| discoveryear
| ''(optional)'' The year in which the pattern was first discovered.
| discoveryear=1970
|-
| bx
| ''(optional)'' The width (x-dimension) of the pattern's [[bounding box]].
| bx=8
|-
| by
| ''(optional)'' The height (y-dimension) of the pattern's [[bounding box]].
| by=12
|-
| c
| ''(optional)'' The number of live cells in the pattern.
| c=45
|-
| animated
| ''(optional)'' Whether or not there is an animated image available for the pattern. Not available for the Stilllife template. Omit this parameter if there is no such image.
| animated=true
|-
| life105
| ''(optional)'' Whether or not there is a [[Life 1.05]] pattern file available for download for this pattern. See [[#Pattern files|Pattern files]]. Omit this parameter if the file has not been uploaded.
| life105=true
|-
| life106
| ''(optional)'' Whether or not there is a [[Life 1.06]] pattern file available for download for this pattern. See [[#Pattern files|Pattern files]]. Omit this parameter if the file has not been uploaded.
| life106=true
|-
| plaintext
| ''(optional)'' Whether or not there is a [[plaintext]] pattern file available for download for this pattern. See [[#Pattern files|Pattern files]]. Omit this parameter if the file has not been uploaded.
| life106=true
|-
| rle
| ''(optional)'' Whether or not there is a [[Run Length Encoded]] pattern file available for download for this pattern. See [[#Pattern files|Pattern files]]. Omit this parameter if the file has not been uploaded. Also controls whether or not the ''Manipulate via Java'' link appears in the sidebar for the pattern.
| rle=true
|-
| nofile
| ''(optional)'' Whether or not pattern files have been purposely omitted and do not need to be added to the page (e.g., if the pattern file would be exceedingly large)
| nofile=true
|-
| synthesis
| ''(optional)'' The minimum known number of [[glider]]s with which the pattern can be constructed via [[glider synthesis]]. Enter synthesis=0 if it is known that the pattern can not be constructed in this way. Omit this parameter if it is unknown whether or not the pattern can be constructed via glider synthesis.
| synthesis=2
|-
| synthesisRLE
| ''(optional)'' Whether or not there is a [[Run Length Encoded]] pattern file available for the [[glider synthesis]] of the pattern. See [[#Pattern files|Pattern files]]. Omit this parameter if the file has not been uploaded. Enter synthesisRLE=true if that pattern ''has'' been uploaded.
| synthesisRLE=true
|-
| rulemax
| ''(optional)'' The maximal rule (in "B/S" notation) that the pattern will function as described under.
| rulemax=B35678/S23678
|-
| rulemin
| ''(optional)'' The minimal rule (in "B/S" notation) that the pattern will function as described under.
| rulemin=B/S2
|-
| rulespecial
| ''(optional)'' Any particularly notable rules that the pattern functions as described under.
| rulespecial=[[Conway's Game of Life|Conway Life]], [[HighLife]]
|}

==Pattern files==
Users of the LifeWiki are able to create and edit articles and upload and edit images on the LifeWiki as they see fit, but the one action that can only be performed by the site administrator, [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel Johnston]], is uploading pattern files (the files in [[Life 1.05]], [[Life 1.06]], [[plaintext]] and [[RLE]] format that are downloadable from most pattern pages) for download from the LifeWiki. The reason for this restriction is twofold. First, it is for security reasons as people download and execute those files on their harddrive so the last thing we want is someone uploading a virus or some such malicious thing. Second, the server that LifeWiki is run on simply doesn't like automatic uploads of files in strange file formats.

If you have just created a pattern page or have found a pattern page that does not contain downloadable pattern files, send an e-mail to '''[mailto:support@conwaylife.com support@conwaylife.com]''' that contains a link to the pattern page in LifeWiki and some way to load the pattern (e.g. attach to the e-mail the pattern in RLE format, or save the pattern in the online database at [http://www.conwaylife.com/ ConwayLife.com] and include its saved name in the e-mail).

Note that some patterns will not have all file types uploaded. For example, [[catacryst]] does not have a downloadable plaintext file, as it would be extremely large (and would likely lock up any program trying to read the file). Similarly, [[caterpillar]] does not contain any pattern files at all for that same reason (see the ''nofile'' parameter mentioned above).

==Java link==
The ''Manipulate via Java'' link that appears on the right sidebar for most patterns is controlled by whether or not a file in RLE format has been uploaded by the site administrator. To make that link functional, read the instructions in the [[#Pattern files|pattern files]] section above.

==User-created patterns==
Although LifeWiki hopes to expand and catalogue everything there is to know about the [[Conway's Game of Life|Game of Life]], users are generally discouraged from adding patterns that they themselves constructed, in order to avoid a potential conflict of interest. There are of course exceptions, such as when the constructed pattern is of clear [[LifeWiki:Notability|notability]].

== Pattern pages : howto in a nutshell ==

* Collect data and pics first. Make a check list like the one below.
* Upload files and create the pattern page
* Begin with the pattern infobox
* Add some standard text
* Add See also and References paragraphs when needed
* Preview before saving page, check it and save
* Ask for an .rle upload

=== Check list ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
!A!!B
|-
|pattern basics || name, type [, date of discovery, by whom]
|-
|specific type template || still life, oscillator ...
|-
|standard .png image || create it in ''Conwaylife''
|-
|standard animated .gif image for an oscillator, &c. ||create it in Conwaylife
|-
|standard .rle file || create it in Conwaylife
|-
|numeric information ||cells, box [, period, heat ...]
|-
|text to be ''mailed'' for a .rle upload request || see ''References'' below
|}

=== References ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
!A!!B
|-
|upload ||[[Special:Upload]]
|-
|list of templates (infoboxes) ||[[LifeWiki:Pattern pages]] : this page
|-
|template contents example ||<nowiki>{{Oscillator|name=Tea chest|pname=teachest|p=76 |c=76 |bx=76 |by=76 |h=76 |animated=yes |discoverer=Mohawk Indian |discoveryear=1776}}</nowiki>
|-
|standard text ||<nowiki>'''Tea chest''' was found by [[:Category:Patterns found by Mohawk Indian| Mohawk Indian ]] in [[:Category:Patterns found in 1776|1776]].</nowiki>
|-
|conwaylife page ||http://www.conwaylife.com/
|-
|conwaylife menu (how to register files) ||[[ConwayLife.com:Help]]
|-
|mail ||mailto:support@conwaylife.com
|-
|request example (<nowiki>[ A | B ]</nowiki> denotes a choice)||<nowiki>Please upload the file xxxx.rle [ attached to this email | from http://www.conwaylife.com ] for the [ extant [[xxxx]] | to be created xxxx ] pattern page.</nowiki>
|-
|}

{{ContributeNavbox}}

LifeWiki:Pattern pages

2009-12-16T20:53:39Z

Methodood: howto in a nutshell

:'' "LW:PATTERNS" and "LW:PP" redirect here.''

Pattern pages are pages within [[LifeWiki:About|LifeWiki]] that describe specific [[pattern]]s of interest in [[Conway's Game of Life]] and related [[cellular automata]].

{{PatternTemplates|intro=true}}

In addition to any of the template-specific parameters listed on those template pages (such as s for speed in [[Template:Spaceship]]), ''all'' pattern templates have access to the following parameters. If the value of a particular parameter is unknown to you or if you are not completely sure what a particular parameter does, it is best to omit it completely. To learn how to use these templates and parameters, it is likely best to view the source code of an existing pattern page by clicking on the "Edit" button at the top of it.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Parameter
! Description
! Example
|-
| '''name'''
| ''(required)'' The name of the pattern being described.
| name=17c/45 reaction
|-
| '''pname'''
| ''(required)'' The name of the pattern being described, but converted to lowercase and with all non-alphanumeric characters and spaces removed.
| pname=17c45reaction
|-
| discoverer
| ''(optional)'' The name of the person who first discovered the pattern. Only list one name even if the pattern was found by multiple people.
| discoverer=David Bell
|-
| discoveryear
| ''(optional)'' The year in which the pattern was first discovered.
| discoveryear=1970
|-
| bx
| ''(optional)'' The width (x-dimension) of the pattern's [[bounding box]].
| bx=8
|-
| by
| ''(optional)'' The height (y-dimension) of the pattern's [[bounding box]].
| by=12
|-
| c
| ''(optional)'' The number of live cells in the pattern.
| c=45
|-
| animated
| ''(optional)'' Whether or not there is an animated image available for the pattern. Not available for the Stilllife template. Omit this parameter if there is no such image.
| animated=true
|-
| life105
| ''(optional)'' Whether or not there is a [[Life 1.05]] pattern file available for download for this pattern. See [[#Pattern files|Pattern files]]. Omit this parameter if the file has not been uploaded.
| life105=true
|-
| life106
| ''(optional)'' Whether or not there is a [[Life 1.06]] pattern file available for download for this pattern. See [[#Pattern files|Pattern files]]. Omit this parameter if the file has not been uploaded.
| life106=true
|-
| plaintext
| ''(optional)'' Whether or not there is a [[plaintext]] pattern file available for download for this pattern. See [[#Pattern files|Pattern files]]. Omit this parameter if the file has not been uploaded.
| life106=true
|-
| rle
| ''(optional)'' Whether or not there is a [[Run Length Encoded]] pattern file available for download for this pattern. See [[#Pattern files|Pattern files]]. Omit this parameter if the file has not been uploaded. Also controls whether or not the ''Manipulate via Java'' link appears in the sidebar for the pattern.
| rle=true
|-
| nofile
| ''(optional)'' Whether or not pattern files have been purposely omitted and do not need to be added to the page (e.g., if the pattern file would be exceedingly large)
| nofile=true
|-
| synthesis
| ''(optional)'' The minimum known number of [[glider]]s with which the pattern can be constructed via [[glider synthesis]]. Enter synthesis=0 if it is known that the pattern can not be constructed in this way. Omit this parameter if it is unknown whether or not the pattern can be constructed via glider synthesis.
| synthesis=2
|-
| synthesisRLE
| ''(optional)'' Whether or not there is a [[Run Length Encoded]] pattern file available for the [[glider synthesis]] of the pattern. See [[#Pattern files|Pattern files]]. Omit this parameter if the file has not been uploaded. Enter synthesisRLE=true if that pattern ''has'' been uploaded.
| synthesisRLE=true
|-
| rulemax
| ''(optional)'' The maximal rule (in "B/S" notation) that the pattern will function as described under.
| rulemax=B35678/S23678
|-
| rulemin
| ''(optional)'' The minimal rule (in "B/S" notation) that the pattern will function as described under.
| rulemin=B/S2
|-
| rulespecial
| ''(optional)'' Any particularly notable rules that the pattern functions as described under.
| rulespecial=[[Conway's Game of Life|Conway Life]], [[HighLife]]
|}

==Pattern files==
Users of the LifeWiki are able to create and edit articles and upload and edit images on the LifeWiki as they see fit, but the one action that can only be performed by the site administrator, [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel Johnston]], is uploading pattern files (the files in [[Life 1.05]], [[Life 1.06]], [[plaintext]] and [[RLE]] format that are downloadable from most pattern pages) for download from the LifeWiki. The reason for this restriction is twofold. First, it is for security reasons as people download and execute those files on their harddrive so the last thing we want is someone uploading a virus or some such malicious thing. Second, the server that LifeWiki is run on simply doesn't like automatic uploads of files in strange file formats.

If you have just created a pattern page or have found a pattern page that does not contain downloadable pattern files, send an e-mail to '''[mailto:support@conwaylife.com support@conwaylife.com]''' that contains a link to the pattern page in LifeWiki and some way to load the pattern (e.g. attach to the e-mail the pattern in RLE format, or save the pattern in the online database at [http://www.conwaylife.com/ ConwayLife.com] and include its saved name in the e-mail).

Note that some patterns will not have all file types uploaded. For example, [[catacryst]] does not have a downloadable plaintext file, as it would be extremely large (and would likely lock up any program trying to read the file). Similarly, [[caterpillar]] does not contain any pattern files at all for that same reason (see the ''nofile'' parameter mentioned above).

==Java link==
The ''Manipulate via Java'' link that appears on the right sidebar for most patterns is controlled by whether or not a file in RLE format has been uploaded by the site administrator. To make that link functional, read the instructions in the [[#Pattern files|pattern files]] section above.

==User-created patterns==
Although LifeWiki hopes to expand and catalogue everything there is to know about the [[Conway's Game of Life|Game of Life]], users are generally discouraged from adding patterns that they themselves constructed, in order to avoid a potential conflict of interest. There are of course exceptions, such as when the constructed pattern is of clear [[LifeWiki:Notability|notability]].

== Pattern pages : howto in a nutshell ==

* Collect data and pics first. Make a check list like the one below.
* Upload files and create the pattern page
* Begin with the pattern infobox
* Add some standard text
* Preview before saving page
* Ask for an .rle upload

=== Check list ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
!A!!B
|-
|pattern basics || name, type [, date of discovery, by whom]
|-
|specific type template || still life, oscillator ...
|-
|standard .png image || create it in ''Conwaylife''
|-
|standard .animated .gif image for an oscillator, &c. ||create it in Conwaylife
|-
|standard .rle file || create it in Conwaylife
|-
|numeric information ||cells, box [, period, heat ...]
|-
|text to be ''mailed'' for a .rle upload request || see ''References'' below
|}

=== References ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
!A!!B
|-
|upload ||[[Special:Upload]]
|-
|list of templates (infoboxes) ||[[LifeWiki:Pattern pages]] : this page
|-
|template contents example ||<nowiki>{{Oscillator|name=Tea chest|pname=teachest|p=76 |c=76 |bx=76 |by=76 |h=76 |animated=yes |discoverer=Mohawk Indian |discoveryear=1776}}</nowiki>
|-
|standard text ||<nowiki>'''Tea chest''' was found by [[:Category:Patterns found by Mohawk Indian| Mohawk Indian ]] in [[:Category:Patterns found in 1776|1776]].</nowiki>
|-
|conwaylife page ||http://www.conwaylife.com/
|-
|conwaylife menu (how to register files) ||[[ConwayLife.com:About]]
|-
|mail ||mailto:support@conwaylife.com
|-
|request example (<nowiki>[ A | B ]</nowiki> denotes a choice)||<nowiki>Please upload the file xxxx.rle [ attached to this email | from http://www.conwaylife.com ] for the [ extant [[xxxx]] | to be created xxxx ] pattern page.</nowiki>
|-
|}

{{ContributeNavbox}}

User talk:Sokwe

2009-12-16T06:50:47Z

Methodood: silver's list

==Welcome!==
Hi there, and welcome to LifeWiki! In answer to your question on my talk page, some of the LifeWiki conventions are described on the [[LifeWiki:Style guide]] page, and in particular the "pattern names should be in lowercase" thing is described at [[LifeWiki:Spelling]]. LifeWiki is still very new though so a lot of conventions and whatnot haven't been formally written down, and unfortunately the LifeWiki procedures and guidelines pages are still a bit of a mess. My best advice right now is to just use your best judgment and you'll pick it up in no time. The guidelines are by no means set it stone, and if you have recommendations for what guidelines ''should'' be, then you're of course more than welcome to suggest them.

Also, thanks for your contributions to the [[spaceship]] article, it's already looking a ''lot'' better. I have plans to do something similar with the [[oscillator]] article as well, as it's a bit of a mess right now. [[User:Nathaniel|Nathaniel]] 18:55, 18 April 2009 (UTC)

== Silver's ==

Hi Sokwe, as you seem to create redirs, you may find every Silver list's [[red link]] on my home page User:Methodood/sandbox1. --[[User:Methodood|Methodood]] 06:50, 16 December 2009 (UTC)