Glossary of basic terms: Difference between revisions
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[[Category:Glossary| ]] | |||
This page provides very short definitions of a small set of basic terms used in discussing [[Life]] and Life [[pattern]]s. | This page provides very short definitions of a small set of basic terms used in discussing [[Life]] and Life [[pattern]]s. | ||
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; [[still life]] : a non-empty pattern that does not change from one generation to the next | ; [[still life]] : a non-empty pattern that does not change from one generation to the next | ||
; [[oscillator]] : a pattern that repeats itself after a fixed number of generations (known as its [[period]]) | ; [[oscillator]] : a pattern that repeats itself after a fixed number of generations (known as its [[period]]) | ||
; [[spaceship]] : a finite pattern that moves across the grid of cells and repeats itself after a fixed number of generations | ; [[spaceship]] : a finite pattern that moves across the grid of cells and repeats itself after a fixed number of generations | ||
; [[eater]] : any still life or oscillator that can delete [[junk]] produced by some reactions without suffering any permanent damage | |||
; [[catalyst]] : any still life or oscillator that has the ability to interact with certain patterns without suffering any permanent damage | |||
; [[puffer]] : a pattern that moves like a spaceship, except that it leaves [[debris]] behind | ; [[puffer]] : a pattern that moves like a spaceship, except that it leaves [[debris]] behind | ||
; [[rake]] : a puffer whose debris consists of spaceships | ; [[rake]] : a puffer whose debris consists of spaceships | ||
; [[gun]] : a stationary pattern that repeatedly emits spaceships (or rakes) forever | ; [[gun]] : a stationary pattern that repeatedly emits spaceships (or rakes) forever | ||
; [[breeder]] : a pattern that exhibits unbounded [[quadratic growth]] | ; [[breeder]] : a pattern that exhibits unbounded [[quadratic growth]] | ||
; [[conduit]] : an arrangement of still | ; [[conduit]] : an arrangement of still lifes and/or oscillators that move an active object to another location without suffering any permanent damage | ||
; [[ | ; [[methuselah]] : a pattern that takes a large number of [[generation]]s to stabilize (known as its lifespan) and becomes much larger than its initial configuration at some point during its evolution | ||
; [[ | ; [[soup]] : a pattern made by randomly putting cells in an area | ||
; [[ | ; [[synthesis]] : a way to make another pattern by crashing spaceships into each other | ||
; [[constellation]] : a group of un-moving patterns within a small location | |||
; [[hassler]] : an oscillator made by repeatedly interrupting the natural evolution of a certain pattern and regenerating said pattern | |||
Latest revision as of 06:34, 30 March 2026
This page provides very short definitions of a small set of basic terms used in discussing Life and Life patterns.
Types of patterns
- still life
- a non-empty pattern that does not change from one generation to the next
- oscillator
- a pattern that repeats itself after a fixed number of generations (known as its period)
- spaceship
- a finite pattern that moves across the grid of cells and repeats itself after a fixed number of generations
- eater
- any still life or oscillator that can delete junk produced by some reactions without suffering any permanent damage
- catalyst
- any still life or oscillator that has the ability to interact with certain patterns without suffering any permanent damage
- puffer
- a pattern that moves like a spaceship, except that it leaves debris behind
- rake
- a puffer whose debris consists of spaceships
- gun
- a stationary pattern that repeatedly emits spaceships (or rakes) forever
- breeder
- a pattern that exhibits unbounded quadratic growth
- conduit
- an arrangement of still lifes and/or oscillators that move an active object to another location without suffering any permanent damage
- methuselah
- a pattern that takes a large number of generations to stabilize (known as its lifespan) and becomes much larger than its initial configuration at some point during its evolution
- soup
- a pattern made by randomly putting cells in an area
- synthesis
- a way to make another pattern by crashing spaceships into each other
- constellation
- a group of un-moving patterns within a small location
- hassler
- an oscillator made by repeatedly interrupting the natural evolution of a certain pattern and regenerating said pattern