Net-Life
version 1.0.0
by
Christopher G Busch
Net-Life
version 1.0.0
by
Christopher G Busch
Net-Life is a simulation of artificial-life, with neural "brains" generated via slightly random techniques. Net-Life uses artificial neural nets and evolutionary algorithms to breed artificial organisms that are similar to single cell organisms. Net-life uses asexual reproduction of its fittest individuals with a chance of mutation after each round to eventual evolve successful life-forms.
Currently, this package only runs on UNIX boxes.Net-Life has three modes of operation, visual, non-visual, and batch. Visual mode uses the UNIX curses interface, and non-visual using just plain dumb terminal text. Batch is useful for running large simulations late at night using the UNIX 'at' command. Help using Net-Life can be found by pressing 'h' in the program or by reading the READMEs.
Hopefully just typing 'make' will do the trick. However, if this does not work, there are some options that one can twiddle with. Also there are some other makefiles that you can choose (these would be named makefile.something). If the above does not work, please email me at cbusch@d.umn.edu.
If you use Net-Life for any purpose, I would like to hear what you think of it. If you use the source code from Net-Life, I would like to be mentioned and given credit for my work. My version of the Net-Life package should be the only one in wide circulation. In addition to the above requests but not replacing them, I would like to distribute this code under the GNU license agreement.
You bet cha! Chris Busch will not be held responsible for the use or misuse of this software. No guarantees or warranties are made to usefulness of this program. So if your mainframe crashes because of this program, it is not my fault.
I have always wanted to write an Alife simulation ever since I did a paper on it a couple of years back. I started Net-Life in Dec 1994.
Net-Life needs a pure X-Windows interface. I do plan to give it one, someday. Also, I plan to give the life-forms in Net-life the option of having a symbolic brain, instead of only a neural one. With this, Net-Life could be used to explore a more pure chromosomal behavior.
Suspension (control-Z) sometimes goofs up the terminal. This usually only occurs when the program was in visual mode and now is text mode. So beware of control-Z.
The save/load file format looks pretty but its not entirely what you expect. The keywords are only place holders! Its basically only safe to change individual numbers.
I am a Senior at the University of MN, Duluth. My majors are Computer Science and Numerical and Computational Mathematics. I have had a large interest in computers and computing for above 10 years now, dating all the way back to the Commodore Vic-20. My favorite computer language is C++ of course, since its OOP and very fast.
The best way to contact me is through email at cbusch@d.umn.edu. You can also visit my WWW site at http://www.d.umn.edu/~cbusch/. My snail mail address is: Chris Busch, 1132 Woodland Trail, Northfield, MN 55057. If the above email address becomes stale, you could mail ssl@d.umn.edu, and the mail should be forwarded (but be sure to ask for Chris Busch).
Remember, just have fun and learn!