B36/S125

[Lewis]

Is there any information/websites regarding the rule B36/S125? I have
looked all over the web, but haven't found any information or
patterns, except the spaceships on http://fano.ics.uci.edu/ca/rules/b36s125/
.
A while ago I created a collection of 80 or so oscillators of various
periods which I had found either from random soup experiments or
search programs, and was wondering if they were new, or had just been
re-discovered.

[david.m...@gmail.com]

> Is there any information/websites regarding the rule B36/S125? I have
> looked all over the web, but haven't found any information or
> patterns, except the spaceships on http://fano.ics.uci.edu/ca/rules/b36s125/

This is one of MCell 4.20's predefined rules, "2x2", with the
description:

| Similar in character to Conway's Life, but completely different
| patterns. Many different oscillators occur at random, and a rare
glider.
| This rule is also a 2x2 block universe. This means that patterns
| consisting entirely of 2x2 blocks, all aligned, will continue to
consist
| of 2x2 blocks.

MCell has one sample 2x2.lif pattern with several oscillators in it,
all simple filled blocks of ON cells of various sizes -- 2x9, 3x31,
7x32, and 16x28.

In 1993 Dean Hickerson looked into the behavior of 2xN blocks of ON
cells; apparently all these are also oscillators of various periods,
except ones of the form 2*(2^k-2), which eventually vanish.

> A while ago I created a collection of 80 or so oscillators of various
> periods which I had found either from random soup experiments or
> search programs, and was wondering if they were new, or had just been
> re-discovered.

I can only find a scattering of oscillators reported for this rule,
but there are certainly a lot of naturally appearing ones -- p2
especially, but a surprising variety of higher periods as well:

#C Sample collection of B36/S125 oscillators found by
#C Alan Hensel and Dean Hickerson between 1993 and 1999
x = 67, y = 120, rule = B36/S125
58boo$23boo4bo20bo6bo$15boo6boo4bobo6bobobo8bo5boo$15bobo5boo5bo7bobob
o6bobo7bo$4bobobo8bo5boo6boo6b3o7boo7boo$$8bo$$4bobobo29bobobo$19boobo
7bo7bobobo7boo6bobobo$4bo15boo8bo8b3o8bo7bobobo$20boo7bobo17bobo7b3o$
4bobobo10boboo5bo3bo6b3o6bo3bo7bo$28booboo5bobobo5booboo6bobo$38bobobo
17bo5$4bobobo$$8bo7bobobo9boo$16bo3bo11bo$4bobobo9bo8bobbo$16bobobo7bo
bbo$8bo7bobobo5bo$27boo$4bobobo4$41bo3bo9bobo$40bobobo9bo3bo$41bo12bo
3bo$25boo17bo8bo5bo$4bo3bo8bo9bo5b4o4bobobo6bobobobobo$16boboo5bobbo7b
o3bo3bo5booboboboboboo$4bo3bo7bo3bo7bo4bo15bo4bo3bo4bo$53bo5bo$4bobobo
40bo4bo3bo4bo$50booboboboboboo$8bo20booboo8boo8bobobobobo$17bobbob3o
15bo4bo7bo5bo$8bo9bo3bo8bo9bobbo9bo3bo$16b3obobbo17bobbo9bo3bo$29boob
oo5boo4boo8bobo6$4bobobo30bo3bobobo9bobbo$19boo35boboobo$4bo14bo19bo7b
o7bobobbobo$20boo32bobo4bobo$4bobobo7bo3boo17bo3bobobo7bo6bo$16bobbo
35bo6bo$8bo10boo18bo3bo10bobo4bobo$55bobobbobo$4bobobo30bo3bobobo8bob
oobo$57bobbo6$4bobobo30bo3bo3bo$$4bo12bobbo18bo3bo3bo8bo4bo$16bo4bo33b
o6bo3bo$4bobobo7bo4bo17bo3bobobo6b3obo6bo$16bo4bo34boo6bo$4bo3bo30bo7b
o8bo7boo$$4bobobo30bo7bo7$4bobobo12b3o15bo3bobobo$16boo5bo$4bo3bo7bob
3obo16bo7bo6bobo$16bo5bo31bobo3bo$4bobobo9bo3bo16bo7bo8bo3bo$18bo5bo
31bo3bobo$4bo3bo9bob3obo14bo7bo12bobo$17bo5boo$4bobobo8b3o19bo7bo7$o3b
obobo26bobobo3bobobo$$o3bo3bo7b6o17bo7bo$17b4o34bobbo$o3bo3bo26bobobo
3bobobo7bobbo$54boobboo$o3bo3bo8b4o14bo7bo$16b6o$o3bobobo26bobobo3bobo
bo7$4bo3bo26bobobo3bobobo$24boo$4bo3bo12bo17bo3bo$21bo33bobo$4bo3bo10b
obo13bobobo3bobobo7bobbo$19bo36bobo$4bo3bo10bo15bo7bo3bo$15boo$4bo3bo
26bobobo3bobobo!

If you have a larger collection of oscillators, this would probably be
a good place to post it...!

For anyone unfamiliar with the above RLE format, it's a good email-
friendly way to post larger patterns -- you can paste the text
straight into Golly, MCell, Life32, or many other Life editors. The
format is described here:

http://psoup.math.wisc.edu/mcell/ca_files_formats.html#RLE

Keep the cheer,


Dave Greene

[Dave Greene]

One more B36/S125 item seems worth mentioning in passing.

In 1999, David Bell built some interesting-looking extensible
spaceships in this rule, that don't show up in David Eppstein's
database of gliders -- infinite numbers of infinite families of
related spaceships wouldn't fit too well in a Web catalog, I suppose:

#C extensible 'jellyfish' spaceships: David Bell, 26 December 1999
x = 105, y = 92, rule = B36/S125
15bo7bo$11bobobobobobobobobo$7bobobo7bo7bobobo$5bobo8bo5bo8bobo$4bo6bo
bo4bobo4bobo6bo$3boobbobobb3o9b3obbobobboo$bobo5bo3boo9boo3bo5bobo$b3o
8bobo9bobo8b3o$bboo7b3o11b3o7boo$oo9boo13boo9boo$oboo7bobo11bobo7boobo
$b4o7b3o9b3o7b4o$6bo6boo9boo6bo40bo15bo$3bobboo4bobo9bobo4boobbo33bobo
bobobo7bobobobobo$3b3obo3b3o11b3o3bob3o29bobobo7bobobobobo7bobobo$4bo
6boo13boo6bo28bobo8bo6bo6bo8bobo$11bobo11bobo34bo6bobo6bo5bo6bobo6bo$
9bobooboo7booboobo31boobbobobb3o7bobo7b3obbobobboo$8booboo13booboo28bo
bo5bo3boo17boo3bo5bobo$9boobbo11bobboo29b3o8bobo17bobo8b3o$9bo4boo7boo
4bo30boo7b3o19b3o7boo$7bo3boob3o5b3oboo3bo26boo9boo21boo9boo$8bobobobb
o7bobbobobo27boboo7bobo19bobo7boobo$6boobo3bobo7bobo3boboo26b4o7b3o17b
3o7b4o$5b3obo3b3o7b3o3bob3o30bo6boo17boo6bo$6boobo4bo9bo4boboo28bobboo
4bobo17bobo4boobbo$11boboo9boobo33b3obo3b3o19b3o3bob3o$10b4o11b4o33bo
6boo21boo6bo$11b3o11b3o41bobo19bobo$13boo9boo44b3o17b3o$9bobo15bobo41b
oo17boo$11bobbo9bobbo42bobo17bobo$7boboobo13boboobo37b3o19b3o$7bo23bo
37boo21boo$4b4o4bo13bo4b4o30bo3bobo19bobo$8bo21bo30bobobobobooboo16b3o
$4bo29bo22bobobo7boo19boo$6bobo21bobo20bobobo6bo4b3obo16bobo$49bobobo
6bo30b3o$45bobobo6bo11boo22boo$41bobobo6bo8boo4bo23bobo$37bobobo6bo12b
ob3obbo21b3o$19b3o3bo7bobobo6bo17boobbo23boo$15b3ob3obobobobobobo6bo
49bobo$11b3ob3obobo7bo6bo54b3o$10b4obo4bobbobbo5bo59boo$8boboobobboob
4o5bobo60bobo$7bo5b4obb3obboo63booboobo$6boo5boo6bobbobo4boo59booboo$
9bo12b3obo3bo60bobboo$5bobo16bo6bo57boo4bo$5bo21bobo20bo37b3oboo3bo$6b
oobo12boobob3obo14bobobobobo34bobbobobo$9bo14bobob3o11bobobo7bobobo30b
obo3boboo$9b4o9bo3bo11bobobo6bo8bobo28b3o3bob3o$8bo19bo5bobobo6bo6bobo
6bo28bo4boboo$12bo12bobobbobobo6bo9b3obbobobboo27boobo$8bobo19bo6bo13b
oo3bo5bobo26b4o$26bobbo3bo17bobo8b3o26b3o$31bo20b3o7boo26boo$53boo9boo
27bobo$52bobo7boobo24bobbo$51b3o7b4o27boboobo$51boo6bo37bo$51bobo4boo
bbo29bo4b4o$52b3o3bob3o33bo$53boo6bo38bo$52bobo41bobo$51b3o$51boo$51bo
bo$49bobooboo$48booboo$49boobbo$49bo4boo$47bo3boob3o$48bobobobbo$46boo
bo3bobo$45b3obo3b3o$46boobo4bo$51boboo$50b4o$51b3o$53boo$49bobo$51bobb
o$47boboobo$47bo$44b4o4bo$48bo$44bo$46bobo!

[Lewis]

I have put the collection on the files section here, somehow it is
a .rle file with a .lif extension. It includes quite a few of the
patterns in the collection you posted, although some don't seem to be
on there (mainly the p3's).
Most of the patterns here were found either occuring naturally, or
built by hand (most of the smaller, lower period oscillators.). The
much bigger, more symmetrical patterns were found using search
programs.

x = 159, y = 175, rule = 125/36
4b2o$89b2o$7bo91b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o4b
2o$7bo79bo13bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bobob2obo$69bo6bo10b
o9b55ob2o2b2o$4b2o34b2o28bo4bo21b55o$26b2o14bo5b2ob2o2b2o8b2o
5bo16b2o10bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo$2bo5b4o3b2o3b2o4bo
bo5b3o4bobo4bo3bo2bobo8bo4b3o25b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o
3b2o3b2o3b2o4b2o$2bo5b4o4bo5bo6bo3bobobo4bo6bobo6b2o3b3o6b3o17b
o60bob2obo$14b2o3b2o7b2o3bobobo5b2o5bo4bobo5b3o7bo18bo60b2o2b
2o$4b2o43b2o4b2o5bo7bo4bo20b6o$62b2o5bo6bo12b2o5bob2obo31b2o$
97bo2bo9b2o3b2o8bo9bo19b2o$109bo7bo6bob2o3b5o2b2o13bob2obo$12b
4o5b2o88bo3bo8bob2o3b5obo15b2o2b2o$12b4o5b2o10b2o38b2o21b6o9b
o3bo6bobob2o7bob5o$4bobo14b2o11bo2b2ob2o2b2o9b2o3b2o2bo10bo20b
ob2obo7bo7bo4bobob2o5b2o2b5o$4bo16b2o8bobo3bo3bo2bo9bo2bo2bob
obo5bob3o22bo2bo9b2o3b2o8bo11bo17b2o$5b2obo5b4o5b4o2bobo6b3o4b
3o7bo6bo6bo2bo65b2o13bob2obo$6bobo5b4o5b4o5bo15bo4bobobo2bobo
bo5b2o81b2o2b2o$5bobo23b2o4b2ob2o5b2o4bo2b2o2bo2b2o31b6o$5bo90b
ob2obo$97bo2bo3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o$106b
o4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo$68b2o3b2o29bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4b
o4bo4bo4bo4bo$35b4o29b2o3b2o21b6o2bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4b
o4bo$8b2obo5b2o16b4o7b2o20b2o3b2o21bob2obo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4b
o4bo4bo4bo4bo$9bobo6bo6bo2bo4b2o4b2o5bo7b2o5b2o5b2o3b2o22bo2b
o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o$9b2o4b4obo5b3o4b
2o4b2o3b2o3bo5bo2bo2bo8b3o$5bo2b2o5bob4o4b3o5b2o4b2o3bo3b2o4b
o2bobo2bo5b2o3b2o$5b5o7bo7bo2bo4b2o4b2o6bo7bo2bo2bo6b2o3b2o$7b
o9b2o16b4o7b2o6b2o5b2o5b2o3b2o$5b2o28b4o29b2o3b2o$106b2o$101b
o4b2o$99b2obobob2obo$9b2ob2o5bo4bo3bo4bo5bo26b2ob2o28b2obobob
2obo$5b2o6bo6bo4bobo4bo3bobobo8b2o4b2o8bo33b2obo2b4o$5bobob4o
9bo10b2o2b2o5bobobo6bobo6bobob3obo26b2obo$7bobo10bobob3o7bo9b
ob5o6bobo4bo2bo2bobo28bo3b2o$5bobo3b2obo4bo2bo10bo5bo5b2o2bo5b
o2bo7bobobo34bo$5bob2o3bobo10bo2bo9bo7bo2b2o3bo4b2o3bobo2bo2b
o33b2o$10bobo8b3obobo6b2o2b2o5b5obo9bo2bob3obobo24bob2obo3b2o
$7b4obobo10bo6bobobo3bo6bobobo6bob2o9bo25bo4bo2bo$6bo6b2o5bob
o4bo5bo5bo5b2o10bo8b2ob2o27bo2bo3b2o$6b2ob2o8bo3bo4bo3$22bo24b
o$5b2o2bo2b2o7bobo9bo5bo6bo15bo$5bo4bo2bo9bo8bobo5bo3b3o2bo7b
2o2bo31b2o42b2o$7bob3o8bob3o9b3ob2o7bobo6bo2bo87b3o$6b2o10b3o
5bo11bo3bo2b3ob2o4bobob2o30bo43bo4bo6bo5b2o$5bobo3bobo3bo2bo3b
o2bo6bo3bo4b2ob3o2bo3bo5bo29bo43bo4bo7bob3obo$11b2o5bo5b3o7bo
9bobo9b2obobo52bobo2bobo26bo5bo$7b3obo8b3obo8b2ob3o5bo2b3o7bo
2bo32b2o7b8o5bo4bo16b2o9bo3bo$5bo2bo4bo7bo10bo5bobo6bo7bo2b2o
42b8o4b2ob2ob2o24bo5bo$5b2o2bo2b2o7bobo9bo5bo6bo7bo36bo4bo18b
2o2b2o14bo4bo5bob3obo$22bo68bo4bo38bo4bo5b2o5bo$151b3o$93b2o42b
2o$8bo15b2o17b2o3b2o$7bo15bobo7b2o8b2o3b2o$6bob2o12bo10bobo7b
2o3b2o9bo$6b5o6b2ob3o2bo9bo7b2o3b2o8bo$8bo8bo5bobo19b3o9bo$5b
obobobo6bo2b3ob2o6b5o7b3o9b2o$5bobobobo7b2ob3o2bo5bo4bo4b2o3b
2o5bo3bo34b2o39bo4bo$20bobo5bo5b2obo5b2o3b2o4bo3bo30bo28b2o15b
o4bo$20bo2b3ob2o14b2o3b2o39bo2bo4bo19b4o$23bo19b2o3b2o42bo4bo
7b2ob2o6bob2obo13bo4bo7b2o$20bobo66bo17bo8bo4bo13bo4bo10b2o$20b
2o67bo2bo4bo5bo7bo6b2o31b2obo$92bo4bo9bo10b2o15bo4bo10bo3bo$89b
o15b2ob2o6bo4bo13bo4bo11bob2o$2b2o85bo2bo4bo18bob2obo32b2o$64b
o10b2o15bo4bo19b4o14bo4bo16b2o$5bo37b2o9bob2o7bo10bo12bo28b2o
15bo4bo$5bo6bo8bobobo8b2o18b2o7bobo7bo3b2o10bo4b2o$10b3o8bobo
bo8bobo4b4o7bo2bo7bo9b2o2b2o$2b2o5bob2ob2o7bo7bo2b2o9bo6b3o9b
4o7b2ob3o$9bo3bo7bobobo5b2o2bo7bo2bo9bo8b2obo6b3ob2o$5bo8b2o5b
2ob2o4bobo10bo20bo2bo9b2o2b2o$5bo25b2o13bo8bobo8b2o9b2o3bo$45b
o9bobo21bo$2b2o75b2o4$10b2o5b2o88bo2bo14b5o$9bo2bo6bo24b2o5b2o
29bo7bo4b2o9bob2obo13b5o$8bo2bo2b2o4bo25bo3bo14b2o14bo8bo16bo
2bo12b2o5b2o$8bo5bobobobo7bo13bo3bo3bo3bo24bo18bo7bob2obo11b2o
5b2o$11bo2b2o3bo9bob2o4bo4bo3bobobo3bo10b4o7bob3o9bo7bo4bobob
o2bobobo8b2o5b2o$10bobo20bo2bo6b3obobob3o10bo13b2o10bo11bobob
o4bobobo7b2o5b2o$10b3o3b3o11b2o2bo11bo3bo15bo7bob2o17b2o6bobo
6bobo8b2o5b2o$16bobo10bo4bobo8bo5bo10bo3bo9b2obo10bo12bobo6bo
bo8b2o5b2o$9bo3b2o2bo10bo7bo9bo3bo8bobo12b2o14bo2bo8bobobo4bo
bobo7b2o5b2o$8bobobobo5bo7bobo4bo7b3obobob3o5bobob2o8b3obo15b
o9bobobo2bobobo8b2o5b2o$8bo4b2o2bo2bo9bo2b2o7bo3bobobo3bo6bo12b
o15bo15bob2obo11b2o5b2o$9bo6bo2bo8bo2bo10bo3bo3bo3bo6bo10bo17b
o4b2o10bo2bo12b2o5b2o$10b2o5b2o8bo4b2obo10bo3bo20bo34bob2obo13b
5o$36bo7b2o5b2o54bo2bo14b5o3$51b2o12b2o2b2o$50bo$50b2o2bo2b2o
5bobo2bobo$51b3o2b2obo2bo4bobo3bo$10bobobobo6b2o8bo18b5o2bo2b
ob6obobo$10bobobobo5bo2bo3bo4bo3b2o10bobo2b2o9bo2b2o$11bo3bo6b
ob2o2bo6b2o2bo11b2o2bobo7b2o2bo21bo2bo4bo33bo4b2o$23b4o8b3o10b
o2b5o6bobob6obo17bo2bo4bo33bo15b2o$12b3o10b3o8b3o9bob2o2b3o5b
o3bobo4bo62bo4bo6b2ob2o$12bobo11b2o6bo2b2o10b2o2bo2b2o6bobo2b
obo19bo4b2o9b2o6bo17bo2bo4bo7bo3bo$13bo10bo3bo5b2o3bo17bo33bo
16bo7bo16bo16b2ob2o$23bo5bo10bo14b2o8b2o2b2o28bo5bo3bo31bo6bo
2bo2bo$91bo7bo5b2obo9b2o13bo7bo6b2ob2o$91bo15bo9bobo13bo15bo3b
o$116bo24bo8b2ob2o$o4bo85bo7bo33bo7bo10b2o$o4bo85bo7bo33bo$42b
3o$2b2o7b2o5b2o22b3o26bo2b2o$13bo5b2o4b2o6b2o7b3o8bo2bob3o9bo
bo4bo$5bo8bo5bo2bobobo4b2obo3bo2b3o2bo6bo3bo10bo2bo2b2o$5bo6b
obo3b2o3b2o2bo3b2ob2o6b3o7b3obo2bo8bo2bobo2bobo54b2o5b2o$42b3o
24b2obo5bo$5bo36b3o26bo3bo60bobo$5bo62bo5bob2o13b2o5b2o36bobo
10b2o$68bobo2bobo2bo72bo$13bo3bo16b4o32b2o2bo2bo16bo6bo31b2o5b
2o7bo$12bobobo4bo3bo8b4o7bo2bo20bo4bobo17bo6bo7bo40b2o$13bo7b
o3bo8b4o6bo4bo6b2o13b2o2bo30bo2bo21bo6bo4bo$16bo6bo10b4o6b2o2b
2o4bo4bo31b2o5b2o5b2o24bo6bo4bo$13bobobo3bo3bo8b4o8b2o7bo2bo46b
2o$12bo3bo4bo3bo8b4o7bo2bo6bo2bo30bo6bo9bo2bo23b2o5b2o$34b4o15b
2o4b2o28bo6bo12bo$34b4o$69bob3o2b2o13b2o5b2o$70bob2obobo$69bo
2b5o$69b4ob2o$14b2ob2o30bo7bo11b3o3b3o$13bo5bo30bo2bo2bo14b2o
b4o$14bo3bo11b2o5b2o31b5o2bo$13bo5bo9bobo5bobo12bobo14bobob2o
bo$10bobobobobobobo5bo11bo4bo4bo2bo2bo4bo7b2o2b3obo$9bobobobo
bobobobo4b2o3bobo3b2o5bo2bo2bobo2bo2bo38b2o$9bo4bo3bo4bo10bo56b
2o32bo2bo$13bo5bo11bobobobo10bobo5bobo38bo4bo21bob2obo$9bo4bo
3bo4bo8bo3bo9bo2bo7bo2bo28bo7bo4bo7b2o2b2o7bobo2bobo$9bobobob
obobobobo7bobobobo10bobo5bobo30bo20bo4bo6bobo4bobo$10bobobobo
bobobo11bo33b2obobo3b2o18bo4bo5bo2b4o2bo5bo6bo$13bo5bo8b2o3bo
bo3b2o5bo2bo2bobo2bo2bo7bo5bobobo12b2o4bo4bo5bo2b4o2bo5bo6bo$
14bo3bo9bo11bo4bo4bo2bo2bo4bo7bo4bo35bo4bo6bobo4bobo$13bo5bo9b
obo5bobo12bobo18bo4bo10bo4bo2bo4bo7b2o2b2o7bobo2bobo$14b2ob2o
11b2o5b2o30b2o18bo4bo2bo4bo21bob2obo$50bo2bo2bo11bo2bo3bo2bo46b
o2bo$49bo7bo18b2o13b2o6b2o$68bo4bo$72bo4bo$68bobobo5bo$68b2o3b
obob2o$12bo2bo3bo2bo$12bo3bobo3bo$16b3o38bo4bo$14bo5bo7b2o5b2o
4b2o8b2o4bo4bo$15b5o10bo3bo8bo3b2obo8b2o7b2o6b2o$28b9o4b12o6b
2o9bob2obo$15b5o10bobobo8bob2o3bo6bo4bo5b10o$14bo5bo7b2o5b2o4b
2o8b2o4bo4bo7bo4bo$16b3o49b2o6b2o$12bo3bobo3bo$12bo2bo3bo2bo!

[david.m...@gmail.com]

> Most of the patterns here were found either occuring naturally, or
> built by hand (most of the smaller, lower period oscillators.). The
> much bigger, more symmetrical patterns were found using search
> programs.

Very nice! Shows how blinkered I am (no pun intended) by spending all
my time with B3/S23 -- I used Conway's-Life-style numbers for labeling
the B36/S125 stamp collection. Didn't even consider that stable
labels might be easier in this rule...

David Bell had also pointed out the possibility of daisy-chaining the
p5. And Alan Hensel pointed out that p10s, and anything else with
similar end sparks, could be chained also:

*****...*****

What search program(s) did you use to find the bigger oscillators?


DaveG

[Lewis]

> What search program(s) did you use to find the bigger oscillators?

Most of the larger, more symmetrical patterns were found using
WinLifeSearch (http://entropymine.com/jason/life/software/).

Also, I have been using the screensaver at http://www.geocities.com/conwaylife/
to generate statistics on the standard Game of Life (b3/s23). I was
wondering if the program could be altered to run other rules, or if
there is any other software out there that could create pattern
frequency statistics for other rules. I can't program at all, so I
can't even run C source files, let alone make my own software.

[Dave Greene]

> ... I have been using the screensaver at http://www.geocities.com/conwaylife/

> to generate statistics on the standard Game of Life (b3/s23). I was
> wondering if the program could be altered to run other rules, or if
> there is any other software out there that could create pattern
> frequency statistics for other rules.

WinLife32 ( http://www.winlife32.com/ ) has a Census function that
seems to work reasonably well with B36/S125. Starting from a large
random broth that has burned out to ash, the census will automatically
populate a library with newly discovered still lifes and oscillators
(and their frequency counts), named according to the number of bits.
If you rename the known objects appropriately, it's easy to find and
review the new objects when they pop up.

This is not an entirely automated process the way the screensaver is,
though. Also, a small percentage of both stable patterns and
oscillators seem to show up as "unclassifiable" -- it looks as if some
of the pseudo-objects that are showing up in the ash are confusing the
census algorithm somehow. I find that if I select the unclassifiable
stuff and add it to the library manually, the algorithm recognizes it
from then on -- as long as I run the ash another tick, otherwise it
just pulls up the previous results again.

The screensaver program may or may not be easy to recompile for other
rules. I'll write and ask if the source code is available -- partly
because I've been threatening to add a Census Taker utility to Golly
for years now... can't seem to get past the planning stages. But it's
possible that switching to B36/S125 might not be trivial: the utility
looks like it's designed to work as fast as possible, and some
bit-twiddling speed optimizations are very rule-specific.

Keep the cheer,

DaveG

[Lewis]

I usually use winlife32 for gathering object statistics, but it is too
time-consuming and my computer is slow so I can't leave it running in
the background while I do something else. The unclassifiable objects
seem to be ones made up off 2 or more 'islands' supporting each other,
although some patterns (such as the p26 in B36/S125) show as new and
unclassifiable even when they are already in the pattern library. This
makes the program add another copy of the same pattern to the library,
which confuses the program more.

The e-mail address on the screensaver's website doesn't seem to work,
I tried to contact the site owner a few times, but the address doesn't
seem to be valid.

[david.m...@gmail.com]

> The unclassifiable objects seem to be ones made up off 2 or more
> 'islands' supporting each other, although some patterns
> (such as the p26 in B36/S125) show as new and unclassifiable even
> when they are already in the pattern library.

I think I figured that one out. Check WinLife Options > General.
There's a sneaky parameter down in the lower right -- "Longest
detected pattern cycle" -- that defaults to 16. Different from the
"64" cycle detection for the whole pattern, I guess (?).

For B36/S125, I changed the 16 to 64, without any apparent ill effects
(but I do have a reasonably fast computer). That seemed to solve the
p26 recognition problem.

> The e-mail address on the screensaver's website doesn't seem to work,
> I tried to contact the site owner a few times, but the address doesn't
> seem to be valid.

OK, I'll give it a try and see if I can get through somehow --

Keep the cheer,


DaveG

[Lewis]

In the rule 125/36 I have found another P4 Oscillator and a 1-cell
high pattern that creates another different P4.
New P4:
x = 6, y = 9, rule = 125/36
o4bo$bo2bo$2bo$b3o$bob2o$b3o$2bo$bo2bo$o4bo!

Oscillator predecessor:
x = 25, y = 1, rule = 125/36
12ob12o!

The following pattern could probably be made into a shuttle-oscillator
somehow:
x = 5, y = 4, rule = 125/36
o3bo2$obobo$2bo!

Also, are any infinite-growth mechanisms known in this rule? I don't
know of any so far, although the c/3 ship produces sparks which could
be used to make a puffer:
x = 10, y = 8, rule = 125/36
6bobo2$5bo2b2o$3o2bo2b2o$3bobo2b2o$3bobo2b2o$3o$6bobo!