Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #02399
To: JVernonM@aol.com, beam beam@corp.sgi.com
From: Sean Rigter rigter@cafe.net
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 16:52:53 -0700
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Beam genome
Hello Jim,
You wrote:
> > But consider how Beamers and Beam technology would benefit from such a
> > (genealogy) document.
> Exactly, and that's the real reason for doing it. Get it straight, write it
> down, and let everyone interested benefit from the history and how they can
> add to it.
The history of BEAM should give us an insight into both the creative
design process, how one idea leads to another and how the state of the
art has advanced over the years. The equivalent of a history of CPUs
starting with the INTEL 4004 (Hey! I was there when that happened). Does
anyone remember the designers of these early CPUs. They have profoundly
influenced the world but have rarely received the recognition.
> > New Beam genes (ideas) are expressed and propagated into designs where they
> > can be tested for their survival fitness at a the rate which depends on the
> > distribution of information. Currently, Beam designs/ideas are described on
> > websites, here on the list or by publication of papers, articles and
> > reports. This is the present reproductive mechanism whereby Beam genes are
> > combined ( better than sex you say?),
My wife was horified by this sentence in view of the average age of this
group. I was just trying to be clever with an oblique reference to the
natural biological reproductive process. So to anyone offended by those
3 letters: my apology.
> BEAM excels at getting more and more people interested in what was
> usually the domain of serious researchers.
---8<---
> If so much is going on
> out here and it's undocumented, then that's really a waste of valuable
> information.
---8<---
> The dream of the living wild machine. Now if we can come to a more uniform
> consensus and documentation system as how to approach that dream
> collectively, then we may slowly pull it off.
---8<---
> Do you think a more formal documentation of
> how BEAM beasties evolve and adapt is warranted or are we all just blowing
> smoke over here.
BEAM (as it relates to this group) is a nuturing/educational environment
and wonderful blend of science, technology, engineering and non-linear
thinking. We have no lack of inovative ideas but without tools to rank
all that information, the quality of (some of) our knowledge bases is
chaotic and diluted.
So the trick is to have structure in which ideas can be organized and
grow without stifling the creative impulse. Structures for organizing
information are already being explored in published papers and reports,
in the list articles ranking performance of components etc. and in many
excelent Beam website designs. A comprehensive Beam genealogy will
certainly be recognized as a major contribution to organizing
information and virtually guarantee a large number of "visitors".
> > An official Beam genome archive maintained/protected by them! (shudder)
> > Anyone caught looking behind the curtains of the Only True Beam genome will
> Jeez, now you sound like me. I thought I was the only one getting those
> vibes.
Always ranking the full spectrum of posibilities including best/worst
case scenarios. IMHO that particular version of Beam Hell is a long
shot.
regards
wilf
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