brains versus the exponential

[ferkeltongs]

In my 2010 paper on Codd's self-replicating computer I estimated that it would take at least 1000 years for the machine to replicate. If we left it running we might expect it to complete in the year 3010.

But of course computing power is always increasing, so how soon should we expect it to happen?

Moore's law says that computing performance

Comments

[rickbot]

This is a great example of the Power of Laziness - rather that doing something now that might take a thousand years, just sit on it until it because quick and easy.

[ferkeltongs]

Yeah, the question soon becomes: is there any point applying brainpower to this problem when in a few years time computing power will make it irrelevant? It's like computing power is a rapidly deflating currency.

Fortunately there are enough problems that don't fall into that category and life remains interesting.

[fanf]

Have you seen http://www.conwaylife.com/wiki/OTCA_metapixel ?

[ferkeltongs]

Yes, metapixel patterns have been included with Golly for a while now - look in Patterns/Hashlife. It's pretty mind-blowing how hashlife works so well.