controlling the gate timing to pass it through. I found the article a
little silly, (in a clever way), maybe I just don't get it.
I just found it very interesting. If you set up an evolutionary program to
survive based on how well it produces an oscillating signal, you would
expect it to either a: not work because of some error or b: become a simple
oscillator and produce an oscillating signal. How odd that the program
would instead configure itself into a much more compex radio, using a row of
transistors as the antennae! It's such a completely unexpected outcome
that the program would pickup an oscillating signal from a nearby computer
rather than simply becoming a circuit that produces one. To put it simply,
as some of my friends might say in an Arnold Schwarzenegger Terminator 2
voice: "Radios are made of complex transistors and antennae machinery, it's
too complex, it doesnt work that way." Anyway, this article has launched me
into researching evolutionary computing, as I find this field very
interesting.

The use of industrial relays for process control is really easy. I've
wired SPDT relays into electrical boxes in not much more time than I
I didn't mean to imply that I thought it would be difficult. Given a little
time and research, I think I could assemble the things you described (and
you are very descriptive).

would need to change a GFCI receptacle. I might not be making it sound
as easy as it really is. I once built up a hardware solution with about
20 relays, some nested, and mostly operating on negative logic (now that
will give you a headache). Much easier to do it in software, but this
was part of fail-safe equipment monitoring air flow, temperatures, etc,
controlling about 200A at 600Vac, and driving fire alarms and power down
systems (high power environmental chamber). Now that was a rat's nest
;o)
With my limited computer science knowledge, I'm starting to actually
understand some of this logic stuff.

What do I do? I actually start a new job this Monday. I will be
managing the tropical fish dept for a large pet shop opening next month.
I will have a lot to learn and it will be an interesting change from the
usual engineering stuff I have been doing, but with everything I've
learned from the newsgroups, I should be fine.
Based on advice you've given us in the newgroups, I'm sure the fish dept
will be very well managed. I think some day I'll have to end up combining
job with hobby, if only to maintain sanity. I hope the best for you on
Monday.
What area of engineering were you in before this new job?

cheers
NetMax

-Cesium


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