From: Mark VandeWettering 
To: Frank Q 
CC: atm{at}shore.net
Reply-To: Mark VandeWettering 




Frank Q wrote:

[ Excellent description of GA's deleted for brevity ]

Great post Frank!  Nice description of the whole GA process.


>
> I'm also uncertain that any miracles of compactness and economy are waiting
> for us.(Mark)


Yeah, the theory for one, two and three mirror telescopes is pretty well
developed, at least for on-axis systems, and off axis systems are pretty
well explored as well.  For example, all two mirror telescopes of the
Cassegrain type have pretty straightforward design equations, as do most
doublet achromats.

Still, I'm thinking it might be fun to try to set up something like this.
I've been using Python to explore playing with genetic algorithms just last
week, and making a simple example might be fun.

Nobody hold their breath though, I'm going on vacation in a week and a
half, and I have tons to do.


>
> BUT HELL, IT'S GREAT FUN TO PLAY WITH !!!!


It sure is.  I used simulated annealing (a related technique) to crack the
Playfair code in Simon Singh's Cipher Challenge (in his "The Code
Book"). Pretty fun.


> Well, that's my contribution to the ATM community. Hope it's shed some light
> (not light pollution)
> on a new ??? avenue of doing things.
>
> Cheers
> Frank Q
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