
Genetic Algorithms Digest   Wednesday, 12 September 1990   Volume 4 : Issue 20

 - Send submissions to GA-List@AIC.NRL.NAVY.MIL
 - Send administrative requests to GA-List-Request@AIC.NRL.NAVY.MIL

Today's Topics:
	- Message from Moderator
	- gaussian-mutation
	- GA demonstration software available
	- Annals of Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence
	- CFP - 8th SSAISB CONFERENCE ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

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CALENDAR OF GA-RELATED ACTIVITIES: (with GA-List issue reference)

Conference on Simulation of Adaptive Behavior, Paris (v4n17)  Sep 24-28, 1990
Workshop Parallel Prob Solving from Nature, W Germany (v4n18) Oct 1-3,   1990
2nd Intl Conf on Tools for AI, Washington, DC (v4n6)          Nov 6-9,   1990
4th Intl. Conference on Genetic Algorithms (v4n17)            Jul 14-17, 1991

(Send announcements of other activities to GA-List@aic.nrl.navy.mil)

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Date: Fri, 31 Aug 1990
From: Alan C. Schultz (GA-List Moderator)
Subject: Message from Moderator

	There are now 529 subscribers to GA-List, and this is our
	75th issue.  How time flies!

	Now, lets see more technical discussions and debates...

	--Alan

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Date: Fri, 24 Aug 90 14:14:02 CDT
From: "Steven A. Harp" <harp@hi-csc.honeywell.com>
Subject: gaussian-mutation

    I am interested in the observations of the readers of this forum with
    respect to the recent Biological Cybernetics article (v63, 1990, p111-114)
    by D. Fogel and J. Atmar. The article discusses the advantages of a
    gaussian mutation operator over crossover and/or inversion on a linear
    systems problem.  Possibly relevant question: How does the reproductive
    plan described in their report relate to those commonly used, e.g. that
    in the "genesis" package?
      --
      -- Steven Alex Harp
      --

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Date: Wed, 15 Aug 90 10:52:46 EDT
From: jrs@cs.williams.edu (Josh Smith)
Subject: GA demonstration software available

     A program which lets you interactively `breed' insect-like curves
     is now available along with an accompanying `non-technical report'.

     Here is the abstract from the nonTR:
     BUGS (Better to Use Genetic Systems) is an interactive program for
     demonstrating the Genetic Algorithm and is written in the spirit of
     Richard Dawkins' celebrated Blind Watchmaker software.  The user can
     play god (or `GA fitness function,' more accurately) and try to evolve
     lifelike organisms (curves).  Playing with BUGS is an easy way to get
     an understanding of how and why the GA works.  In addition to
     demonstrating the basic genetic operators (selection, crossover, and
     mutation), it allows users to easily see and understand phenomena such
     as genetic drift and premature convergence.  BUGS is written in C and
     runs under Suntools and X Windows.

     BUGS is available by anonymous FTP to the Alife server
     (iuvax.cs.indiana.edu) or to Williams College (cs.williams.edu).
     There are two files: BUGS.tar.Z and BUGS.README.  BUGS.README
     contains instructions on how to unpack and compile, and the above
     abstract (basically, it contains the same info as this mail message).

     BUGS.tar.Z is a compressed, tar-ed directory containing the nonTR
     in postscript form ("BUGS_non_tech_rep.ps"), the README message again,
     and two subdirectories, "X_version" and "Suntools_version".  As you
     might imagine, one has the X version of the program, one the Suntools.
     So unpacking BUGS.tar.Z creates a directory called BUGS.

     Here's how to get and unpack BUGS from the Alife server:

     % ftp iuvax.cs.indiana.edu
     Name (iuvax.cs.indiana.edu:jrs): anonymous
     Password: Your Name
     ftp> cd pub/alife/software/unix/bugs
     ftp> get BUGS.README
     ftp> get BUGS.tar.Z
     ftp> quit
     % uncompress BUGS.tar.Z
     % tar -xf BUGS.tar BUGS

     To get it from Williams, you'd ftp to cs.williams.edu.  It's in
     the subdirectory pub.

     This should have created the subdirectory BUGS.

     To print the nonTR:
     % cd BUGS
     % lpr -Pyour-local-printer-name BUGS_non_tech_rep.ps

     To compile and run X version:
     % cd BUGS/X_version
     % make
     % b

     To compile and run Suntools version:
     % cd BUGS/Suntools_version
     % make
     % b

     I'd appreciate any comments or questions.

     Josh Smith
     S.U. Box 1964
     Williams College
     Williamstown, MA  01267

     jrs@cs.williams.edu

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Date: Tue, 14 Aug 90 14:43:51 -0400
From: gxl@msr.EPM.ORNL.GOV (Gunar Liepins)
Subject: Annals of Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence

      The Annals of Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence is devoting
      anywhere from a volume to an issue to mathematical advances in GAs.
      All submissions will be refereed.  Accepted papers will appear full
      length in 1992.  Send four (4) copies to 
      Dr. Gunar Liepins
      MS 6360 Bldg. 6025
      Oak Ridge National Laboratory
      PO Box 2008
      Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6360

      submission deadline is February 4, 1991

      Inquiries can be directed to gxl@msr.epm.ornl.gov
      or liepins@utkux1.utk.edu

[Ed.'s Note: See issue v4n15 for more details.]

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Date: Fri, 24 Aug 90 13:27:33 BST
From: B M Smith <bms@dcs.leeds.ac.uk>
Subject: CFP - 8th SSAISB CONFERENCE ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

                      FINAL CALL FOR PAPERS
                            AISB'91
        8th SSAISB CONFERENCE ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

                    University of Leeds, UK
                       16-19 April, 1991

   The Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and Simulation of
   Behaviour (SSAISB) will hold its eighth biennial conference at
   Bodington Hall, University of Leeds, from 16 to 19 April 1991. There
   will be a Tutorial Programme on 16 April followed by the full Technical
   Programme. The Programme Chair will be Luc Steels (AI Lab, Vrije Universiteit
   Brussel).

   Scope:
   Papers are sought in all areas of Artificial Intelligence and Simulation of
   Behaviour, but especially on the following AISB91 special themes:

     * Emergent functionality in autonomous agents
     * Neural networks and self-organisation
     * Constraint logic programming
     * Knowledge level expert systems research

   Papers may describe theoretical or practical work but should make a
   significant and original contribution to knowledge about the field of
   Artificial Intelligence. 

   A prize of 500 pounds for the best paper has been offered by British
   Telecom Computing (Advanced Technology Group). It is expected 
   that the proceedings will be published as a book.

   Submission:
   All submissions should be in hardcopy in letter quality print and
   should be written in 12 point or pica typewriter face on A4 or 8.5" x
   11" paper, and should be no longer than 10 sides, single-spaced.
   Each paper should contain an abstract of not more than 200 words and a
   list of up to four keywords or phrases describing the content of the
   paper. Five copies should be submitted. Papers must be written in
   English. Authors should give an electronic mail address where possible. 
   Submission of a paper implies that all authors have obtained
   all necessary clearances from the institution and that an author will
   attend the conference to present the paper if it is accepted. Papers
   should describe work that will be unpublished on the date of the
   conference.

   Dates:
     Deadline for Submission:		1 October 1990
     Notification of Acceptance:		7 December 1990
     Deadline for camera ready copy:	16 January 1991

   Location: 
   Bodington Hall is on the edge of Leeds, in 14 acres of private grounds. The
   city of Leeds is two and a half hours by rail from London, and there are
   frequent flights to Leeds/Bradford Airport from London Heathrow, Amsterdam
   and Paris. The Yorkshire Dales National Park is close by, and the historic 
   city of York is only 30 minutes away by rail.

   Information:
   Papers and all queries regarding the programme should be sent to
   Judith Dennison. All other correspondence and queries regarding the
   conference to the Local Organiser, Barbara Smith.

     Ms. Judith Dennison		Dr. Barbara Smith
     Cognitive Sciences			Division of AI
     University of Sussex		School of Computer Studies
     Falmer				University of Leeds
     Brighton BN1 9QN			Leeds LS2 9JT
     UK					UK

     Tel: (+44) 273 678379		Tel: (+44) 532 334627
     Email: judithd@cogs.sussex.ac.uk	FAX: (+44) 532 335468

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End of Genetic Algorithms Digest
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