Birth of a Complex Adaptive System! (using XSLT)

["Roger L. Costello" <costello@mitre.org>]

Hi Folks,

I have modified the Game of Life stylesheet so that now it adapts based
upon interaction with a "Population Control" stylesheet.  The Population
Control monitors the population (number of live cells) that the Game of
Life is producing. 

input.xml -> PopulationControl.xsl -> new-input.xml -> GameOfLife.xsl

-> input2.xml -> PopulationControl.xsl -> new-input2.xml

-> GameOfLife.xsl -> input3.xml -> PopulationControl.xsl -> ...

If the population is too low then the Population Control instructs the
Game of Life to increase its population.  The Game of Life accomplishes
this by dynamically modifying its built-in rules such that the modified
rules increase the likelihood of growth.  

If the population is too high then the Population Control instructs the
Game of Life to decrease its population.  Again, the Game of Life
accomplishes this by dynamically modifying its built-in rules to
discourage growth.

Thus, there is a dynamic interaction between the Game of Life and
Population Control.  The Game of Life continually alters (adapts) itself
based upon input from Population Control.

Here is a simple animation of the Game of Life as it interacts with
Population Control (thanks to Bob DuCharme for showing me how to create
this HTML animation):

  http://www.xfront.com/adaptive-life/orig.html

Here is the new version of the Game of Life stylesheet:

  http://www.xfront.com/adaptive-life/GameOfLife.xsl

Here is the Population Control stylesheet:

  http://www.xfront.com/adaptive-life/PopulationControl.xsl

Many thanks to Didier and Len for their help and suggestions.  /Roger