7 May
2007
7 May
'07
10:26 p.m.
All:
I got an unusual phone call this evening from a doctor on Long Island
who is doing theoretical biological research that, he hopes, will have a
commercial application. Without going into much detail (because it was like
drinking from a fire hose and I can?t remember it all), basically he is
looking to emulate some biological processes in software. He believes that
the ?instructions? that code for the biological processes are based on 6-bit
instructions (or multiples thereof), so he?s looking for someone with that
kind of architectural background. A PDP-8 has 12-bit instructions and I
think the PDP-9 and 15 used 18-bit words. I?m not knowledgeable about any of
the other minicomputer architectures to guess word size, but anything that?s
a low multiple of 6-bits should work for his purposes.
If anyone?s willing to have a conversation with this person, please
contact me off list and I?ll pass on his contact information.
Thanks.
Rich
--
Rich Cini
Collector of Classic Computers
Build Master and lead engineer, Altair32 Emulator
http://www.altair32.com
http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp
7 May
7 May
12:35 p.m.
Richard A. Cini wrote:
All:
I got an unusual phone call this evening from a doctor on Long Island
who is doing theoretical biological research that, he hopes, will have a
commercial application. Without going into much detail (because it was like
drinking from a fire hose and I can?t remember it all), basically he is
looking to emulate some biological processes in software. He believes that
the ?instructions? that code for the biological processes are based on 6-bit
instructions (or multiples thereof), so he?s looking for someone with that
kind of architectural background. A PDP-8 has 12-bit instructions and I
think the PDP-9 and 15 used 18-bit words. I?m not knowledgeable about any of
the other minicomputer architectures to guess word size, but anything that?s
a low multiple of 6-bits should work for his purposes.
Hack Hack Hack ... Thunder Bolts
... It lives ... The PDP-8
I just want to play GOD this week and create LIFE ...
....
I don't think it matters much about using 6 bits of a 8 bit byte since
right now the software model of *RNA trinary encoded bit patterns
maps to 3D atomic structures* is lacking proper simplification.
The only man , John von Neumann worked on both problems ... Life & computers.
While computers have had only about 60+ years of developement life has been
going on for 3 billion years with out a hardware/software change.
Life may only have been able to develop a 6 bit code because it follows
his cellular automation model. Computer science/Life science has stopped
development I think since the early 70's.
This is the place to start but it is hard to know just what background
the 'Doctor' has with computer and life science.
I do know what kind of machine this will be ... the Jurasic Park type
super computer as the end result.
Since this research is for making money I don't think the finer hardware/software
details will be released as pure scientific knowlage.
PS. Ethan if you do get the 'codes' for software emulation
my guess is to use your 'life' board to sumulate the real life program.
8 May
8 May
12:58 a.m.
On 7 May 2007 at 10:35, woodelf wrote:
the ?instructions? that code for the biological
processes are based on 6-bit
instructions (or multiples thereof), so he?s looking for someone with that
kind of architectural background. A PDP-8 has 12-bit instructions and I
think the PDP-9 and 15 used 18-bit words. I?m not knowledgeable about any of
the other minicomputer architectures to guess word size, but anything that?s
a low multiple of 6-bits should work for his purposes.
Before the S/360, 6 bit opcodes/characters reigned surpreme. Just
think of all of the big iron with word sizes of 6 bits...
Too bad we don't have much of it left.
Cheers,
Chuck
7 May
7 May
2:15 p.m.
Ethan Dicks wrote:
On 5/7/07, woodelf <bfranchuk at jetnet.ab.ca>
wrote:
Sorry.
I was sure you posted something with this thread ...
I better go check my trash ...
PS. Ethan if you do get the 'codes' for
software emulation
my guess is to use your 'life' board to sumulate the real life program.
How did _I_ get dragged into this? -ethan
11:01 p.m.
Richard A. Cini wrote:
All:
I got an unusual phone call this evening from a doctor on Long Island
who is doing theoretical biological research that, he hopes, will have a
commercial application. Without going into much detail (because it was like
drinking from a fire hose and I can?t remember it all), basically he is
looking to emulate some biological processes in software. He believes that
the ?instructions? that code for the biological processes are based on 6-bit
instructions (or multiples thereof), so he?s looking for someone with that
kind of architectural background. A PDP-8 has 12-bit instructions and I
think the PDP-9 and 15 used 18-bit words. I?m not knowledgeable about any of
the other minicomputer architectures to guess word size, but anything that?s
a low multiple of 6-bits should work for his purposes.
If anyone?s willing to have a conversation with this person, please
contact me off list and I?ll pass on his contact information.
I think the Doctor's best bet might be to get someone to write a direct
process emulator on newer hardware.
Peace... Sridhar
11:13 p.m.
It was thus said that the Great Richard A. Cini once stated:
All:
I got an unusual phone call this evening from a doctor on Long Island
who is doing theoretical biological research that, he hopes, will have a
commercial application. Without going into much detail (because it was like
drinking from a fire hose and I can't remember it all), basically he is
looking to emulate some biological processes in software. He believes that
the "instructions" that code for the biological processes are based on 6-bit
instructions (or multiples thereof), so he's looking for someone with that
kind of architectural background. A PDP-8 has 12-bit instructions and I
think the PDP-9 and 15 used 18-bit words. I'm not knowledgeable about any of
the other minicomputer architectures to guess word size, but anything that's
a low multiple of 6-bits should work for his purposes.
If anyone's willing to have a conversation with this person, please
contact me off list and I'll pass on his contact information.
What an odd request. I would think that you could emulate such a device
on just about any CPU and his best bet would be to find anyone that can code
assembly (or that can write an emulator for his six-bit CPU).
I don't see how a six-bit hardware architecture (if such a beast actually
exists) will have a one-to-one mapping to a six-bit biological architecture.
Heck, I would expect an 8-bit CPU to be decent for this, as that gives you
two additional bits for debugging or tracking of some kind.
Heck, it sounds kind of fun (assembly experience: 6809, 8088, some 80386,
68000, MIPS, some VAX, can recognize 8080, Z80 and 6502).
-spc (Even wrote my own Forth-like langauge ... )
11:23 p.m.
Sean Conner wrote:
It was thus said that the Great Richard A. Cini once
stated:
Indeed, I'd be willing to write such an emulator.
Peace... Sridhar
All:
I got an unusual phone call this evening from a doctor on Long Island
who is doing theoretical biological research that, he hopes, will have a
commercial application. Without going into much detail (because it was like
drinking from a fire hose and I can't remember it all), basically he is
looking to emulate some biological processes in software. He believes that
the "instructions" that code for the biological processes are based on 6-bit
instructions (or multiples thereof), so he's looking for someone with that
kind of architectural background. A PDP-8 has 12-bit instructions and I
think the PDP-9 and 15 used 18-bit words. I'm not knowledgeable about any of
the other minicomputer architectures to guess word size, but anything that's
a low multiple of 6-bits should work for his purposes.
If anyone's willing to have a conversation with this person, please
contact me off list and I'll pass on his contact information.
What an odd request. I would think that you could emulate such a device
on just about any CPU and his best bet would be to find anyone that can code
assembly (or that can write an emulator for his six-bit CPU).
8 May
8 May
6:52 p.m.
Yes, odd indeed. It was like drinking from a fire hose last night. Anyway,
the theory goes that the entire genome is coded in base triplets which
encode only 64 proteins (6-bits).
This "emulation" problem has been gnawing at him for over 10 years and he
figures that now since the genome is fully mapped (although functions are
still unknown), he can do some good. There has been lots of research, but
any testing or whatever is still performed on live tissue. Why not emulate
it?
I didn't take down his entire curriculum vitae, but he's an EE that got into
medicine (podiatry) and has a side interest in genetics (I guess). Hey, I
read Scientific American, too, and I having a passing interest, but I'm not
a man of medicine.
Apparently he read a paper in which this guy in Japan emulated a cell's
function in silicon. Why not scale it up is his thought.
Anyway, can someone talk 6-bit architecture to this guy?
On 5/7/07 11:13 PM, "Sean Conner" <spc at conman.org> wrote:
It was thus said that the Great Richard A. Cini once
stated:
Rich
--
Rich Cini
Collector of Classic Computers
Build Master and lead engineer, Altair32 Emulator
http://www.altair32.com
http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp
All:
I got an unusual phone call this evening from a doctor on Long Island
who is doing theoretical biological research that, he hopes, will have a
commercial application. Without going into much detail (because it was like
drinking from a fire hose and I can't remember it all), basically he is
looking to emulate some biological processes in software. He believes that
the "instructions" that code for the biological processes are based on 6-bit
instructions (or multiples thereof), so he's looking for someone with that
kind of architectural background. A PDP-8 has 12-bit instructions and I
think the PDP-9 and 15 used 18-bit words. I'm not knowledgeable about any of
the other minicomputer architectures to guess word size, but anything that's
a low multiple of 6-bits should work for his purposes.
If anyone's willing to have a conversation with this person, please
contact me off list and I'll pass on his contact information.
What an odd request. I would think that you could emulate such a device
on just about any CPU and his best bet would be to find anyone that can code
assembly (or that can write an emulator for his six-bit CPU).
I don't see how a six-bit hardware architecture (if such a beast actually
exists) will have a one-to-one mapping to a six-bit biological architecture.
Heck, I would expect an 8-bit CPU to be decent for this, as that gives you
two additional bits for debugging or tracking of some kind.
Heck, it sounds kind of fun (assembly experience: 6809, 8088, some 80386,
68000, MIPS, some VAX, can recognize 8080, Z80 and 6502).
-spc (Even wrote my own Forth-like langauge ... )
8:59 p.m.
At 05:52 PM 5/8/2007, Richard A. Cini wrote:
Yes, odd indeed. It was like drinking from a fire hose
last night. Anyway,
the theory goes that the entire genome is coded in base triplets which
encode only 64 proteins (6-bits).
Apparently he read a paper in which this guy in Japan emulated a cell's
function in silicon. Why not scale it up is his thought.
Anyway, can someone talk 6-bit architecture to this guy?
Like others here, I don't see what six bits has to do with what he needs
in an expert. Any old self-styled expert in computer architecture could
have plenty to talk about with him. Maybe it's not six bits, maybe it's
something else, so why should it matter? He has plenty to
hypothesize and test without focusing on how computers did
it with six bits.
- John
9:16 p.m.
It was thus said that the Great Richard A. Cini once stated:
Apparently he read a paper in which this guy in Japan emulated a cell's
function in silicon. Why not scale it up is his thought.
Anyway, can someone talk 6-bit architecture to this guy?
I might be able to. I think there were a few others on this list that
were interested as well. My email is
spc at conman.org
-spc (no explicit 6-or-9 bit architecture experience, but plenty with
assembly ... )
9 May
9 May
5:46 a.m.
Sean Conner wrote:
It was thus said that the Great Richard A. Cini once
stated:
Apparently he read a paper in which this guy in
Japan emulated a cell's
function in silicon. Why not scale it up is his thought.
Anyway, can someone talk 6-bit architecture to this guy?
I might be able to. I think there were a few others on this list that
were interested as well. My email is -spc (no explicit 6-or-9 bit architecture
experience, but plenty with
assembly ... )
Well I better give my email address too.
bfranchuk at jetnet.ab.ca
8 May
8 May
10:43 p.m.
Richard A. Cini wrote:
Yes, odd indeed. It was like drinking from a fire hose
last night. Anyway,
the theory goes that the entire genome is coded in base triplets which
encode only 64 proteins (6-bits).
This "emulation" problem has been gnawing at him for over 10 years and he
figures that now since the genome is fully mapped (although functions are
still unknown), he can do some good. There has been lots of research, but
any testing or whatever is still performed on live tissue. Why not emulate
it?
I didn't take down his entire curriculum vitae, but he's an EE that got into
medicine (podiatry) and has a side interest in genetics (I guess). Hey, I
read Scientific American, too, and I having a passing interest, but I'm not
a man of medicine.
Apparently he read a paper in which this guy in Japan emulated a cell's
function in silicon. Why not scale it up is his thought.
Anyway, can someone talk 6-bit architecture to this guy?
I could talk only as hobby type project, but for computer hardware what
is needed? Other what is EE? I don't think it is too hard to understand.
You don't need medicine for hardware - just think tinker-toys since the
basic level is still atomic structures.
9 May
9 May
6:53 p.m.
Thanks to all for the offer of help. I did refer a couple group members to
him and we'll see what happens.
The "tinker-toys" reference reminds me of a line from Young
Frankenstein...but I digress.
On 5/8/07 10:43 PM, "woodelf" <bfranchuk at jetnet.ab.ca> wrote:
Richard A. Cini wrote:
Rich
--
Rich Cini
Collector of Classic Computers
Build Master and lead engineer, Altair32 Emulator
http://www.altair32.com
http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp
Yes, odd indeed. It was like drinking from a fire
hose last night. Anyway,
the theory goes that the entire genome is coded in base triplets which
encode only 64 proteins (6-bits).
This "emulation" problem has been gnawing at him for over 10 years and he
figures that now since the genome is fully mapped (although functions are
still unknown), he can do some good. There has been lots of research, but
any testing or whatever is still performed on live tissue. Why not emulate
it?
I didn't take down his entire curriculum vitae, but he's an EE that got into
medicine (podiatry) and has a side interest in genetics (I guess). Hey, I
read Scientific American, too, and I having a passing interest, but I'm not
a man of medicine.
Apparently he read a paper in which this guy in Japan emulated a cell's
function in silicon. Why not scale it up is his thought.
Anyway, can someone talk 6-bit architecture to this guy?
I could talk only as hobby type project, but for computer hardware what
is needed? Other what is EE? I don't think it is too hard to understand.
You don't need medicine for hardware - just think tinker-toys since the
basic level is still atomic structures.
7 May
7 May
11:55 p.m.
Hi Rich,
I don't see why he'd specifically need a vax, with all of the CPU
cores available (such as those used in MAME and other emulators) sounds
like you could tap one of the CPU core emulation guys to custom tailer a
CPU core environment for the guy, of course you'd then need a compiler
and other utils customized for the task as well, still doable, but no
reason it could'nt be done on a PC under Windows or Linux or even on a
MAC under OSX
Curt
Richard A. Cini wrote:
All:
I got an unusual phone call this evening from a doctor on Long Island
who is doing theoretical biological research that, he hopes, will have a
commercial application. Without going into much detail (because it was like
drinking from a fire hose and I can?t remember it all), basically he is
looking to emulate some biological processes in software. He believes that
the ?instructions? that code for the biological processes are based on 6-bit
instructions (or multiples thereof), so he?s looking for someone with that
kind of architectural background. A PDP-8 has 12-bit instructions and I
think the PDP-9 and 15 used 18-bit words. I?m not knowledgeable about any of
the other minicomputer architectures to guess word size, but anything that?s
a low multiple of 6-bits should work for his purposes.
If anyone?s willing to have a conversation with this person, please
contact me off list and I?ll pass on his contact information.
Thanks.
Rich
--
Rich Cini
Collector of Classic Computers
Build Master and lead engineer, Altair32 Emulator
http://www.altair32.com
http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp
10 Jun
10 Jun
4:49 a.m.
Richard A. Cini wrote:<six bits and stuff genetic>
Not to say that this is a bit silly, But isn't this project about
developing a "CELL" processor/simulator?
Specifically, a ribosome simulation? That gives you proteins. Then you
need a simulator for the output
of that production, and I would assume, an almost infinite progression
of simulations for all the processes.
It sounds like fun, But looking at the wikipedia entry just now, You
would need a PhD in cellular biochem,
genetics, computer science and a EE to even consider building something
that could even express a couple proteins.
I might be wrong. This is either crackpot or Nobel prize territory.
Didn't mean to disparage anyone, but...
Jim Davis.
9:43 a.m.
This is the same thing that came across my mind when I was sitting on the
phone with him. He seem to has some of the discipline and medical training
and appears self-taught in other areas.
If something happens with this ultimately, we can say, "I remember him
when..."
On 6/10/07 4:49 AM, "davis" <davis at saw.net> wrote:
Richard A. Cini wrote:<six bits and stuff
genetic>
Not to say that this is a bit silly, But isn't this project about
developing a "CELL" processor/simulator?
Specifically, a ribosome simulation? That gives you proteins. Then you
need a simulator for the output
of that production, and I would assume, an almost infinite progression
of simulations for all the processes.
It sounds like fun, But looking at the wikipedia entry just now, You
would need a PhD in cellular biochem,
genetics, computer science and a EE to even consider building something
that could even express a couple proteins.
I might be wrong. This is either crackpot or Nobel prize territory.
Didn't mean to disparage anyone, but...
Jim Davis.
Rich
--
Rich Cini
Collector of Classic Computers
Build Master and lead engineer, Altair32 Emulator
http://www.altair32.com
http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp
6230
days inactive
6263
days old
17 comments
9 participants
participants (9)
-
bfranchuk＠jetnet.ab.ca -
cclist＠sydex.com -
curt＠atarimuseum.com -
davis＠saw.net -
ethan.dicks＠gmail.com -
jfoust＠threedee.com -
ploopster＠gmail.com -
rcini＠optonline.net -
spc＠conman.org