Author Archive

Magic Square program

Monday, November 28th, 2005

I’ve been playing around with CLIPS, a rule-based programming system developed by NASA in Houston some years ago. Here’s a program to figure out magic squares – 3×3 groupings of the numbers 1-9, with the sum of each row, column, and diagonal being equal. I needed to use two rules, as a one-rule solution blew up before it could generate an answer. This one only takes a minute or two to solve the problem on my Mac Mini.

Download MagicSquare.clp

Here’s the one-rule version, for your edification. Maybe it will run on your machine.

Whatsit

Monday, November 28th, 2005

Here’s a picture of a thingamajig at the Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, not far from Reading, Pennsylvania. Luckily, it’s well-greased. Taken this summer during a family camping trip. Click to enlarge.

Opening salvo

Monday, November 28th, 2005

Here’s yet another blog. Maybe somebody will find it interesting. I will, at any rate. If I ever get a reader, I encourage him/her to contact me immediately and explain why. Whatever he/she likes, I promise I’ll do more of it.