Cultured Perl: Genetic Algorithms, The Next Generation

BritMit writes "One of the more intriguing types of algorithm is the genetic algorithm. Genetic algorithms mimic Darwinian natural selection, where "fitness" selects individuals for survival, breeding, and, hence, adaptive mutation. A previous article: Genetic algorithms applied with Perl covered the background on this, and provided two Perl implementations, one that bred bytes and another that bred words. This follow-up article expands this idea of Perl evolution with more advanced material on genetic algorithms."

Comments

Genetic algorithm

[PhysicsGenius]

We don't see genetic algorithms and evolutionarily-created software taking over the software industry. If it was truly better, you think we would see some startup in a meteoric rise or at least see some "old" companies like MS taking advantage of it. Instead the entire world of practical software is based on a creationism model, where a master designer plans and executes each step.

I think this is an important demonstration of the lack of real substance to Darwin's ideas. Perhaps those inefficiencies in the human body (appendix and so forth) are really just bugs or backwards compatibility modules in an engineered product.

hold on a minute?

[thefirelane]

How is it possible that these algorithms work?

I mean, didn't Darwin denounce evolution on his deathbed?


---Lane

Performance

[Yokaze]

Wow... the performance of Genetic Algorithms and Perl combined.

Almost like real evolution at work.