Rule definition terminology

[iddi01]

Probably "There is a clean 1D replicator that works by toggling 2 birth conditions in the rule which has a chaotic 2D replicator."

Again, i never thought about these kind of things before today, so don't expect it to be appropriate.

[confocaloid]

I think this example helps to show the difference between the forums and the LifeWiki.

Some people (not me) argue that there's no difference. Well, here it is.

Probably "There is a clean 1D replicator that works by toggling 2 birth conditions in the rule which has a chaotic 2D replicator."

Again, i never thought about these kind of things before today, so don't expect it to be appropriate.

This 2D chaotic replicator:

Code: Select all

x = 2, y = 4, rule = B3-y4ek5y/S2-i34t6c
o$o$2o!

...is only 2 transitions away from this 1D clean replicator:

Code: Select all

x = 2, y = 4, rule = B3-y4e5y6i/S2-i34t6c
o$2o$o!

Can you please define and expain what you mean by that, exactly? What would you write if you wanted to explain the same thing to a LifeWiki reader, instead of posting it on the forums? [...]

[dvgrn]

Proposal to add a LifeWiki linkable definition of "transition", in the "transition rule" sense
FYI to anyone interested -- I'm currently still planning to add something along the lines of the "green text" definition as a glossary article, a week or so from now -- on the grounds that the many current uses of "transition" on the LifeWiki could really use a place to link to, to clarify their intended meaning.

I'm definitely looking for a good compromise solution here. I agree with silversmith that the support isn't there for changing any of the current uses of "transition" in LifeWiki articles. For something this controversial we'd need a clear supermajority in favor of making the change. A clear supermajority hasn't been demonstrated.

Since it doesn't work to change those existing uses of "transition", it seems like a good idea to explain them -- since we do have good evidence that some people might find those existing uses of "transition" to be confusing, if no attempt is made to clarify that usage for newcomers.

Definition to go in https://conwaylife.com/wiki/Transition_rule ?
I'm thinking that it might work well to have the linked glossary article's name be the uncontroversial phrase "transition rule", rather than the more controversial short form "transition". confocaloid has supplied a definition (item #2) for "transition rule", so that seems like a good starting point for a compromise. I haven't heard any feedback about this idea yet.

I'm still very interested to hear any new opinions, pro or especially con, about this specific proposal:

In articles like the Hensel notation article, add an explanatory link from the first use of "transition" to a glossary article called "transition rule" that explains the meaning of "transition" in that context.

I'll be very happy to change my editing plans as necessary in response to new feedback.

Confocaloid has given the only definite opinion so far about the "green writeup" -- an unfavorable opinion. Anyone who is not clear on that point should please click the link and read that opinion. However, it's not clear to me how that response should be applied to the idea of having the glossary page's name be "transition rule" rather than "transition".

A glossary page for "transition rule" would leave space to also set up a "transition" disambiguation page, exactly as confocaloid has suggested several times.

From my point of view, the key difference here would be that the first use of the word "transition" in places like the Hensel-notation article should link directly to the "transition rule" glossary page.

In a couple dozen places on the current LifeWiki, the intended meaning of "transition" is specifically the "transition rule" meaning. So linking those uses of "transition" to a disambiguation page would be unnecessarily vague. It seems clearer to link directly to the specific intended meaning, instead.