Game of Life

Testing to see if it's possible to post Java Applets as blog entries, without slowing down the blog.
Also, posting The Game of Life Applet. This is the 5th iteration, and the program is getting better each time I write it.

You need to have an updated version of the JRE. Download JRE 5.0 at this link: http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp





To start, click on the applet and press space-bar.
Try randomizing the field with different rules. Some rules produce different outcomes based on the fill-rate of the field.
Also, try pausing the game, setting the rules for Seeds (2), clearing the field and then putting two horizontal (or vertical) dots right in the middle of the board, and starting the game up again. It's quite something.

Controls (First, click on the applet to gain focus):
Left-click (and drag) - add cells
Right-click (and drag) - remove cells
Space-bar - Pause/Run simulation
C - Clear the gameboard
R - Randomize the gameboard. The board is filled to a random ratio of alive/dead cells.
+/- - Increase/Decrease simulation speed
0-7 - Select a different set of rules. Try them all. My favorite is 1 (Diamond).