[Noisebridge-discuss] I am interested in starting an optimization group at noisebridge (BetterBridge? TrollSearch?)

[Crutcher Dunnavant]

I am very interested in starting a black box optimization search group at
noisebridge. This field is called "metaheauristics"; but the name is a
stupid historical artifact (so says everyone in the field).

Optimization is, given a function f(x), searching for the x which yields the
best f(x). Black box optimization is a sub-field of optimization where you
can't analyize the function f to determine what values of x are likely to be
good; so you have to search the space for them.

The following algorithms are ALL metaheuristic optimization:
Hill Climbing (aka. Gradient Assent/Descent)
Genetic Search
Genetic Programming
Ant Colony Systems
Particle Swarm Optimization

I've recently read a fabulous undergraduate text on the subject, very
approachable, called "Essentials of Metaheuristics".

The book in question is available from Lulu and Amazaon:
http://www.cs.gmu.edu/~sean/book/metaheuristics/
or you can just download the PDF.
http://www.cs.gmu.edu/~sean/book/metaheuristics/Essentials.pdf

If you aren't sure what I'm talking about, read the first chapter or two. If
you have a background in programming, you should be able to follow it
trivially.

What I want TrollSearch to do: Build Shit

Let's find interesting problems; and build search algorithms over them. This
can apply to evolving good fit 3d models for the printer; making techno; or
identifying penii.

I'd like TrollSearch to look much more like SpaceBridge than like the Python
Class.

Please comment in-thread if you are interested.

-- 
Crutcher Dunnavant <crutcher at gmail.com>
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