The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to Evolutionary Computation

(FAQ for comp.ai.genetic)

Issue 6.4, 21 December 1998

DON'T PANIC!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction New readers start here! What this guide is all about, and how to use it.

News What's new or changed in this edition of the guide.

Part1

Q0: How about an introduction to comp.ai.genetic?
Part2
Q1: What are Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs)?
Q1.1: What's a Genetic Algorithm (GA)?
Q1.2: What's Evolutionary Programming (EP)?
Q1.3: What's an Evolution Strategy (ES)?
Q1.4: What's a Classifier System (CFS)?
Q1.5: What's Genetic Programming (GP)?
Part3
Q2: What applications of EAs are there?
Q3: Who is concerned with EAs?
Q4: How many EAs exist? Which?

Q4.1: What about Alife systems, like Tierra and VENUS?

Q5: What about all this Optimization stuff?
Part4
Q10: What introductory material on EAs is there?

Q10.1: Suitable background reading for beginners?
Q10.2: Textbooks on EC?
Q10.3: The Classics?
Q10.4: Introductory Journal Articles?
Q10.5: Introductory Technical Reports?
Q10.6: Not-quite-so-introductory Literature?
Q10.7: Biological Background Readings?
Q10.8: On-line bibliography collections?
Q10.9: Videos?
Q10.10: CD-ROMs?
Q10.11: How do I get a copy of a dissertation?

Q11: What EC related journals and magazines are there?
Q12: What are the important conferences/proceedings on EC?
Q13: What Evolutionary Computation Associations exist?
Q14: What Technical Reports are available?
Q15: What information is available over the net?

Q15.1: What digests are there?
Q15.2: What mailing lists are there?
Q15.3: What online information repositories are there?
Q15.4: What relevant newsgroups and FAQs are there?
Q15.5: What about all these Internet Services?
Part5
Q20: What EA software packages are available?

Q20.1: Free software packages?
Q20.2: Commercial software packages?
Q20.3: Current research projects?
Part6
Q21: What are Gray codes, and why are they used?
Q22: What test data is available?
Q42: What is Life all about?
Q42b: Is there a FAQ to this group?
Q98: Are there any patents on EAs?
Q99: A Glossary on EAs?
Acknowledgements
Epilogue
Backpage About the editors...

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