Re: [zzdev] Re: [zzdev] More Use Cases

[Brent Turcotte <brentt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>I think browsing all the possible ways to invoke a menu command will
>actually be one important way to interface with ZigZag when using a
>mouse. ;o) (I.e., you would browse till you find the exact parameters
>you want, then you invoke that command.)

Agreed.  This is also the most important use of the possibility 
generator by far.

>>   Also, a possibility generator might be in the form of a
>> specialized programming language rather than an applitude.
>
>I don't quite understand this yet. I would imagine that you can use
>practically any cellular language to program it. I would consider both
>creating a "possibility space" (what should we call that? -- e.g. the
>set of possible clothings from your example) and browsing one resulting
>"possibility space" an applitude, or part of an applitude, depending on
>what you're doing...

A possibility space depends on mathematical rules.  A simple cellular
language could take care of unexpected configurations that an applitude
couldn't (without the applitude becoming overloaded with options).

The basic rules are the formulas for combinations and permutations:
P(n, r) = n!/(n-r)!
C(n, r) = n!/r!(n-r)! or C(n, r) = P(n, r)/r!
With permutations order matters, with combinations order doesn't matter.

Examples of possibility spaces:
-Painting of geometic shapes (ie how many unique ways could you color a
cube with two colors, answer -- 5)
-Card games
-Chess, Go, other board games
-Number of ways to dress yourself with your wardrobe
-Number of different fruit punches you can make with ten different fruits
(you could likely find some rather odd combinations in the resulting list)
-Number of different playlists of your song collection you can make with 
certain criteria you specify

A bigger idea than a possibility generator would be a mathematical problem
solver.  This idea would be a MASSIVE undertaking.  But it would allow 
people to use mathematical concepts beyond their understanding, like 
scalar gradients.

Brent