Monod is an abstract computational model inspired by cellular
microbiology. In Monod, a program is not a linear sequence of
instructions, but a set of simple programlets which operate on each
other and on data according to well-defined rules and stochastic forces, in
analogy with proteins and
nucleotide sequences in a cell. Monod is also a software
implementation of this computational model on standard computer
hardware.
Monod should naturally accomodate parallel processing, and fits very
nicely in the context of evolutionary algorithms alongside genetic
programming, where it offers homologous crossover, among other
aspects. The basic principle upon which Monod is premised is that
biological cells perform computations. The underlying computational
model seems to possess many desirable qualities, like high
parallelism, adaptability and tolerance of complexity. These
qualities are thoroughly lacking in traditional computational
paradigms. Monod offers an opportunity to understand the origin of
these qualities, their relationships and perhaps to deduce useful
lessons.
See the Quick Description for a few more details, or
the extensive manual, which contain all the available documentation related to
Monod.
Monod is programmed in the OCaml language, and is distributed under the GPL.
|