Contributing Exhibits to MEAL

Most Recent Change: Sun Sep 19 07:42:38 1999 UTC.

I'm soliciting exhibits to add to MEAL. I'll host the exhibit on my Web site; you'll receive full credit as to authorship. I reserve the right to make changes, such as editing the text or source code, but I won't publish any such changes without your approval. (I might remove the exhibit until we can reach an agreement, though.)

If you contribute three or more exhibits, you get your own wing named after you!

To contribute an exhibit, simply do this:

Read the rest of this page, where I suggest some exhibits and wax philosophical about what an exhibit should be like.
Email me your idea. This helps reduce duplication and disappointment.
Write it, test it as best you can, and send me the result.

You can also contribute to MEAL by improving existing exhibits, as by critiquing the text or the source code. (All of the applets could stand user interface improvements.) At my discretion, I'll implement the suggested changes and credit the originator in some way.

Some exhibits I'd like to see

I'd like MEAL to have exhibits that explore these concepts:

Mutually evolving populations (as predators and their prey, or parasitic or symbiotic relationships, or the evolution of antibiotic resistance).
The benefits of sexual vs. asexual selection.
Speciation.
Evolution of cooperation/colony behavior.
Introducing new species into existing populations (think rabbits in Australia).
The effect of varying mutation rates (there's too low, too high, and juuust right).

Of course, this isn't an exclusive list -- I'll entertain just about anything.

What exhibits should be like

Though exceptions are likely to be common for various reasons, the ideal MEAL exhibit meets the following criteria:

Demonstrates a single, well-defined concept in evolutionary biology. MEAL does not purport to offer proof of evolution, just demonstrations of evolutionary concepts.
Makes its point within three minutes. Making its point within one minute is even better (much better!).
Does not require the visitor to read the supporting text in order to understand the exhibit.
Is well documented in the supporting text for visitors who choose to read it.
Avoids mathematical or technical terms unless carefully explained. Deeper technical content may be provided on a separate page.
Runs about one printed page (considering the text only, not the applet).
Is professionally written and respectful in tone.
Includes Java source code. I know other languages can generate Java bytecode, but right now I'd like to require as little as possible of any skeptical visitor who wants to examine or compile the source code for himself.
Is distributable under the GNU General Public License (GPL). Making code available under the GPL is very easy (I will help you if you don't understand their instructions) and helps to ensure that free, high-quality source code is available to everyone.
Is accessible to a visitor with, at least,
- A modest-speed computer. (To me, ``modest'' means a 66MHz 80486-class machine.)
- A 28.8-kbps modem.
- A 640x480 display with 256 colors.
- A Java-capable browser. (But the page should be as friendly as possible to non-Java-enabled clients.) Java 1.0-compatible code is best; Java 1.1-compatible is OK.
Is your proposed exhibit suited to this audience? If not, how can you change it to reach them better?

(Note that I don't claim the existing exhibits meet these criteria -- writing them was a way to decide what the criteria were. I am currently revisiting them with these criteria in mind!)

s-max@pacbell.net