emergent/swarm/evolutionary systems etc

[Cameron Laird]

In article <c4mv6o$c2m$1 at hercules.btinternet.com>,
Peter MacKenzie <peter9547 at btinternet.com> wrote:
>I think then that I might stick with spreadsheets as far a possible.  Do you
>know of any simulation programs that might be more suited?  Also, how would
>you extract data from a spreadsheet for use in another program?  I'm not
>familiar with means of linking spreadsheets to external applications, though
>I don't doubt that it can be done.
>
>

Software people *constantly* talk about "means of linking ... to 
external applications"; it's one of our obsessions, for reasons
best left to another time.

Here's a way you can practice thinking about it:  a spreadsheet
can write its "answers" to a file--just a simple document, the
sort you might write as a human, yourself.  Another program can
read that file.  That establishes communication between the 
spreadsheet and the other program.  Mission accomplished.

Spreadsheets typically have *dozens* of distinct ways of talking
to "outsiders", although that's often apparent only to software
specialists.
-- 

Cameron Laird <claird at phaseit.net>
Business:  http://www.Phaseit.net