Representation of Information

The underlying representation of many of the components of the Cosmos system is the BitString. Four different types of BitString are used: BitStrings, InfoStrings, WritableInfoStrings and EnvironmentalInfoStrings. These are defined as follows:

BitString

A vector of binary digits (i.e. a string of 0s and 1s).

InfoString

Like a basic BitString, but also has a type associated with it (an integer i in the range $0 \leq i \leq 15$), and a pointer to the current read/write position along the string. A string of bits belonging to an InfoString cannot usually be altered after its initial creation--it can only be read. The only exception is that an InfoString may be mutated, which entails one or more of its its being flipped at random.

WritableInfoString

An InfoString in which the bit string can be written to as well as read from.

EnvironmentalInfoString

An InfoString that has an intensity (a non-negative real valued number) associated with it.