The notebook form.

reproduce the crucial experiment.
specifically not in mathematica.

the lab is inferno.

It's time to review the IPN assess progress.

The goals for the inferno lab as i see it.

1. establish a lab environment for computer experiments
2. build a system for a lab notebook for recording experiments
and formulas algorithms used.
3. build a system for dissemination of results which includes
computational elements, ie. the computer experiments themselves.
4. explore the impact of the computer experiment and the notebook
style for learning, research, and collaboration.


What is a computer experiment?
Does Wolfram have a definition?

To some extent I have not been doing experiments
in Wolfram's sense. I've been doing hacks. But experiments
extend to studying algorithms. Wolfram sees it as running
a simulation of a simple program and observe and study
the complexity which is otherwise computationally irreducible.


What is wrong with the WWW?
The system does not permit interactive editing of text, or code.
Wiki is a recent development but still misses a lot of the possibilities.

Why inferno?
there is no special reason for choosing inferno. highly
portable implementation is a major concern and in any
large project you tend to need all the resources of an OS
so inferno satisfies that. As opposed to Java which supplies
the VM but not all the utilities that are essential.
And a single language environment like lisp, also delivers
only part way. a portable VM os is needed.

you are not a real researcher?
Yes. I'm an amatuer looking for something to do 
with my leisure time. I've never published a paper,
I've never had a formal scientific education, and
I'm unlikely to ever do anything original. 
so, let's state what my real intentions are. 
leisure time is when I have freedom in the widest
sense. I have no economic imperative (my day job takes
care of that). I answer to no master, I can talk about whatever,
i can study whatever. This also means I don't need to be bound
by a research departments research program. I don't have
investors. 
So what should i do with this amazing freedom? Watch TV?
I feel that I should avoid those things which there is an economic
incentive, like study the latest computing buzzword.
In fact I should not follow anything mainstream, but
follow a path far from others might consider "useful",
"practical", or even possibly fruitful for a research paper.
and a reputation as a researcher.

All i can say is i like writing code
and watching it run.

References

Paul Graham -- Essays ??
Seymour Papert -- on education
Stephen Wolfram -- essays on use of computer experiments