Web page with text |
Web page template |
SCO |
|---|---|---|
Mollusk shells have long been known to have a form like a logarithmic spiral. In the early 1960s, when computers were large behemoths, David Raup used them to generate the shapes of mollusk shells using the logarithmic spiral. This landmark work has been extraordinarily useful for many purposes, and brought the term "morphospace" into the consciousness of paleontologists.
Computers and computer programs have both been improved dramatically since Raup's work was published. Today, it's very easy to use any personal computer to recreate his work. The applet presented here is one implementation of the work.
This applet is written in Java 1.1 - yes, 1.1. This version was replaced in 1999 with Java 1.2, the applet was left in the older format to maximize compatibility with older personal computers. A few Java commands have been deprecated since this was originally compiled, the code is still supported by the latest versions of the runtime environment.
The image above is a screen shot of the applet running on the Safari web browser on Mac OSX 10.5.2. Below is a matrix of the browsers and operating systems on which it has been tested and passed.
Windows 98, Windows ME |
Internet Explorer to version 6 |
|---|---|
Windows 2000 |
Internet Explorer to version 6 |
Windows XP |
Internet Explorer to version 7 |
Windows Vista |
untested |
Mac OSX to version 10.5 |
Safari, to version 3 |
This applet has been previously been published in several locations. When I originally created it, I was a member of AOL, and posted it in my space on their servers. I was astonished to find that it is still available there, even though I ended my membership shortly afterwards!
The applet was also cited by the American Mathematical Society and published on their web site, and remains posted there, as well.
So many people have told me that they use the applet in their courses that I have lost track. Since the usual way that I learn of their use is through conversations, I imagine that many more use it without my knowledge. The page on which the applet appears on the AOL server tracks the number of people visiting; at latest count, the number is approaching 10,000 unique visitors! Of those, just under 400 are from .edu domains.
Occasionally, I get requests from educators for the applet itself, rather than just a link. Typically, these educators want to integrate the program more tightly with their content. In that vein, I publish both a page with the applet, and provide a zipped archive of the files to incorporate into your course.
1. Link to web page. Clicking this link takes you to a web page. The web page includes some generic information, applet, and bibliography. If this content meets your needs, you can direct your students directly to the URL.
2. Download the prepared page. Clicking this link allows you to download the applet and the same page as you would see if you clicked the link above. See the page you would download with this link. You can modify the text in the page to meet your specific needs.
3. Download a template page. Clicking this link allows you to download the applet and a web page which you can edit to your specific needs. See the page you would download with this link. Replace the text given, or add your own structure to the page.
4. Download the complete SCO. Clicking this link allows you to download the applet and page in SCORM-compliant format. SCORM is a communications protocol for incorporating learning modules (SCOs) directly into your course. Import this into your LMS using its protocol. This version contains no calls to the LMS database. If your LMS allows you to specify whether or not the SCO is to be graded, select the option for "Not graded."
Don't know what version is right for you? Help me decide.