I read a scientific american article (or blurb if i recall) about boids when I was a kid. I wanted to have boids so badly after reading it, I stayed up on school nights teaching myself java. Haven't stopped hacking since -- still stay up on work nights, still trying to learn java...

anyways, just thought i'd share that little piece of nostalgia, how it all began for me

I think I read the same article; it was a very inspiring piece for a sophomore in HS just learning C.

The 'original' 'boids' source is here: http://www.red3d.com/cwr/code/boids.lisp

I am reading 'Complexity' by Mitchell Waldrop and it mentioned boids a few chapters back. It is a pretty interesting book if you like this sort of stuff, lots of background on the game of life, artificial life, and emergent behavior of all kinds. quote: "To them that hath shall be given", meaning that positive feedback loops exist in the world of economics.

It's always good to go back to the original source, http://www.red3d.com/cwr/steer/gdc99/