[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference rusure::math

Title:	Mathematics at DEC

Moderator:	RUSURE::EDP

Created:	Mon Feb 03 1986
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2083
Total number of notes:	14613

1476.0. "funny shaped tiles -- Help" by HGOVC::JOELBERMAN () Wed Aug 07 1991 11:50

    Hi,
    
    I need some ideas.   I'm trying to put together a little marketing
    giveaway.  I want to use some sort of tiles that can tile the plane. 
    Each one will have different words on it.  SOme words are the client
    products under Pathworks, and other words are the applications that one
    can use Pathworks for.
    
    Originally we were going to use the CHinese `Tangram' puzzle, but I was
    looking for something more modern.  I looked at the Penrose tiles and
    they are pretty good, but before I decided, I thought I would ask if
    anyone had any knowledge of tiles that fit together.  They can all be
    the same shape, or multiple shapes, just as long as they form a
    tessalation.  I think the less obvious it is they they fit together,
    the better.  We can package them over a base that has the outlines of a
    solution.  But I want them to be fun to play with.  
    
    The object is, of course, for someone to want to keep them on their
    desk so people will play with them enough for Pathworks to become a
    familiar term.

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1476.1	Caveat	CADSYS::COOPER	Topher Cooper	`Wed Aug 07 1991 13:52`	7
	Have to think about a solution for you, but there is a caveat about the Penrose tiles. I believe that Penrose has one or more patents out for applications of his tiling scheme. This might include a tangramish toy. Better check first. (It is, of course, possible that the patent(s), if any, are strictly a British or European patents). Topher
1476.2		KEBLER::J_MARSH	Svelte & Petite-nosed	`Wed Aug 07 1991 14:08`	3
	I'd suggest looking at a copy of "Tilings & Patterns" by Branko Grunbaum and G. C. Shephard. It's full of diagrams of nifty tilings. You might see something that's just what you want.
1476.3	someone's beaten you to it...	HERON::BUCHANAN	object occidented	`Mon Aug 12 1991 05:07`	9
	I saw an ad in Datamation for a company called Tangram recently. They allegedly had registered the name, and the puzzle! (More probably it was just their little Tangram icon which was trademarked, but anything seems possible under US law.) Both tangrams and Penrose seem a little "tired" to use as a promotional gimmick. I'd agree with .2, and suggest chasing up that reference. Andrew.
1476.4	musing...	HERON::BUCHANAN	object occidented	`Mon Aug 12 1991 08:03`	12
	It would be neat to have some kind of jigsaw that actually has paths on it, given the object this gimmick is meant to sell. I am reminded of the jigsaw on the front of Conway, Berlekamp & Guy's "Winning Ways". Although the chrome (pictures of clowns as I recall) is inappropriate to the subject, it might be possible to change the chrome to something more appropriate (eg local area networks, clients, servers, etc). Either one could approach CBG (who are expensive these days) or one could design a similar puzzle along the same lines. I don't (yet) have a copy of WW, but perhaps someone else in this community does... Andrew.
1476.5	Thanks	HGOVC::JOELBERMAN		`Tue Aug 13 1991 10:33`	14
	I got a few mail messages, and Jeff Marsh sent me an N-Morph from Gruenbaum and Shephard. That may do. It looks a bit like an arrow, which is always a great marketing image. Much of Asia is not very good about protecting intellectual property. The cultural norm is that intellectual property belongs to everyone. But I will diligently check. Penrose references a number of examples in `The Emperor's New Mind', not all of which are Copyrighted. So thanks for the responses. I may decide to do a bunch of giveaways based on something from Mathematics. Maybe a coffe mug made from a Serpinski sponge, or Klein bottle pencil holder. :-) jb