In order to prevent staleness, I propose this method of computer magic (it's all magic to me, honestly):

Pull up the Peristaltic* Idea Generator, or PIG, and enter in the titles of all of the ideas in a particular category. Then, enter in the number of ideas. This program then performs a series of basic functions:
-Calculates the average number of characters in each idea title,
-Breaks down the titles into a collection of letters,
-Randomly selects a number of letters equal to the average number of letters per idea, and
-Attempts to form words by anagrams

You then select, from that pool of potential words, a few words that you believe you can string into an idea that fits into that original category. To simplify the process, ideas would not have to be used that were perfect anagrams, just those that used some of the words generated by the letters.

For example: I looked at the ideas in "Car:"
-Aerial of Thorns
-Variable Cycle Hybrid Electric Generator
-Custard GATSO
-Car speed mandator
-Road fun

I randomly selected the following 17 letters: ealfhragodrlpsgde

And I could, in theory, do an idea based on the words "dragged," "load," and "elders."

*called it peristalsis because it breaks down the input and turns it into poo.
-- shapu, Oct 25 2007

Brion Gysin http://en.wikipedia...ki/Cut-up_technique
cut up method [xenzag, Oct 26 2007]

Don't you get rich resources when poo gets proceduralised (pasturalised) ? needs time and energy though .
-- wjt, Oct 26 2007


Wait a minute: I thought peristalsis was the mechanical process that moved the food down the tube; the transformation into poo is the result of chemical processes along the way, shirley. Anyhow, I think we already have enough poo to sift through, so [-].
-- pertinax, Oct 26 2007


Strings of random words can generate interesting new seeds for ideas, but this can be achieved already using other systems. See link to Brion Gysin's cut up method, a proven strategy, which you [shapu] might want to try with bakery printouts.
-- xenzag, Oct 26 2007


Leaving Lost Vagus.
-- 4whom, Oct 26 2007


ideas by peristalsis [marked-for-tagline]
-- RayfordSteele, Oct 26 2007



random, halfbakery