I don't suppose the term Cellular Automata was intended to sound freaky and far-out when it was chosen to describe whatever it is that Cellular Automata is, but in an art context I think CA (as the savvy in-folks call it) has a very exotic sound to it which, incedently, it probably doesn't deserve.
I would probably have labelled it (from a graphical perspective) "Brainless Bits" because it tends to produce images composed of tiny particles that are intensely repetitive and quickly bring you to the point of boredom.
The options available in CAPOW 2007 help to overcome this frustrating source of mechanical graphics; but even still produce imagery that is very minimalistic and provokes one to work it over in an ever extending gauntlet of graphic filters.
Sometimes the harsh minimalism looks good and serves to highlight the cold, dead, lifeless, unthinking, mechanical nature of art from pushing buttons and turning dials.
Of course, sometimes it doesn't. I don't post those ones.
