According to Wolfram, Cook's job was to prove Rule 110 was universal. Cook didn't "discover" it as an independent action.
In a very direct sense, this was a software development task, where the program that was being written was precisely a universal program (through several layers of emulation, of course; rule 110 -> 'particle computer' -> cyclic tag system -> Turing machine). It's an impressive program, but also quite mechanical. More details: http://www.wolframscience.com/nksonline/page-681#previous
Here's the timeline as far as I've been able to determine, mostly from sources inside the company:
0. Wolfram tasked Cook with finding a proof that 110 was universal.
1. With encouragement and help, Cook finished the proof many years before the book was ready.
2. Cook tried to publish the program/proof at some complexity conference.
3. Wolfram asked him not to, because it was against the terms of his contract.
4. Cook agreed not to, but then did it anyway.
5. Wolfram threatened legal action to prevent the proof being published.
This kind of thing is clearly a breakdown of the relationship between Cook and Wolfram. Is there a good guy and a bad guy? Maybe, maybe not. But if we see this proof as a program, I'm sure many people would agree that publishing code one was paid to write, without permission, is kind of a no-no.
To my mind, this doesn't so much paint Wolfram as a lawsuit-happy egomaniac as it does expose some of the contradictions of a running a private company as a commercial venture and as a vehicle for one's own research.
edit: I work for Wolfram, as probably some HN users already know and as I mention elsewhere on this thread. But when I heard about the whole Cook thing a couple of years ago, I asked around about what happened to make sure I wasn't working for a company that was unethical. The above is what I was able to determine.
In a very direct sense, this was a software development task, where the program that was being written was precisely a universal program (through several layers of emulation, of course; rule 110 -> 'particle computer' -> cyclic tag system -> Turing machine). It's an impressive program, but also quite mechanical. More details: http://www.wolframscience.com/nksonline/page-681#previous
Here's the timeline as far as I've been able to determine, mostly from sources inside the company:
0. Wolfram tasked Cook with finding a proof that 110 was universal.
1. With encouragement and help, Cook finished the proof many years before the book was ready.
2. Cook tried to publish the program/proof at some complexity conference.
3. Wolfram asked him not to, because it was against the terms of his contract.
4. Cook agreed not to, but then did it anyway.
5. Wolfram threatened legal action to prevent the proof being published.
This kind of thing is clearly a breakdown of the relationship between Cook and Wolfram. Is there a good guy and a bad guy? Maybe, maybe not. But if we see this proof as a program, I'm sure many people would agree that publishing code one was paid to write, without permission, is kind of a no-no.
To my mind, this doesn't so much paint Wolfram as a lawsuit-happy egomaniac as it does expose some of the contradictions of a running a private company as a commercial venture and as a vehicle for one's own research.
edit: I work for Wolfram, as probably some HN users already know and as I mention elsewhere on this thread. But when I heard about the whole Cook thing a couple of years ago, I asked around about what happened to make sure I wasn't working for a company that was unethical. The above is what I was able to determine.