void Initialize() {
            this.ClientSize = new Size(800, 600);
            this.FormBorderStyle = FormBorderStyle.Fixed3D;
            this.MinimizeBox = false;
            this.MaximizeBox = false;
            this.DoubleBuffered = true;
            this.Text = "Dave's Game of Life";
            this.Deactivate += new EventHandler(Form1_Deactivate);
            this.Activated += new EventHandler(frmDavesLife_Activated);
            this.Paint += new PaintEventHandler(Form1_Paint);
            tmrFrames.Tick += new EventHandler(tmrFrames_Tick);
            canvas = new Bitmap(this.ClientSize.Width, this.ClientSize.Height);
            w = (uint)canvas.Width;
            h = (uint)canvas.Height;
            bmpRect = new Rectangle(0, 0, (int)w, (int)h);
            l = w * h;
            w1 = (w+2) - 1;
            wp1 = (w+2) + 1;
            lw = l - w;
            outerL = (w + 2) * (h + 2);
            g = Graphics.FromImage(canvas);
            g.Clear(Color.Black);
            field = new uint[outerL * 2];
            tmrFrames.Interval = 1000;
            if (cycleColors) {
                rVal = colorList[0].R;
                gVal = colorList[0].G;
                bVal = colorList[0].B;
            }
            else
                col = 0xffffffff;
            this.Show();
            Application.DoEvents();
        }


        void ComputeFrame() {
            i = 0;
            x = 0;

            //lock the canvas, because i haven't delved into actual bitmap pointer drawing to the screen itself
            bmpData = canvas.LockBits(bmpRect, ImageLockMode.ReadWrite, PixelFormat.Format32bppPArgb);
            currPos = (uint*)bmpData.Scan0;

            fixed (uint* f = field) { //field contains the entire grid plus swap
                t = f + (w+3); //starting point of the current generation
                a = f + (w+3); //starting point of the next generation

                //determine which is which
                if (altFrame) t += outerL;
                else a += outerL;

                while (i++ <= l) {
                    //n = 0;

                    // w1 = width - 1
                    // wp1 = width + 1
                    // lw = (width * height) - width
                    //if (x != 0 && *(t - 1) == 1) n++; //left
                    //if (x != w1 && *(t + 1) == 1) n++; //right
                    //if (i > w && *(t - w) == 1) n++; //top
                    //if (i < lw && *(t + w) == 1) n++; //bottom
                    //if (x != 0 && i > w && *(t - w1) == 1) n++; //left top
                    //if (x != 0 && i < lw && *(t + w1) == 1) n++; //left bottom
                    //if (x != w1 && i > w && *(t - wp1) == 1) n++; //right top
                    //if (x != w1 && i < lw && *(t + wp1) == 1) n++; //right bottom

                    //if ( *(t - 1) == 1) n++; //left
                    //if ( *(t + 1) == 1) n++; //right
                    //if (*(t - w) == 1) n++; //top
                    //if (*(t + w) == 1) n++; //bottom
                    //if (*(t - w1) == 1) n++; //left top
                    //if (*(t + w1) == 1) n++; //left bottom
                    //if (*(t - wp1) == 1) n++; //right top
                    //if (*(t + wp1) == 1) n++; //right bottom

                    n =
                         (byte)(*(t - 1) +
                         *(t + 1) +
                        *(t - (w+2)) +
                        *(t + (w+2)) +
                        *(t - w1) +
                        *(t + w1) +
                        *(t - wp1) +
                        *(t + wp1));

                    if (*t == 1) {
                        *a = ((n != 2 && n != 3) ? 0U : 1U);
                        *currPos = 0xffffffff; // col;
                    }
                    else {
                        *a = (n == 3 ? 1U : 0U);
                        //if (fadeColors) { //fancy color cycling and fading, looks cool, but is slow(er)
                        //    if ((*currPos & 0x00ff0000) > (uint)(colLimit << 16)) *currPos -= (uint)(colDecVal << 16);
                        //    if ((*currPos & 0x0000ff00) > (uint)(colLimit << 8)) *currPos -= (uint)(colDecVal << 8);
                        //    if ((*currPos & 0x000000ff) > (uint)(colLimit)) *currPos -= (uint)(colDecVal);
                        //}
                        //else
                        *currPos = 0xff000000;
                    }

                    ++a;
                    ++t;
                    ++currPos;
                    if (++x == w) {
                        x = 0;
                        ++a;
                        ++a;
                        ++t;
                        ++t;
                    }
                }
            }
            canvas.UnlockBits(bmpData);
        }