From: "Hans-Cees Speel" <hanss@sepa.tudelft.nl>
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1999 09:06:52 +0100
Subject: Re: computer virus
Message-Id: <E11jHx8-0004bT-00@dryctnath.mmu.ac.uk>
> > I read somewhere once that computer viruses
> > are incapable of producing advantageous mutations on their own. Is this
> > correct? If so, why not? Anyone have a reference?
>
> > Ray Recchia
>
>
> Computer viruses are incapable of producing any mutation on their own, unless
> they are programmed to do so (but I am not aware of any computer virus which
> does something like this). Computer viruses, which are computer programs, make
> exact copies of themselves (clones), and there is virtually no error rate in
> this process.
>
I am also not a computrer virus specialist, but I do think that a
good comparison could be interesting. If viruses are programmed to
mutate, so are in a way real viruses. If the resulting outcome is
programmed, but still b;ind, and thus not exactly pre-determined as
in biological development of the individual organism, evolution can
occur. I would suggest to go to sites like from big virus scanners,
as norton and ask for thier specialists. You can also try to get to
hackers, but that may prove difficult.
cheers
hc
Theories come and go, the frog stays [F. Jacob]
-------------------------------------------------------
Hans-Cees Speel
Managing Editor "Journal of Memetics Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission"
http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
submit papers to JOM-EMIT@sepa.tudelft.nl or hanscees@softhome.net
I work at:
|School of Systems Engineering, Policy Analysis and management
|Technical University Delft, Jaffalaan 5 2600 GA Delft PO Box 5015 The Netherlands
E-mail hanss@sepa.tudelft.nl or hanscees@softhome.net
http://www.sepa.tudelft.nl/webstaf/hanss/hanss.htm
usa mirror at
http://homes.acmecity.com/movies/wrap/225/index.html
===============================================================
This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit