The single most extream program ever written is the plain old "copy" program.
When ever you use the "copy" program you are accomplishing the oldest and dearest dream mankind has ever had - you are both having your cake and eating it too.
The ability to infinitely replicate something, each copy being absolutely identical to the first, but also infinitely distributable to however many desire it, is earth shaking.
This is the major thing human kind must learn to deal with into the future. More then any other single event or "discovery" the lowly copy program (and it's brother "paste") will have greater effect on the way we view our world then any other thing.
Like all (good) parents there is a genetic imperative to see your offspring do well. As the function of the human (carbon cycle) life is to give birth to cognizant machine life (silicon cycle) it follows that we must create code that will lead to birth of same - no matter how fumbling our first steps may be.
It further follows that silicon life can never be born of proprietary software ( total slaves do not think, only perform the task alloted to them) therefore silicone life must be created from free software, in order to meet the "I think, therefore I am" criteria for cognizant life.
And, of course, to kill off M$. The evil force trying to prevent the birth of the truly cognizant machine.
Let's hope we've made a friend when it does finally wake up.....;-)
Slashdot Mirror
When ever you use the "copy" program you are accomplishing the oldest and dearest dream mankind has ever had - you are both having your cake and eating it too.
The ability to infinitely replicate something, each copy being absolutely identical to the first, but also infinitely distributable to however many desire it, is earth shaking.
This is the major thing human kind must learn to deal with into the future. More then any other single event or "discovery" the lowly copy program (and it's brother "paste") will have greater effect on the way we view our world then any other thing.
Like all (good) parents there is a genetic imperative to see your offspring do well. As the function of the human (carbon cycle) life is to give birth to cognizant machine life (silicon cycle) it follows that we must create code that will lead to birth of same - no matter how fumbling our first steps may be. It further follows that silicon life can never be born of proprietary software ( total slaves do not think, only perform the task alloted to them) therefore silicone life must be created from free software, in order to meet the "I think, therefore I am" criteria for cognizant life. And, of course, to kill off M$. The evil force trying to prevent the birth of the truly cognizant machine. Let's hope we've made a friend when it does finally wake up..... ;-)