Re: Extropians GIMPS team

Bryan Moss (bryan.moss@dial.pipex.com)
Wed, 18 Aug 1999 16:02:00 +0100

Eugene Leitl writes:

> [...] I think cracking cryptosystems and looking for bigger primes (or
> searching for aliens beaming monochromatic RF) is a remarkably pointless
> enterprise. Establishing an open-ended coevolutionary arena of individua
> breeding at machine code and FPGA cell level is obviously much more
> rewarding (and, admittedly, dangerous).

So, wait, I'm confused, are we *looking* for the x86 machine code mutator or are we *running* it to see what wonders emerge from the swamp? If it's the latter then are you proposing we send out a GA-based worm to test security by an ever evolving onslaught of system cracking? Which, and stop me if I'm getting this all wrong, would result in the coevolution of better worm-detectors and better worms until some sort of security equilibrium was established thus making the internet safe for future generations? This reminds me of the proposal (also on this list) to genetically engineer a new predator to keep mankind from slouching.

BM