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DNA replacing silicon for processors??

jeadra

22:18 / 18.08.03

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/ptech/08/18/biological.computing.ap/index.html

Something vaguely frightening in future possibilities. The concept of it itself seems exciting..... but, what about the ethical views on this type of technology? I mean, utilizing "life" and incorporating it into present technology. I know there's probably a lot of sci-fi plots & theories that immediately spring to mind, but I find myself wondering what this could mean.
There's also the possibility that this could prove to be incredibly obsolete to current technology.
Thoughts?

Lionheart

18:41 / 19.08.03

So now there will be two types of computer viruses.

The first type of virii will be the all-familiar software virus.

The second type of virii will be an actual biological virus that invades he actual computer and implants its own outsider DNA into the computer. Hackers will genetically engineer viruses to cause their computers to do what they weren't meant to do. Like grow fur.

Thjatsi

21:03 / 19.08.03

...but, what about the ethical views on this type of technology? I mean, utilizing "life" and incorporating it into present technology.

DNA replication wouldn't be considered life by most people, for the same reasons that a fire burning and crystal formation are also not considered life.

topical b

22:52 / 19.08.03

link

and it plays tic tac toe

jeadra

02:09 / 20.08.03

Hmm. The CNN link made it sound a bit more ominous...or maybe that was just my mood yesterday.

topical b

14:03 / 20.08.03

from article in newscientist

"Stojanovic has lost to MAYA more than a 100 times. "We could have programmed it to lose sometimes, to make humans happy," he told New Scientist. "But to say 'the automaton can not be defeated' has a nice ring to it."

sounds plenty ominous to me

Thjatsi

20:03 / 20.08.03

Beware the undefeatable DNA computer! First it conquers tic-tac-toe, and then the world! AHAHAHAHAHA!

No, on second thought it just sounds silly.

topical b

20:37 / 20.08.03

i find it amazing that one man played the "automaton" more than six times. and he did this with the knowledge that "the automaton cannot be defeated".

we just better hope "the automaton" never makes it to hollywood squares. it would establish a infinately long winning steak, hoarding enough wealth to possibly take over the world.

20:54 / 20.08.03

You know, being unbeatable at tictactoe is not all that much of a feat. If they had made it unbeatable at Risk or Axis and Allies, now. That would be ominous.

Warewullf

21:18 / 20.08.03

They call their creations "machines" and "devices." Really, they are nothing more than test tubes of DNA-laden water, and yet this liquid has been coaxed to crunch algorithms and spit out data.

Homeopathic processors.

Mason and Takashi would be pleased!

Mystery Gypt

21:48 / 20.08.03

didn't they already do this about 8 years ago?

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