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To: cracker
"Much like cars, Microsoft Word does not reproduce itself. We do not theorize that Excel evolved form Word because there is no mechanism that could be proposed: the code has no intrinsic ability to create copies of itself."

Software reproduces itself everyday. If you've ever had a virus emailed to you then you might have even seen software that reproduced itself on your very computer! Likewise, different software is derived from older programs every day.

Does Evolution explain that behavior or does Intelligent Design explain it?

370 posted on 03/05/2002 10:37:29 AM PST by Southack
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To: Southack
"Much like cars, Microsoft Word does not reproduce itself. We do not theorize that Excel evolved form Word because there is no mechanism that could be proposed: the code has no intrinsic ability to create copies of itself."

Software reproduces itself everyday. If you've ever had a virus emailed to you then you might have even seen software that reproduced itself on your very computer! Likewise, different software is derived from older programs every day. Does Evolution explain that behavior or does Intelligent Design explain it?

Word and Excel do not reproduce themselves, and thus do not evolve in the biological sense. Therefore, the fact that their code is substantially similar, and that they were designed, is not relevant to a discussion of biological evolution or design. That's all I was arguing. Do not try to shift the argument.

Computer viruses are a good example of where evolution might take place. However, the error-checking routines in computer copying programs are good enough that there are fewer opportunities for "mutation" in computer viruses than there are in nature. In addition, computer codes are far less robust than genetic codes (especially viruses, shich must exist in very precise and technical environments - e.g., get the wrong port number, and it won't get access), so minor changes are more likely to be fatal.

Finally, the observant will note how you cram two ideas together: the idea that software is reused and that it replicates. There are no self-replicating viruses of the size or complexity of Microsoft Word or Excel.

382 posted on 03/05/2002 10:57:24 AM PST by cracker
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