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From: asylvain@felix.UUCP (Alvin "the Chipmunk" Sylvain)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: CORE WAR inquiry- has any =one heard of this thing?
Message-ID: <163995@felix.UUCP>
Date: 6 Jun 91 01:48:12 GMT
References: <1991May29.150606.25121@cs.yale.edu>
Sender: daemon@felix.UUCP
Reply-To: asylvain@felix.UUCP (Alvin "the Chipmunk" Sylvain)
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Written in article <1991May29.150606.25121@cs.yale.edu>
    by dirk@laplace (dirksen bussiere):

> Around two years ago in SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN there was an article on a  
> programming "game" known as CORE WARS.  The object seemed to be the creation of  
> sentient programs that went around trying to trash one another.  Has anyone  
> heard of this "game"?  If so, do you know where I can get ahold of the rules  
> and the programs used to create the "programming environment".  My E-mail  
> address is DIRK%HHVMS8@VENUS.YCC.YALE.EDU  .    Thank a lot.

Heard of it, yes.  If no one else can help you, you can look up the
article in a library somewhere.  Get help from the Librarian if you have
to.  I wouldn't go so far as to call these programs "sentient," tho.
Some of the most effective ones proved to be the simplest, if I remember 
the article correctly.

I also wouldn't quote "game," because that's precisely what it is.  It
is not, as some would have you believe, the precursor to "viruses."
First off, the code is written in a pseudo-code, so real damage to the
machine or it's software is impossible.  This is natural, because how
else do you determine the winner?  Secondly, the game is played between
multiple players.  They write the software in the pseudo-code and load
it in the machine.  The player's who's entry grabs up the most core is
the winner.  Therefore, it's definately a game.

There are other versions available.  I know of one call "P-bots" or
something like that, where the players program the "robots" to destroy
each other in a software simulation.  The code for the "robots" is
similar to Pascal.  If you want to know where you can buy this, let 
me know.
--
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"hplabs!felix!asylvain"@uunet.uu.net
(I always try to respond to mail, if possible.  If you don't hear back 
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DISCLAIMER: It's all in fun, folks, no flames intended.  Any similarity
between my opinion and that of my employer is purely coincidental and
sufficient reason to change my opinion, although I'll still be right.