I'm thinking about writing an application that uses genetic algorithms to create machine code that will run and perform some specific task. I could make the fitness function to check an area of memory and see if it contains a certain value, or even be more complex like check a pixel in the render frame for a certain value. Has anyone tried this, or heard about it being done? I read a book once that described a similiar task on programmable EPROMs to measure radio frequencies in space or something. Anyway, seemed like a fun challenge.

Programs writing programs is not uncommon in LISP, because it's a functional programming language. LISP is also widely used for AI programming tasks.

You usally do not want machine code.

You should use a virtual machine, and make sure that it can't crach your comp. Because guarenteed, makeing Machine code, using a GA, unrestrained, will crash your comp very, very, very, very Quickly.

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Ya, I did a lot of LISP programming at my University. What I'm talking about is a little bit different, more along the lines of artificial life.

Given a blank computer, have another computer develop a GA to actually evolve the blank computer to some state.
The potential is there for the GA to evolve the blank computer to a state which would resemble a limited operating system, and (this is reaching) perhaps even a cognizant form of life :)

Quote: You usally do not want machine code.

You should use a virtual machine, and make sure that it can't crach your comp. Because guarenteed, makeing Machine code, using a GA, unrestrained, will crash your comp very, very, very, very Quickly.

Most definately :)

It will also take a very very long time..... very.
Because of the low level, yasee.

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Do a google search for "genetic programming", as that's what you're talking about. There is quite a bit of info floating about on the web about it :)