Ancestor A1

This self-reproducing program operates by copying itself one instruction at a time into the Nucleus Working Memory. It is assumed that the program starts at memory location zero (as is usually the case); no attempt is made to look for a binding pattern to calculate the start address. Similarly, copying continues until an execution of the instruction mov_ic sets the flag, which indicates that the end of the program has been reached. When copying is complete, the nwm_divide instruction is issued to produce the offspring. A promoter is provided that will attach itself to the beginning of the program to initiate execution. A new promoter of the same type must be produced by the program itself, to be passed on to its offspring. The program listing is as follows:

1-2	101100111000		Start marked with a specific binding pattern
3	et_collect		Collect some energy
4	nwm_clear
5	zero_c
6	push_c
7	pop_a		ax=0 (i.e. points to start of program)
8	set_jmp
9	et_collect
10	clr_f
11	mov_ic		Main loop:
12	if_not_fl		Copy instructions one at a time into
13	nwm_write		the Nucleus Working Memory, and check
14	if_fl		whether end of program has been reached
15	clr_jmp
16	jmp
17	reg_create		Create a new regulator:
18	nop_00		The regulator will be a promoter
19	nop_10
20	nop_11		These nop's specify a promoter
21	nop_00		that match the binding pattern
22	nop_11		at the beginning of this program
23	nop_10
24	nop_00
25	nwm_divide
promoter	101100111000		Initial promoter