I wasn't aware of the TeX situtation; that is fascinating and indeed sounds like a promising candidate for a mature form. (My consultant informs me that there is also a "bug bounty" involved.)
As for the question of software reproduction, I admit I don't hold a strong view myself. It's entirely possible that software is exclusively parthenogenic; indeed, the accumulation over time of deleterious alleles or "bugs" might suggest it. On the other hand, cross-pollination (sometimes characterized as "IP theft") seems rampant in this ecosystem, which would support sexual reproduction.
As you may have noticed, I'm opting to take refuge in biobabble rather than commit to an exact science.
I wasn't aware of the TeX situtation; that is fascinating and indeed sounds like a promising candidate for a mature form. (My consultant informs me that there is also a "bug bounty" involved.)
As for the question of software reproduction, I admit I don't hold a strong view myself. It's entirely possible that software is exclusively parthenogenic; indeed, the accumulation over time of deleterious alleles or "bugs" might suggest it. On the other hand, cross-pollination (sometimes characterized as "IP theft") seems rampant in this ecosystem, which would support sexual reproduction.
As you may have noticed, I'm opting to take refuge in biobabble rather than commit to an exact science.