Collaboration between highly specialized cells

Cells in biofilms specialize temporarily according to “quorum” cues from neighbors. Cells in “true” multicellular organisms permanently specialize (differentiate) during development. Loss of differentiation is an early sign of cancer.

Today most computers retain a large repertoire of unused general behavior susceptible to viral or worm attack. Biology suggests that more specialization and less monoculture would be advantageous (although market forces may oppose this).

Communication by polymorphic messages

Cells in multicelled organisms communicate with each other via messenger molecules, never DNA. The “meaning” of cell-to-cell messages is determined by the receiving cell, not the sender.

Executable code is the analogue of DNA. Most PCs permit easy, and hidden, download of executable code (Active-X or even exe). However, importing executable code is well known to create security risks, and secure systems minimize or eliminate this capability.

“Self” defined by a stigmergic structure

Multicelled organisms and biofilms build extracellular stigmergic structures (bone, shell, or just slime) that define the persistent self. “Selfness” resides as much in the extracellular matrix as in the cells.

Determination of self is largely ad hoc in today’s systems. However, an organization’s intranet is a stigmergic structure, as are its persistent databases.

“Self” protected by programmed cell death (PCD)

Every healthy cell in a multicelled organism is prepared to commit suicide. PCD evolved to deal with DNA replication errors, viral infection, and rogue undifferentiated cells. PCD reflects a multicellular perspective—sacrificing the individual cell for the good of the multicellular organism.

A familiar example in computing is the Blue Screen of Death, which is a programmed response to an unrecoverable error. An analogous computer should sense its own rogue behavior (e.g., download of uncertified code) and disconnect itself from the network or reboot itself periodically to give itself a clean initial state.