I never said it was a bad analogy, I even used a rather positive word ('seductive'). It is overrated, though, and it does stop making sense sooner than many peo

I never said it was a bad analogy, I even used a rather positive word ('seductive'). It is overrated, though, and it does stop making sense sooner than many people think. What I'm really saying is that relying on this analogy to understand how DNA works in relation to organism development, function, etc. won't get you past a very cursory understanding of it. It may be enough for many people but: -I like to think that HN is filled with people who take interest in many things, especially science-related subjects, and would hope that many of them on this site would like to know more than an analogy-based understanding of genomics -For better or for worse, the recent bloom and advances in genetics and biology in general have taken over the modern world and been hailed (probably with reason) by all kinds of circles, from the media to governments or the tech world, as a promising new era that's going to revolutionize our understanding of life, disease, what it means to be human, cognition, what have you. It does feel pretty cool as an insider to know that you're working in the 'hot new thing' but a side effect of that is, I have seen people develop a pretty bizarre fascination with DNA, whether it be their own or other people's. And it's not something that can be pinpointed to entirely rational reasons. I don't want to go off tangents any further, but let's say it can't hurt to occasionnally remind people what DNA is and what it isn't, what it's like and what it's definitely not like. I dislike pedants as much as the next person but seeing so many (presumably very educated) people take that analogy in the same thread made me think that the reminder wasn't that out of place.