The first rule on the use of nantechnology is the required limit rule. All nantoech devices must have a programmed time or externally enforced material limit.
The second rule concerns replicators. All nanite replicators must employ a two stage replication process. Nanites may not replicate themselves.
So just as RNA must used DNA as a pattern to create proteins so must replicators create assemblers to create other replicators.
The third rule concerns the concept of captured nanotech. Whenever possible first generation nanotech assemblers must be fixed.
This means that nano-machines that make other nano-machines must be built on a substrate rather than being free floating.
The fourth rule concerns mutation and self-improvements. No nano-machine may be designed to carry out self-improvements or alterations independent of human oversight.
So what do these rules mean on the ground? A nanite progenitor must be fixed on a substrate, that is designed into a device. Typically that device provides the externally enforced material limit on that progenitor. That progenitor device will make nanites to do whatever task is assigned. The same progenitor device may construct a variety of different nano-machines to accomplish whatever task it is designed to do, but it may not make copies of itself. It can however create assemblers capable of creating another progenitor device, but the amount of times it may do that must be limited.
The second generation nantites may create other, different nanites or they may directly manipulate other material atoms. They may not attempt to manipulate their progenitor nano-machines.
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