The approach described in this paper: having an archeologist implement a virtual machine in an afternoon, and then having that virtual machine run a self-checking program that expanded to a full system, is exactly what contestants/archeologists in ICFP 2006 did.
I've been returning to the contest recently. There's a treasure trove of interesting stuff, including the ML compiler that targets the universal machine. It's amazing that such a small group of people created all that for a programming contest.
I worked on the Domesday project as a 12-year-old. It enlisted schools, with the help of geography teachers and their classes, to assist with data gathering around the country. I never saw the finished thing, and I'm sad it was never properly preserved. I look forward to the work of archivists!
http://www.boundvariable.org
I've been returning to the contest recently. There's a treasure trove of interesting stuff, including the ML compiler that targets the universal machine. It's amazing that such a small group of people created all that for a programming contest.