I had an assembler class back in the mid-90s at college. I discovered the self-modifying code trick while doing an assignment. The program had the desired output, so I turned it in. The professor, who was head of the department at the time, called me into her office.
Professor: "Your code modifies itself. You can't do that here."
Me: "It runs and prints the output the assignment outlined in its instructions. There is nothing on the assignment that says I can't do what I did."
Professor: "OK, but don't do it again."
The next class she announced that any assignment could not modify its own code. Any submissions that did so would be disqualified.
irregularbowels · · focus · HN ↗
Professor: "Your code modifies itself. You can't do that here."
Me: "It runs and prints the output the assignment outlined in its instructions. There is nothing on the assignment that says I can't do what I did."
Professor: "OK, but don't do it again."
The next class she announced that any assignment could not modify its own code. Any submissions that did so would be disqualified.