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-Short Attention Span Theater-
Play 20 Questions Against A 'Puter
2004-09-16
Posted by:.com

#11  29 questions, 2 guesses, then it gave up.

Water bottle.

Then it argued with me!

Machine, hell, that's human.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2004-09-16 8:04:09 PM  

#10  WARNING, WARNING

By playing with the computer we are making it smarter. With enough time, it could get smart, and could start observing and acting like SkyNet to protect itself.

It could start to reachhhhhh ouuut and trrry ##%^&))! top pople frrrr m pointtttttttttttting osl dk dkdisla;id. ldod dldo dooooaajdnfidoslssssssidmf d d dl
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Posted by: cingold   2004-09-16 3:45:55 PM  

#9  Yup, thingymajig aint recognised neither.
Posted by: Howard UK   2004-09-16 3:36:48 PM  

#8  20Q is my biznatch! It doesn't know "Jabberwocky".
Posted by: BH   2004-09-16 3:34:15 PM  

#7  I would guess the computer program uses the past record to predict the current. The algorithm must take your current responses and find the closest match (given the database of all past "players'" series of responses). That match is probably then hooked up with what the past player admitted was the word being thought of.

So, if in the past
A . . B . . F . . I . . # . . % . . A = cat
and
B . . G . . ^ . . I . . & . . Y . . F = dog

A current series of responses like:
B . . @ . . ^ . . @ . . & . . Y . . F = should be dog, again. It is kind of spooky, though. Try this: I stumped it on "sunspots." My guess is a couple more times of someone making their word "sunspots," and it will get "sunspots" every time that's the word.
Posted by: cingold   2004-09-16 3:16:52 PM  

#6  not too many people would consider a lawn mower a recreational device, and the 'puter didn't either. mark me as victorious over 'HAL.'
"don't make me do that, Dave."
Posted by: USN, retired   2004-09-16 2:47:57 PM  

#5  Now that's just scary. 19 questions to guess "database".
Posted by: BH   2004-09-16 12:45:13 PM  

#4  This thing is smart! After the questions it asked me "Does your mother know you are asking me about this?" Seriously. Apparently my 8th grade level maturity shows big. (It guessed 'womb'. Well, that was close - literally. . . .heh)
Posted by: Doc8404   2004-09-16 10:17:44 AM  

#3  I am guessing that it is a didgeridoo
im was thinking about me lost bong
Posted by: half   2004-09-16 10:11:52 AM  

#2  It swatted down "pencil" in no time at all. I stumped it on "douche bag". The program would have gotten there if this term was in its database. Got close with catheter. Neat piece of AI work.

On a related note, I'm happy to see that Is John Kerry A Douche Bag? is the second ranked result for the term on Google.
Posted by: Classical_Liberal   2004-09-16 3:13:29 AM  

#1  Very cool! It took 28 questions and two guesses to get it right. I supose I won, but be very afraid, the machines are going to take over the world!! Neo?
Posted by: jn1   2004-09-16 12:51:15 AM  

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