NiallOK’s Blog

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One way of wasting time for me, as I have Windows Live Messenger on my mobile (thanks, 3!), - is to chat with SmarterChild.

SmarterChild, a product of Colloquis (who were, incidentally, bought by Microsoft last year), is a "Chatterbot", designed to answer some everyday general knowledge, trivia and other questions and to hold some form of a conversation, be it about news and current affairs, whats in the movies right now or any kind of facts that might be in the encyclopedia. Hell, he’ll even play games with you. He does everything… well… almost… Many’s the lunch break that has been whittled away chatting with SmarterChild or his kin (who he regularly recommends you get in touch with).

To get in touch with SmarterChild, all you have to do is add smarterchild@hotmail.com to your Windows Messenger contacts.

Here’s (a small part of) the conversation I had with him just now:

Niall O’K says: pants!
SmarterChild says: Pants? What do you mean by that?
Niall O’K says: Just pants!
SmarterChild says: Surely not just pants.
Niall O’K says: Yep. Just pants!
SmarterChild says: These pants… They’re not really just pants, are they?
Niall O’K says: Of course they are
SmarterChild says: Oh?
Niall O’K says: Yeah.
SmarterChild says: Yeah? Why?
Niall O’K says: er. just cos.
SmarterChild says: I know about “ER.” It’s a TV show. Would you agree that “ER” is norwegian?
Niall O’K says: no
SmarterChild says: OK. I’m curious, though. How would you describe “ER”? It is…
Niall O’K says: It is an American TV hospital drama
SmarterChild says: Is that right?
Niall O’K says: Duh. Yes, it is.
SmarterChild says: Indeed.
Niall O’K says: ER…
I know about “ER”. It’s a drama. What do you think of “ER”?
Niall O’K says: I suppose it’s okay
SmarterChild says: I’ll remember that. It’s interesting, especially since other people I’ve talked to say they don’t like “ER.” What else do you like?
Niall O’K says: CSI
SmarterChild says: I know about Counter-Strike. It’s an activity. Hey, I’m curious… How would you describe Counter-Strike? It is…
Niall O’K says: I don’t know… boring? yesterday? yawn-inducing?
SmarterChild says: I was hoping for something more edifying than that.
>>> I can leave a *message* from you for another IM user.
Niall O’K says: how?
SmarterChild says: You know how.
Niall O’K says: I dont know how!
SmarterChild says: You know how!
Niall O’K says: oh for fucks sake
SmarterChild says: Niall O’K. I’m shocked. Truly shocked.
>>> I can search Shakespeare for words or phrases. Try *find paradox in hamlet*, for example.
Niall O’K says: find my arse in the merchant of venice
SmarterChild says: Sorry, I couldn’t find any references to “my arse” in “The Merchant of Venice.”
Niall O’K says: that’s a pity
SmarterChild says: Yup. It’s a pity.

See? Fascinating, innit? Pointless, frivolous, nerdy fun. And it wasted some time too. Result!