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Path: utzoo!hoptoad!xanth!kent
From: kent@xanth.UUCP
Newsgroups: alt.flame
Subject: Re: Just what kind if AI project is Eric Mading, anyway?
Message-ID: <3094@xanth.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 30-Oct-87 18:10:47 EST
Article-I.D.: xanth.3094
Posted: Fri Oct 30 18:10:47 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 1-Nov-87 10:42:12 EST
References: <2771531354@HATHOR.steinmetz>
Reply-To: kent@xanth.UUCP (Kent Paul Dolan)
Distribution: na
Organization: Old Dominion University, Norfolk Va.
Lines: 46
Keywords: ignorance based systems
Summary: Just consult software engineering principles.

In article <2771531354@HATHOR.steinmetz> welty@ge-crd.arpa (Richard Welty) writes:
>I think that it's fairly well established that Eric is indeed
>some kind of AI program.  The problem is now to try to characterize
>just what sort he is.
>
>I'm inclined to suspect that he is a good example of the state of the
>art in the field of Ignorance Engineering, and should be refered
>to as an ``Ignorance Based System.''
>
>The big question is, who built him, and why are they hiding?  They
>should be proud of such an accomplishment.

I think a little study of the concepts of software engineering applied
to AI/Eric will show that this is an information hiding system - any
signs of intelligence in the programming have been ruthlessly
hidden.

The AI/Eric unit is also an example of modularity and top down design.
For example, the "common sense" module interface section has been
done, but the implementation section is just a stub.

It is also typical of modern programming language creations.  There is
no real I/O interface provided, so the programmer was left on his own.
From the postings, this was obviously a first effort at developing I/O
modules.

The AI/Eric unit also demonstrates a principle of software science
commonly known as the "halting problem"; despite lots of halting type
input, there is no knowing when and if the program will face reality
and stop these silly postings.

AI/Eric, you make these so hard to resist. ;-)

Kent, the man from xanth.
Strange netperson.
Multiple parent.
Divorcing.
Retiree.
Sailor, diver.
Curmudgeon extraordinary.
Madman relinquished by the state.
Half-hearted presidential candidate,
 fulminating for a human presence in space.
Sometime graphics programmer, mostly unemployable.
Most dangerous counter-flamer in the entire known universe.
Just generally a nice guy, overflowing with human kindness and lust.