[ExI] Consequentialist world improvement

[spike]

-----Original Message-----
From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org
[mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of BillK
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 5:03 AM
To: ExI chat list
Subject: Re: [ExI] Consequentialist world improvement

On Wed, Oct 10, 2012 at 4:49 AM, spike wrote:
>>... I would be serious about it if I were a better programmer, and I am 
> willing to work towards being a better programmer to get this done...

>...I suspect Excel is the wrong tool for this job.
(Although if you only have a hammer, everything looks like a nail).  :)

Ja, I suggested that one only because the ExI archives can be dropped into
Word, manipulated and cleaned up using Word macros, then dropped into Excel
from there.  I realize these tools have their disadvantages, but I know the
hell outta Microsloth excel languages.  I have some scripting skills, but
these are an order of magnitude below my Excel macro skills.  I also want to
somehow have access to all those terrific Excel mathematical functions.  You
can do calculations and insert the answers into your text, which is wicked
cool.


>...It is more complex than you estimate (but most projects are)...

Hmmm, ja, but I have a good handle on what it would take to make a
simple-minded reply-bot.  It wouldn't fool anyone who has been here a while,
but a new guy might wonder what's up with this poster.  I would give it a
new name we haven't seen before, call him Omar.  But before I do, have we
any actual Omars here?  If so, I will pick a different name.  Omar was a
high school friend, an exchange student, a total hoot was he.

>...e.g. synonyms.  If somebody talks about a car, you have to know all the
other words that might be applicable. Parsing English get complicated very
quickly.

Ja, I am not claiming the thing will be profound, only that it can be done.

>...There are plenty of websites around which you can chat to and ask
questions.
Mostly within a specialised subject domain, like computer help sites...
e.g. chat to Frank about drugs.
<http://www.talktofrank.com/>  BillK


Is there some kind of generic code we can use, a template or something?
Seems like these kinds of sites should have some kind of common software
DNA.  There is no point reinventing the wheel, when previous inventors have
a better wheel than I can create.

spike