Comments on: What am I thinking?

What am I thinking?

patrickje — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 00:04:35 -0800

What am I thinking? A computer asks you twenty questions, and tries to guess what you are thinking about. Can you stump the computer?

By: TheIrreverend

TheIrreverend — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 00:30:28 -0800

I stumped it with "eraser".

By: Phatty Lumpkin

Phatty Lumpkin — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 00:33:19 -0800

I was pretty impressed it guessed that I was thinking of bubble wrap!

By: eyeballkid

eyeballkid — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 00:34:41 -0800

I stumped it with "MetaFilter." (actually, it could have been any web-site, but what other site would I have had immediately on the brain.)

By: Slimemonster

Slimemonster — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 00:37:11 -0800

Wowee. It got anvil, water pistol, and eraser for me.

By: phyrewerx

phyrewerx — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 00:43:27 -0800

It figured out planet under 20 questions and laptop under 16.

By: jdaura

jdaura — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 00:50:02 -0800

It surprised me when it got galaxy and then it guessed beer. They should try and mod it to pass the Turing Test.

By: skylar

skylar — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 00:50:35 -0800

I was thinking of 'Disneyland' and it didn't get it. The computer then attempted to get into an existential argument with me about amusement parks: You were thinking of an amusement park. Does it get wet? you said Rarely, I say Yes Can you put something into it? you said Doubtful, I say Yes Is it heavy? you said Irrelevant, I say Yes Can you switch it on and off? you said No, I say Yes Can you play with it? you said Depends, I say Yes Is it flat? you said Partly, I say No Do you open and close it? you said No, I say Yes

By: misteraitch

misteraitch — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 00:52:20 -0800

It guessed shoelace in nineteen, even though we differed on two of the answers I gave. It couldn't guess vagina though, coming close with womb and urethra - maybe it doesn't do sex organs.

By: boltman

boltman — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 00:52:47 -0800

You were thinking of bunk beds. Do most people use this daily? you said No, I say Yes Is it something you can purchase? you said Yes, I say Doubtful Is it made of metal? you said No, I say Probably Can it be stolen? you said Doubtful, I say Yes Can you put something into it? you said No, I say Yes Can it be used for recreation? you said Yes, I say No Is it flat? you said Yes, I say No Is it an absolute state? you said Yes, I say No Oh, sure, it's my fault you can't read my mind.

By: boltman

boltman — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 00:56:06 -0800

(I was impressed when it got "light" in under 20 though)

By: jfwlucy

jfwlucy — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 00:58:56 -0800

It got "booger" in under twenty, but went over on "library card." and "cockatoo."

By: samuelad

samuelad — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:00:46 -0800

I thought anteater; it guessed aardvark. Pretty darn close.

By: Slithy_Tove

Slithy_Tove — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:01:45 -0800

It got oxygen (but thought it fit in an envelope), CD, and UFO. It thinks UFO's can be washed. How the heck does it know? BTW, it isn't supposed to be able to figure out specific instances, such as 'Metafilter', or 'Disneyland'. It doesn't seem to know 'blog'. It guessed 'programming language', 'chat-room', and 'e-mail', along the way.

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:05:22 -0800

It had no idea about tardigrades (waterbears). But it also had me stumped: I had to google some good information on the wee beasties so that I could answer its questions. Nifty little critters, they are. Didja know they have sex? They have a real brain, but they don't have a respiratory or circulatory system. They're found in marine, freshwater, and land environments, and there are a umpteen species. I'm gonna have to go hunting this spring, see if I can find me one. (Toughest question: "Do they bring joy to people?" Er, reading about them certainly cheered me up. Does that count?)

By: cachilders

cachilders — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:05:47 -0800

i believe the design of this site is not to show how a computer can think like us, but rather, how we can be trained to think like the computer.

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:14:25 -0800

29 questions later, including two "close" guesses of "potato chip" (after which it went weird and, after a few more questions, guessed that it was a dart(!!)) and "pretzel" (immediately next-guessing that it was a granola bar(?)). "You were thinking of a tortilla chip. You said it is classified as Vegetable, I say Other Is it brown? you said Yes, I say No Does it have a hard outer shell? you said No, I say Yes Could it be found in a classroom? you said No, I say Yes Is it a common household object? you said No, I say Yes" Er: no, sometimes, no, probably not, no. Who the heck said tortilla chips have a hard "outer shell"?! Its database can only be as good as the responses people give. Someone's been lying to it!

By: boltman

boltman — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:15:37 -0800

It got black hole in 27, but with 4 "wrong" on my part. They would fit in an envelope, wouldn't they?

By: riffola

riffola — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:18:25 -0800

Stumped it with a "satellite"

By: password

password — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:19:13 -0800

It guessed "gin." It even got the correct type of liquor that I was thinking of. Creepy.

By: vacapinta

vacapinta — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:20:14 -0800

Someone lied to it about tamales too!

By: vacapinta

vacapinta — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:22:14 -0800

oh, and when it guessed 'burrito' and I said Close!, it then guessed 'fur coat'! burrito? fur coat? Is there something I'm missing?

By: Uncle Ira

Uncle Ira — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:27:03 -0800

It got "headphones" in 17 tries. Pretty cool.

By: Georgina

Georgina — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:40:56 -0800

After asking me if my object was primarily made of water and I said No, it guessed ice cube four turns later. Otherwise, fascinating. It got vitamin (eventually) and even though I stumped it with pinwheel, it was in their database.

By: dglynn

dglynn — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:44:41 -0800

You were thinking of a book. ............. Is it hard? you said Irrelevant, I say Yes What is this, Talking Barbie's Internet Savant?

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:50:05 -0800

Wow. It got vodka in 29, after easel and lemonade! Thanks, Patrick - gives a whole new meaning to "narrowing down".

By: kindall

kindall — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:50:14 -0800

It got key, knife, credit card, digital camera (not just a camera but a digital one -- that's pretty sharp), chicken, and a couple other ones. It also got camera lens with 29 questions, after first guessing that it was a hand grenade, and cassette tape in 28 (after guessing video tape). Watching it try to get "penis" was hilarious. "Does it contain a liquid?" "Can it be placed on your head?" "Do you clean it regularly?" "Does it serve a purpose?" "Is it smaller than a loaf of bread?" Eventually it said "It has something to do with sex" and refused to go any further.

By: bwg

bwg — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:52:07 -0800

I stumped it. After 29 guesses it gave up. On the 30th page, it told me I won, and then it gave me a list of things from which to choose, and a textbox to enter what I was thinking. I was thinking of a temple.

By: WolfDaddy

WolfDaddy — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:58:07 -0800

Does your mother know what you are thinking about? I am not allowed to talk about stuff like this, but, I am guessing that it has something to do with sex? Would you find it in an office? you said Unknown, I say No Is it flexible? you said Irrelevant, I say Yes Does it grow over time? you said Yes, I say No Does it require specific knowledge to use it? you said Yes, I say No The password was ding "orgasm". I got "Computer won, but asked too many questions."

By: bargle

bargle — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 02:14:44 -0800

It could not guess bamboo.

By: eddydamascene

eddydamascene — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 02:19:54 -0800

you said Yes, I say No You're wrong. No you're wrong! I chose pita, it guessed pancake.

By: infravires

infravires — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 02:24:40 -0800

It seems to think a sock is "animal" (this was when it was failing to guess "penis" -- it offered "womb" & "urethra", like misteraitch). And in another question sequence (I was thinking of "rifle"), it first asked me whether it was bigger than a breadbox (yes), and later asked whether it was smaller than a loaf of bread. Still got it, though. But I'm amazed. It got "website", "submarine" & "light bulb" for me too. And the bickering at the end is fun. I'd love to see some stats on its knowedge base. I'd also love to see a breakdown of the things people try on it.

By: lunadust

lunadust — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 02:35:01 -0800

It didn't guess moisturiser, but guessed honey and milk which are possible ingredients of moisturiser. Nice link to do be a spot of time wasting heheh.

By: walrus

walrus — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 02:35:37 -0800

It had to think hard about the double meaning of "does it roll", and then asked me twice whether it was green, but it got me in the end on question twenty. A very clever program. Do not give one to the DEA, or it will all end up like a cross between a scanner darkly and blade runner in reverse.

By: rusty

rusty — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 02:38:36 -0800

An anchor: Is it lifeless? you said Yes, I say No Living anchors? Well, it did get it, but asked too many questions.

By: juv3nal

juv3nal — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 02:51:30 -0800

a few tests show it's pretty much bound to go over 20 on anything incorporeal.

By: taz

taz — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 02:53:29 -0800

I stumped it with water heater and religious icon (though we had a few 'heated' words about whether a water heater ever makes noise; mine certainly does!), but it got "snowflake" in 16 guesses (I wonder if this is because others here were inspired, as I was, by the current snowflake post?). On "religious icon" it just couldn't cope at all, though it did guess "stained glass window" which was pretty durn close...

By: Frasermoo

Frasermoo — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 03:01:50 -0800

It asked me if my 'wok' weighed more than a duck. Why do the machines always mock me?

By: twine42

twine42 — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 03:06:55 -0800

erm... It's suddenly started asking more questions... or is that just because I'm on mineral?

By: twine42

twine42 — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 03:13:03 -0800

Uranium... it guessed Plutonium, which was pretty damned good going... Keeps asking me to compare it's size to things though. Finally got it after 28 questions, finishing with "is it worth a lot of money". Odd. Does it burn? you said No, I say Probably Does it shine? you said Maybe, I say No Is it smaller than a loaf of bread? you said Depends, I say Yes Is it something you can purchase? you said Yes, I say No Is it made of metal? you said Yes, I say No Does it weigh more than a duck? you said Depends, I say Yes Uranium doesn't burn, I didn't think it shone, it's size depends on how big a bit you have, you can purchase it, and I thought uranium was a metal... ah well...

By: twine42

twine42 — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 03:15:16 -0800

Assuming Sellotape is Scotch TApe in the US, it gets that in 14 goes with no arguments...

By: Resonance

Resonance — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 03:36:24 -0800

Well, it got 'black hole' 13. Is it round? Yes. 12. Does it contain a liquid? No. 11. Does it produce light? No. 10. Was it used over 100 years ago? Yes. 9. Can you put something into it? Yes. 8. Is it larger than a country? Yes. 7. Would you find it in an office? No. 6. Does it get wet? No. 5. Does it make sound? No. 4. Can it cheer you up? No. 3. Can you lift it? No. 2. Can you buy it? No. 1. Is it smaller than a loaf of bread? No. It is classified as Unknown.

By: meep

meep — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 03:39:19 -0800

I thought about "tea" and it took 28 questions. When it showed the list of answers it disagreed with, I must take issue with one answer -- It asked if I knew a song about it, I said yes, it said no. What? It doesn't know "Tea for Two"? Stupid computer.

By: RavinDave

RavinDave — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 04:00:18 -0800

I tried "a mother" twice. No luck. However, it nailed a surprising number of other ones.

By: Sijeka

Sijeka — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 04:01:38 -0800

i hate AI. i found myself screaming in front of the screen.

By: spazzm

spazzm — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 04:17:40 -0800

Bah. Stumped it easily with "banana". Bananas are fruits, not vegetables. You silly machine.

By: RavinDave

RavinDave — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 04:27:53 -0800

"Is is heavier than a pound of butter?" Hehhhe .. why not just "Does it weigh more than a pound?"

By: alumshubby

alumshubby — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 04:29:50 -0800

Wow. "Tobacco" in nine freakin' questions.

By: skylar

skylar — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 04:32:01 -0800

Does it learn from the answers we give it? If three people say that there isn't a song about tea but one person says there is, does it change the probability?

By: soundofsuburbia

soundofsuburbia — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 04:38:02 -0800

I stumped it with yoghurt. And now I'm hungry.

By: hot soup girl

hot soup girl — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 04:58:51 -0800

It did not guess "absinthe."

By: ElvisJesus

ElvisJesus — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 05:04:00 -0800

Pretty cool .... but what's really funny (or predictable?) is the number of comments relating to arguing with the damn thing

By: elvissinatra

elvissinatra — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 05:12:01 -0800

It didn't get guacamole, but I guess I answered a bunch of questions wrong, ha ha. You were thinking of guacamole. You said it is classified as Other, I say Vegetable Could it be found in a classroom? you said Maybe, I say No Is it smaller than a loaf of bread? you said Probably, I say Doubtful Can it fit in an envelope? you said No, I say Yes Is it multicolored? you said No, I say Yes Can you put something into it? you said Yes, I say Doubtful Does it contain a liquid? you said Partly, I say No Who puts guacamole into an envelope? And you can totally put something into it, like a tortilla chip.

By: taz

taz — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 05:17:13 -0800

Pretty cool .... but what's really funny (or predictable?) is the number of comments relating to arguing with the damn thing You said comments related to arguing with the damn thing are funny. I say No.

By: adampsyche

adampsyche — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 05:18:57 -0800

It guesses carrot pretty easy, but took 19 questions to guess coffee.

By: twine42

twine42 — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 05:22:55 -0800

adampsyche *rofl* Hang on a minute... It's Friday. This is Fun. Where's the flash, dagnamit?!? Who's got the URL for the dictator/sitcom character thingie? People argue with that a lot less often. ;)

By: twine42

twine42 — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 05:23:25 -0800

damn... make that taz, not adam. oops.

By: twine42

twine42 — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 05:25:20 -0800

Here it is...

By: Jimbob

Jimbob — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 05:27:14 -0800

Had some trouble with "pancake" - 28 guesses - but then I had some trouble with "pancake" too. Maybe it's not a vegetable, but it's made from vegetable matter. And since when do pancakes not "roll"? I love to roll them up with some lemon and sugar! It got "guitar" in 20 guesses, though.

By: JaxJaggywires

JaxJaggywires — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 05:36:40 -0800

Took 29 guesses to get 'football helmet', after one somewhat close guess of mask. Does it weigh more than a duck? you said No, I say Probably Is it usually colorful? you said Depends, I say Yes Do you hold it when you use it? you said Sometimes, I say No Does it have writing on it? you said Depends, I say Yes How am I supposed to know what a duck weighs? I mean, seriously....

By: Fat Elvis

Fat Elvis — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 05:39:04 -0800

You were thinking of wax. Is it hard? you said Unknown, I say No Is it smaller than a loaf of bread? you said Irrelevant, I say Yes Is it heavier than a pound of butter? you said Irrelevant, I say Yes Do you use it at work? you said Yes, I say No Can it be washed? you said Yes, I say No Does it go inside other things? you said Irrelevant, I say Yes Does it roll? you said Probably, I say No

By: thomcatspike

thomcatspike — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 05:40:57 -0800

My thought computer, why can't I open the link? I've been trying since 6:30am, 6 times now.

By: birdherder

birdherder — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 05:51:31 -0800

Had some trouble with "pancake" - 28 guesses but it got waffle in 19. time for breakfast!

By: Stuart_R

Stuart_R — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 05:54:58 -0800

You were thinking of a monkey. Is it small? you said Yes, I say Doubtful Huh? Well, I guess it's bigger than a computer... Is it a herbivore? you said No, I say Yes It eats bugs and things Is it dangerous? you said Probably, I say No Would YOU pick up a wild howler monkey? Does it live near water? you said Unknown, I say No Monkeys get thirsty, right? Is it larger than a microwave oven(or bread box)? you said No, I say Yes Big fat monkeys... Can you buy it? you said Doubtful, I say Yes Oh my god - I'm going to go check E-Bay! Is it multicolored? you said Yes, I say No ? Is it involved in movies? you said Unknown, I say Yes I'd like to see a movie starring a Howler monkey. :-) Is it fluffy? you said Probably, I say No What? It's a MONKEY Well the computer had some trouble with that one. It's the eternal struggle... Monkey vs. Robot

By: Stuart_R

Stuart_R — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 06:01:37 -0800

"How am I supposed to know what a duck weighs? I mean, seriously...." JaxJaggywires VILLAGER #1: If... she... weighs... the same as a duck,... she's made of wood. SIR BEDEVERE: And therefore? VILLAGER #2: A witch!

By: rocketman

rocketman — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 06:01:55 -0800

You were thinking of a laptop computer. Is it black? you said No, I say Yes. My iBook is white. Stupid computer.

By: Vidiot

Vidiot — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 06:08:25 -0800

you said Yes, I say No you say stop, but I say go go go...

By: yesster

yesster — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 06:14:41 -0800

This is just stupid: Does it weigh more than a pound of butter? Anyway -- I completely stumped it with "screen."

By: squealy

squealy — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 06:33:41 -0800

I was thinking of a beer. It tried, but got confused and then spoke more and more slowly and then fell over. I know the feeling.

By: jdiaz

jdiaz — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 06:49:34 -0800

Cute. I wrote this very same thing in Basic, oh say about 20 years ago, anyone else? Albeit on a much smaller scale.

By: DBAPaul

DBAPaul — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 07:00:51 -0800

It would be nice if it doesn't come up with the object you're thinking of you could see if the object is in it's database. I think many items won't be found due to incorrect user response (note that it found eraser for Slimemonster but not for TheIrreverend. I tried for "newspaper" had to give up after 24+ questions when the response time became ludicrous (possibly due to too many users, possibly due to it's searching algorithm.) I'll play with this cool toy later.

By: sixpack

sixpack — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 07:13:51 -0800

I was thinking "traffic cone." It got it on the first question. Lucky guess.

By: jburka

jburka — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 07:23:23 -0800

Stumped it with "kite." All of the answers we disagreed on were things I can demonstrably prove I was right about, but the one that most surprised me was the song question...in a similar vein to "Tea For Two," who the hell doesn't know "Let's Go Fly A Kite" from Mary Poppins?

By: t r a c y

t r a c y — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 08:05:44 -0800

i'm at 28 questions with this thing now and can't be bothered waiting to see how long it takes to guess "snare drum".

By: thewittyname

thewittyname — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 08:14:03 -0800

It couldn't get autogyro....it guessed limousine

By: Jughead

Jughead — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 08:52:17 -0800

I stumped it with "guitar." It guessed mandolin, cello, bass, and violin, but never guitar. Odd. Oh yes, and Vidiot? I now have Beatles stuck in my head. Thanks. "You say goodbye, and I say hello..." Argh.

By: Adam_S

Adam_S — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 09:19:02 -0800

Jughead: I used "guitar" too, and it got it in 18 questions. There were a few questionable answers of mine..but it got it, on seemingly little data. It asked "does it have a hole?" to which I answered yes. (acoustics anyway!)

By: Vidiot

Vidiot — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 09:50:24 -0800

My pleasure, Jughead. It's quite an earworm. Shall I start humming "Tom's Diner"?

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 10:08:03 -0800

You were thinking of guacamole. You said it is classified as Other, I say Vegetable Could it be found in a classroom? you said Maybe, I say No Look, computer, if my tortilla chips are found in a classroom, then the damn guacamole better be there, too.

By: widdershins

widdershins — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 10:20:52 -0800

Vidiot: the original or the remix? Used to love it when it was just a little throw-away song on her album, then it got sampled into mass consumption and ruined it for me. Doesn't matter, now I can't get it out of my head...

By: Robot Johnny

Robot Johnny — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 10:54:18 -0800

I like that it asked "is it heaver than a pound of butter"? How about a pound of feathers? Or a pound of iron?

By: CunningLinguist

CunningLinguist — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 10:57:55 -0800

It got Tulip on first try after 19 questions - amazing me because it got the exact flower I was thinking of. You were thinking of a tulip. Do you know any songs about it? you said Yes, I say No (tiptoe thru the tulips?) Is it something you bring along? you said Irrelevant, I say Yes Is it green? you said Partly, I say No

By: widdershins

widdershins — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 11:21:59 -0800

Hmm - key difference here would be whether you can use an aura. I say no. You were thinking of an aura. You said it is classified as Unknown, I say Other Does it help accomplish tasks? you said Unknown, I say Doubtful Would you use it in the dark? you said Irrelevant, I say Yes Can you control it? you said Doubtful, I say Yes Can it help you find your way? you said Yes, I say No Does it communicate? you said No, I say Yes Do you find it in the sky? you said No, I say Probably Can it cheer you up? you said No, I say Yes Do you use it at work? you said Irrelevant, I say Probably Does a hockey player use it? you said Irrelevant, I say Yes Can you get information by using it? you said No, I say Probably Is it outside? you said Irrelevant, I say Yes

By: widdershins

widdershins — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 11:22:36 -0800

It did get rubber ducky, though.

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 11:24:40 -0800

24 questions and counting before I lost the connection. It seemed to be flailing, and I suspect the game could have gone one forever. My word was "meme".

By: CunningLinguist

CunningLinguist — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 11:31:38 -0800

Finally, some respect for journalism! You were thinking of a newspaper. Is it pleasurable? you said Irrelevant, I say Yes

By: Zurishaddai

Zurishaddai — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 11:54:07 -0800

Well, I was surprised at how hard human excrement was for the poor thing to guess. #17, it guessed "anthrax," & then we went on a loopy ride (possibly occasioned by my stating that it is "man made"), & the computer guessed tampon. It took to question #29 to guess "manure," & when I said that was only close, the computer took one more stab (snot) & finally gave up. Maybe I should've answered "irrelevant" to questions about the "use" of the stuff, too, instead of "no."

By: Sidhedevil

Sidhedevil — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 11:54:18 -0800

Stump-ola! with "hubcap." I, too, got bored with waiting for it to guess, so I didn't get into the virtual recriminations phase.

By: domino

domino — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 12:09:55 -0800

It got tornado at 19. I knew it had me when it asked "does it spin?" It thinks you can't put something in a tornado, I say things get put in tornadoes all the time. Involuntarily maybe, but still.

By: quarantine

quarantine — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 12:10:04 -0800

I like that it asked "is it heaver than a pound of butter"? How about a pound of feathers? Or a pound of iron? Of course, something can be heavier than a pound of gold and lighter than a pound of iron. Note that this statement is illegal if the year is after 1878. :-p

By: Espoo2

Espoo2 — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 12:13:46 -0800

I found this one a few months ago... Pretty sure this is a double post though....89 comments into... a good double post I suppose.

By: George_Spiggott

George_Spiggott — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 12:37:48 -0800

It got "crystal ball" disturbingly fast: after about nine not particularly on-target questions, it was its first guess. I almost jumped out of my chair. I can only assume that an awful lot of people have tried that one so it has many paths to it. It couldn't get "a riot" at all. (And yes, I do know at least one song about it, by The Clash.)

By: serafinapekkala

serafinapekkala — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 12:47:28 -0800

penguin in 12. woah.

By: kaemaril

kaemaril — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 13:28:03 -0800

I thought of Black Hole (as did Resonance, apparently :) ) and it guessed it in 16. However: You were thinking of a black hole. Is it involved in movies? you said No, I say Yes Oh, come on. I mean, how many black holes do you see running casting sessions in Hollywood? :) (I beat it with Dodo, mind you)

By: elvissinatra

elvissinatra — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 13:42:26 -0800

They got rid of: Rarely, Sometimes, Partly, Depends. All that's left is: Yes , No , Unknown, Irrelevant, Probably, Doubtful.

By: dragstroke

dragstroke — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 14:04:42 -0800

Metafilter: Do you use it at work? you said Irrelevant, I say Probably

By: DrJohnEvans

DrJohnEvans — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 14:08:31 -0800

Well, if it likes to use ducks as weight standards... 1. It is classified as Animal. 2. Is it furry? No. 3. Is it small? No. 4. Can it swim? Yes. 5. Can it live out of water? Yes. 6. Is it a reptile? No. 7. Is it a wild animal? No. 8. Can you control it? No. 9. Is it dangerous? Yes. 10. Does it help accomplish tasks? No. 11. Can you find it in a house? Yes. 12. Do you love it? No. 13. Does it contain a lot of water? No. 14. Can it be trained to obey commands? No. 15. Does it have a spine? Yes. 16. Does it bear live young? Yes. 17. Does it live in grass-lands? No. 18. Does it live in the forest? Probably. 19. Is it black? Irrelevant. I am guessing that it is a witch? Under twenty questions! I'm impressed! Although its disagreements might be up for argument: You were thinking of a witch. Can it swim? you said Yes, I say No Is it black? you said Irrelevant, I say Yes

By: maceo

maceo — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 15:19:18 -0800

roulette wheel in 28, first guess was hocky. I'm impressed

By: Foosnark

Foosnark — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 18:13:52 -0800

I stumped it with Aikido, though somewhere in the 30's it guessed Karate. Apparently it's one of the few martial arts to employ electricity. And the computer says I love it already, though I'm going to see a demonstration for the first time this Saturday :P You were thinking of aikido. Could it be found in a classroom? you said Yes, I say Doubtful Is it something you bring along? you said No, I say Yes Does it use electricity? you said No, I say Yes Do you use it in your home? you said Rarely, I say Probably Does it make sound? you said Sometimes, I say Doubtful Can you play games with it? you said Probably, I say No Is it hard? you said Yes, I say No Does it move? you said Yes, I say Doubtful Do you love it? you said Unknown, I say Yes

By: astrogirl

astrogirl — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 18:26:13 -0800

I also stumped it on puppet, but it got shovel on Q18 with a bunch of seemingly un-shovely questions. Computer wins, but asked too many questions You were thinking of a driveway. You said it is classified as Mineral, I say Other Can you play games with it? you said Probably, I say No Does it have a tail? you said No, I say Probably Is it a predator? you said No, I say Probably A driveway is a predator with a tail, probably? Huh?

By: blue mustard

blue mustard — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 18:32:04 -0800

You were thinking of mathematics. Does it need love? you said No, I say Yes *chuckle* What do you suppose happens to mathematics if it does not get enough loving?

By: Foosnark

Foosnark — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 18:35:00 -0800

You were thinking of software. Is it smaller than a loaf of bread? you said Irrelevant, I say Yes Do you use it in public? you said Yes, I say Doubtful Does it have teeth? you said No, I say Probably Nevertheless, it got it in 20.

By: Pinwheel

Pinwheel — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 19:15:30 -0800

It got "shoelace end." Shoelace end. Who the hell built this thing, and why?

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 21:41:28 -0800

Fer sure. Everyone knows that the end of a shoelace is an aglet.

By: swerve

swerve — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 22:40:38 -0800

This is absurdly fascinating. It picked up "radiator" after about 19 questions. It guessed "anvil" after 20 questions on my second try (wrong) and figured out "balance beam" with eight more questions. Now, of course, I can't stop thinking of words to try next.

By: ROU_Xenophobe

ROU_Xenophobe — Sat, 01 Mar 2003 00:00:59 -0800

stumped it with larynx, but it homed right in on my sphincter and appendix. the way it guessed my lava lamp was spooky.

By: hot soup girl

hot soup girl — Sat, 01 Mar 2003 02:18:03 -0800

it homed right in on my sphincter and appendix Ouch.

By: litlnemo

litlnemo — Sat, 01 Mar 2003 03:09:53 -0800

I stumped it with wedding veil (it guessed yarmulke) and bobblehead doll (it guessed figurine). It didn't guess roller skates, but it guessed roller blades, which was pretty close. Then roller skates was in the suggestion list at the end. You were thinking of roller skates. Is it heavy? you said Yes, I say No Gee. The roller skates I carried to practice four times a week were not exactly lightweight! I would definitely call them heavy. Does it make noise? you said Maybe, I say No Is it outside? you said Sometimes, I say Doubtful Does it have writing on it? you said Maybe, I say No Does it have a hole in it? you said Yes, I say No Can it cheer you up? you said Yes, I say Doubtful Is it considered valuable? you said Sometimes, I say No This database really does have weird information. My roller skates do have writing on the wheels and the bottom of the boot and plate, they make noise, they can often be used outdoors, they lave lacing holes, they do a fine job of cheering me up, and since they have custom boots, they are valuable. No wonder it couldn't guess them.

By: Vidiot

Vidiot — Sat, 01 Mar 2003 04:26:15 -0800

widdershins: Vidiot: the original or the remix? Used to love it when it was just a little throw-away song on her album, then it got sampled into mass consumption and ruined it for me. Doesn't matter, now I can't get it out of my head... Either/or. I like 'em both but for different reasons. And surprisingly enough, that's the one common earworm that NEVER gets stuck in my head. (Song playing in my head at the moment: "Here Comes A Regular" by the Replacements.)

By: davidmsc

davidmsc — Sat, 01 Mar 2003 06:29:46 -0800

Holy shit. It correctly "guessed" that I was thinking of a milkshake.

By: Vidiot

Vidiot — Sat, 01 Mar 2003 08:35:46 -0800

what I think is interesting is that it doesn't use the same initial questions (besides animal/vegetable/mineral)...I was playing a game and my computer crashed. Upon rebooting and re-connecting, it asked me different questions this time around. Hmph. (I tried "space heater", and after first guessing that it was a hand grenade, a capacitor, a dumbbell (huh? I told it that it used electricity), it gave up.)

By: NorthernLite

NorthernLite — Sat, 01 Mar 2003 08:46:33 -0800

ice skates in 17: 20q: Is it used in travel? you said Unknown, I say No Me: Problematic because of course they have been used for getting from place to place (Scandinavia, the Netherlands, the Rideau Canal). 20q: Does it have writing on it? you said No, I say Yes Me: litlnemo, we've confused it. I took the test after you told it *roller* skates did have writing. 20q: Would you find it on a farm? you said Unknown, I say No Me: Farm kids skate on ponds. You say to-may-to, I say to-mah-to. Interesting that the wording of some of the questions and especially the answer options seem to have changed since Friday.

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Sat, 01 Mar 2003 16:54:33 -0800

Maybe it's learning. It'll be the OmniMind by next weekend!

By: sycophant

sycophant — Sat, 01 Mar 2003 17:04:36 -0800

Wow, I am inpressed I am guessing that it is a kiwi(bird)? 12. Can it swim? No. 11. Does it make noise? Yes. 10. Is it shaped like a hot dog? No. 9. Does it bite? No. 8. Can it bend without breaking? Irrelevant. 7. Does it live in large populations? No. Is it a herbivore? Unknown. 6. Does it live in the forest? Yes. 5. Does it fly? No. 4. Does it have teeth? No. 3. Can you buy it at a store? No. 2. Is it small? Yes. 1. It is classified as Animal.

By: slipperywhenwet

slipperywhenwet — Sat, 01 Mar 2003 21:45:27 -0800

Wow. I was thinking of superman and it got it. I am guessing that it is a superhero? 19. Does it get wet? Yes. 18. Can it be washed? Irrelevant. 17. Is it worth a lot of money? Irrelevant. 16. Does it contain a liquid? Sometimes. 15. Does it have teeth? Yes. 14. Is it comforting? Yes. 13. Does it make sound? Yes. 12. Can it be painted? No. 11. Is it pleasurable? Irrelevant. 10. Does it shine? No. 9. Was it invented? No. 8. Can you walk on it? No. 7. Can it be stolen? No. 6. Can you control it? No. 5. Is it larger than a microwave oven (or bread box)? Yes. 4. Would you find it in an office? Sometimes. 3. Is it hard? Probably. 2. Is it found on a desk? No. 1. It is classified as Other. I stumped it with the Earth's core.

By: sgt.serenity

sgt.serenity — Sun, 02 Mar 2003 02:06:11 -0800

stumped it with postbox.

By: litlnemo

litlnemo — Sun, 02 Mar 2003 04:44:12 -0800

NorthernLite, I had also asked it about ice skates. I can't recall what it said about writing on the skates that time, or if it guessed the skates. I own ice skates too, and they also have writing on them. The blades have the name of the manufacturer engraved on them, after all.

By: boltman

boltman — Sun, 02 Mar 2003 11:05:30 -0800

Just figured out that if you register with it, you can actually teach it by clicking an "update" button after it guesses (or you tell it) your word. That's how it's gotten so smart, appartently. It has kept track of millions of past games by registered users for over a decade.