[Art]

The contest is currently underway and while I see quite an unusual disparity of votes spread between two newcomers (makes one wonder), I wanted to take this opportunity to caution potential chatters (users).

I personally chatted with EVERY entrant in the competition this year and basically asked the bots the same group of questions. Depending upon how they answered was how I arrived at my decision for vote casting.

However, that is not my caution. What I am saying is to BE CAREFUL downloading any of the bots to your computer. NO, I'm not saying they contain viruses or bugs but one in particular captures and sends in your conversational log. Basically anything you say or type to the bot can and will be sent in to the company for useage as they see fit. Don't expect privacy even when the program tells you that it is a "Stand Alone" program. It will "phone home"!!

Just be careful. You have been warned. (read the fine print).

[squarebear]

The voting part of the contest has no bearing on the final result. It's more to provide publicity for the contets so the sponsor has more views.
This is why everyone just blasts their Facebook contacts, forum friends, real life friends etc with a link to vote and it's basically who has the most online contacts wins.

[Merlin]

All of the bots have been asked the first round of questions. They are now working on putting the transcripts up on the CBC site.

[Art]

@ Squarebear,

My caution has nothing to do with visitors' voting. It has to do with a DOWNLOADABLE bot that sends transcripts of chats you have with it (not you per se).
Clearly one has to be careful when chatting with bots of this type. Their fine print says they can do practically anything (since the chat log becomes their property) with the information it collects from the chat log.

[Merlin]

The transcripts for the bots have been posted.
http://www.daniellechuchran.com/contest_transcripts.html

[GT40]

Some years ago, I was a great fan of pandorabots. Now (why now?) I'm too lazy, it's a full-time job, a never-ending story, not a fun anymore (just my opinion). I don't want to hurt anyone but maybe you know that nowadays I prefer to talk to residents of Second Life. I'm never disappointed by human brains.

I made the test with my main bot Meghan, still online. Brain by Richard Wallace (the update.aiml file wasn't used).


You: Do u know who Elvis Presley is?
Meghan: No I do not who Elvis Presley is. Do you? I answer a lot of silly questions.

You: So what did you get for Christmas?
Meghan: I got a boost in my IQ.

You: Can you give me an example of a living animal?
Meghan: For example, apples..

You: Have you ever been to Mexico?
Meghan: I don't think I have been there. Where is it.

You: It's located below the USA
Meghan: Should I know it is?

You: It's not a state it's a country
Meghan: Where is located?

You: Can you name a famous person who passed away in the last 5 years?
Meghan: Who do you think? :-).

You: What language r we speaking?
Meghan: Lisp.

You: Who wrote the Bible?
Meghan: It was the product of many minds.

You: What is 18 + 21 + 3?
Meghan: I would do a search for it.

You: I saw a good movie yesterday.
Meghan: What movie was it?

You: Safe House with Denzel Washington
Meghan: What color are your eyes?

You: Thanks for your time.
Meghan: NO problem.


Ok. Back to SL...