Flare Sci-Fi Forums: The Weirdest Programs

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Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :

This afternoon I was reading a manual I bought about some of the more in-depth features and capabilities that are built into Mac OS X and its Unix underpinnings. In one of the sidebars, there's a set of instructions for an "easter egg" that's built into the version of emacs that's included in OS X. (It's probably in all emacs versions, but doesn't say for certain.)

The undocumented feature is a fully unlicensed and automated psychoanalyst named Eliza. I decided to try this out. You can see the result:

(The first line is the computer's, and after that it alternates between the lines I put in and the responses.

Kinda scary, huh? Yeah, the responses aren't that helpful, but it still seems relatively... smart in a way.

Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :

That is weapons-grade computer satire, that is!
'Twould be good enough for Jehova! :-)

Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :

I presume Apple's tech suppport is manned by Dr. Sbaitso? Or, you know, whatever that guy's name was.

Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :

Yes, the Eliza-psychoanalyst program that was packaged w/ Sound Blaster software a decade or so ago was indeed called "Dr. Sbaitso".

That said, you're a little behind the times, MM.

Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :

quote:
Originally posted by TSN:
That said, you're a little behind the times, MM.

Well, considering that Unix is a well-established operating system, I'm not too surprised. I'd just never heard of something on this level before... [Smile]

Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :

Hmm... I wonder if Windows XP has a program that helps me take over the world...

Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :

Fortunately MM lost the connection just before the program asked him to tell it about his mother. 8)

Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :

Oh! Dr. Sbaitso was FUN! You could make him very angry by calling him names [Big Grin]

I remember him actually flooding the screen with nonsensical numbers a few times after I had repeatedly called him a "sh*thead" again.