WolframAlpha (Better than Google?)

A friend recently shared this site with me and it seems pretty interesting. While it won't replace Google because it does not seem to be able to provide things such as news or recipes, it does provide statistics and general information on many topics from history to mathematics to social-economics. It is still being developed so presumably more will be possible over time and there is a "pro version" though I haven't looked into it myself(I have no desire to spend money on this or anything else that is unnecessary right now).

Here is a link to "what to do" which provides available topics which can be clicked on for further details and examples of searches.

www.wolframalpha.com...

For crying out loud what flights are overhead:

www.wolframalpha.com...

And of course I checked ATS.

www.wolframalpha.com...

Let me know what you guys think. I'll be checking random information for now. I love that this type of thing is available to us. Others, perhaps most may even find this mundane. I am not tech savvy so this is interesting from my perspective.

A little off topic, but while discussing this site my friend and I ventured to the potential of a self aware or omniscient AI. Not necessarily both, but we considered what would happen and its interactions with mankind.

Apologies for being all over the place. Hope you enjoy.

a reply to: ksiezyc

Why is the name so familiar?...

Looks straightforward, the html hierarchy display is cool to look at (albeit utterly useless without caption for the identity of the elements).

a reply to: ksiezyc

Its a bit flakey, I tried my user name (which is Gaelic) and it substituted something... I tried some chemistry as well (my Job) and it was lacking.

I will see how this develops however...

a reply to: swanne

I doubt it's new. Just new to me. I really like it. It's one of the better things online frankly. A random search brought up Japan military strength. Expenditure, number in service in each branch, equipment, nuclear weapons cache, military manpower available. While this site doesn't bring out any new information, it does allow for quick searches and condensed data.

Ah, I thought I've seen the name before:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

The way I understand it, Wolframalpha looks like a predecessor to "SIRI"-type personal assistants currently available on a large number of phones.

a reply to: Noinden

You may have to scroll down a bit even if there is nothing more to scroll down to as it loads more data. I searched "oxygen" and for the first seconds was disappointed, but more information loaded, though I'm not sure how much information would suffice for you?

a reply to: swanne

Ah, not surprised it's been shared, well may as well share it again in case its been missed. I saw SO's argument against it there now and I can see the reasoning. Still find it fascinating and this can not really substitute too many sites because academic papers require proper sources(I doubt this counts) and this does not provide news to my knowledge.

a reply to: Noinden

Also if you press to use your name as a word right below the search bar it should bring up what you want rather than what it did. I just did your name(Gaelic).

originally posted by: swanne
a reply to: ksiezyc

Why is the name so familiar?...

I seen the name and immediately wondered where the Hart was

WolfRam and Hart

A Buffy the Vamp slayer reference about the inter-dimensional law firm

Wolfram and Hart

a reply to: ksiezyc

Ok, that is less useful than Google

a reply to: Noinden

More useful for quick information and condensed form of information. Google is better for more detail. I hope this site improves. I'm going to check what pro does.

It has functions Google doesn't so debatable.

Wolfram is a genius. I've been posting links there for years. The site does not provide links to answer. It provides answers. It is very handy for a site like this for quick fact checks. It's funny how often the flights overhead query comes up! Its a powerful tool more should use it. Check the examples.

Haha: www.wolframalpha.com...

a reply to: Templeton

Looks to me like pre-programmed answers to common questions. Like a primitive chatbot. I can program chatbots myself, doesn't require much genius.

If you ask a more uncommon question, such as "do preons exist?", the thing can't give an answer: www.wolframalpha.com...

The kind of chatbot I program can at least give a coherent answer to questions it has no answers to. Wolframalpha simply brings a dictionary in your face instead.

a reply to: swanne

I think that's it's purpose. To provide answers to mathematics, history etc. rather than to perform as a chat bot.

originally posted by: ksiezyc
a reply to: swanne

I think that's it's purpose. To provide answers to mathematics, history etc. rather than to perform as a chat bot.

The two are here equivalent. The answers are provided as a chatbot format.

a reply to: swanne

The chatbot's I've seen provide answers in the form of conversation essentially rather than data.

a reply to: ksiezyc

The two are equivalent in terms of programming. A chatbot is usually programmed to provide conversation-like answers, yes, but it's hardly actually limited to such. If you want, you can program a chatbot to reply with only data sheets to given questions. Both data sheets and conversation are the same type of computer information, they are both stored as "strings" in a JavaScript variable. Wether you make the chatbot reply words or sheets of facts are entirely at the programmer's discretion.

a reply to: swanne

I know nothing of programming or how it is done(I like those 90s hacker films though). I assume esentially anything is possible. Meh I find it interesting. Haven't seen any other such thing of equal effect for providing information. Well, cheers.

a reply to: swanne

No nothing like a chat bot. But the answer to the question I posted shows a sense of humor. They are about quantifiable answers. It really is powerful and useful. Check the examples: www.wolframalpha.com...

Stephen Wolfram is the kind of guy that's been logging all his emails since 1989: blog.stephenwolfram.com...

a reply to: Templeton

The fact that it has a sense of humour is precisely why I think the answers are not generated by the program, but actually pre-written by a human programmer.

I don't mean to say that it's just a chatbot, I do acknowledge that it's a bit more complex than A.L.I.C.E. But it shares the same basic principle.