The AI Engine

Uh, it was intentional sarcasm (at Gore, not you, surely). There's some programming in this, for sure, but it's not like C, Fortran, Pascal, or heaven help us, machine language. It's easy enough that you can figure out most of the things on your own if you're patient. Obviously, I'm not patient. I was a programmer/comp sci student for about 10 years in the 80s and early 90s. For about fifteen years I've been a medievalist, teaching (help me Jesus) Freshman Comp. I ain't a-doin' that no more.

Would I be right in saying that Freshman Comp is a subject the yougsters take in universities in America to learn how to write essays correctly? If so, my condolences.

It could be worse. You could be teaching high school.

The Cerk, what will you tech now? or will you change fields all together? Will you write that great American novel (sorry to all you non Americans-writing the great American novel is one of the standard goals they feed kids here, just like growing up to be president or a professional basketball player).

Corwin, yes. Bev, I know. My mom (Panama Pat) is a retired high school teacher who is now substituting for some reason. She's just like that li'l pink bunny. I'm not. Right now, I'm working at home, writing, though lately I've been living on this site. I started having seizures and other grisly things going on while I was teaching. The brain is an iffy place to store your mind. (Hey, I did teach Julius Hodge, of the Denver Nuggets, and the rest of the freshmen on the NCSU basketball team that semseter. I don't think my class was the secret to their success, though.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Hodge

I agree about the unwanted features of the human brain. I want mine replaced the moment they find an upgrade that's been tested.

"Ok, you may as well keep teaching. Why do you need math in programming languages? What purpose does it serve?"

I'm not sure where to start with this one. Computer programming is almost nothing except math and logic.

Oh, concerning Al Gore: What he actually claimed was that he helped create the internet, via legislation I assume.

Everything is logic, Eugene. What I mean is, why would you put math into a script (as opposed to why do computer languages and scripts use math)? Does that question make sense?

Well, for instance, I could have Fizzy turn certain colors based on the phases of the moon, or keep track of how many tentacles he's lost recently, or I could have the Borg assimilate people and assign them unique drone designations. Some of this would require use of variables.

Glindar count how many times guy stabbed be!

For phases of the moon, you could use chronoscript. Of course, you'd have to update it each year, which would be a pain. You could also do text storage for number of tentacles, but that would be a pain. To change it, you'd have to have a bazillion if statements. if tentacleslost is "one", if tentacleslost is "two", etc. It would be MUCH easier with some actual numeric scripting.

It could be worse. You could be teaching high school.

Shush you