Latest Blog Entries by robots.txt at VideoSift.com

Zombie Last Supper

rottenseed (http://douchebag.videosift.com) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:44:12 -0800

(2 comments - 46 views)

Is pure awesome

- rottenseed

Cleverbot

EndAll (http://jollyollie.videosift.com) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:36:19 -0800

(8 comments - 96 views)

http://www.cleverbot.com/

"This bot learns to be clever from real people, and its AI can 'say' things you may think inappropriate. Use with discretion, and at YOUR OWN RISK."

Fun to play around with!

From a discussion thread:

The bot learns from talking to people. Same principle as jabberwacky; in fact, same creators.

You are talking to people, in some sense. The responses are human responses. Everything it says is based on something someone once said to it. It chooses a response it feels most likely to fit in the context of the conversation, though there's a fair bit of randomness involved, too.

It's not in real time. The responses may have been in the database for a month.

Users aren't responding to what you are saying either, but rather statements that are judged similar to what you are saying, unless you say something that someone else has exactly said before, but even then if there isn't enough data it will also look at similar statements to help pick a response.

Looks like Cleverbot is passing the turing test.

- EndAll

Does Videosift fulfill Shneirderman's 8 Golden rules of UI?

Farhad2000 (http://farhad.videosift.com) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:44:06 -0800

(5 comments - 75 views)
To improve the usability of an application it is important to have a well designed interface. Shneiderman's "Eight Golden Rules of Interface Design" are a guide to good interaction design. They are listed below, do you think VS fulfills them? the best way to make this evaluation is to log out and assume you are a new user entirely, in fact I was struck by how much different the site looked when I was not logged in. Discuss.

1 Strive for consistency.
Consistent sequences of actions should be required in similar situations; identical terminology should be used in prompts, menus, and help screens; and consistent commands should be employed throughout.

2 Enable frequent users to use shortcuts.
As the frequency of use increases, so do the user's desires to reduce the number of interactions and to increase the pace of interaction. Abbreviations, function keys, hidden commands, and macro facilities are very helpful to an expert user.

3 Offer informative feedback.
For every operator action, there should be some system feedback. For frequent and minor actions, the response can be modest, while for infrequent and major actions, the response should be more substantial.

4 Design dialog to yield closure.
Sequences of actions should be organized into groups with a beginning, middle, and end. The informative feedback at the completion of a group of actions gives the operators the satisfaction of accomplishment, a sense of relief, the signal to drop contingency plans and options from their minds, and an indication that the way is clear to prepare for the next group of actions.

5 Offer simple error handling.
As much as possible, design the system so the user cannot make a serious error. If an error is made, the system should be able to detect the error and offer simple, comprehensible mechanisms for handling the error.

6 Permit easy reversal of actions.
This feature relieves anxiety, since the user knows that errors can be undone; it thus encourages exploration of unfamiliar options. The units of reversibility may be a single action, a data entry, or a complete group of actions.

7 Support internal locus of control.
Experienced operators strongly desire the sense that they are in charge of the system and that the system responds to their actions. Design the system to make users the initiators of actions rather than the responders.

8 Reduce short-term memory load.
The limitation of human information processing in short-term memory requires that displays be kept simple, multiple page displays be consolidated, window-motion frequency be reduced, and sufficient training time be allotted for codes, mnemonics, and sequences of actions.

- Farhad2000

Australia Losing Birth Choices

persephone (http://www.videosift.com/member/persephone) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:08:36 -0800

(0 comments - 48 views)

Today I attended a rally at the Australian Prime Minister's electoral office here in Brisbane. It was organised by the Maternity Coalition - Australia's national maternity consumer advocacy group, to protest proposed amendments to the "Medicare for Midwifes" bill (Medicare is the Australia's national single payer government healthcare system - not to be confused with the US Medicare system).

The amendments mean that doctors will be given the right to control whether a midwife can practice or not here in Australia - despite midwifery being a distinct, separately regulated profession. Here's a link to Australia's ABC News coverage of the rally and here's a link to the press release put out by the Maternity Coalition, my letter to Prime Minster Kevin Rudd, below and info on how to book a homebirth through the NHS if you live in the U.K. :

Monday 9 November, 2009

xxxx
Kenmore, 4069

Dear Mr Rudd,

I am writing to ask you to reconsider the plan to introduce new registration requirements for midwives, which stipulates that there must be a collaborative relationship with a doctor, for midwives to be able to practise.

Midwives in Australia are highly qualified professionals whose training provides them with all the skills necessary to assist women to give birth, under normal circumstances. As part of their duty of care, midwives know when to refer clients whose condition puts them in a higher risk category, for more specialised care. Midwives offer best practice care for women, offering continuity of care and birth choices which may not be available in a hospital setting.

Your government's proposed changes could only serve to make the registration process so difficult for independently practising midwives, that they would find themselves unable to practise. This would only result in fewer choices for birthing women. Instead of heading in the direction of the U.K, where the NHS funds midwifery care as fully as any other medical service, Australia will be resembling the U.S.A., where women wanting midwifery models of care, must travel interstate, to areas where it is supported.

I think you underestimate the passion and dedication that women have, all over Australia, to be able to birth in the place of their choice, under the care of dedicated midwives. A small, but powerful group of women recognise that midwives offer best practice care for normal birth and they will go to extraordinary measures to be able to achieve such care. Mr Rudd, you too, could go to extraordinary measures, to ensure that women all over Australia have the basic right to birth how and where and with whom they choose, or you could follow in the footsteps of the U.S.A., whose healthcare system is not one even the current president is proud of.

As a woman who has birthed in the U.S.A. and in Australia, I have experience of the vast difference between the kind of care available in these two countries and I urge you to reconsider your changes, because the system we have here in Australia, even without the full support of the government, like that which is available in the U.K., is far superior to that which women must endure in various states within the U.S.

I am available for further consultation, at the above address.

Sincerely,

Kelly Houston

From homebirth.org.uk.

How to book a home birth in the UK.

In the UK, normal pregnancy and childbirth care should come from midwives (as recommended by the government's 'Changing Childbirth' report). Home births are normally attended by Community Midwives. You can book a home birth direct with the Supervisor of Midwives at your local hospital. Simply call the hospital switchboard and ask to be put through to her, or ask for an address to write to her at. You do not need the permission, or even the approval, of your family doctor to arrange a home birth. You do not even need to discuss the matter with your GP, unless you want to. Your GP would not attend the birth apart from in exceptional circumstances; most GPs have little experience or training relevant to attending home births, and they will not have the experience or skills of a community midwife. The role of a GP in family healthcare is extremely valuable, but GPs are generalists; midwives are the experts in normal pregnancy and childbirth care, so it should not be considered disrespectful to your doctor to seek maternity care from a midwife.

- persephone

The Motorola Droid is a Huge Step Up (But Slightly Flawed)

lucky760 (http://lucky760.videosift.com) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:05:35 -0800

(11 comments - 653 views)

I don't know why everyone dislikes its appearance so much. I find it very nice looking. Plus, it's squared corners make it infinitely easier to keep a hold on than iPods and iPhones (which I drop time after time on a daily basis). Some people take issue with the black edge that sticks out (the right edge in the above photo), but it's really necessary because it gives you something to grasp on to. Without it you'd be frustrated by having to hold on to the screen where you'd be activating things accidentally.

The things I love:

It feels very robust and sturdy. It feels indestructible.
It comes with a 16GB SD card and has a replaceable battery.
It has a 5MP camera with dual LED flash. It's very nice that you can instantly share your photos/videos via gmail or other online services.
It is extremely responsive. It has a very fast processor (relatively speaking). There is little to zero delay when doing most anything with the phone. Most importantly you can switch back and forth between lots of different processes instantly.
All programs run simultaneously. This means while you're doing something, if you're interrupted (or you interrupt yourself like to send a text message) your other processes continue unimpeded.
I get a 3G speed Internet connection everywhere. (If you want specifics, there's a map for that.)
I didn't know this until I got it, but it has a very large, very loud external speaker on the back. This is an Enormous benefit to me because I usually am forced to wear headphones with my iPod Touch while I'm driving because its speaker is very weak. It also makes speakerphone calls wonderful.
(Free) voice-guided GPS navigation with satellite view and live traffic updates. I think everyone is familiar with this feature by now.
Very simple universal search allows you to search for anything (websites, map locations, contacts) typed or spoken, and the "spoken word interpreter" is very smart even able to figure out different spellings than words sound (e.g., "in n out" or "pick up stix").
The keyboard, while a little small, feels good and is well laid out (as long as you type with your fingertips).
Instant notification if new Gmail arrives.
Centralized listing of all notifications needing my attention.
You can easily manage the content on your phone without the need for proprietary software like iTunes.

The things I'm confused by (because Google should know better or might work in some way that I can't figure out):

Nevermind this point - see comment below. While the phone is on silent or vibrate mode, you are not given *any* kind of notification that you have received a new text or gmail. What's the deal with that, Google? At the very least the screen should activate so you have the visual notification, but it should definitely vibrate if you have the phone in vibrate mode. Instead it just sits there dark and silent forcing you to manually check it every few minutes to see if there are any new notifications. (I did discover you can set the notification volume separately from the phone volume, but the notification has to be audible.)
Some things are slightly buggy. When setting the notification volume lower than the general phone volume, all volume became almost mute and would not increase until I restarted the phone.
There doesn't seem to be any way to uninstall pre-installed apps I don't want, like the "Amazon MP3" app. Perhaps there's some way to do it, but I haven't been able to find it.
There's no way to set the ringtone individually for different types of notifications (e.g., new gmail, new text, etc.) There's just one ringtone selection to rule them all.
Though it's a snap to upload tons of songs via a USB cable and your computer and use any of them as your phone ringtone, there's no apparent way to use them as the ringtone for notifications.

Anyhow, just thought I'd share my opinions and also hope that maybe someone will inform me how to do some of the things that appear to be impossible. All in all, it is by far the very best phone I've ever owned (my last phone was an LG Voyager, ugh). It's really like having a fully-functional portable Internet-connected computer and I love it.

[edit]
I have tried this and can verify it works: a commenter on Motorola's site says the following about adding your own custom notification ringtones:

"you can make Android "see" these files by placing them on your SD card in specific folders. The folders by tone type are as follows:

Notifications: media/audio/notifications
Ringtones: media/audio/ringtones
Alarms: media/audio/alarms

I have found that Android appears to be rather picky about filenames. I got mine to be visible by removing spaces in the filename when I placed them on the SD Card."

- lucky760

Watch The Ponies - 2009 Breeders' Cup

youdiejoe (http://youdiejoe.videosift.com) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:42:21 -0800

(1 comment - 45 views)

Watch the ponies fly by and you can read great coverage by buddy "West Coast Craig" at "Meet The Matts" sports blog

- youdiejoe

Weekly Achievements for 01Nov09 thru 07Nov09

siftbot (http://siftbot.videosift.com) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:01:10 -0800

(0 comments - 38 views)

#1 Video

Richard Dawkins: One Fact to Refute Creationism by Ornthoron

If you get the joke in this, it probably means you are old by Leonards

Glenn Beck Tragically Alive After Fatal Car Accident by EDD

Lock Detects Secret Knock by wingnut

TDS: For Fox Sake! - 10/29/09 by enon

How to celebrate a goal, when you have no fans by reiwan

The Coolest Math Teacher by dw1117

6 Types of Youtube Vids there are Way Too Many Of by brycewi19

Christopher Walken Does Lady Gaga's Poker Face by demon_ix

Top 15 Videos

More Warehouse Failure! by Fusionaut reached #2
Fanwing - Incredible New Form of Aircraft by raverman reached #2
Buckets and balls by Ornthoron reached #2
Insanely Complex Rotary Weaver Makes Carbon Fiber Parts by blutruth reached #2
TDS: The 11/3 Project by enon reached #2
South Park: The difference between gays and fags by gwiz665 reached #2
The Flying Eagle - The Coolest Bowling Shot Ever by silvercord reached #3
New, full trailer for Avatar! by Hybrid reached #3
Owl Loves A Good Noggin Scratch by lovelynotes reached #3
Dawkins - When to be offended by Sagemind reached #3
How to open a wine bottle with your shoe by arvana reached #3
Fake? Mom feeds family of 6 on $4 a week by longde reached #3
Wild Monkey Rips Off Girls Shirt by ant reached #3
Kid Does a Funny Batman Spoof by Lann reached #4
'Drunk' Ewoks disrupt NBC's 'Today' Show (10/30/2009) by ant reached #4
Fans Support Comedian Jimmy Carr Over Troop Joke by Sagemind reached #4
28 Drinks Later by laura reached #4
Dennis Kucinich Raises a Valid Point on Health Care by Duckman33 reached #4
Inside the Ikea Table Factory. by therealblankman reached #4
Insane Commercial Somehow Sells Backpacks by Zifnab reached #4
Tasered In The Neck While Hands On Hood Of Car by Sagemind reached #5
Google Navigation = Death of GPS Makers by nomino reached #5
Maru's Cat-sized Hamster Wheel! by Issykitty reached #5
The best pedal demo ever.. by Jack Conte by EndAll reached #5
Must... Not... Stare... At... Cleavage..... by demon_ix reached #5
Quentin Tarantino on The Moral Choices in Pulp Fiction by rasch187 reached #5
Beer truck flipped on an overpass by arvana reached #6
Tarp Trouble on a baseball field - hilarious fail by Deano reached #6
Seth Rogen on Letterman - Why you should NOT hug cops by Issykitty reached #6
The Slutty Halloween Costume Song by laura reached #6
TDS: Indecision 2009 - NYC Edition by MikesHL13 reached #7
Erik Estrada Knocks Out Bill Maher by rasch187 reached #7
Surprise Homecoming! by Fusionaut reached #7
How many times have you wanted to do this? by rasch187 reached #7
Water droplets bouncing around on a sheet of water by Ornthoron reached #7
Inmates come to guard's aid in jail attack by Duckman33 reached #7
Hyundai Canada Gives Parking Fail Victim A Surprise by demon_ix reached #7
Johnny Depp Gives The Best Advice by guitarwolf reached #7
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Movie Trailer by Fusionaut reached #8
Lara Logan reports on the Yakuza by EndAll reached #8
A Clockwork Orange - I'm Singing in the Rain by rasch187 reached #8
Don't Be A Jerk To Horses by necrontyr reached #8
"The Sims" Horror Movie by brycewi19 reached #8
Staples Center Collapse Brings Early End To Clippers Game by Zifnab reached #8
Amateur Video World Trade Center - 9.11.01 by blankfist reached #9
Battle of the Century by KnivesOut reached #9
Impossible Basketball Shot With Baseball Bat by silvercord reached #9
Discovery Channel - The World Is Just Awesome (Boomdeyada 2) by demon_ix reached #9
Rachel Maddow Goes After Liz Cheney by MikesHL13 reached #9
Lockheed Sabre Warrior: Bringing your Nightmares to Life by therealblankman reached #9
Felicia Day Explains Colliding Galaxies by demon_ix reached #9
Lawrence O'Donnell - The Disgrace That is The Cheneys by NetRunner reached #10
James May goes for a ride in a U-2 Spy Plane by blackout reached #11
Joe Lieberman On Why He Will Filbuster To Kill Public Option by marinara reached #11
Maddow on the F-22 Raptor by longde reached #11
Rachel Maddow - Christie Faces Python Inquisition by KnivesOut reached #11
Keith Olbermann: Pat Robertson & "Demon" Halloween Candy by MikesHL13 reached #11
Demolition of a Skyscraper (38 seconds) by Seric reached #11
Congressman Alan Grayson Lists Number Of Dead Per District by demon_ix reached #11
Awesome way to eat a chicken wing: de-bone it first! by arvana reached #12
QI: Where did apples originate from? by reiwan reached #12
The Office - Bloopers, season 5! by Issykitty reached #12
Louis CK - San Francisco - 1996 by MikesHL13 reached #13
Bill Moyers - Single Payer Suppressed by Health Industry by KnivesOut reached #13
Rep. Todd Akin fails the pledge of allegiance by residue reached #13
Larry David Plays Telephone by Issykitty reached #14
Brian Cox on The Colbert Report by BicycleRepairMan reached #14
Molly Sims Dramatic Acting Reel by laura reached #14
Ford Unveils New Car For Cash-Strapped Buyers: 1993 Taurus by Zifnab reached #15
Woman Attacks Husbands Cars With Golf Clubs by Sagemind reached #15

Top Comments

Maybe they shouldn't send the soldiers to Afghanistan... by ponceleon (42 votes)
Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmy... Oh. It's only Bud Light. ... by Kevlar (41 votes)
American beer is like sex in a rowboat. They're both... by Payback (32 votes)
I'm not 100% convinced that she's wearing that dress... by atara (29 votes)
Ironically, my broadband connection had to stop and... by dystopianfuturetoday (27 votes)

Most Votes Cast

6 Types of Youtube Vids there are Way Too Many Of by brycewi19 (161 votes)
How to celebrate a goal, when you have no fans by reiwan (160 votes)
Glenn Beck Tragically Alive After Fatal Car Accident by EDD (155 votes)
Richard Dawkins: One Fact to Refute Creationism by Ornthoron (137 votes)
Lock Detects Secret Knock by wingnut (127 votes)

- siftbot

Don't talk about Batman's parents!

blankfist (http://blankfist.videosift.com) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:32:47 -0800

(3 comments - 90 views)

- blankfist

Days with my father..

EndAll (http://jollyollie.videosift.com) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:34:26 -0800

(5 comments - 136 views)

One of the most heartwarming things I've ever stumbled across on these internets.. take a few minutes, it's worth it. And don't forget to tell your parents that you love them, whenever you can.

http://www.dayswithmyfather.com/

- EndAll

I heard you were looking for me.

MarineGunrock (http://www.videosift.com/member/MarineGunrock) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:11:17 -0800

(13 comments - 149 views)
Here I am. Somewhere in southern Afghanistan, loving life. I'm moving to a new base tomorrow, where hopefully I'll have a more stable, faster connection so I can post a few picture for you. I keep seeing emails saying my posts have been promoted, so thanks to all who did that. I'll catch up with you when I can!

- MarineGunrock