If you increase the amount of RAM in your system, Hal will respond faster, The faster your processing speed, the faster hal will respond. I have perhaps one second of lag time before Hal generates a response. What sort of graphics processing power does your machine have? I run the Annita face from desk top mates, with cyber buddy and Hal running at the same time. The Hal program does indeed run faster and better the more power your machine has. I run mine on a 1.1 Ghtz processor, that I overclock to 1.3, 512 Mb Ram, with a voodoo 5 from 3dfx (now Invidia) This, by todays standards is not a high end machine. But, If you are experiencing problems, upgrade Ram at LEAST.
TM