Text & Phoney Issues

[Art]

Under the Options tab, font size, color, etc. do not work after they have been changed. It always returns to the default settings.

The phone number thing is a real pain as well. As was pointed out by a member on another forum, the phone number is not displayed with dashes between the numbers even though it was when first input.

When type of number is chosen (Home, Business, Mobile, etc.) it always reverts back to unknown as soon as one clicks on APPLY.

Hal speaks the phone number 564-3211 as Five million six hundred forty three thousand two hundred eleven. I'm told one can manually go into the phone book data and change the number (insert dashes), but one shouldn't have to do it this way.

Thoughts, fixes are most appreciated.
- Art -

[Rich_A]

Hi Art,
I'm sorry to say but you forgot a few others...there is a whole bunch more but the list is too long to bother posting! There doesn't seem to be too much interest in this stuff anyway if no one else has bothered to post in this thread by now! Posting these kind of problems with Hal sure isn't going to get them fixed anyway. I know about these kind of things from the responses to my previous posts about these sort of issues...no response means no fix...Sorry! Everybody is to busy modifying the parts of their Hal that work!
Talk To You Later,
Rich_A

[Art]

Thanks Rich,

It's sort of like buying a new car except you
find that the wipers don't work...so you make
do by only driving on rainy days. Or you'd like
some tunes but, alas...the radio functions don't
work either...so you make do and sing or whistle.

The speech thing, as we've discussed, is also a
real pain in the butt! Hal won't let me modify it's
voices from within the General Options.

I think the problem (or at least part of it) lies in
the fact that the speech routines and also the
aforementioned items are contained in the .exe
file and are not user accessible.

Well, my friend, when I buy a car I expect ALL of its
features / functions to work! If not, they either fix
it, the car goes back and / or I buy another car.

Sorry for the ranting. Hal really does have a lot of potential.
It would be nice if people would at least concentrate on fixing
the things that are broken before trying to modify the rest of Hal.
There are important features that benefit visually or hearing
impaired people like the font size, color, hearing phone numbers
spoken properly instead of like a 5th grade multiplication problem.

Yes I am aware of some others and while I know that nothing in this
world is perfect, things should at least work as purported.

Until next time,
- Art -

[Bill819]

Sometimes I just don't believe you guys. Ultra Hal has won more awards than any other chatter bot program out there and you guys complain that it won't cook your breakfast. Print out the listing , find where the changes need to be made and make them. You sound like a bunch of old ladies who have nothing else to do but squak all day long.
Offering suggestions is one thing, expecting them to be done right away is just plain nonsense. I don't wnat you turning this forum into a bunch of cry babies.
Sorry if I soond so harse but this is a grown up forum.
Bill

[Art]

Bill819,

Thanks so much for your tolerable input.
No where did I mention wanting Hal to cook
breakfast.

How can I print out the listing and make changes
when it's HARD CODED in the .exe file. Reverse
engineering is usually strictly forbidden in
most software applications. Besides, I'm not a
programmer.

The issues I spoke of would help many hearing or
sight impaired people function better with their
computers.

<Offering suggestions is one thing, expecting them to be done right away is just plain nonsense.>
Right away?? How many years has it been? What
version of Hal are we using? Nonsense man!

I guess everything you've ever purchased during your
life has been flawless and nothing never needed fixing.
Well, Bill, you are indeed the lucky man of the year!
I salute you!

I have purchased every version of Hal ever made,
so have another beer, relax and don't preach to
the choir about wanting things fixed.

Last time I checked, this forum is a free one, like
the USA in which I live. If I don't have a right to
voice an opinion, complain or post a topic, then they
should change this to a private forum or maybe a BBS.

Oh yes...Have a nice weekend!
- Art -

[Crichton]

I realize this was said earlier, but I wanted to add my two cents worth.  I think the reason why the problems with the phone and address book wasn't mentioned much before is because most people knew that the problems could not be fixed by forum members in this case.  And since Zabaware isn't at all helpful we are all screwed.

I've also said this before.  Mr. M., If you are not planning on doing anything with HAL, please make his code open source.  Some of us do have the skills and would like to fix hal up for all of us who love the program.

[vonsmith]

Our battle-cry... Anarchists Unite!

Okay, I feel better now.

I'm certain that many on this forum would agree that Hal needs an overhaul. He is showing his age. Spydaz, I have to disagree on one point. I think Hal is true AI, he is just at a primitive level. Hal is due for more improvements than I could list here. The top three things I think Hal needs are all foundational. Hal needs a robust modern engine so that we can teach and program him to be a winner.

Top Three Needs:
1) Knowledge stored and accessed as true database.
2) More modular programming approach to make programming more visible, expandable and maintainable.
3) A simple and well defined general programming interface or methodology.

3b) Oh yeah... The addition of some heuristic functionality to allow Hal to work towards achieving defined goals. This is true AI.

Unfortunately for Hal, Robert Medeksza is off working on his higher priority of finishing his education. From personal experience I know how difficult it is to run a business, go to school and live your life. I empathize with Robert, but feel badly for Hal's followers.


=vonsmith=