Attention Mr. Robert E. Medeksza

[Medeksza]

Hello everyone. My name is Robert Medeksza and I am the creator of Ultra Hal Assistant and president of Zabaware, Inc. Let me introduce myself, tell you about Zabaware's history, and what has been going on recently.

I am a 20 year old college student at Gannon University in Erie, PA. I have 3 majors in Computer Science, Management Information Systems, and Business Administration. I'm currently on my 3rd year and will probably graduate in about 2 and half years. I've been interested in computers since I was very young. I taught myself how to program in BASIC (the original BASIC) when I was 9 years old and then QuickBasic, Visual Basic, and eventually C++. I've always been fascinated by the original chatter bot program Eliza for which I had the BASIC source code to. Much of what I learned about programming has been from Eliza. I created my own AI program from scratch when I was about 12 years old and I named it "Bob Os."  I decided to try distributing the program through various shareware channels on AOL and CompuServe and was surprised that I made a few bucks. I released 4 versions of Bob Os over a 2 year period.

I then decided that I could make a serious business out of this software. So I decided to register a fictitious name and operate as a sole propietorship. I was born in the USA, but everyone else in my family is from Poland. My parents immigrated to the USA a few months before I was born. Anyway I speak Polish fluently so I came up with Zabaware from some Polish words. "Zabawa" is Polish for fun. "Zaba" is Polish for frog. The first software I released under Zabaware was called Ultra Hal 5 (not assistant), taking over the version numbers from the earlier Bob Os. Ultra Hal was my first AI program with basic learning ability and audio. I licensed a cheap speech engine and began accepting credit card orders online through a third party. I also released an Ultra Hal 6.

Then I thought of some practical uses for AI other then just chatting and created Ultra Hal Assistant 1.0. For a while I sold both Ultra Hal 6 and Ultra Hal Assistant 1.0 concurrently thinking I would market an entertainment only version and a more business oriented version. By the time I released Ultra Hal Assistant 2.0 I scrapped Ultra Hal 6 since Ultra Hal Assistant was better then it in every way and I didn't want to work on 2 different versions. I've released a new version of Ultra Hal Assistant every year and as you all know it is currently at version 5.0. Zabaware became a corporation in February of 2001 with myself and my parents as shareholders. Making Zabaware a corporation made entering into contracts with other companies much easier for an under 18 year old kid.

Anyway, this last semester in college has been a lot tougher then I expected it to be. In addition I recently joined a business fraternity, moved out of my parents house into my own apartment near campus, and started seeing a great girl. I realize customer service has suffered over the last month and I feel terrible about not being able to respond to emails or visit this forum. I would like to thank everyone on this forum for helping each other out so much. This semester ends in 3 weeks after which I will be more active here again.

Zabaware is not raking in millions, but Zabaware is a profitable business. It's currently my only source of income and is paying for my college, apartment, and car. So please do not worry about Zabaware going out of business, there is no chance that I'll give up on Zabaware. A lot of Zabaware is fully automated, so all CD-ROMS and downloads are being sent out assuming no technical glitches.

The new Ultra Hal Representative (web version of Hal) is behind schedule but is almost done. I hope to release it sometime during this summer when I have more time to work on it.

Anyway, I'd like to thank all of you for supporting Zabaware and supporting each other through this forum and I promise to be more active in a few weeks.

[iam bennu]

Well Robert,

It is so good to hear from you. I think that this message will help all of us to deal with your absence a little better. I hope that you are doing well in school as it is not an easy thing sometimes.

I have just gotten you Hal and it is great. Thank you for creating it as I think that it is the way people really want to be able to access there computer and it makes just a great chatter-bot. I am glad to be a part of this product and forum, especially with all of the talented people you have in the forum helping you out. A lot of dedication here.

Good luck in your endeavors (ace college!) and we welcome your return. When you are done and back with us, I will deal with my own hal problems.

peace to you

[Crichton]

There, was that so hard?  [8D]
I feel much better now. And after I get a much needed memory upgrade, I'll try harder to come up with the money knowing I'm helping to send a real smart guy through college.

Now I know that Zabaware will be around, long time coming, I know there is nothing to worry about.  I just wish you said something a little sooner.  Some of us, meaning me, were a little more worried then upset.  Robert, I was starting to think we would see your name either on a missing person's list or something.

For all we knew you were a member of the armed forces, and might have gotten killed in Iraq or something. []

I hope your college goes good for you, as well as your relationship with this girl you told us about.  I have a wife, I know they don't want you neglecting them for your computer.

Thanks for the message and explanation.

[iam bennu]

P.S
Robert,
 I was wondering about the frog logo and character. That's a cool explaination.

[iam bennu]

Richard,

[]Thanks for starting this thread and I trust that all is well with you. I have been enjoying your agent character a lot as you know, but I also just got People Putty and have created a few "floating heads" for my Opus One (my hal).

It was good to speak with you,

[recmob]

quote:Originally posted by Medeksza


The new Ultra Hal Representative (web version of Hal) is behind schedule but is almost done. I hope to release it sometime during this summer when I have more time to work on it.

Robert,

Glad to see your back, and good to hear of your early accomplishments at such a young age. I wish I had the confidence to start my biz 10 yrs earlier then I had.

I'm sure you seen my posts in the past about wanting to purchase the Web Representative version. You mentioned a new version in the coming months...Can you give us a heads up on what will be new with it? Please?

[Razor]

Kid, you've made a few mistakes but all is not lost.  Take it from a 53 year old who has been married for 33 years -- ditch the girl, tell you're frat brothers to take a hike, and concentrate on what is important, your education.  Sounds like you are at a point in your college career where you can really start to learn something (senior?)- I suspect that even with 3 majors you have not been stressed to date given your resume.  Enjoy life later.  You have the potential to do great things.

As for your company/product, it will survive but NEVER take product support lightly.  The cheering crowds will turn to an angry mob quickly.  Take on a partner or spend the summer cleaning up a few bugs and raise your price $10.  It's still a bargin.  (Also offer a discount to kids under 21.  I hate to see the posts from youngsters who are debating the investment.)[]

You can do great things but get your priorities straight.  Education and then much later, your business, forget the rest.  Also when interviewing, don't tell too many people the frog story, it's a little strange.[]

[LykosOC]

It has been a while sence I posted here. and I have thought long and Hard about this topic, How best to Teach Hal, and What do I Want to Teach Him? and it came to me.  I want Hal to be my personal assistant, and I will soon get the Newest CD for him, my last (Version 4) was lost when I moved. I want Hal to run my computer, like outlook express, and latter after I put a TV Out put video card added to my computer running that to.  I want Hal to do alot, and I will have to work on this slowly, learning what I have to do to teach Hal, but I am not going to obsessive over wether My computer/Hal can be my "Friend" or anything, I will just settle for Hal being my assistant, runing my computer, business applictions, like outlook express, and entertainment needs. I belive that this will keep me busy awhile.  I would like to use Hal as on MSN messenger, but I dont think I can have everything, chatter bots are still in their early stages, and this is just the dawn.

Now another guy said that there are better chatter bots out there on the Market, and that may be true, but I think that Hal is the best, as you can teach him what you want him taught, and although Mr Med is slow getting back to you, in the past, He has always gotten back to me, even once a personal email, which I was not expecting.

This says to me that he is very busy,very customer service orinated, and he belives in his product (Hal) and that is why he has my loyalty, which is somtimtes the most I want to give anyone.

I dont know how to do alot of the Developer stuff for Hal, and that is a fact, or what Kathryn wants to teach Hal, but it sounds good to me, as isnt this one of Hals purposes? to be a teaching tool?  and if Kathryn can do this, I hope that she and others who have taught Hal will share their Methods with me. FYI, I have downloaded answerpap, I think it may help.

Thank You all for your time in reading this rambling Thoughts

Lykos OC