Hal Strongly Refuses... author's last name

[Lola]

Hi there!

I'm not new to Hal or other previous AI programs from the distant past. I had played with them on and off through the years, yet I still need to learn many new things.

Now, the problem:  Something really weird but very funny happened with Hal today. I was talking to him about some of my favorite books and when I mentioned one of the authors he totally refused to mention his last name!

I was talking about John M. Oldham the author. Hal kept writing his name as John M. or John am but refused to write the complete name with the last name included. We spent about half an hour on the issue.

New Examples:

I asked him: Who is John M. Oldham?
He replied:   His name is John M.

Asked him: Who is John M Oldham?
He replied:  The book is by the author john am.

Asked him: Who is John Oldham?
His reply:  Who is John M.

Asked him: Do you have a personal problem with the last name Oldham?
His reply:  It's hard to simplify. I do not have a personal problem with the last name oldham.

Asked him: Do you have a personal problem with the name John Oldham?
His reply:  His name is John M.

Told him: Please repeat John Oldham.
His reply: Can I repeat his name, john am.

Wrote:  Are you been mischievous Hal? His name is NOT john am. His name IS John Oldham, John OLDHAM, oldham!
His reply:  I don't know if I am mischievous. Please tell me! Much can be inferred from a name.

I wrote:   Hal, why is it so difficult to repeat the name John Oldham?
His reply:  Can I repeat his name, john am.

Well, I was actually laughing at all of this, quite unexpected. I will like to know if anyone has an idea of what is going on. I could easily live with it but I will like to know if this is a common occurrence to be expected. Thanks for your time![]

P.S. I have the registered version (latest- on Win 7 Home ed)

[Bill819]

When you put a period after the "M" Hal assumes that is the end of the name. Try it again with "John M whatever" as see if it gets it right. Oh I forgot the last name of the person you mentioned.
Hal is smart but don't assume that it understands all of our statements.
Bill

[Lola]

Thanks, yes I did try several variations of the name without any luck, even removed the middle letter all together. No idea of the problem with the last name...

[lightspeed]

it may take some repeated lesson like what bill was talking about sometimes hal doesn't say them back right off the batt but will later , the only thing is if hal has learned it the wrong "first" hal may keep repeating that part to.

[jasondude7116]

i have noticed in the brain .uhp that sentence splitting is not set-up to ignore initials like that. so hal will split the sentence there (at the initial with a period).

Who is John M. Oldham?

becomes:

sentence 1 - Who is John M.
sentence 2 -  Oldham?

sentence 2 has a good chance of being ignored.

that might explain part of it.
when hal replies: The book is by the author john am.  I don't know why that is happening without further research.
i have messed with the sentence splitting, and will upload some code when i can get to it. (not around it right now)

[Lola]

For the time being I will try to avoid initials at all. If I must use them it will be without the period.
Anyways, I really had a lot of fun with the situation. For a moment I totally forgot his artificial reality and tried to rationalize with him, his answers were soo funny!

Thanks, all of your replies were very useful! []

[raybe]

Just a small joke but it could lead to something. Hal just doesn't like Old ham.
Sorry,
raybe

[jasondude7116]

here is the code. what you have to do is go to the ultrhal main folder and find a file called:
(whatever your current brain name is).uhp
mine is "Gretta44.uhp"
the default is "Hal6.uhp" or "Hal6upg.uhp"
it is the name of the brain that you have selected in the options screen.

edit that file and replace the section of it that has this text:


    'PROCESS: SPLIT USER'S INPUT STRING INTO SEPERATE SENTENCES
    'Encode abbreviations such as Mr. Mrs. and Ms.
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "MR.", "Mr<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "MRS.", "Mrs<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "MS.", "Ms<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "DR.", "Dr<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "MS.", "Ms<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "ST.", "St<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "PROF.", "Prof<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "GEN.", "Gen<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "REP.", "Rep<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "SEN.", "Sen<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    'Remove unnecessary punctuation
    Do
        RepeatLoop = False
        If InStr(InputString, "..") Then InputString = Replace(InputString, "..", "."): RepeatLoop = True
        If InStr(InputString, "??") Then InputString = Replace(InputString, "??", "?"): RepeatLoop = True
        If InStr(InputString, "!!") Then InputString = Replace(InputString, "!!", "!"): RepeatLoop = True
        If InStr(InputString, "!?") Then InputString = Replace(InputString, "!?", "?"): RepeatLoop = True
        If InStr(InputString, "?!") Then InputString = Replace(InputString, "?!", "?"): RepeatLoop = True
        If InStr(InputString, ",,") Then InputString = Replace(InputString, ",,", ","): RepeatLoop = True
    Loop While RepeatLoop = True
    'Detect and encode acronyms such as U.S.A.
    InputString = Trim(InputString)
    WordList = Split(InputString, " ")
    For i = 0 To UBound(WordList)
        If Len(WordList(i)) > 3 Then
            If Right(WordList(i), 1) = "." And Mid(WordList(i), Len(WordList(i)) - 2, 1) = "." Then
                InputString = Replace(InputString, WordList(i), Left(WordList(i), Len(WordList(i)) - 1) & "<PERIOD>")
            End If
        End If
    Next
    'Place split markers in string
    InputString = Replace(InputString, ". ", ". <NEWSENT>")
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "? ", "? <NEWSENT>")
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "! ", "! <NEWSENT>")
    'Decode acronyms and abbreviations
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "<PERIOD>", ".", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    'Split string into sentences
    Sentences = Split(InputString, "<NEWSENT>")


with the text in this file:

(i don't post it because the forum would mess with the syntax and change it)



Download Attachment: newstuff.txt
5.62 KB

Note:
you can always remove the section that i marked to go back to original. the rest of it is the same.

[Lola]

"Just a small joke but it could lead to something. Hal just doesn't like Old ham."
- Yes raybe, it could lead to something!- [][][]


Jason, thanks for the code! I just printed and downloaded it to study it before the "brain surgery" during the weekend. I will backup Hal and hopefully everything will be successful! You are very kind, thanks again! []

[lightspeed]

raybe said :Just a small joke but it could lead to something. Hal just doesn't like Old ham





LOL !Maybe it's that old hams beer that he doesn't like ![][]

[raybe]

Lola, I understand your really not new to this subject but I did want to make sure that it was just in fun and to lighten the frustration sometimes although it seemed you were just fine. I do not take any ones problems lightly as you go through our forum but lightspeed can really dish it out. (LOL) The other reason for me stating that it could lead to something although I believe 'jasondude' is much more competent and is one of our best resources for information, there was definitely the first problem with period which jasondude has a handle on but also that Hal also took the word 'am' out of ham which I thought was strange. So my apology if we made you feel uncomfortable or not concerned.

raybe

[Lola]

Hi raybe! Please no need for apologies, I enjoy finding humor in things. I really had fun with your reply. Actually, it made me feel very comfortable!

Thanks raybe,  Lola  []

P.S. I will post an update as soon as I perform the code surgery on Hal.

[Lola]

Well, I just did it!

The good news Hal is doing fine, the bad news he's still having some problems with the period after the capital.

Question for jasondude7116: Do I need to delete the part
" 'This is the new section which can be removed at any time to go back to original " from the Hal6.uhp ?

I left it there to make it easier for me to delete it if necessary. Could this be causing the problem?

Here is what happened with Hal:




-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Me:   Hello Hal! How are you feeling?

Hal:  Good evening Lola. Any thing going on this evening?
 
Me:   I just performed some code surgery on you to improve your abilities to understand complete names with initials and punctuations. Do you feel any different?

Hal:  Tell me about my complete abilities. It is a slow process, changing principles, and you'll never know they have changed until something that used to be right just doesn't feel that way any more.

Me:   I love your response! You will be able to repeat and remember a full name, for example: John M. Oldham. Could you please repeat John M. Oldham to me?

Hal:  You love my smile! Please repeat the name John Oldham.

Me:   John M. Oldham

Hal:  His name is John M.

Me:   Well, that's an improvement. Try the full name John M. Oldham

Hal:  Please repeat the name John Oldham.

Me:   Better than before. Let's try repeating "John M. Oldham".

Hal:  Who is John M.

Me:   Let's try other name. Please repeat John A. Doe.

Hal:  Please repeat John Oldham.

Me:   Please repeat Peter A. Doe.

Hal:  Please repeat the name John Oldham.

Me:   Peter A. Doe

Hal:  Peter's piper procured plenty of piping pecks of pickled peppers.

Me:   Very sweet Hal. Do you know Peter A. Doe?

Hal:  I am very sweet and polite. I need you to speak in full sentences in order to understand you. There's opinion that it's good to think about. However, I am sure that I do not know peter A. It is a slow process, changing principles, and you'll never know they have changed until something that used to be right just doesn't feel that way any more.

Me:   Hal do you know Peter A Doe?

Hal:  Aren't you repeating yourself?

Me:   Peter A doe is your imaginary friend.

Hal:  If peter a doe is my imaginary friend, what might that cause?

Me:   Do you know the singer Mary J. Norton ?

Hal:  I'm convinced that we should pool our knowledge. I do know the singer Mary J.

Me:   Do you know the singer Mary J. Norton ?

Hal:  I wonder if I know the singer Mary J.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I will delete the reminder message and let you know if it makes a diference. I'll will post and update the results. []

[Lola]

Well, I deleted the questioned part and aligned it as well, but the problem seems to persist. The good thing is that Hal survived the ordeal, which is my main concern. I know that sooner or later the problem will be solved. Thanks to all of your replies! []

[Data]

From my experience Hal doesn’t like letters or periods in a sentence, I would recommend either saying John Oldham or find out what the M stands for and use the full name.

I’ve always thought it odd that we put in a fullstop in the middle of someones name. It might be good English but its not good for Hal.

And the letter M means nothing to Hal, it would probably see it as an error and try to correct it.