There are those of us who have followed Ultra Hal since its inception and watched and experimented with its development over the years to the point where it is now. With each incarnation of the program, we witness a somewhat different yet better HAL than the previous version.
I don't know what your experience is regarding chatbots but there are a lot of them "out there" for the choosing / using. Most of us have come too far with HAL to turn back now.
HAL is now using a database structure which wasn't available in version 5. It is able to better stay on topic and follow the conversational flow of ideas. Hal can provide the definition for just about anything, tell time, do math, remember dates, appointments, etc., and infer logical statements if given correctly (IF...THEN).
The ability to use SR, though still not an exact science, is a very practical endeavor, especially for those with limited abilities.
Over time, HAL has become a companion for some, capable of fetching info from the web, weather, news, or any other subject.
Personally, you seem like a somewhat bright individual although you appear to be lacking knowledge of HAL and it's operation. In other words, play with it, experiment, talk with the program at length and of a nature that uses good english, grammar and common sense. The old GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out) principle will definitely kick in if not heeded and HAL will start responding with worthless or garbled information.
Sure, there are a lot of ideas to improve a chatbot and there have been virtually hundreds of scripts for HAL that cover a multitude of areas of interest.
HAL is still very young and its progress is measured in small steps, but with each step comes a new discovery and potential for new ideas for enhancement and development.
The program does more than IF...THEN statements, such as pattern matching, searching topical info, usage, best case reasoning, etc. within it's brain.
Robert M., is one of the most reasonable young men to work with as his door is always open to new ideas, improvements, suggestions, etc., to help HAL become a better creation for the rest of us.
If you are a programmer familiar with VB or AI theory, why not avail yourself to help us all better HAL?
All the best!