Topicless thread

[NejinOniwa]

And never forget, Lucia!

Although that's not much elsewhere, is it...

[IanDanKilmaster]

Only two?
Christmas is a lot bigger mix of different mid-winter festives, ranging from old roman, turkish/greek and some other I cant remember.

Nowadays it's just mostly known for its cocacola santa and "must buy presents" capitalism propaganda.

How quickly I forget, thank you VonDaab.  I was mainly thinking of the festivity and feasting during the holiday (Saturnalia/Roman) and the Christian aspect as indicated by the name.  Of course, the various imagery associated with Christmas has roots in many different religious celebrations.  In any case, it has very much indeed become an engine for capitalism, but I still love it despite any religious or commercial overtones.

[Bella]

I love Christmas...the music can get a bit annoying, and the commercial aspects I kinda hate...

...though it really doesn't feel like Christmastime for some reason. It's like Outer Mongolia in January outside right now-- cold, dry, and it gets dark at 4:20 in the afternoon. I can't get used to that last one, especially. TT

[NejinOniwa]

Hey, don't fret, you still get your hours of sunlight. I've got a brief moment of relative brightness between, say, 9:30 and 3 in the afternoon, and it's not even midwinter yet. Winter Depression is a very regional affect.

[RIT_ninja]

whats everyone getting for christmas?

[Alex S]

With any luck, I'll get Pokémon Diamond/Pearl.

[NejinOniwa]

Really, I don't know shit. ^^

A watercooling package for DELTA would be one hell of a treat, though ^^

[IanDanKilmaster]

Well, it's funny how I'm finally at the age where I appreciate the gift of knowledge, that being said, I could really use a book on Python - hopefully there's already a book for version 3.0 (I'd like to learn both the current/old version and v3.0).  I'd be lying if I said there weren't any video games I wanted, though.  Really I should be begging folks for new computer components more than anything else.

[CaptBrenden]

I normaly dont get anything, least for the last 8 years.  Tho this year a coworker friend threatened to get my a Glock and holster... only because he knows I hate them -_-

[CaptBrenden]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2023392.ece  discuss.

[Tsubashi]

Yet one step closer to asimovian myth, ne? ^.^
While hardly an original idea, it is nice to see someone actually striving for it. I have a hard time believing that the current level of technology can yet produce a sentient, or even near sentient being, but the amount of work poured into her is very commendable. Detrimental to the human gene pool if popularized, but amazing still the same. I would be intrigued to see the code behind it all. It would need to be highly adaptable, with vast databases and as lightweight as possible to simulate a viable reaction.
Official Site

[NejinOniwa]

Seems cool...but in this business we're not going to get much until we get a spontaneous/improvisation-capable AI, and enough power to process it. I don't know how advanced the interfaces can be made as of now, though.

Consciousness is the definition of sentience. The AIKO may be a very fine piece of hardware and software indeed, but it's still just a program.

[CaptBrenden]

Oh, I would say the interfaces could be pretty darn advanced, if someone saw the cost effectiveness of such a program.  Im sure the capability exists, but big buisness doesnt see a need to spend the kind of money and resorces nessicary to develop a robotic companion for lonely people.  When advanced AI robots see a cost effective use in buisness then they will come to be, but right now you wouldnt get a very large return spending that kind of research and development cost for something that can tell you that its a sandwitch or that the weather is cold outside. Even to market them, only the rich could afford them, and i dont think there are enough rich people would would buy it to cover even the development costs let alone profit.

[VonDaab]

Christmas presents?
I finished my "christmas present" today.
Well, kinda... It still needs to be put into its case.

Woot macro shot!

[Tsubashi]

Ooooooh! Certainly looks fancy, ne? ^.^
Who is the lucky recipient?