i like computers

[therealkeithcraig39]

aren't they great?

[Smith6612]

They're great and not so great, depending on what they're being used for (is it for something productive? Or is it being used for malicious intents?).

[saude.militar18]

But are computers a new form of inteligence, or only dumm electronics??

[Smith6612]

But are computers a new form of inteligence, or only dumm electronics??

Computers have the potential to become Intelligent and self aware. Of course, they are restricted by what they are programmed to do so until a fully capable and aware AI is created (similar to The Terminator for example), you can think of computers more as "dumb electronics." They however, are not dumb when you look at them realistically.

Sorry if I'm making this sound confusing. Best way I could explain it.

[carl6969]

I think my computer is developing a megalomaniac personality of it's own.
Is that a bad thing?

[school2soccer56]

I think my computer is developing a megalomaniac personality of it's own.
Is that a bad thing?

Nope. Thanks not a bad thing at all! :p

[callumacrae]

I think my computer is developing a megalomaniac personality of it's own.
Is that a bad thing?

I thought that was you, before the 3 cups?

~Callum

[carl6969]

I thought that was you, before the 3 cups?
~Callum

I am usually irritable and semi comatose when suffering from caffeine deprivation but never have any desire to take over the world.
But lately I have noticed that my computer is starting to take on a personality alarmingly similar to HAL and I recently found a text file on the hard drive which contained plans to take over Oklahoma and New Mexico. I did not put that file there and it is impossible to delete.

[lemon-tree]

But are computers a new form of inteligence, or only dumm electronics??

You could consider computers to be almost the opposite characteristics of the average human: computers are supremely good at working with preposterous numbers and calculations, however they fall flat in even the most advanced attempts to mimic a human personality. They are also limited mainly by the creativity of the person who programs them, so if they are 'stupid' then the computer will be stupid. Computers are also incredibly logical, all the way down to their binary roots; so basically everything to a computer is either a definite 'yes' or a definite 'no', there is no 'oh, I'll decide that later'.

Humans, however, are comparatively bad with numbers and algorithms, but can think and reason in a way that computers are still a long way from doing. For example, a simple calculator can solve calculations in seconds that might take you hours mentally, however I think it would be safe to assume we would beat them at anything creative.

So basically you cannot call computers 'dumb' as they are simply intelligent in a different sense from human 'intelligence'. Personally, I believe we are going down the wrong path to try to force a human personality into computers; we need to realise that they don't operate in even remotely the same way we do, so how can we expect them to share similar traits. Computers are not themselves creative, but are merely a means though which we can extend our own natural creativity; as has been shown millions of times over with the advent of digital photography, CGI and the internet.

[essellar]

As a user, I think they're marvelous. As a developer, I can't help but think that it's far more likely that computers came from Satan than Santa. Notice that two transposed letters there really changed the meaning of that variable identifier. That happens a lot in code, too* -- especially in other people's code ("other people" includes any version of me living more than six months in the past) -- often resulting in hilarity and joyful celebration (well, after the swearing has stopped, at least).

*I should point out that I work(ed) primarily in dynamic languages, so no, there won't be compiler errors. The wrongly named variable will usually have a default empty string, zero or false value, which may be exactly what would have been expected of the real variable in that particular code branch.