最近有一個新的搜尋引擎相當受到網路界的矚目，許多網路觀察家都期待這個產品會成為挑戰 Google 的明日之星，媒體也利用大篇幅來報導這個即將上市的搜尋引擎，大家期待的程度真可說是未上市先轟動，這個東西那就是 Mathematica 創辦人 Stephen Wolfram 的最新作品 Wolfram Alpha computational knowledge engine。 然而大家可以注意到，Wolfram 實際上不把他最新的作品稱作是一個「搜尋引擎」，而是用「computational knowledge engine」(計算知識引擎) 來當作名稱，主要的原因很簡單，因為這個搜尋引擎的特點在於使用者不是真的到上面去作搜尋的動作，而是到這個地方「直接問問題」。
這有什麼特別呢？我們都知道怎麼去使用 Google 在網路上作搜尋：使用者去輸入了一些關鍵字，然後 Google 在一瞬間把搜尋結果一筆一筆列出來，使用者就點進去網頁尋找自己的資訊。Wolfram 的使用方式有別 Google 和現在所有搜尋引擎的使用方法，Wolfram 可以讓使用者直接輸入一個完整的問句，比如說：「世界上最高的山是哪一座山？」然後 Wolfram 就會分析你問的問題，理解你的問題；接著從網路已經有的、公開的資料和自己內部經過授權取得的資料，粹取出問題的答案直接回答你，如此完成一個問與答的動 作。Wolfram 不會像 Google 一樣，給你一堆網路上的搜尋結果，要你自己去找你要的東西，Wolfram 只會給你一個明確的答案，沒有其他東西。也就是說，你跟他的互動，就像是跟人的互動一樣，你問他答。
在電腦科學界，像「問與答」這種人與電腦的互動一直是許多人追求的聖杯，從事人工智慧的電腦科學家最為渴求的，就是有朝一日電腦能夠跟真人一樣與外 界互動，且外界分辨不出電腦到底是不是一個真人，這也就是鼎鼎大名的 Turing Test (涂林測驗)：如果躲在幕後與人互動的電腦能夠騙過受試者，讓受試者分辨不出到底互動的對象是真人還是電腦，我們就說這一台電腦通過了 Turing Test。
即使這個問題我們可以完美地克服之後，第二個難題馬上來了：「理解了問題之後，電腦要怎麼產生出答案？」這個問 題到今天，也還是沒有很好的解法，通常我們只能預先給電腦準備一個很大的、經過組織後的資料庫，讓電腦從事某種程度上挖掘答案的行為，廣義來說，這也就是 Semantic Web 想要解決的問題：讓網路上的所有資料經過標準，組織成為一個世界上最龐大的資料庫，使得「整個網路可以被任何一台電腦理解並分析」這樣的一個概念可以落實。
所以 Turing Test 現在普遍被認為跟處理自然語言是同樣的一個問題，這其實很容易理解：唯有在一台電腦的人工智慧可以將人類的自然語言模擬地很好的時候，才有可能騙過與它互動的人類，進而通過 Turing Test。
This item has been added to My eBay for Guests. As a guest, you can:
Track up to 10 items on this computer in My eBay Receive an email reminder for this item a few hours before it ends
The complete and exclusive rights to take pictures, images or scans.
The exclusive rights to accounts and descriptions of the events surrounding the “Hand of God” in my backyard including all literary and/or movie rights.
The exclusive rights to make a casting of the hand; it is approx 9ft tall x 4ft wide
The exclusive rights to dismantle the wall and take the Hand for reassembly anywhere in the world or space “with conditions”
The exclusive rights to other things I have forgotten to mention; just ask I’m easy
All city, county, state or federal permits and/or fees are the complete responsibility of the buyer
Hand of God
I was struggling with life, faith and my role in both.As I do every night I pray for guidance from the hand of God and to please keep me on the path the Lord has set me on.Sunday morning the second Sunday of Lent I received a magnificent sign from God that His hand is indeed guiding me and to not let my Faith falter.
In the early morning while we slept the Lord moved rock from a fairly solid section of the rock wall in my backyard to make known his guiding hand.Now I have a sign of the Hand of God to strengthen, fortify and sustain my faith.My faith is strong but my mind and body are weak; the Lords hand strengthens me.
Why is this on e-bay?
I was a Manager in the telecommunications industry but had thought many times over the years of becoming a therapist/counselor for families and troubled adolescents but no action on my part.In 2005 the Lord smacked me with a 2 by 4 right between the eyes, since I was not paying attention to his calling.I was fired; bought out at work and given my walking papers so I went back into business as a project manager and was miserable but had more persistent and stronger feelings about becoming a therapist/counselor for families and troubled adolescents.Get real Paul, I told myself; you have to make money to pay for golf and maintain the easy life.Smack; the Lord’s hand with another 2 by 4 between the eyes; I got let go from my manager job.
Between licking my wounds, looking for a job that paid good money I prayed more and more and more.The more I prayed the more the Lord’s hand guided me to become a therapist/counselor for families and troubled adolescents.However, there was no college in my area with a program then all of a sudden the local satellite campus of a college 400 miles away said they were going to start a graduate level social work program in my town.I contacted Boise State University (BSU) and they said maybe but were not sure.I’m a businessman and do not take maybe very well; I’m not used to operating on faith.
I continued to faithfully pray every night and go to Church every Sunday and the Lord told me to let Him worry about money if I would take it on faith and trust things would work out.I decided to say yes to the Lord and become a therapist/counselor for families and troubled adolescents; to become a licensed clinical social worker.
In the spring of 2008 I started with TESH Inc a non-profit business that specializes in working with persons with developmental disabilities and mental illness and helping them get and keep jobs in the competitive workforce.I’m making less per hour that I did 25years ago but it felt so good being guided by the Lord instead of His loving smack to get me back on His path.Two months later I get word that BSU is for sure going to start a Masters of Social Work program for non-traditional students; that be me!A licensed clinical social worker; I’ll be a therapist/counselor for families and troubled adolescents in a few more years even if I can’t afford it.
So here I am today (4/19/09) within 2 weeks of finishing the first (of 3) year of my MSW program.I just completed my 1st internship at Children’s Village Inc working with abused/neglected and troubled kids in a residential treatment house.I’m getting great experience working at TESH fulltime in vocational rehabilitation coaching and training people(s) with disabilities and mental illness.The MSW program is great and night school fits my schedule but………I’m going broke.
Why is this on e-bay?
I’m working for pop-corn (what I get paid does not rise to the level of peanuts) and student loans are not enough.I feel nuts but I do not want to get smacked again by the Lord and since Easter I keep getting nudged to auction the “Hand of God” in my backyard on e-bay (this hair-brained idea is not from my deluded mind) butI’ve heard stories of “odd stuff” with an image of God or Mother Mary in/on it selling for lots of money.Maybe someone would be willing to pay for the right to make a casting of the Hand or………..you tell me?
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Questions from other members
Question & Answer
Answered On
Q:
I have a question, me being muslim, I find it very offensive that someone has used this "god" as a human figure, we take it very serious and...more
Apr-26-09
A:
I honor the message of the God of Abraham to spread the Word and to share accounts of redemption. The hand is a symbol of God in my life not a Divine...more
Q:
I am glad to see you can copy and paste the same answer to 2 questions without really answering the question they asked. I'm glad to see you have become...more
Apr-26-09
A:
Just trying to share a story and help inspire others. I wish I could take the time to give individual answers to each question but I have a major final...more
Q:
Good luck on your auction. If a book store can charge people money for a bible, you can charge people for your rock wall. It never ceases to amaze me...more
Apr-26-09
A:
AMEN Thank you for the message! I need to say this is not about me and certainly not about the money. I’m no better than anyone else and probably...more
Q:
You state (item #4): "The exclusive rights to dismantle the wall and take the Hand for reassembly anywhere in the world or space “with conditio...more
Apr-26-09
A:
I agree and you would also need to examine the wall in person or have an excavation expert do a site visit for you because the major cost is the removal...more
Q:
Hey there, just a suggestion, I would add to your listed here a photo's copyright clause that protects the use of your photo's that you've...more
Apr-26-09
A:
Thank you that's really nice of you. I wish I would have posted that copyright clause or similar. There is probably someone already printing tee...more
Track up to 10 items on this computer in 
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