Time Wasting with Encarta IM

25 Nov 2005

Many people including myself have wasted hours today asking the Encarta MSN IM Bot questions, just add encarta@conversagent.com to your contacts and ask away.

The bot can answer lots of useful questions like “What is the capital of Australia?”, but it can also entertain:

_Simon says:_ Will you marry me? _Encarta® Instant Answers says:_ You're nice, but I don't see that working out. _Simon says:_ Don't you love me? _Encarta® Instant Answers says:_ Yes indeed. _Simon says:_ Then why not? _Encarta® Instant Answers says:_ Trust me. There are reasons why not. _Simon says:_ Is it because you're a robot? _Encarta® Instant Answers says:_ Yes.

Another favorite:

_Simon says:_ What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow? _Encarta® Instant Answers says:_ What do you mean? An African or a European swallow? _Simon says:_ African _Encarta® Instant Answers says:_ Based on recent scientific studies, the average cruising airspeed velocity of an unladen African Swallow is roughly 11 meters per second, or 24 miles an hour. _Simon says:_ How do know so much about swallows? _Encarta® Instant Answers says:_ Well, you have to know these things when you're a good robot, you know.

Truly fantastic, you can have a lot of fun with this bot!