Soft Machine—Architecture Machine Group (1984)
-The man-computer interface has evolved from the teletypewriter to workstations, which accomplish a spatial metaphor for data management. In this experimental system, the interface is, metaphorically, a person. An alter ego who provides conversational access to several conventional computer programs.
CREW: The other one we want to put [INAUDIBLE].
INTERVIEWER: Hello.
-Welcome to the interactive graphical robot system.
INTERVIEWER: Tell me about arc file.
-The new CR command begins a search. You can construct a search using any combination of building type, state, time period, and architect. Remember that I know only the architects, locations of building types, with which I was trained.
INTERVIEWER: Let's do a new search.
-Initializing search. Ready.
INTERVIEWER: Try religious buildings.
-Confirm type religious and [INAUDIBLE].
INTERVIEWER: OK.
-Initializing search. Ready. Searching type. Ready.
INTERVIEWER: OK, how many now?
-How? How is the problem stated?
INTERVIEWER: How many entries?
-Aha, there are 288 entries. There are 288 entries.
INTERVIEWER: OK, show them. OK, show them.
-OK. Ready.
INTERVIEWER: What's the title?
-Rocky Hill Meeting House, Amesbury, 1785.
INTERVIEWER: Next project. Next project.
-Speak up.
INTERVIEWER: Next project. What's the title of this?
-Charles Street Church, Boston.
INTERVIEWER: Take date 1950.
-Date 1950.
INTERVIEWER: And 1970.
-Confirm date 1-9-5-0, 1-9-7-0.
INTERVIEWER: Uh-huh. OK.
-Searching date. Ready.
INTERVIEWER: Show them.
-OK. Ready.
INTERVIEWER: What's the title?
-Cranwell School, Lenox, 1967.
INTERVIEWER: Who designed it?
-How should I know? Why not repeat it?
INTERVIEWER: Who was the designer?
-I got it. Peter McClelland.
INTERVIEWER: Next project. Who was the architect?
-Marcel Breuer.
INTERVIEWER: Next. Again. Again. I said, again.
-I have your electronic mail if you want to hear it.
INTERVIEWER: Read the mail.
-You have no unviewed messages. Date. Tuesday, 29 in 1984, 005628, from [INAUDIBLE] Patrick, the graphics interface conference is next week. Have you finished the videotaping yet? John.
INTERVIEWER: Let's do a new search.
-Initializing search. Ready.
INTERVIEWER: How many are there?
-There are 5,454 entries.
INTERVIEWER: How many educational schools and libraries?
-There are 5,454 entries. Confirm type educational schools and libraries.
INTERVIEWER: Uh-huh.
-Searching type. Ready.
INTERVIEWER: Entries.
-There are 1,240 entries.
INTERVIEWER: In Massachusetts?
-Confirm state Massachusetts.
INTERVIEWER: OK. OK.
-Can you speak up, please? Slowly searching state. Ready.
INTERVIEWER: Display them. Display them.
-I am not getting many of your words. OK. Ready.
INTERVIEWER: What's the title of this building?
-UMass Campus Center, Amherst, 1969.
INTERVIEWER: And the architect? Backup. The architect?
-Marcel Breuer and [INAUDIBLE].
INTERVIEWER: OK. Next project. The next project. The next project. What was the last one?
-What was that?
INTERVIEWER: What was the last one?
-Forget about it.
INTERVIEWER: Back up. What's the title of this?
-UMass Library, Amherst, 1971.
INTERVIEWER: The architect?
-Edward Durrell Stone.
INTERVIEWER: Try Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill.
-Confirm architects Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill.
INTERVIEWER: Uh-huh.
-Searching architect. Ready.
INTERVIEWER: Entries.
-There are two entries.
INTERVIEWER: Show them.
-OK. Ready.
INTERVIEWER: What's the title of this building?
-Advanced Engineering Center, Cambridge, 1967.
INTERVIEWER: Next. Next.
-What parameter do you wish to search at?
INTERVIEWER: Architects. Try Le Corbusier.
-Do you still want these searches?
INTERVIEWER: Yes, of course.
-OK.
INTERVIEWER: Try Le Corbusier.
-Confirm architect Le Corbusier.
INTERVIEWER: OK.
-Initializing search. Ready. Searching architect. Ready.
INTERVIEWER: Show them.
-OK. Ready.
INTERVIEWER: Next. Again. Again. What's the title of this building?
-[INAUDIBLE] Carpenter Center, Cambridge, 1963.
Thank you, pal. I needed that. System ready, bozo. Gag me with some Ascii.