Re: 'Singularity Realism' - A few thoughts

From: Mark Waser (mwaser@cox.net)
Date: Thu Mar 11 2004 - 06:08:51 MST


> Creating
> a new workable language and proving its viability is hard. I don't
> believe FLARE ever gained enough momentum to achieve this. I for one
> saw nothing terribly compelling or necessary about the language. It
> was not some huge boon to AI programming in general. IMHO, it was a
> needless distraction.

    I disagree. XML is now pretty much THE premiere data language with a
lot of programming infrastructure, utilities, and, very importantly,
standards already created to support it. An XML-based programming language,
which allows programs to be EASILY treated as data and which would build on
all of the XML infrastructure already in place, would be a HUGE boon to
programs that look to analyze and improve their own programming. AI lost a
lot when LISP, etc. pretty much fell off of the map.

    Someone once said that the level of civilization is determined by what
you can do without thinking (i.e. the level of infrastructure and common
standards). A well-accepted XML-based programming language will be a HUGE
increase to the existing infrastructure.

    M$ will eventually fill the gap with their proposed X# programming
language unless someone else beats them to the punch (but I consider that
HIGHLY unlikely at this point unless FLARE is still alive as a stealth
project and near release). I, personally, am looking forward to the day
with great anticipation and dread.

        Mark



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