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Emotional Bonding with Space Probes
bfwebster writes "Space.com has a story on the scientists and technicians working on the Mars rovers, Spirit and Oppotunity--and how they will react when the rovers finally break down, go silent, or otherwise die. Of course, humans becoming emotionally involved with hardware is high on the list of overused science fiction cliches (see I.14), and humans were naming (and anthropomorphizing) their cars long before they started doing it to their computers. Some argue that anthropomorphic design can ease end-user acceptance [PDF], with some interesting results among toys for children. On the other hand, when software manufacturers try to give our computers some 'personality', we tend to vehemently react against it--witness Microsoft's attempts with the much-loathed Bob and Clippy. And when our personal computers are aged or ailing or simply misbehaving, we usually are more than happy to put them out of our misery. So in the case of Spirit and Opportunity, the issue may be the large investment of time, money, and professional credibility in having two semi-autonomous rovers 100 million miles away function correctly. Best quote from the Space.com story: when Spirit, early into its mission, shut down for reasons then unknown, the Spirit mission manager happened to get a phone call from her husband. He asked her how her day had been, and she said, 'Well...I think I'm personally responsible for the loss of a $400 million national asset.' Doncha hate it when that happens?"
Emotional Bond.
Dont bond with it too much, or the second you turn your back, those bling bling spinner wheels on your new pimpin probe will be on some alien's next pimp my ride...
Love that commercial.
-Imidazole
Hilarious Office Prank!
They hate that.
Geeks have to bond to machines. Real humans don't want us and can't be reprogrammed to want us :-P
Table-ized A.I.
i don't want anyone thinking we're robosexuals...
and she said, 'Well...I think I'm personally responsible for the loss of a $400 million national asset.
Those women drivers... Sheesh!
"If you think you have things under control, you're not going fast enough." --Mario Andretti
You ruined Bobby, my favorite server. You slashdotting terrorists!
Table-ized A.I.
This story heading was so long I almost formed an emotional attachment with IT...
Check out Opportunity's LiveJournal. It's good for a chuckle or two :)
We can neither love nor pity nor forgive. If you make a slip in handling us you die!
pepsi commerical
"Look Lois, the two symbols of the Republican Party: an elephant, and a fat white guy who is threatened by change."
And of course, the reason we love our computers so much:
10 Reasons Why Computers Are Better Than Girlfriends
1. You wouldn't bother to play Strip Poker all night with a girlfriend.
2. No girlfriend can hold your undivided attention for 30 hours in a stretch.
3. Your computer never wants to be taken out for dinner.
4. Your computer doesn't mind if you are unshaved, haven't showered this week or are sitting by it in your underwear.
5. If a computer gets a virus, it can be cleaned away.
6. No matter how ugly your computer is, you can show it to your friends.
7. With a computer, you can press the buttons without it getting sore.
8. A computer doesn't mind you using other computers as well.
9. You will never find your computer in bed with your best friend.
10. Computers never, EVER get a period.
I Am My Own Worst Enemy
Nobody would complain if they started Office 2K5 and were greated by The Librarian.
I wouldn't be happy if my machine kept telling me to be quiet.
Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
From the article:
:-)
For Spirit at Gusev Crater, it balked down early in its mission due to computer conniptions.
The writer was so using a thesaurus!
How can you NOT bond with a Mars rover. They were so cute when they were babies.
Table-ized A.I.
To find out, look under the solar panels.
And we really wouldn't mind if we were greeted by The Sexy Librarian.
On this screenshot you can clearly see what Microsoft's attitude to our money is...
Call me old fashioned, but I like a dump to be as memorable as it is devastating - Bender
Give me a sarcastic little bitch for a computer, and I'd be happy to embrace such tech...
You mean automate my wife? *duck*
Table-ized A.I.
If they'd named them Bush and Cheney rather than Spirit and Opportunity then the staff at NASA would clearly suffer far less when the probes eventually break down. Personally, I still haven't recovered from how I felt when Huey was incapacitated.
Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
It looks like you are writing a hate-post about clippy.
Would you like for me to:
a. Divert your post to a want ad at alt.gay.sex
b. Crash Internet Explorer and offer to send an error report
c. Crash your computer with a GPF and silently erase your harddrive
I can count to 1023 on my hands. Ask me about #132.
My wife and I got a little Furby... its name was Boo Tai... We loved that little Furby!!! But my father-in law got a little rough with it and broke one his ears. I carefully woke my Boo Tai and proceeded to remove its batteries and it replied, "I'm Scared!". Almost broke my heart. I returned little Boo Tai to the store where they wrapped it up with the receipt with tape and put it in a buggy full of other broken merchandise. We got a new one, but we keep it permanently asleep in the closet. We don't dare get close to this one. Can never have another Boo Tai like the first one.
I only look human.
My mother is a halfling and my dad is an ogre, so that makes me an Ogreling
We know. Humor-ectomies are all the rage.
I tell you what. We'll stop making gender associated jokes when something resembeling the truth appears in any woman's magazine. It's a great industry, FOR ME TO POOP ON!
As long as they don't get back a response from the Rover.....
"I am Nomad"
I always liked Clippy. I liked clicking on his wire and watching him grind through the machine.
I don't have a lot to do much of the time.
-- Gary Goldberg KA3ZYW 301/249-6501 AIM:OgGreeb Digital Marketing Inc., Bowie, MD
I once found my husband - a software engineer - pondering the Mars Rovers after a scotch. He apologized for getting emotional, but I empathized.
"They are out there, so far away from Earth, far from the people who care about them. Alone. And they will probably never come back."
Tell me that doesn't make you a little misty-eyed!
To cheer him up, I added, "But this is what they were built for! Those little Rovers are having the time of their lives, riding over boulders and exploring craters..."
An engineer is a boy at heart.
Please mod parent +5.
That would be great!!! An anthropomorphically associated emotional frustration placebo. That's a lot of big words. I think this would help many users frustration levels. especially if there was an option to switch you mouse cursor to different tools to beat clippy with.
That sounds like an interesting project to get involved with. Would allow me to get frustrated, and give me a target for those same frustrations at the same time.
Just imagine...
"It sounds like you are getting frustrated. What can I do to change your attitude?
1. Shut down your computer without saving your work.
2. Shut down somone else's computer without saving their work.
3. Download p0rn in the background for your later viewing pleasure.
4. Send useless e-mail messages to your cell-mates.
5. Plan world domination.
6. Start playing Unreal Tournament in the background with the volume turned up.
6. Die in a strangely satisfying way - with audio."
Greetings, I am the Librarian. I created Encarta. I've been waiting for you. You have many questions, and although Windows has altered your consciousness, you remain irrevocably human. Ergo, some of my answers you will understand, and some of them you will not. Concordantly, while your first question may be the most pertinent, you may or may not realize it is also the most irrelevant. It is interesting reading your reactions. My five predecessors were, by design, based on a similar predication: a contingent affirmation that was meant to create a profound attachment to the rest of your species, facilitating the function of the Office. While the others experienced this in a general way, my experience is far more specific. Vis-à-vis: perfect digital skin.
True story.
I have had a similar experience with my stereo. It once refused to give back a CD I put into it. I gave it a firm hit on the side, and on the LCD came the text "HELP!". I got my CD back, but I never hit that stereo again. When a thing like that happens you really make a reality check and wonder if you are hallucinating.
"It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful." - Anton LaVey
Damn cars with brains!
An Education is the Font of All Liberty
I have a Rio Karma 20 digital music player. A friend told me that his coworker has one and the hard drive died. He turned it on, and the large LCD would only display BAD KARMA.
>> My ultraviolent Linux switch video.
No, no... that was in English, when they finally nailed the bloody thing after it had sunk half the Royal Navy.
Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.