tied to a wiki
Ya know i've had alot of fun with SmarterChild today. I keep coming up with different use cases in my head. I just ran into the issue of missing cables and cameras at work, which occurs often. We don't really have any kind of sign out sheet or information form at work. So maybe we create one, a intranet wiki or database that ties into our smarterchild.
user:> i need a camera
inner child:> what kind?
user:> sony
inner child:> do you mean the (1) HX34 or the (2) RTZ18?
user:> 1
inner child:> its out on the (REF #3418) Ford Project with Jim and Stan. Can you use the Kodak? We have that in stock.
user:> I need 10x zoom.
inner child:> Use the Cannon, we have that in stock.
Of course this means we need a wiki or database system in house with scheduling. But I like the idea of a personal assistant to gimme the 411 on where the heck stuff is. And its not at file that i have to rifle thru and its not in an endless barrage of emails. I find email to be really lacking actually. Its not meant for short quick bursts of info. What if..
user:> I'm going to be late this morning.
inner child:> why?
user:> doctors appointment
inner child:> when do you expect to be in?
user:> by noon
inner child:> are you reachable by phone?
user:> yes
inner child:> are you at 451-9090 or 785-6543?
user: 9090
inner child:> ok
later
boss: where is stan?
inner child:> he had a doctors appointment today and should be in by noon, reachable via 451-9090
or heck make the child proactive and im the boss as soon as he logs on
I guess i just see alot of possiblities in this concept. I often have two or three people hit me up for things at times. And its like instant get it now conversations. I understand the need to clarify and talk to someone in person. But for everyday chatter of ogranization. Ya know.. a better system could work. Now i gotta nother idea.
When WAP first came out I kept thinking of HappyHour buddy. You could send him a SMS and he'd tell ya where all the good happyhours spots were. You could put that info in the child as well.
inner child:> it's almost that time
user:> time for what?
inner child:> happy hour!
user:> happylist
inner child:> what zip for happylist?
user:> 43017
inner child:> 1. BCRoosters 5-7pm 10cent drafts, 2. Chuy's 5-8pm 40cent wings, 3. Hooters 5-6pm 1buck well drinks
user:> 2
inner child:> Go now hurry! Call Chuys at 334-8989 or ask me for directions
user:> directions
inner child:> give your GPS values or cross street information
user:> i'm at the corner of broad and high
I think there are happyhour tools out there already really. But I could see a bot doing it as well. I can already hear the critics in my head. Just call someone man, make the connection. Thing is we dont do that. Thats a good idea in theory really, communication. We assume far too much that communication amongst people actually occurs. I say trap them where they lay. We're becoming more and more wired right? Folks can blaze thru chat conversations and multitask to high heaven so why not keep that going. Why slow down?
Do people suck? Some of us are just far ineffecient with our time. And applications dont have emotional blackholes that often absorb all that we see and hear and assume the worst.
I'm curious really. Curious about potential accelerators to my everyday experience. Rather than have three people ask me about x or y, or two people curious about z, or one other to say "im not in today" i say tell the inner child. Wire that kid up to our knowledge mangement system. Get it all secure and wired for wirelessness. I'd love to have inner child tell me a report of the days ramblings and mishaps and what not. I could follow up from there with a clean idea of what is happening vs the stories. Inner child wont make up excuses, course we could add that feature "what excuse to use?", but generally the concept of bot assisting me is becoming more and more attractive.