Re: [OT] Vivi, the Virtual Violinist, plays LilyPond music

[Graham Percival]

On Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 11:08:53AM -0400, Kieren MacMillan wrote:
> Hi David,
> 
> > The whole point is that a computer, left to its own devices, would never
> > think of playing the violin or chess.  It would sit in a corner and rust.
> 
> With all due respect, I don't even think that's the point -- for
> at some future date, there will undoubtedly be a computer which,
> left to its own devices, *would* think of playing the violin or
> chess rather than sitting in a corner and rusting.

Actually, I doubt that.  What I expect is that at some future date
(say, 100 years), if you have told your computer to entertain you,
it will decide to create a virtual string quartet, performing new
music composed in the style of Dvorak.  Whereas for me, it might
create a virtual jpop singer with invisible backup band (a la Miku
videos), and for my best friend in high school, it might create a
virtual quake CXI game where he plays against other people over
the 'net.

The basic point is: I can't imagine a computer just deciding to
start playing, but I can totally imagine a computer deciding that
you would like it to start playing.  The computer may or may not
be correct, but I'd guess that if it wasn't at least 99% correct,
most people would turn off the "automatically select
entertainment" option.

Cheers,
- Graham