I am having a lot of fun using the pyGoogle module (
http://pygoogle.sourceforge.net/ ) that uses the Google API. It is
about as easy to use as I can imagine, and it is a lot nicer than using
my old HTMl screen scraping habits.
My online CGI program Ask Merlin at www.awaretek.com/askmerlin.html is
an example. Currently, the program takes any user's question and picks
the best answer from amongst the possible answers given by the user.
The program uses an algorithm that uses an intelligent analysis of
search results from Google. OK, OK, I know already, that this is of
limited utility compared to answering any question without requiring
the user to give options to choose from; and, furthermore i know full
well that at this point Merlin is far from foolproof even when given
options to choose amongst. Still, if you play with it for a while you
will be amazed at how well it does do.
Moreover, I am hard at work on a version that will answer any question
without being given options, by choosing options from Google search
results that are most appropriate and then applying my "intelligen t"
algorithm.
But hey, even as it stands, when queried "which is the best programming
language to use for ease of use," Merlin picks Python from amongst a
list of python, ruby, ADA and java. When queried "which language is the
best programming language to use for a large project requiring realtime
operation and involving life and death issues of human life", Merlin
picks ada out of the same list. And, when just plain asked "what is the
best programming language" Merlin wisely picks Python from the list.
And I assure you that none of this is "hard coded" but instead just
uses the regular algorithm applied to any other question ;-))))
OK, it's just a fun little hack by a very amateurish hacker; but that's
sort of the point. Just think what a good programmer could do with
pyGoogle ;-))))
