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Your Favorite A.I. Just Got Smarter: 20Q.net Hits 50,000,000 Games

20q.net — 20Q.net, the online game that can "read your mind", recently played past the 50,000,000 game mark. With each game played the A.I. that drives the game gets a little smarter. This thing is so accurate it’s spooky.

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  • squibbbo, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7That is impressive. They have some different versions too.
    • Reizors, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4I've been playing the classic 20QQ since it came out, well it wasn't classic 20QQ when it came out, it was just 20QQ, which is still fun, play it all the time.
    • TomP, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3Thats scary that it worked out I was U2 :|
    • limewood, on 10/12/2007, -1/+77Your Favorite A.I. Just Got Slower: 20Q.net Hits Digg Frontpage
    • dunezone, on 10/12/2007, -1/+59I would say lets destroy this thing before it becomes self aware, but I think were too late.
    • neuros, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10it couldn't guess "bong"
      though I suppose legally a guess of "tobacco pipe" was close enough
    • KlayBorg, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I won :D
      I was thinking of an asteroid field (gimme a break, I just had science class).
    • Chronomagnus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6It guessed Dr. Strangelove when I thought it wouldn't
    • brocej, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15@dunezone

      ROFL. You're right. It already knows about itself. Trying thinking about '20Q' as the object when you play the game.
    • drakethegreat, on 10/12/2007, -8/+4This thing is so accurate that according to what others have told it, Richard Stallman doesn't have grey hair and hes probably involved with music and he doubtfully has dark hair...

      This is only as smart as the intelligence people give it and its not true AI. Its just a massive database of people's responses to questions. I just don't find this amazing and I don't know why someone would pay them for this technology since nothing about it is truly ground breaking. I think AOL bots have been doing this on AIM for years.
    • WestDC, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Damn this thing is good. I was thinking of the game itself and it still guessed it.
    • DCJoeDogaswell, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1hmm, it didn't choose Bumblebee from Transformers the movie (1986)
    • psxman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I'll give you the bit about his hair, but Richard Stallman is involved in music. (albeit not seriously)
    • sotopheavy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2The idea behind 20 questions is that you ask a question to cut your possible answers in half each time. So theoretically there are 2 to the 20th possible objects that the game could distinguish. In reality if you get 2 or 3 wrong it picks the best guess. After the first question it has eliminated 2^19 possibilities then 2^18 on the next question and so on.
    • hirak99, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Nowdays we identify AI with building and navigating a data structure in the form of a tree???
      Oh lord, I wish I didn't live to see this day!

      Besides, I chose William Wallace from Braveheart, and when the all knowing "AI" made three consecutive guesses nowhere close, I gave up.
    • Inferny, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12I tried "penis" in classic mode. it thought i meant bazooka!
    • NikoKun, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3It couldn't guess what I was thinking... but it got close... XD it came up with both weed (undesirable plant) and joint (between bones) which are both wrong... but i guess the words have double meanings... Someone should fix that... and remove those parenthese parts... XD
    • jojamo, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0I'm not impressed by 20Q. I was at first but that was when I was picking obvious people. It often asks irrelevant and contradicting questions. (Are you black? yes... Are you white? duh...) It seems like it needs a programming overhaul before it can consistently win.
    • OrlyonokEaglet, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I was impressed when it correctly guessed Tutu.
    • cawpin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I've never been much impressed with this site. It failed the first time I tried it.
    • emjaymj, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Man it's got 3/4 wrong.
    • esotericguy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1THINKING OF A DESK BEATS IT!!!
    • tech42er, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@jo
      What if you're Asian?
    • Duhitsmichael, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It didn't guess Ron Paul.

      Are you tall? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
      Do you have dark hair? You said No, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Probably.
      Are you still on the air? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Doubtful.
      Were you popular in the '80s? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
  • Gasdark, on 10/12/2007, -11/+50Is it a person? Yes
    Is it a woman? Yes
    Is she a bull-dyke? Yes
    Is it Janet Reno? Wow, yes it is. It is Janet Reno.

    Similar Answers: Jodie Foster, Margeret Thatcher, Barbara Bush, and Gary Busey...
    • Arbus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Outstanding!
    • eclectro, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1For me it took 28 questions to get to Janet Reno.
    • lazydrumhead, on 10/12/2007, -8/+3ARGH PEOPLE ARE STUPID:

      I told it I was thinking of a PLACE.

      You are Tatooine.
      Are you an action/adventure? You said No, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Yes.
      Are you a 'blockbuster'? You said No, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Yes.
      Are you a fantasy? You said No, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Yes.
      Did you have a famous cast? You said No, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Yes.
      Were you popular in the '80s? You said No, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Yes.
    • RyKSych, on 10/12/2007, -7/+0Q30. I am guessing that it is The Crow?
      Right, Wrong, Close 29. I guessed that it was I Know What You Did Last Summer? Wrong.
      28. Are you shown in the evening? Yes.
      27. Are you made by Disney? No.
      26. Do you often have a plot twist? No.
      25. I guessed that it was Eyes Wide Shut? Wrong.
      24. Were you popular in the '90s? Yes.
      23. Are you an action/adventure? No.
      22. Are you science fiction? No.
      21. Are you about the present? Yes.
      20. I guessed that it was the Sorcerer's Stone? Wrong.
      19. I guessed that it was Hedwig? Wrong.
      Did you have a famous cast? Unknown.
      18. I guessed that it was Nimbus 2001? Wrong.
      17. Do you appeal to teenagers? Yes.
      16. Are you a sequel? No.
      15. Are you a main character? No.
      14. Were you nominated for Best Picture? Yes.
      13. Does someone die in you? No.
      12. Are you shown in reruns? No.
      11. Are you a fantasy? Yes.
      10. Do you involve someone who is on the run? No.
      9. Were you a book first? Yes.
      8. Do you take place in America? Yes.
      7. Are you a villain? No.
      6. Do you take place in a hotel? Yes.
      5. Are you about war? No.
      4. Are you funny? No.
      3. Were you originally produced in the last ten years? Yes.
      2. Do you have a sequel? Yes.
      1. It is classified as Thing.
      I won I was thinking of "porn."
  • Artifez, on 10/12/2007, -2/+18It thinks Kurt Vonnegut wasn't involved with the millitary, I guess WWII was non-millitary.
    • Pushkin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3It gave up (but tried Stephen King)
      You are Kurt Vonnegut.

      Do you criticize others? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Doubtful.
      Do you have dark hair? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Doubtful.
      Are you involved with music? You said Sometimes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
      Are you balding? You said No, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Yes.

      Google images!!!

      Are you on television? You said Sometimes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
      Are you overexposed in the media? 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
      Are you involved in politics? You said Sometimes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
      Do you wear protective equipment? 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
      Are you very popular in Europe? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
    • cwgannon, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3@artifez:

      You're wrong to say that "it thinks" Kurt Vonnegut wasn't in the military. It doesn't think at all, as others have mentioned, and so your real beef should be with the morons who presume it's clever to challenge a computer to a guessing game about a topic they don't know ***** about.
    • Flawed77, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3You know what the worst thing is?
      You are Kurt Vonnegut.
      Are you known as a hero? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
      Kurt Vonnegut not a hero? Blasphemy! I have no greater hero!
  • cavie2002, on 10/12/2007, -16/+5i was thinking of poop, and it actually guessed poop
    • Tsen, on 10/12/2007, -2/+14And you wonder why the rest of the world considers digg users juvenile morons.
    • hode, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4^^^^ I'm rubber, you're poo.
  • ohnnyj, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Couldn't get drum sticks in 20Q Music.
  • addictedidol, on 10/12/2007, -5/+3omfg. This thing guesses right every time :( I wish I could do that.


    Its almost unbelievable
  • ErrorS, on 10/12/2007, -4/+40People's ignorance ruins sites like this..

    Ok, I know it's not the most important thing to have knowledge of, but check this out:

    You were thinking of a catfish.
    Can you see it in a zoo? You said Sometimes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
    Is it heavy? You said Sometimes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
    Can it scratch? You said Probably, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
    Is it black? You said Sometimes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
    Is it spotted? You said Sometimes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
    Is it a predator? You said Sometimes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
    Would you find it on a farm? You said Probably, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
    Does it smell bad? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
    Does it have scales? You said No, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Yes.
    Is it larger than a microwave oven(or bread box)? You said Sometimes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.

    They're all wrong.. and there's nothing I can do about it.

    IM SO ANGRY, people, please help me fix misconceptions people have about catfish... I don't know how you can all sleep at night.

    And for those of you who are a bit thicker than others, I'm joking about the seriousness of this.. not joking about 20q being wrong though
    • hdtvdust, on 10/12/2007, -7/+4A catfish can't scratch. The site is riht about that. You can scratch yourself while handling one. But it cannot scratch you.
    • ErrorS, on 10/12/2007, -2/+12Not true, their fins are spines.. In my aquarium my large catfish have cut into other large fish (on accident) just swimming passed them.
    • BrownBag, on 10/12/2007, -0/+32If the AI is being tweaked by people's perceptions, and most people are idiots, then the AI is becoming more stupid each day. Poor AI, it had so much promise. just joking....kinda...well not really. It did not guess a guitar tuner after 26 questions, then it asked a different set of questions and got it in 17, pretty good.
    • hdtvdust, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1spiny fins are not scratching.
    • beedo34, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1which is also not a scratch. a catfish can puncture your finger or something with its spines, but not scratch you like a claw.
      believe me, i'm from the south
    • ErrorS, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2they do scratch you though. The edges are serrated and the tips are sharp..

      anyways, I can't expect it to be right about somethign so obscure. It has nailed just about any other (more common) item I have put forward. It just guessed "Jaws" in 17 questions, "Mines of Moria" in 19, "mushroom" in 12, etc.

      Then again, I said sometimes a baseball bat would be synthetic, sometimes it would be shiny, sometimes it would be colorful and it said I was wrong.

      All in all, I can't believe how far it has come since it started up.
    • ErrorS, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I hate double posting but it cut me off while I was editing.

      Anyways, I'm a competitive fisherman and I breed tropical cats in tanks. I have a dozen scars to prove that they do indeed 'scratch'.. run your arm, with some pressure, along the pectoral or dorsal fin of a channel cat or a bullhead and it will scratch you, I guarantee it.
    • benguild, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I got that when I thought of 'web browser' (lol I know.) In one of the many contradictions 20Q said there were, one of them was "does it use electricity?" I said no but everyone else says yes. Since when the ***** does a web browser use electricity? The computer does, not the program itself...It's like...Not physical...
    • patch, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6@benguild

      You try using a web browser without any electricity! Pushing all of those bits manually(ie without electrical signals) would be rough stuff.

      On a related note, this is also why I hate 20 questions. I always get so wrapped up in the accuracy of the answers/questions and I never trust anyone, and always doubt myself.
    • spyrochaete, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The game gets more data the more you play it. It's not the game that's dumb, it's the players. You think the game knows what a catfish is?

      When you finish a game it tells you very clearly that if you disagree with the answers, play the same topic a couple of times to train it.
    • eoncire, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Agreed:

      You were thinking of a tape measure.
      Is it bright? You said Sometimes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
      Is it yellow? You said Sometimes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
      Is it black? You said Sometimes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
      Is it found on a desk? You said Sometimes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
      Is it shiny? You said Sometimes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
      Can it be washed? You said Probably, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
      Contradictions Detected

      Its not bright, yellow, black or shiny?!?!? What kind of tape measures to people use?!?! FatMax=yellow and black Old school tapes are metal (shiny). if they loose their shine, then you could probably wash it to make it shine like new. AND, i have a tape sitting on my desk right now.

    • eoncire, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Usually don't reply right after myself, but I have to share this one......

      You were thinking of a light switch.
      Does it have a hole in it? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No. -screw holes?
      Does it come in a box? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No. -has anyone ever bought one?!?!
      Could you send it in the mail? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No. -come on....seriously
      Does it have writing on it? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No. -ON/OFF
      Contradictions Detected

      //WTF?
  • addictedidol, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1 ! It didn't guess George W. Bush. lol!
    • goosepillows, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4yet it gets Howard the Duck in 16...
      infer something about society's priorities. do it!
  • Regulator980, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Interesting. It seems to gain its "artificial intelligence" by taking the answers of other players and comparing them to your own. I got it to go to 29 questions before it gave up and said "You Won!" Then it told me it found contradictions in my answers and that I was wrong. Oh and btw, I was thinking of Jon Stewart.
  • krazytom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+13it's crazy because it will just ask a whole bunch of questions not seeming to be pinpointing what you're talking about and then BAM... Damn it! ... yes I was think of Waffles.
  • fLUx1337, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4WHAT THE HELL?!

    It just guessed that I was thinking of Eastenders?!

    /me goes to have another try...
  • IckyChris, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1I played this when it first came out. It was pretty bad then.
    ....trying now.

    Meh. I now remember why I stopped playing back then.
    • ohnnyj, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1I took < 120 seconds to go through 20 questions?
  • hdtvdust, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It gussed itself in 16 questions.
  • hdtvdust, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1digg is not in this database.
  • tracespeck, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Am I wrong that there are not any areas in south america with palm trees growing naturaly?

    "Is it native to South America? You said Sometimes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Doubtful."
    • cros, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I've seen them in Guyana and Venezuela so I would say that they are native to South America, yes.
    • DevilsAdv0cate, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Growing naturally does not necessarily mean it is native.
  • interiot, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2If there's one thing I've learned from visiting the "Random Page" feature on Wikipedia, it's that there's a gazillion biographies out there, more than any other category of articles. I picked William Gibson, and by question 14, it figured out I was talking about an author, but with only 6 questions left, it was a pretty long-shot to try to pin down which one, and it didn't get close... no way will 20Q accurately know which of the thousands of writers I could have guessed have dark hair, or any of the other minutiae about the millions of famous people out there.
    • hdtvdust, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I have different experiences with it. It will usually guess what I am thinking about (in terms of a writer, or actor, of baseball player) pretty quickly. But hen for no reason it changes it line of questioning to something else.

      So, I will pcik a baseball player, and by the 5th question it will have pinned baseball down. But then for no reason it starts asking me if I have ever played football. And then if I ever won a Superbowl.

      Now, I know that it could be trying to narrow it down to, say, Bo Jackson or Deion Sanders. But once I say that I didn't play football, there is no reason to ask me about the Superbowl.
  • ErrorS, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8Wow, I just tried movies and it is totally off.

    I just finished watching LOTR so I picked the Mines of Moria. The first few questions were OK, "Did you win best picture?", that kind of stuff..

    I'm tired, can somenoe tell me if it's me or the test? Do these questions make any sense whatsoever?

    "Are you a main character?"

    WTF?

    "Were you a guest voice on The Simpsons? "

    I have no idea how to answer this..
    • ErrorS, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Ok, I answered "No" and this was its response:

      Q17. I am guessing that it is Mordor?
      Right, Wrong, Close

      Close enough, I had to do a double take when I saw that question asked.. unbelievable
  • StrikerF35, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Obviously, at the ripe old age of 95, 20Q is still a virgin. Either that or it's got some nasty diseases. It was totally stumped on condom.

  • SillyDigger, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3...It never guessed Steve Gutenberg. *shrug*
  • Jesse, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I don't think it's impressiveness lies in its ability to assign probabilities to answers and kinda stumble upon an answer, but that it tells your so much about its regular audience. Basically, it guesses well because you're a nerd or a geek, and mostly nerd and geeks play it. Of course when I think of Richard Feynman it's first real guess will be "Richard Feynman". He's popular amongst us. Never mind the answers I gave could also be attributed to, say, Claude Shannon.

    I'll put this game in front of some 50 year old, like my mom, who's still very Indian and as tech-savvy as wilted corn. Let's see how it does then.
  • beedo34, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1it couldn't get "leaf blower". it was pretty close when it guessed hair dryer, but i still beat it
  • inkswamp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Ha! I just beat 20Q. I picked an obscure band from the 70s that I like called Patto. After 30+ questions, it finally gave up and asked me who I was thinking of.

    The funny thing is that it took a whole bunch of guesses right before giving in and all the guesses were very much in the ballpark--bands from that era with similar styles of music.
  • AnotherCanadian, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1it's just a database of words to which you apply filters. not really an AI
  • robmcm, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It got Steven Garrard after guessing Michael Jordan on the 19th go...

    I think the question, are you a hero helped!

    Lets see if it can get Salif Dioa
  • ErrorS, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2I can't get over this..

    I pick some rap group I listened to as a teenager, one that isn't nearly as popular as it use to be and it guesses it in 23 questions.. I'm guessing most of you don't even know who this group is.

    Q24. I am guessing that it is Bone Thugs-N-Harmony?
    Right, Wrong, Close

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    23. Do you perform Rap? Yes.
    22. Does your name start with the letter B? Yes.
    21. Does your name consist of two words? No.
    20. I guessed that it was The Wu-Tang Clan? Close.
    19. Do you appear in movies? No.
    18. Do you perform Pop? No.
    17. Are you a fusion of music genres? Yes.
    16. Are you black? Yes.
    15. Are you a group? Yes.
    14. Did you make Rolling Stone magazine's 500 greatest songs list? No.
    13. Did you impact music history? Yes.
    12. Were you popular in the '70s? No.
    11. Are you a classic? No.
    10. Have you performed live since 2000? Yes.
    9. Were you popular in the '40s? No.
    8. Are you female? No.
    7. Would a harmonica typically be used in your type of music? No.
    6. Are you Japanese? No.
    5. Are you a composer? No.
    4. Are you from the U.S.? Yes.
    3. Did you have a Top 40 hit in 2005? No.
    2. Do you play electric guitars? No.
    1. It is classified as Person.

    Skills..
    • injury0314, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Hate to break it to you buddy, but you weren't the only teenager back then.

      And I don't even listen to rap.
    • ErrorS, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Yeah, I'm dumb.. but I get in defensive mode when mentioning that I like rap, publicly, on the internet..
  • adenansu, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2just played it three times in a row. twice it totally failed, only once did it eventually guess right (question 28).

    this things just as crappy as it was back when it first came out. the problem with accepting input from anyone is that the lowest common denominator will be considered the equal level.
  • jeuhrn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+120q movies just guessed De Lorean in 17 questions :D i was thinking of the time machine in back to the future.
  • MetalLizard, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I won with burrito. Seriously.
  • Rhinobird, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I just stumped it 3 times in a row with movies I've seen. Apparently what I watch no else have ever seen.

    Robinson Crusoe on Mars, Explorers, Frailty, Solaris. I am the only one who's seen them.

    Although it did guess The Smurfs and Real American Hero
  • TheRingo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Holy *****. It guessed Marc Bolan in 19 questions.
  • Hackdaddy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2
    I was thinking "aglet", the thing on the end of shoelaces, and I got this this:

    Q22. I am guessing that it is a crucifix?
    Right, Wrong, Close
    21. Is it human powered? No.
    20. I guessed that it was a baton? Wrong.
    19. Do you use it in public? Yes.
    18. I guessed that it was a stethoscope? Wrong.
    17. Is it found on a desk? No.
    16. Is it flat? No.
    15. Does it have a handle? No.
    14. Does it open? No.
    13. Can it be used for recreation? Sometimes.
    12. Is it shiny? Yes.
    11. Is it pleasurable? No.
    10. Do you hold it when you use it? Yes.
    9. Does it process data? No.
    8. Is it something you bring along? Yes.
    7. Does it go in your mouth? No.
    6. Does it have ears? No.
    5. Is it round? No.
    4. Does it go inside other things? No.
    3. Is it found in mines? No.
    2. Does it weigh more than a duck? No.
    1. It is classified as Mineral.
    • TheGameAddict, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Which is a mineral because....???
  • 3fingerstyle, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1okay, thats fine, I feel for the catfish guy (I got lots of fish), but if you think people are dumb, get this....it told me that charcoal was a mineral. WTF?!?
  • injury0314, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0It seems our favorite A.I. just went up in flames.
  • 3fingerstyle, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1but this, this is the funniest one of all...I thought of a weed, you know, a generic term for a undersireable plant

    You were thinking of a weed.
    Is it commonly harvested? You said No, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Yes.
    Can it be used for recreation? You said No, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Yes.
    Can it cheer you up? You said No, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Yes.
    Contradictions Detected

    hmmm...wonder what they were thinking of
  • Kinsbane, on 10/12/2007, -8/+1I didn't wanna play X number of times over again regarding Firefly, so I sent them an email:

    Hello, there's no other way I could notify you of this in a timely manner but your data regarding Firefly, and the fact that it's based off what other players have said, is actually incorrect because of what players have said. Please adjust your data accordingly:

    You are Firefly.
    Are you still on the air? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No. - Correction: Firefly is currently being broadcast on the Universal HD network - since this network is also carried by DirecTV as well as Dish Network, which are based on a signal sent from a satellite through the air, it stands to reason that, yes, Firefly is still on the air, even though it was canceled by Fox before the end of the first season.


    Were you nominated for an award? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No. - Correction: Firefly was nominated and received several awards, the most prestigious of which came from the Emmy's, where the show won Outstanding Visual Effects for a Series. See the full list here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/awards


    Are you about war? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No. - Correction: Firefly is, indeed, about a war - in fact, it's even about a post-war era in the story; but the current story is that there is a war being fought between the crew of the Firefly-class ship "Serenity" and the Alliance, the makeup of China and the USA.


    Are you American? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No. - Correction: In the show's story, the current year is 2517 and it takes place after Earth became uninhabitable and China and USA were the only two powers that remained; as a result, much of the culture and the societies portrayed on the show are a mix of Chinese and Old-West American. It stands to reason, that, even being partially American, the show Firefly is American for not only the setting in which it takes place, but also because the show was created in the USA, by an American, Joss Whedon.


    Do you involve someone who is on the run? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is Doubtful. - Correction: Other players said this was doubtful, however, this question is absolutely a "Yes"-answered question. In the show Firefly, Malcom Reynolds, Captain of the Firefly-class ship "Serenity" and his crew are actually smugglers. The police force, or authority figure in the show, is the Alliance who basically went to war with all of the colonized planets in order to bring them under one rule. Not only that, but in the pilot episode, Malcolm Reynolds is seen telling his mechanic, Kaylee, to look for people who will pay passage to another planet. It is there that they pick up Simon and River Tam. River Tam is portrayed as the smartest person in the galaxy, and was sent away at a young age to an Alliance "Academy". In actuality, this "Academy" was actually a medical and psychological testing and engineering facility whose sole purpose was to re-write River Tam's brain and turn her into the one weapon that could extinguish the series' "monsters" - the Reavers. Thus, because of jobs and situations and sacrifices on the part of the main characters, yes, Firefly involves several people who are on the run.


    Are you about people who are lost? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No. - Correction: As noted above, Simon and River Tam escaped from an Alliance medical facility and are on the run. However, they have no one to turn to (except the crew of Serenity) and can be considered "lost", simply because they have not found their way.


    Have you been syndicated? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No. - Correction: As noted above, in regards to the first question about Firefly still being on the air: As I mentioned, Universal HD channel is broadcast among all the major HD TV providers: Time Warner, Comcast, Cox, DirecTV, and Dish Network. Firefly was just recently syndicated on the Universal HD network at a time slot of not only Thursday nights at 8pm, but also Fridays at 5pm. Since the show lasted only 14 episodes (thanks to Fox's stupid genius), the current syndication cycle for Firefly is over. But to answer this question, yes, Firefly has been syndicated.

    Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. Further info on the Firefly TV series can be seen on Wikipedia at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly_Show

    I hope my letter to you clears up any confusion.
  • tdmoney, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Looks like it's down

    when it comes back up I'll see if it can guess "digg effect"
  • Unlimited, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Digg broke it... Maybe it will know Digg after this incident
    Can it destroy A.I.s? ... Yes
    Can it burn down whole Servers? ... Yes
  • AlexApetrei, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Ok, this thing doesn't know what an ant eater is ...

    Intelligent my ass.
    30. You should have guessed by the 20th question, it's a friking ant eater ... ***** swordfish , meh.
    29. I guessed that it was a greyhound? Wrong.
    28. Can it run fast? Yes.
    27. I guessed that it was a swordfish? Wrong.
    Is it dangerous? Unknown.
    26. Does it have a long nose? Yes.
    25. Does it have a hole in it? Irrelevant.
    24. I guessed that it was a white tiger? Wrong.
    23. Is it a wild animal? Yes.
    22. I guessed that it was an orca? Wrong.
    21. Is it black and white? Yes.
    20. I guessed that it was a siberian husky? Wrong.
    19. Does it eat grass? No.
    18. Can it carry people? No.
    17. I guessed that it was a Shetland pony? Wrong.
    16. Can you hold it? No.
    15. Is it tall? No.
    14. Is it colourful? No.
    13. Is it used by the police? No.
    12. Does it have a bushy tail? Yes.
    11. Does it swim? Yes.
    10. Can you play games with it? Irrelevant.
    9. Is it very, very expensive? Yes.
    8. Is it small? No.
    7. Can it be trained to obey commands? Yes.
    6. Is it smart? Yes.
    5. Is it grey? Yes.
    4. Is it a type of dog? No.
    3. Does it have a long tail? Yes.
    2. Is it something you can purchase? Yes.
    1. It is classified as Animal.
  • FKnight, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3The very first question, I said I was a person. Then it asked me if *I* was a comedy.

    This thing sucks out of the gate.
  • dtfinch, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It never heard of Nozomi Tsuji I guess.
  • sh0k, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Wow, it guessed Newton without even asking anything remotely science related.

    Damn errors. Newton never married...
  • Alimack, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I tried football (as in soccer), and it gave up after 26 questions. It got "the game of baseball" after 16 or so, then it went off on a tangent. Are you the ocean?

    Turns out football wasn't even on its list.
  • tdmoney, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0From the questions it asks I have no idea how it comes up with the answers

    Q20. I am guessing that it is Randy Couture?
    Right, Wrong, Close
    19. Does one bet on you? Yes.
    18. Are you a forward in the NHL? No.
    17. Were you ever known for homeruns? No.
    16. Are you black? No.
    15. Are you a relatively young athlete? No.
    14. Do you keep track of the score? No.
    13. Would you be found in a gym? Yes.
    12. Do you wear special shoes? No.
    11. Were you popular in the '90s? Yes.
    10. Have you ever won a World Cup? No.
    9. Were you ever a part of the Olympics? No.
    8. Does your sport involve jumping? Doubtful.
    7. Do you involve a referee? Yes.
    6. Are you made out of nylon? No.
    5. Are you dangerous? Yes.
    4. Do you use a ball? No.
    3. Are you fast? Yes.
    2. Are you a household name? Doubtful.
    1. It is classified as Person.
  • topdeck55, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1You were thinking of a carrot.
    Are there many different sorts of it? You said Yes, 20Q was taught by other players that the answer is No.
  • prockcore, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1What's crazy is that 20Q has been running since 1988. I'd say it knows as much as any 19 year old :)
    • sotopheavy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is a foolish assumption. It does not "know" anything. Try asking it some questions instead of the other way around.
  • steveabb1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I was only mildly impressed until this:

    Q17. I am guessing that it is Motörhead?
    Right, Wrong, Close
    16. Are you a classic? Yes.
    15. Are you known for wearing black? Yes.
    14. Do you have a drug or drinking problem? Yes.
    13. Do you play Alternative music? No.
    12. Does your name consist of two words? No.
    11. Do you have blonde hair? No.
    10. Are you fond of wearing leather pants? Yes.
    9. Do you have strings? Yes.
    8. Do you perform Pop? No.
    7. Were you popular in the '60s? No.
    6. Does your name start with the letter S? No.
    5. Have you been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? No.
    4. Are you from the U.S.? No.
    3. Have you had a Top 40 hit in the last 5 years? No.
    2. Are you more than one person? Yes.
    1. It is classified as Person.

    Awesome...
  • yaosio, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Adolf Hitler was not known for his live performances. bravo Internet citizens!
    • crashflow, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4ever seen footage of his speeches?
  • vsujohn2, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1My Favorite
    26. Are you related to the military? Yes.
    25. Were you popular in the '80s? Yes.
    24. Are you considered controversial? Yes.
    23. Are you involved with fighting? Yes.
    22. I guessed that it was Rosa Parks? Close.
    21. Were you popular in the '50s? Doubtful.
    20. I guessed that it was Ray Charles? Close.
    19. I guessed that it was Frederick Douglass? Close.
    18. Are you African American? Yes.
    17. Do parents like you? Yes.
    16. Do you have facial hair? No.
    15. Are you involved in politics? Yes.
    14. Are you very popular in Europe? Sometimes.
    13. Are you skinny? Yes.
    12. Are you American? Yes.
    11. Are you white? No.
    10. Did you die before the year 1900? Yes.
    9. Are you tall? Yes.
    8. Do you have dark hair? Yes.
    7. Do you have gray hair? Yes.
    6. Were you on American Idol? Yes.
    5. Are you still alive? No.
    4. Are you still on the air? No.
    3. Are you an actor? No.
    2. Are you often featured in the tabloids? No.
    1. Do you have children? Yes.
    Jefferson Davis??
  • Bladeva, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1That was nuts! It worked out thatit was Charlton Heston from me only answering 26 questions and I know practically nothing about the guy, wow!
  • giynn, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Dugg down for being lame. I did it five times and it never got it right.

    1. Woman.
    2. Wind.
    3. Dick.
    4. Mongoose.
    5. Glynn.

    ***** A.I. I've ever seen in my life. See ya.
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