Will a robot be the next InCo participant?

[mailartist]

All I can say about this is, "Serious"?


http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovati...riting-n322906

[Morgaine]

Well, there goes handwritten signature authentication... cheques? paying by card but not via chip and pin.. ? "Although it looks like my handwriting, I did not write it"

[Holsworth]

I saw this a few weeks ago, I may have done some swearing at the computer.

[mailartist]

I saw this a few weeks ago, I may have done some swearing at the computer.

I did look for a date/time stamp on the page with the NBC feature (much as for postings on the FPGeeks forum), but there was nothing beyond a quizzical "4 hours."

My assumption was that it had been posted four hours previous, and thus was recent information, but apparently that was not the case. Apologies to those folks for whom this was old news, but I guess I missed it the first go-around.

[ThriveToScribe]

All I can say about this is, "Serious"?


http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovati...riting-n322906

All I can say about this is "Why?"

(not to mention the irony of employing professional Calligraphers to support a function that will eventually render them and their work obsolete)

{{{ Sigh }}}




~~~Thérèse

[Holsworth]

I saw this a few weeks ago, I may have done some swearing at the computer.

I did look for a date/time stamp on the page with the NBC feature (much as for postings on the FPGeeks forum), but there was nothing beyond a quizzical "4 hours."

My assumption was that it had been posted four hours previous, and thus was recent information, but apparently that was not the case. Apologies to those folks for whom this was old news, but I guess I missed it the first go-around.

Sorry, it wasn't the NBC piece I'd seen, someone I follow on Twitter linked directly to the website.

[Jon Szanto]

(not to mention the irony of employing professional Calligraphers to support a function that will eventually render them and their work obsolete)

I know many a musician that lined up to book studio sessions back in the late 90's, to record sample libraries. They would get a good paycheck for a couple of days work, and all of the individual notes they played were recorded and then edited up into the sample libraries, which then composers and other performers utilized to reproduce those sounds, never again having to hire those tiresome players.

That is just a bit of "black-and-white" telling of the story, but essentially that is what happened. There is still live music, there are still people playing in recording studios, but there is a whole hell of a lot less than there once was. Technology has two, distinct edges on it's cutting surface...

[mailartist]

Sorry, it wasn't the NBC piece I'd seen, someone I follow on Twitter linked directly to the website.

The ambiguous date of the NBC piece still stands (at least in my mind) because I had another penpal who said he had seen the piece before this. What's of more interest than discussing when this was posted (and which we may never know) are the issues that it raises.

So, here's a question for all: Would there ever be a point where, in your mind, a robot-scribed letter would be equivalent to an authentic, hand-written one?

I have thought about this, and I can't see it, at least for me. Granted, it would be an effortless way to toss off InCo 2016. I could type one message; have it duplicated on 28 cards (or is it 29 next year?); and have some minimum-wage, office gerbil there seal the envelopes, affix the stamps, and mail them on the appropriate days. An easy way to WOO-HOO! get my "completion certificate," but somehow, without the writing work, the accomplishment would FEEL thin.

Rather the best letters, IMHO, are those that feel embedded in the gooeyness of life. Letter writing should happen in process of time, and often that time includes the smart phone buzzing the arrival of new texts, a cat demanding to be let out (again), and having to get up from the kitchen table (twice) to stir the oatmeal. Sometimes, it involves clearing the kitchen table, or finding writing space at the roll top desk, or of suspending momentarily to "Ex-Lax" a constipated pen. That's what I like about it: a letter that is tactile and fringed with "the now."

While a "robot secretary" might help arthritic or disabled hands "handwrite" letters like old times, a robotic note could never be any better than the words that form it. And since composing a robotic letter doesn't differ much from typing an email, I can't see it taking any longer than an email to compose. Thus it would be shorn of the "messiness of intrusive life" factor. Personally, I like getting letters where writers grouse about how cranky their pen is being. It's an added feel of authenticity. It's hard to "software fake" that.

Besides, I can't see that a robot-written note from the manager at the Chevrolet dealership, for example, would compel me to purchase a car there, even if it was in his or her own handwriting (like I would recognize that it was the manager's handwriting as opposed to just someone in the office). Maybe this is just a marketing scheme that promises the significant and personal, without the writer having to invest the time to achieve significant, personal things. The best things in life involve some degree of effort, no?

So, would such technology ever replace your handwritten letters? Would a robot-written letter feel the same to receive? If no, why?

[mmahany]

I think many of you are thinking about this on a micro level. I can think of many instances where this would be absolutely beneficial.

Business Advertising- Occasionally I’ll get marketing letters in the mail with text that looks to be handwritten. I immediately take a closer look and if it’s computer printed, it goes straight to the trash. Obviously, I don’t enjoy receiving solicitations in the mail, but from a company/business perspective it would absolutely add value.

Christmas Cards- Some people like to handwrite Christmas cards. I get that and I’m not speaking to that. However, many people have gone to computerized Christmas cards largely due to convenience. This service would provide a nice touch (although still artificial) that, in theory, would be unrecognizable from a true hand-written card. The same could be said for wedding invitations or any other generic letters needing to be mass produces.

In my personal situation:
An elderly family member of mine was upset that I did not send her a thank you card for Christmas last year. Several weeks ago, she spoke to my mother and mentioned she was still expecting this thank you card. My family member does not own a computer and expected a hand-written card. Would absolutely use this service if it had the ability to save my writing mannerisms for future Thank You cards.

[bruce]

Again why. Why is it we are so insistent in trying to find something to do something that looks like something else. It's almost an obsession. The worst part it is often seen as design innovation. From the plastic wood-grain sides on the inumerable station-wagonss we had when I was a kid to more recently when I went out to purchase an exterior lamp for our house. Every lamp on offer was made to look like a gas lamp or some kind or oil/candle powered running lamp normally seen on a horse carriage.

The idea that all craftsmanship died with the defeat of romanticism and death of william morris. And the belief that everything from this era was somehow not only the sin qua non of cultural aspiration and somehow magically enobled and morally superior, but that it could be improved upon and made manifestly better by technical and mechanical wizardry underwrote the bloodiest century in human existence and shows no signs of letting up.

The wiz-bang optimism of this piece is just plain sad, if not a little frightening. That such an incredible level of deceit would be placed at the centre of a sales pitch, in fact -be- the sales pitch is indicative and disturbing. Freedom still consists of not letting others do for you things you could do yourself. Write on I say.

[mmahany]

Again why.

I guess I'm confused about the point of your post.

Are you suggesting that we should not attempt to imitate historical trends? If so, I tend to disagree. I'd rather a small attempt at keeping history alive than no attempt at all.

I like the "retro modern" theme that is popular today. In addition, modern technology has made it affordable for the average person.

To your last point: Freedom consists of the CHOICE to do things yourself or let others do it for you. I absolutely appreciate that as it allows me to spend more time on what I enjoy and less time on what I don't.

Maybe I misinterpreted your post and perhaps you could clarify. However, I have an appreciation for the engineering behind many of these modern attempts at imitating historical trends.

[Jon Szanto]

Imitation is the sincerest form of imitation. I would consider someone paying a machine to draw their heartfelt feelings and sending it to me, barring a sender who had physical disabilities that precluded the act themselves, to be insulting.

[Quantum Sailor]

The why is probably because it's the next step in creating robots that mimic humanlike behavior and functions. Walking on two legs was a huge step forward in robotics. I don't know the specifics but the actual writing seems like something a talented cnc programmer could get a cnc machine to do. However if it's actually learning the way you write that has implications far beyond just writing a letter. Machine learning is a huge field.

[mmahany]

Imitation is the sincerest form of imitation. I would consider someone paying a machine to draw their heartfelt feelings and sending it to me, barring a sender who had physical disabilities that precluded the act themselves, to be insulting.

I respect that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but you must remember that most people in the 21st century do not feel this way. Obviously, the members on this forum are just about the last people this service would cater to.

The topic raises an interesting thought: at what point do you draw the line?

Many people consider fountain pen users “Old Fashioned.” However, even we purchase our pens, paper, and ink from a company, and we pay the USPS to deliver our letters for us. The only additional step we take is to handwrite our words rather than use a computer, machine, or robot to do it for us. It takes more time and effort to handwrite a letter, but couldn't you argue that this service takes just as much time? After all, they require you to submit a sample of your own handwriting.

This service does not create meaningful messages. The thoughts and words must still come from the users. In fact, I’d dare to say that Hallmark cards are more insulting. Not only are you paying a company to write words for you, you’re also paying them to create thoughts and messages as well.
I see little difference between this service and pens, typewriters, computers, or phones. In the end, they’re nothing more than tools for communication. Each has its own purpose and each person has their own preferences on which tool to use and when (if at all).

EDIT: Hypothetically speaking- What if FPGeeks had this service built into the forum? What if, instead of using generic Arial or Times New Roman fonts, you had the ability to create a custom font that mimicked your own handwriting? Do you truly believe not one person would use it?

[Scrawler]

This is a derivative of technology I worked on in the late 1970s, early 1980s.

[Jon Szanto]

I respect that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but you must remember that most people in the 21st century do not feel this way.

1. You have no plausible way to know that.
2. Even if it were true, it wouldn't matter to me.

This service does not create meaningful messages. The thoughts and words must still come from the users. In fact, I’d dare to say that Hallmark cards are more insulting.

Red herring: I never proposed that as an alternative.

Look, do what you want. From my perspective, it is always abundantly clear that the amount of time, care, effort, materials, and personal thought put into any kind of a message is reflective of how much the message means to the sender, and how much they hope it will mean to the recipient. You, and anyone else, are welcome to reduce those elements down to the bare minimum so as to not impact your life flow.

Your response to me, as a whole, unsurprisingly, is thoroughly unconvincing.

[mmahany]

Look, do what you want. From my perspective, it is always abundantly clear that the amount of time, care, effort, materials, and personal thought put into any kind of a message is reflective of how much the message means to the sender, and how much they hope it will mean to the recipient. You, and anyone else, are welcome to reduce those elements down to the bare minimum so as to not impact your life flow.
Your response to me, as a whole, unsurprisingly, is thoroughly unconvincing.

I couldn’t agree more, and I was promoting a similar mindset.

Everyone defines value differently. In my case, I write for enjoyment. I never write when I feel forced because it begins to feel more like work than passion. I’d rather send a random handwritten letter than feel obligated to handwrite a “Thank you for the booze” greeting card. I’m not lazy or ungrateful. It’s just a matter of my own principles.

My comments were meant to be thought provoking. They were not intended to change your mindset, your values, or to get you to think like me. I meant it sincerely when I said “Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.”

In a day where cursive is no longer taught in public schools I appreciate a new technology that makes even a small attempt at keeping handwriting current. Fewer physical letters are being sent and there are more than 2.2billion people on Facebook. Those facts may not prove my comments, but I feel they strongly support them.

For me, I see this as an alternative to an email, Microsoft Word Document, or Facebook message. I do not see it as an alternative to true handwritten letters. My comments weren’t meant to bastardize the practice of handwriting letters. I was simply comparing this technology with technologies from the recent past and present.

[Quantum Sailor]

It does have significant implications for forgery.....

[Jon Szanto]

My comments were meant to be thought provoking.

They were. If they weren't (as in the past) I wouldn't bother engaging you! However, I came home to find myself tasked with a couple of things, so it may be until tomorrow before I get back on this.

[VertOlive]

I've gotten some envelopes lately that fooled me into thinking they were InCo letters from new pen pals, the cursive seemed so authentic. But then I saw the generic printed postal stamp and realized they were sent from people trying to get past my junk mail bin at the door.

Like mmahany, I can see the use of these in business depending on the size of the business. On holidays and birthdays, my husband still writes "How are you doing" notes to people for whom he has done funerals. In a larger funeral home this might be a help if there were no cheesy printed stamps to give them away!