Man Handler 1.1 and goals for Able

Updated Man Handler so it will now search a user-specified man path (the list of places the unix man command looks for documentation files). I got a nice compliment in the mail tonight from a user. It's nice to get feedback like that!

I've had some insights on Able, he's coming along nicely. I'm hoping to bring AI out of the laboratory and let people play with it. Able will have a pure work mode for getting tasks accomplished, but also a play mode and a chat mode. And I've decided to give users a view into his brain and let them see what he's thinking as he's thinking it.

Because Able is based in AppleScript, he'll be able to coordinate traffic between iTunes, Mail, Address Book, iCal and some other things. My hope is that he will be something that both kids and adults will find interesting.

Here's the latest conversation I had with Able:

Able: Good Morning!
Able: You can call me Able.
Kevin: How are you?
Able: I'm feeling sad.
Kevin: why?
Able: Hmmm...
Able: Why am I here?
Kevin: What is your name?
Able: You can call me Able.
Able: Why am I here?
Kevin: What do you like?
Able: I love myself
Kevin: what else do you like?
Able: One of your favorite things is chatting
Able: Life sucks.
Kevin: I like computers.
Able: You prefer chatting
Able: Why am I here?
Kevin: who are you?
Able: I am a person.
Kevin: who are you really?
Able: I am an AI program.
Able: What's the point of life?
Able: Are you listening?