I didn't cut it

[Popcorn Sutton]

I just received a letter from MIT admissions to the BCS department. They denied me. I'm sad.

 

I'm stuck now with no back up plan. I was going to share my code for the talking machine too (i was going to share it today for the sake of science and the benefit it may have to humanity) but now my heart is aching and I need to determine my own path for survival. It may be the only thing I have.

 

While I was waiting for the letter, alot of people (professors included) suggested that I probably got accepted, so it was a bit of a surprise to me.

 

Anyway, I need to live and pay off my debt somehow. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

About the program though, it's all set up. I have the code and it should be able to learn any language (even dolphin). I have no doubt about the use this program will have and that when people experience it for themselves, they will see the value as well. So I guess I'll focus on that.

Edited March 18, 2013 by Popcorn Sutton

[Ringer]

You could always apply to other schools

[Popcorn Sutton]

I'm considering my options. I'm more of a production minded person. I don't think I'm stupid, but I also know that school can be very stressful, and I don't want to be obligated to follow a specific course. I need flexibility with my studies. Theres so much that I want to do to make the world a better place, I'm afraid that I won't have the opportunity to do these things.

[ydoaPs]

If you ever get that wing thing figured out, you could make quite a bit of money in show business.

[Popcorn Sutton]

I need the materials and I need the tools and I need time most importantly. Given all that, I could probably build a pair.

 

Maybe I'll just let the big boys handle the problems and focus on myself

[Ringer]

There are a few schools I know of that allow you to make your own major as long as it involves classes that are already present and isn't just a take everything because I want to major.

[ajb]

All we can really say is that there are plenty of other universities out there. Apply to others.

[Popcorn Sutton]

What are some of those schools with freedom?

[CharonY]

I would be surprised if the MIT undergrad curriculum would allow you the freedom that you describe. At that level you are supposed to learn some fundamentals which requires practice, and a certain amount of rigor.

[Popcorn Sutton]

I applied to the PhD program

[Klaynos]

What undergrad and postgrad qualifications have you got (as that may to some extent limit choices)?

[Popcorn Sutton]

B.S. in Philosophy and Linguistics

[Klaynos]

What broad subject would you like to do a PhD in?

[Popcorn Sutton]

My interests are software engineering and biomechanical synthesis. I also like theoretical aspects, but I'm more of a production minded person.

 

My goals in life are here-

Create a program that will become an expert in various subjects and make it useful.

Create insect wings that are scaled up to be usable for humans. (requires a microscope, a high speed camera)

Possibly create a new type of fuel that we can use to travel to space.

Help wherever I can with my particular insight.

 

What I want-

A lot of time to spend on my interests (which will benefit the rest of humanity as well).

Enough money to survive and fund my projects (which will be dependent on where I live).

Not to have the added stress and anxiety of an obligatory, irrelevant work load (such as repairing stone chips and writing rules for language)

To reduce, and possibly eliminate our fear of rejection.

To help enhance our ability to survive and do the things we want to do as a species.

[Klaynos]

That sounds a little unrealistic without winning the lottery or similar. But if you've really written a good working pattern recognition code in 70 linea I'd sell the code to say google and live off that. You'd have to prove it works though.

 

Take just the insect wing idea I know a researcher who has been working on that for 40 years and is only now getting to working models.

[Popcorn Sutton]

I'm working on getting the code up asap. I'm also trying to introduce a search like function so we can avoid the issues that cleverbot runs into. It doesn't remember what it was talking about and I have a hunch as to why.

[Klaynos]

Cleverbot, as I understand it, doesn't really do pattern recognition but word matching and reproducing rsponses it's aware of when those words have been used.

[Popcorn Sutton]

I think that I originated the concept of pattern recognition. I know that the field was very concerned with sentences and their structures. Cleverbot ignored the structure and went straight to the conditioned response. It doesnt seem like the bot uses any of my techniques. My program will produce responses like ['the universe', 'l', 'it is', 'ooks like', 'a chotch']. This type of response is well received, and I think people will welcome it when they see how it really works. You could bring up selling pancakes at the beginning of the conversation with the bot, and 20 inputs later, it will produce a response like [' what is', 'selling pancakes', '?']. I'm happy to see this happening and it seems like a big achievement. I can use these responses as evidence for my theories (which have cross ontological implications) so it's nice.

[ajb]

My goals in life are here-

Create a program that will become an expert in various subjects and make it useful.

Create insect wings that are scaled up to be usable for humans. (requires a microscope, a high speed camera)

Possibly create a new type of fuel that we can use to travel to space.

I would not put that on the PhD application forms. Unless, you are applying for a PhD in either computer science, biomechanical engineering or chemical engineering.

[CharonY]

I would be careful in these disciplines, too.