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Mar-28-2007 12:03

I've been using the Sleuth Helper and I find it very helpful. Sometimes when I get a lot of true alibis, the sleuth finder assumes the rest of the suspects are fake, and automatically arranges it that way. Can I assume that the slueth helper is correct? Because sometimes my suspect won't tell me the alibi, but I don't want to falsly accuse. Thanks!

Oct-31-2007 12:40

*sighs*

How many times do I hafta say this?? HOW MANY TIMES???

A computer is NOT PERFECT, people. Despite what you've been taught by the media, your schooling, and whatever other propaganda that's out there, a computer's only as good as the idiot that built and programmed the thing. It's simply doing what a HUMAN told it to do somewhere down the line. Somewhere, somehow, it's gonna make a mistake. May not happen often, but it WILL happen. Our boards are full of reported boo-boos all the time.

Bottom line, count your real alibis, keep an eye on your false ones. Use the helpers for what they are--A GUIDE. If you're not sure the computer's done it's work, go back and do it by hand. Double check everything yourself. Yeah, it's bothersome and boring. What, you'd rather be Shady's newest best friend??

*contemplates burning an effigy of Bill Gates....* :-.

Oct-31-2007 12:59

I'm sorry to make you upset on all hallows eve, Breitkat! Hope to see you at Big Lucys, where I'll buy you a drink if you forgive me.

I see your point, but still wonder why a formerly thrustworthy tool suddenly takes a turn for the worse. Haven't made any updates or changes locally, that's why I wonder if any others have noticed anything.

Oct-31-2007 13:28

There was a similar bug and discussion with another helper a few days ago, Verne. Several people on that thread were convinced down to their bones that the computer was 1. doing everything perfectly, and 2. had picked up a bug. (Does this sound like a paradox to anyone else, or is it just me??) They could NOT be convinced that computers were not perfect entities, and would never have an occasional programming error or slipup.

To me, that's incredibly dangerous thinking. The best computer that's ever been built (or prob'ly ever will be) is the one sitting between your ears. Stop using it, and Shady really does deserve every penny he gets (and no, I don't think he DOES always deserve all the money we pay him, so don't start spamming me with hate mail, please).

I use a helper guide, and have for a few weeks now. But for a more than a year, every case that I worked on, I did by hand. I remain convinced that helpers are nice to use, but if you don't know the logistics behind solving a case, you shouldn't be using a helper until you figure them out (ie.--work cases by hand until you figure out how the intricacies behind them work.).

Within the last 10 days, the helper I use has started acting funny as well (and no, it's not the Dr. Watson one). I've tried reloading the program, and gotten the same results, so I don't think it's coming from my end.

However, it's not working screwily enough yet to make me stop using it. What I AM doing is what I always have been doing all along--counting the reals, watching the falses, doublechecking EVERYTHING before I accuse a suspect. And, in roughly 400 cases since the blips started happening, there's been no differences in results from before.

Oct-31-2007 13:34

Am I mad at you, Verne? No, not really. Just please realize that you are your best ally, not the box sitting in front of you. There prob'ly is something going on with the helper. What, exactly, God knows. Unfortunately, He ain't talkin'. I think you still can use the helper with satisfactory results. Hopefully, the people who programmed our respective helpers will figure out what's goin' on with them and get them fixed. If they don't, oh well. If the bugs get worse, people (including me) will simply stop using them, and very probably fill up the boards with complaints (not including me), and we'll go from there.

I'm currently in London, tryin' my best to track down one of those bloomin' Arch Villains. I hope to make it to New York and Big Lucy's today, but this lady's bein' rather stubborn at the moment. So, if I don't make it, have a pint on me, okay?

Take care, Verne, and good luck!! ;-)

Oct-31-2007 22:31

*Bevis voice*

Hehe. Verne said "thrustworthy tool".

:)

Nov-1-2007 00:27

Thanks Crunch! I'd much rather have my mind focused on thrustworthy tools than the rant that went before it. :)

I'm glad I don't have to ask questions on this board any more. Yikes!

Nov-1-2007 15:00

there was a question?

"thrustworthy"... giggles like a school girl.

Nov-1-2007 15:57

THATS NOT .... well, actually it's a little bit hilarious :))) Guess I should have attended those english lessons.

Pyrrhus with his lance pursues,
And often reaches, and his thrusts renews. - Dryden.

Nov-1-2007 22:57

Was Dryden thrustworthy?

Just messing around Verne - like you said, it was a little bit hilarious. In good faith, I'm not gonna make any reacharound rusty trombone jokes. None at all.

Dec-9-2014 00:08

Anyone know where to get Dr. Watsons helper? The link is dead.