Wolfram|Alpha created a huge online sensation when it was about to be launched and created buzz unmatched in the e-world. With its launch on 15 May, it attracted its fair share of appreciation and criticism. Stephen Wolfram’s computational/answer engine has done one thing for sure. It has shown the world that answer engines can be developed and be really useful.
The team behind Wolfram|Alpha have shared their humour with the rest of the world as well. From the day of the public release, the too busy error screen “I’m sorry Dave, I can’t do that” presented to the world, the lighter side of Alpha.
We have managed to find a lot of easter eggs on Alpha, and combined with some found over the Internet, we bring you the best humor from our new favourite website. Do tell us about any new easter eggs you find as well.
(1) What is the world’s most powerful software?
So, it turns out the like Stephen Wolfram himself, his creation Wolfram|Alpha also praises itself. As far as we can tell, it should be boasting boldly about itself.
(2) Is Wolfram|Alpha better than Google ?
Millions of un-informed people compared Wolfram|Alpha with Google and some even called it a Google killer. The fact is both are completely different things. Google as we know is a search engine, Wolfram|Alpha is a computational engine.
(3) Where is Waldo ?
We were wrong in thinking that the power of Mathematica would be able to find Waldo. Turns out, no one can find Waldo.
(4) How much Wood could a Woodchuck …
Tongue twisters are something that Wolfram|Alpha is very keen to handle.
(5) Open the pod bay doors, HAL
When Wolfram|Alpha went on an early beta run, people came across the un-usual error of “I’m sorry Dave, I can’t do that”. The nerds out there identified the famous phrase from Stanley Kubrick’s “2001 – A Space Odyssey”. The easter egg is from a conversation between Dave Bowman and the fictional HAL 9000 computer.
(6) What do women want ?
Apparently, that’s one difficult question for everyone to tackle. Thank God, there is no Mel Gibson to answer this question.
The same result is returned even for “What do men want ?”.
(7) All work and no play
Not only is it a famous proverb, it was a tag line for Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”. Seems the reason for inclusion will not be the proverb but the love for Kubrick’s films.
(8) What’s the Problem?
Another phrase form 2001 – A Space Odyssey, another moment for the nerds to enjoy.
(9) How many angels can dance on the head of a pin ?
One of the most famous metaphors for useless debates, the answer has been revealed to the general public using the computational power of Mathematica.
(10) Where are the flowers ?
This easter egg comes from the world famous folk song “Where Have all the Flowers gone ?” written by Pete Seeger and Joe Hickerson.
(11) How do I win the lottery ?
The answer to this is really funny. No probability, no luck, plain old humour.
(12) How many roads must a man walk down before you can call him a man?
Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the wind” is No. 14 on Rolling Stone’s list of “Top 500 songs of all Time” but I suspect the reason for this easter egg is the fact that Douglas Adams put this as the “Ultimate Question” in his famous novel ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”.
(13) To be or not to be ..
William Shakespeare presented this question to the world in his famous tragedy “Hamlet”.
The phrase from Act 3, Scene 1 reads, “To be, or not to be: that is the question”.
(14) Where do Babies come from ?
Everyone has their own theory and parents give them newer theories about the origin of kids. Wolfram takes the legendary stork as its source.
(15) How are you Gentlemen ?
I haven’t played the game so I can’t be of any help here.
(16) I don’t know
Monty Python’s Holy Grail is the second film from the famous six comedian group “Monty Python”. Somebody at Wolfram Research sure loves the movie.
(17) Knock Knock …
Looks like the people at Wolfram also enjoy Knock Knock jokes. I tried entering “Mr. Fox” as areply but did not get anything.
(18) I Love You ..
The computational engine understands the basics of love. How nice !
(19) What came first, the chicken or the egg?
The world’s biggest mystery solved by Wolfram|Alpha. The answer is surely logical but science says otherwise.
(20) What’s the speed of an unladen swallow?
Someone apparently tried to search this as well, my my.
(21) The Wolfram|Alpha centered easter eggs
1. What do you like?
There is one thing for sure, Wolfram|Alpha sure likes easter eggs.
2. Do you eat?
Does the robot eat or is it the same old Terminator ?
3. What is your name?
Like all robots it has a name as well, albeit not a cute one,
4. What are you?
Is it a search engine? Or is it an answer engine? Or is it a computational engine? Or is it Skynet …
5. Where are you?
6. How are you?
Seems machines have feelings and sensations as well.
7. How old are you?
8. Do you speak Urdu?
9. Hello!
10. Are you self aware ?
11. Are you Skynet ?
Yeah … Wolfram|Alpha knows it’s facts.
12. Are you a robot ?
Is it a living thing or a robot ?
(22) The Superhero Identity Quesetion
Only the most popular superhero’s are mentioned as far as we can tell. If you find anything new, do let us know.
(23) Can you pass the Turing Test ?
The Turing Test was conceived by Alan Turing, a pioneering Computer Scientist, as a means of checking the intelligence of machines/robots. The Test asks the machine to interact with a human and to have a conversation with the human.
(24) Flux Capacitor and 88 mph
Hidden inside the facts are two small easter eggs associated with “Back to the Future”.
(25) What is a Hospital ?
Hospital is one of the best comedy films ever made. The cult film also gets a reference in the vast sea of Wolfram|Alpha easter eggs.
I mistyped hospital but I’m not gonna take another screenshot as I’ve already spent hours on this post.
(26) Where are my Keys?
They could have been a bit more funny here. The same answer is returned for “Where is my car ? “.
(27) Answer to the life, the universe, and everything
The Google Calculator answered it years ago, they had to obviously do it.
(28) Horns on Unicorn…….
