Q: What is the ultimate goal of AI
research?
A: There are
probably as many opinions about the ultimate goal
of artificial intelligence (AI) research as there
are AI researchers. The answer to this question
has been controversial for decades within the
field of AI research.
There are those who believe—sometimes
with great passion—that technologists will
one day be able to build a computer with all the
cognitive, memory, and emotional capabilities
of the human brain. These people are sometimes
called the “strong” AI proponents.
A few of these “strong” advocates
believe that computers will someday be more intelligent
than human beings. It is common to hear such researchers
say that this is the ultimate frontier of science.
On the other hand, there are
other AI researchers who think that research into
how human minds work can be useful in building
better computer systems, regardless of whether
we pursue a goal of full machine intelligence.
In other words, these “weak” AI proponents
believe that human cognition and its applicability
to computers is an interesting research field
in itself, and a field that may help make computers
easier to use, more useful to people, and better
at what computers are good at doing. The products
of this research may not resemble human intelligence.
Some “weak” AI proponents say that
computers are obviously superior to human beings
at some tasks, and it’s the job of AI research
to figure out how to optimize those capabilities,
instead of making computers more like people.
The ultimate answer to your question
is that there is no single answer. Each researcher—indeed,
each observer of the field of AI research—is
likely to answer your question differently.
Q: What is the most useful
computer language to learn these days?
A: The answer
to this question is debated endlessly by computer
programmers and computer scientists. In general,
the answer depends on what you want to do with
computers and programming:
1. If you hope to work in the
field of Web publishing or e-commerce, the combination
of Java, Structured Query Language (SQL), and
“middleware” programs such as Active
Server Pages (ASP) seems like a good bet.
2. If you’re interested in developing computer
applications for sale to PC customers, you might
want to try C++ or its variations.
3. If you’re attracted by the claims of
the open source software movement and want to
use the Linux or BSD Unix operating systems, you’ll
probably be combining C++ with open source coding
languages such as Perl, PHP, mySQL, or Python.
4. If you’re just getting started and want
to learn something about programming and build
some basic skills, Microsoft’s Visual Basic
for Windows and Real Software’s RealBasic
for the Macintosh are excellent choices.
In general, there are two classes
of languages that are useful today: object-oriented
languages such as Java and C++, and database structure
languages such as SQL. In the long run, learning
the basics of these concepts will be the most
valuable strategy.
Q: How does a hacker
hack?
A: The term
hacker originally referred to a programmer who
develops computer programs by hacking the code
until it works, instead of using formal, structured
programming techniques. Many computer programmers
still use the word with this meaning. But the
news media has used the term hacker to refer to
someone who breaks into computer systems without
authorization, and this use of the word has stuck
with the public. (Computer experts often use the
word cracker for people who break into computer
systems.)
How do people break into, or
hack into, computer systems? There are many ways.
Probably the most common way is simply to try
many different things until some method works,
which is the connection to the old meaning of
hacking. Hackers often try using pairs of account
names and passwords until one combination grants
them entry into the computer system. This is why
it’s important to keep your account name
and password secret and to change them every now
and then.
Hackers are also known to share
information with one another about how to break
into systems. As computer security gets more sophisticated,
hackers do too. This is an ongoing and probably
permanent problem for a society dependent on computers
and computer networks such as the Internet.
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