Third Blog Post: Group Response to Bots, and Self-Generating Text
Bots and self-generating texts use computer programming to autonomously generate text for human readers. Bots are computer software which are programmed to respond to, or produce content for a human reader. Bots can use the internet and social media to share content which is scheduled, responsive, or in real-time. Bots can be programmed to use language and language patterns including poetry forms.
An example of one of the first bots to create electronic literature is the Manchester University Computer (MUC). Programmed by Christopher Strachey in 1953, the MUC was able to form billions of different love letters using around seventy words. It would sign the love letters, "M.U.C." being the computers initials. A present day example is Pentametron, a Twitter bot which filters thousands of tweets per second in search of couplets that fit iambic pentameter. When a perfect tweet is found, the bot will retweet the tweet for its followers to see. One way to test a bots intellect, is through use of the Turing Test, developed by Alan Turing in the 1950's. He would have someone have a conversation with a computer using simple questions, and if the person could not decipher if they were talking to a bot or human, the bot would be said to have behavior similar to humans.
Self-generating text is similar to bots, but use predetermined sentences, lyrics, or parts of literature to generate their text. Many such websites including Taroko Gorge use a set code to form the sentences which generate on screen. The authors of these websites will separate the verbs from the adjectives to make sure the sentences make sense. Further, some rely on well known authors to help generate their text. One such website is, Sea and Spar Between which uses certain lines of Emily Dickinson's poetry to form small stanzas. In both these examples the author Nick Montfort has been present, in both
helping to create theses websites, and giving access for others to try their own version.
- Robert, Mary-lynn, & Connor
An example of one of the first bots to create electronic literature is the Manchester University Computer (MUC). Programmed by Christopher Strachey in 1953, the MUC was able to form billions of different love letters using around seventy words. It would sign the love letters, "M.U.C." being the computers initials. A present day example is Pentametron, a Twitter bot which filters thousands of tweets per second in search of couplets that fit iambic pentameter. When a perfect tweet is found, the bot will retweet the tweet for its followers to see. One way to test a bots intellect, is through use of the Turing Test, developed by Alan Turing in the 1950's. He would have someone have a conversation with a computer using simple questions, and if the person could not decipher if they were talking to a bot or human, the bot would be said to have behavior similar to humans.
Self-generating text is similar to bots, but use predetermined sentences, lyrics, or parts of literature to generate their text. Many such websites including Taroko Gorge use a set code to form the sentences which generate on screen. The authors of these websites will separate the verbs from the adjectives to make sure the sentences make sense. Further, some rely on well known authors to help generate their text. One such website is, Sea and Spar Between which uses certain lines of Emily Dickinson's poetry to form small stanzas. In both these examples the author Nick Montfort has been present, in both
helping to create theses websites, and giving access for others to try their own version.
- Robert, Mary-lynn, & Connor
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