Microsoft MSN Encarta Answers – A Bit of Fun

After a bit of a heavy day yesterday I thought it would be nice to write about something a bit lighter: Microsoft MSN Encarta Answers.

If you add Encarta@conversagent.com to your MSN Messenger buddy list it will answer your questions via IM from Encarta. Assuming that is that Encarta knows about it.

Tried some interesting ones for blog people:

Graham Chastney says:
Who is Robert Scoble?

Encarta® Instant Answers says:
I don’t think I know Robert Scoble.  Let’s try an Encarta search. =>

Graham Chastney says:
Who is Dave Winer?

Encarta® Instant Answers says:
I know Dave Winer. Let me try to find an article for you. =>

Sorry Robert but you lost to Dave again. Not good when it’s your own organisation that doesn’t recognise you . Unfortunately it doesn’t get it right for Dave, sorry Dave. The funny thing is that the nearest it gets for Scoble is – Sulphur.

Graham Chastney says:
What is RSS?

Encarta® Instant Answers says:
I am sorry, I couldn’t find any definition or article relevant to this subject.  Please try asking me another way, or type “?” to see examples of questions I can answer.

Perhaps blogging hasn’t become all pervasive yet .

But at least it knows some important things:

Graham Chastney says:
Where is Preston?

Encarta® Instant Answers says:
Preston, borough, administrative center of Lancashire, northwestern England, on the Ribble River, near the Irish Sea. Preston is an important port,….

Graham Chastney says:
Where is Lancashire?

Encarta® Instant Answers says:
Lancashire, county, northwestern England; Preston is the administrative center. Lancashire comprises a lowland area in the west along the Irish Sea….
Let me take you to a map of lancashire. =>

Unfortunately they haven’t noticed that the ‘port’ in Preston has been completely replaced with a leisure and housing area, ah well?

Via The Unofficial Microsoft Weblog