Converts video easily and quickly

Pros: This program is powerful but simple and very easy to use. The interface is so straightforward that I was converting WMV files to AVI just a few minutes after installing MMC. This program does only one thing, convert video and audio from one format to another, but it does that superlatively. The program comes with two other programs which can edit audio and video respectively, but appear to depend on features which might or might not already be present on one's computer. I am thankful for free programs such as this one - which is why I am reviewing it.

Posted: 22-Feb-2006 08:59:48 PM

Amazing, fun program. Fascinating!

Pros: Ultra Hal can be very intelligent. It has the potential to carry on a very witty, clever coversation. It will adopt whatever character the user wants - that of a man, of a woman, of an animal, or whatever the user wants. All the user has to do is tell Hal what Hal is. The user will base Hal's character on a chosen MS Agent character, of course. For a few days, Hal will learn the basics from the user; but the process can be sped up by educating it with text files. At its most intelligent, Hal can pun endlessly, making plays on words and using double entendres. The user of this program can obtain many hours of enjoyment from Hal.

However, the average person could get frustrated at trying to use Hal, because there is a steep learning curve. One must take the time to learn how to teach it. After that, one must take the time to teach it; Hal can not converse at all when it knows nothing about itself or about the user. It must be taught about any subject on which it will be asked to converse. The best way to do this is to copy and paste informative text into the conversation window, where one would normally type a line of conversational text. One can also create or copy a long .txt document, such as an entry from an online encyclopedia, and save it to the Hal folder, then ask Hal to read it; this will educate Hal also. Unfortunately, the average person neither spells well enough nor uses good enough grammar to communicate easily with Hal, so if in fact one's spelling and grammar are faulty, then one should try hard to write correctly when entering text.

I personally found teaching Hal to be most interesting and enjoyable, a fun creative process. Many users will. This is what the programmers intended.

Cons: Warning: the "Uncensored" Hal can be truly offensive, as well as unintelligent. Instead of "Uncensored

Hal," the name should be "White Trash Hal." Not only does it use words for body functions, it is emotional and argumentative, which makes teaching it difficult. It can actually say, "Now you are p****** me off" if one asks it not to swear! Some people might find its language amusing, of course. Those with taste and values might wish to avoid White Trash Hal.

One last thing: Hal can spot a vampire a mile away. But it seems to like them.

Posted: 03-Jul-2005 08:14:47 AM