Ask HN: Do you use Wolfram Alpha?

2 points·raphar··7 comments

I'm curious about the usage of Wolfram Alpha. How frequently do you search with it?

I think I'll use Wolfram Alfa

a) once a month b) once a week c) dayly d) hourly!!

[have you found a killer application of the engine???]

(also have you found a use to it?)

I think they have some interesting concepts implemented in their engine, but without users it will be difficult to maintain it running. Thats why I was asking. I also ask here because the marketing campaign hit us plenty in HN.

by the way I use it at most once a week, generally when Im reading news.

I tried it and was disappointed. For example search Wolfram Alpha for "Abraham Lincon's Height" and it won't be able to figure it out. Search Google, and it will be parsed out nicely at the top of the page, no wading through search results necessary.

Same here. Based on the demo video, I thought a natural language query about some oft repeated numbers - 'Web browser market share by year' would be doable. It wasn't.

Good question.

http://news.ycombinator.com/newpoll

(Dunno if it still has a karma threshold)

It's 20 karma to create a poll, you can see when your logged out and try to create one.

And I never use wolfram alpha, maybe when I start classes again.

I probably use it daily or just about daily. Usually to do some basic physics calculations, just for fun. I also use it to check my answers to homework.

e) never

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