I wanted to see how Bing chat reference would handle a query similar to a 1st year type of essay topic. I asked it to tell me who is a better writer, Agatha Christie or Ian Flemming, and then I queried it about the origins of the Crimean War.
The answers were fine, I think they are analogous to the encyclopedia or ‘Start Here’ function present in most web discovery layers. By that I mean the answers provide a good jumping off point for a student that has no previous knowledge of the subject. Naturally the citations used lean heavily towards Wikipedia and similar open encyclopedic resources.
I don’t think it is too far fetched to see this type of technology incorporated into future web discovery services. Instead of using open sources however, the answers could be drawn from subscribed peer reviewed material in an institution’s holding manager.
As Bing generated a response messages appeared that give a clue as to how Bing operates. The search engine does a good job of breaking down a verbose query into concise boolean terms. Something that I teach students all the time.
FOR EXAMPLE
Searching for: Agatha Christie vs Ian Fleming
Searching for: Agatha Christie and Ian Fleming writing styles
Next time – can Bing Chat write a story.
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Q: WHO IS A BETTER WRITER, AGATHA CHRISTIE OR IAN FLEMMING
That’s a subjective question that depends on your personal preferences and tastes. Agatha Christie and Ian Fleming are both famous British authors who wrote in different genres and styles. Agatha Christie is known as the Queen of Crime for her detective novels and short stories featuring Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence, and other memorable characters⁶. She wrote with a style that was self-aware, witty, clever, and full of twists and clues⁵⁸⁹. Ian Fleming is known as the creator of James Bond, the iconic spy who appeared in 14 novels and many films. He wrote with a style that was sensual, descriptive, adventurous, and realistic⁷ [^10^]. He used his own experiences as a naval intelligence officer and a journalist to add authenticity to his stories[^10^].
Some possible reasons why you might prefer Agatha Christie over Ian Fleming are:
– You enjoy solving puzzles and mysteries more than action and suspense
– You like reading about diverse settings and historical periods more than contemporary events
– You appreciate humor and irony more than violence and sex
– You value character development more than plot devices
Some possible reasons why you might prefer Ian Fleming over Agatha Christie are:
– You enjoy thrillers and espionage more than whodunits and cozy mysteries
– You like reading about exotic locations and modern gadgets more than rural villages and old-fashioned manners
– You appreciate glamour and luxury more than simplicity and modesty
– You value excitement more than logic
Ultimately, both authors have their own merits and appeal to different audiences. The best way to find out which one you like better is to read some of their works yourself. What do you think?
Source: Conversation with Bing, 2/23/2023(1) The Mysterious Affair at Styles – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mysterious_Affair_at_Styles Accessed 2/23/2023.
(2) agatha christie writing style – Get juices flowing at Small Writing Desk. https://smallwritingdesk.com/agatha-christie-writing-style/ Accessed 2/23/2023.
(3) On Writing: Agatha Christie’s Advice – Agatha Christie. https://www.agathachristie.com/news/2021/on-writing-agatha-christies-advice Accessed 2/23/2023.
(4) The Writing Style of Agatha Christie | FreelanceWriting. https://www.freelancewriting.com/creative-writing/the-writing-style-of-agatha-christie/ Accessed 2/23/2023.
(5) How to Write Like Ian Fleming. https://www.hiwrite.com/ian.html Accessed 2/23/2023.
(6) Ian Fleming Explains How to Write a Thriller ‹ Literary Hub. https://lithub.com/ian-fleming-explains-how-to-write-a-thriller/ Accessed 2/23/2023.
(7) Ian Fleming and Agatha Christie lead list of UK’s top-earning …. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/apr/10/top-earning-crime-writers-uk Accessed 2/23/2023.
(8) Agatha & Ian: Agatha Christie and Ian Fleming Kindle Edition. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Agatha-Ian-Christie-Fleming-ebook/dp/B09M7H1FVH Accessed 2/23/2023.
(9) “Agatha Christie’s Marple” A Caribbean Mystery (TV Episode 2013 … – IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2166488/trivia Accessed 2/23/2023.
(10) Ian Fleming | Agatha Christie Wiki | Fandom. https://agathachristie.fandom.com/wiki/Ian_Fleming Accessed 2/23/2023.
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Q: WHAT WERE THE CAUSES OF THE CRIMEAN WAR
The Crimean War was a conflict that took place from 1853 to 1856 between Russia and an alliance of Britain, France, Turkey and Sardinia. It was mainly fought in the Crimean Peninsula, a region that belonged to the Ottoman Empire at the time⁴.
There were several causes of the Crimean War, but some of the main ones were:
– The decline of the Ottoman Empire, which made Russia want to expand its influence and territory in Eastern Europe and Asia¹³.
– The rivalry between Russia and France over the protection of Christian minorities in the Ottoman lands, especially in Palestine¹².
– The fear of Britain and France that Russia would threaten their interests and trade routes in the Mediterranean and Near East⁵⁶.
The war ended with a peace treaty signed in Paris in 1856. The treaty preserved the integrity of the Ottoman Empire but limited Russian power in the Black Sea region⁶.
Source: Conversation with Bing, 2/23/2023(1) Crimean War – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimean_War Accessed 2/23/2023.
(2) What caused the Crimean war development context Battles – EngloPedia. https://englopedia.com/what-caused-the-crimean-war/ Accessed 2/23/2023.
(3) What caused the Crimean war development context Battles – EngloPedia. https://englopedia.com/what-caused-the-crimean-war/ Accessed 2/23/2023.
(4) This Was The Actual Cause Of The Crimean War – Grunge.com. https://www.grunge.com/423929/this-was-the-actual-cause-of-the-crimean-war/ Accessed 2/23/2023.
(5) Crimean War – Summary, Facts & Causes – HISTORY. https://www.history.com/topics/british-history/crimean-war Accessed 2/23/2023.
(6) Crimean War | Map, Summary, Combatants, Causes, & Facts. https://www.britannica.com/event/Crimean-War Accessed 2/23/2023.