Well, we get a lot of the "I can't compile it" emails and while we are not especially excited to receive these, we usually reply and guide people through the process with minimal condescension.
There has been progressive additions to OpenCog from closed source projects, but they've never prevented the core framework from compiling and working in and of itself.
Apologies for my tone too. We occasionally get people trolling or trash-talking us without taking any time to understand the project... sometimes they just outright lie, and that's frustrating. Of course, we're not perfect as an OSS project, but we are constantly trying to improve.
Well new is relative... so without any familiarity of your knowledge on OpenCog I can't comment.
Ben's publishing several books (well, he's already published several, but he's publishing the already written "Building Better Minds" early 2012 and a pop sci version shortly there after which are more current regarding OpenCog). I'll be writing a "practical" guide to OpenCog once we reach our 1.0 release at the end of 2012.
Ben actually does quite a lot of writing, theorizing and conferences. Whereas myself and a number of others are more concerned with the software development side of things.
We also have a wiki: http://wiki.opencog.org
I'll also volunteer my place in Mong Kok on Fa Yuen St if it's a small meet up of 4-5 people. There is a bar down the road called "168 Future" which might be a contender to head out for drinks.
(Neither options have skyline unfortunately however)
I'm also interested and part of the same project. Jared and I work in Kowloon Tong and I live in Mong Kok. Have messaged my cell number...
Not particularly, people have been claiming a decade from human-level intelligence since the dawn of the AI field, why should now be any different? ;p
And usually people would consider a decade being more than a "few years" - which was sort of my point.
As I see it, OpenCog is making practical progress towards an architecture for AGI, whereas SIAI is focused on the theory of Friendly AI.
I specifically added "consultation with SIAI" in the latter part of OpenCog's roadmap to try to ensure the highest odds of OpenCog remaining friendly under self-improvement.
As far as I'm aware there is no software development going on in SIAI, it's all theoretical and philosophical comment on decision theory etc. (this might have changed, but I haven't heard anything about them launching an engineering or experimental effort).
Yeah, you've tried to contribute huh? Who are you again and why is there no mention of you in my complete archive of the OpenCog mailing lists?
Or perhaps it could be that Ben is too busy actually developing and researching AI to spend time discussing them ad nauseum? I stopped following many mailing lists or communities like this because I don't actually have time to argue in circles with people.
(But make an exception when people start making up untruths about OpenCog)
Well, if you bothered looking at our/OpenCog's roadmap you'll see it doesn't expect AGI in a "few years".
What magical software engineering tools are you after that can't be built with the current tools we have?
If nobody attempts to build these then nothing will ever improve - people will just go "oh, that can't be done right now, let's just wait a while until the tools appear that make AGI like snapping lego together". Which is fine if you want to leave the R&D to other people... like us.
Modafinil removes the urge to sleep pretty well - but as thomblake mentions, it depends on how you define that ill-defined concept.
For those that need the address of the bar, it's 239 Fa Yuen Street:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=239+Fa+Yuen+Street&aq=&sll=22.322302,114.170554&sspn=0.010401,0.019205&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=239+Fa+Yuen+St,+Hong+Kong&ll=22.326279,114.169686&spn=0.010401,0.019205&t=h&z=16
(I have no idea why it's called "168 Future" ;-P)