I too have always been able to read at what other people think are very high speeds. It started when I was in 2nd grade. (talking Australian here, don't know if this is the same terminology for other countries) In grade two I could read at a grade 6 level, by year 7 I could read at a year 12 level. This is by no means some amazing feat, I'm certainly not special.

It was around grade 5 I realised that I could actually read much faster than my peers. It was silent reading hour and I finished my book in a few minutes, the teacher told me that I hadn't and to keep reading, the other kids called me a liar. It was a long hour as far as I was concerned being a little kid. After that I hid my speed reading and only ever used it to entertain myself. I would try to see how fast I could read the subtitles on the Japanese shows they played on SBS, or to knock off an entire book before my mum made me turn off my lights. When I practised by myself I usually did it out loud, trying not to slur my words, stuff like that. Once again this was just for my own amusement.

Reading out loud I am very fast, my sister is the only person I have ever met that can understand when I read a passage at full speed. Silently I read many times faster. I always hear people saying that cutting out the sub-vocalisation allows anyone to read at high speeds, but I still say the words in my head as I go.

I find I can read most fiction without having to slow down to enjoy it, as well as still comprehending and remembering all the plot details, character interactions and even the exact wording of dialogue from fairly far back in the text. I find it is not as useful for technical writings or anything involving stopping to understand math. Despite this it is still very useful for quickly finding passages or words in large chunks of text or reading through material that can be learned by rote.

All in all I treasure my little skill and would be very upset to lose it.

I also say the words in my head, but not in their entirety, a lot of the time. However, my speed also varies greatly depending on what I'm reading. The Art can take me almost 10 minutes per page, while Harry Potter or some other fiction book clock in at 150-200 pages an hour.

Unlike you, I don't read aloud very fast. In fact, I'm usually pretty poor at reading aloud. At max speed, I read much, much faster than I could possibly speak and when reading aloud I often stumble over words because my mind is going on, but my mouth is still trying to say the third word behind.

To a certain extent I sometimes dislike reading very fast. My retention rate is the same either way but I will often finish good books too quickly for my liking. This may also be a reason why I am attracted to longer books -- they can provide more than an hour or so of reading time.

I agree that simulation is the key to a concious AI system. If or when we ever succeed in simulating a human mind to a close enough degree of comparability, it is almost a given that the system will be self concious.

There are some problems simulating the human brain that would also have to be addressed even once we can create a working system, such as the AI being a bit of a blank slate, like a infant or a coma patient.

I see the whole process as having to follow a path similar to this:

1. A breakthrough in computing power, something capable of simulating very accurately small areas of space, this means perfectly representing ridiculously complicated chemical reactions and some natural laws.

2. Succeeding in creating a software environment to execute these simulations within.

3. A breakthrough in mapping an existing person, some sort of scan that creates a mathematically provable perfect (or close enough) representation of an area in space. Like some humans mind or possibly their entire body until the subject of the scan can be simplified on the computer. Sort of like taking a photo and then cropping off the body. The above simulation environment may be what is used to provide the simulated inputs and outputs to the head, like the CNS and cardiovascular system. Not to mention the inputs to the eyes and other senses. Sort of like a virtual head in a jar.

4. So far we would have a conscious system, but it would be a copy of a pre-existing being. The next step would to be to somehow, ethically, re-write this being. This would provide a learning challenge with the goal of simplifying and modularising the human brain. Such as hacking language areas, input nerves, the reliance on virtual blood and sustenance and most importantly the memory.

The final product of this important stage is the most simple and easily tweak-able simulation of the human brain that could be used by all researchers and eventually commercial applications. If all these virtual brains are the same or comparable, this isolates the memory as a way to load in or edit what is essentially... people. The creepiest analogy may be the best, they will be like swappable save game files, executing in virtual machines (the hacked brains) that operate within another virtual machine (dare I say it, a super-simple matrix of sorts)

5. We may never reach anywhere near this far along the process due mainly to ethical reasons that cannot be overcome with mere ingenuity. But if we do, the next step is compressing all this down further and further until we have the most simple possible (perhaps provable somehow) implementation of a mind that does not require all the layers of virtualization.

God it's easy to get caught up in this stuff. I hold this prediction on my fingertips in hopes that any developments may blow it away so I can re-evaluate and make a new one.

Thanks for the honest response(s). What is this incubator you mentioned? Could you tell me more or link to something that does?

Well, news.ycombinator.com is the property of exactly such an institution but there are plenty more out there.

Seed capital funds are another possible avenue.

After a bit of a search around I understand this all much better. Not to mention have a sudden thirst to get involved with that kind of organisation.

I guess I will just release my little plans on HN and enjoy the feedback! Would love suggestions for other places to use my creativity for something worthwhile (for me or a community).

Thats really my problem isn't it - I bring nothing to the table once someone has the plans. I'm a little protective, but I could cope with letting one or two go I suppose. I have only really shared them with non-tech people or my tech friends that are far too lazy or otherwise oriented to ever do anything with them.

"I have only really shared them with non-tech people or my tech friends that are far too lazy or otherwise oriented to ever do anything with them."

I guess your concern is valid. But, most people are that way, the ones that really are motivated enough to complete a project or build a startup already have their hands full with ideas of their own.

If you have researched your product and have a definite vision of it, then that's what you bring to the table. A stolen idea would look, well.... stolen!

Im thinking jacquesm is your only real alternative then. Unless you can offer something else like sales expertise etc.

The problem is putting enough info out there to get interest without exposing all of your work.

On the other hand if their left on the shelf doing nothing then, well, that is possibly even worse.

Sorry man, I've only been here for one of those but I dont remember it. Guess we just like to talk about these kinds of things?

Cool links guys, I just discovered this site for some nice indie tunes along with some other stuff, all totally free of course http://www.triplejunearthed.com/Charts/

To anyone still following my amazing misadventures,

I woke up this morning to find house-mate #4 laying down the law. Turns out no one opens the door in the morning, it's all the one guy and now I know at least two of us have had it. For now the problem has gone, but at the cost of fuelling his paranoia that we are all out to get him as a group. One more thing and I'm getting him kicked out.

Thanks for all the advice guys, it's cool to see how the crowd thinks.

Shitty heating only works comfortably at maximum with the door closed, dropped ten degrees when he started with this crap. You can always tell someone that they're responsible, but when it happens how are you meant to enforce that kind of stuff with anything other than intimidation? (not where my skills lay)

Thanks for the book idea, afraid I'm too poor being a uni student to buy it, but I might check if my state library has a copy.

It costs less than two hours of minimum wage, dude! Aren't you in the US?

I'm afraid I just signed a 6 month lease and I'm in no financial situation to move anywhere else. I wish one of the others had told me about all this before I moved in.

You sound younger than me, so I'm going to clue you in on a secret to life.

> no financial situation to move anywhere else

That doesn't exist. You make decisions first and then figure out how to execute/pay for them later. We're not talking about buying an island here, we're talking about having a really base level of happiness with your entire living situation.

Move out and get your own place. Figure it out, you're smart.

If you're not up to the challenge, then just tell him you'll kill him in his sleep if he does that shit again.

I totally understand what you mean about making a decision and then just working it all out, it's one of the cornerstones of how I live my life, but moving out and into this house was one of those decisions and its going to take a little while to finish dealing with all the financial problems that it caused for me. Do you think writing "I'll Kill You" in blood on the front door would be enough? Heh.