Compu-Chick

A mid-1980s alternative to Compuserve.

It was actually an interactive exhibit at the I.Q. Zoo, the famous animal training facility and tourist attraction in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Founded in 1955 by Marian and Keller Breland (students of the psychologist B.F. Skinner), it stayed open until 1990.

Apparently you typed in questions, and the chicken would type a response. From the "official online home of the IQ-Zoo":

Developed in the 1980s, when smaller computers were becoming popular, Compu-Chick "appeared" to answer questions typed by the visitor. A small keyboard in front of the chicken, containing small lights that were invisible to the visitor, "cued" the chicken as to which letters on the keyboard to type.

I'm not sure, but maybe Google's "PigeonRank" technology, which the company revealed on April 1, 2002 to be the secret behind their search results, could have been inspired by Compu-Chick.

Books Selected and endorsed for Pure Weirdness by Your WU Team

Who We Are
Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 29, 2016
Category: Animals | 1980s

Comments

So it was basically a computer game that involved playing with your pecker.

Posted by Fritz G on 10/30/16 at 07:49 AM

I suppose they used chickens because they couldn't obtain an infinite number of monkeys?

Posted by KDP on 10/31/16 at 08:30 AM

Hey is that a TRS-Eggy?

Posted by f'd on 11/04/16 at 09:32 PM

Commenting is not available in this channel entry.