The idea of putting a human interface on technology isn't new. Sometimes that's drawing a parallel between new technology and something familiar in the real world so you'll know what to expect it to work like. Those folders and trash bins on your computer desktop work like you'd expect from the real world. This has been taken to an extreme at times and failed, like Microsoft Bob.

And then there's going for the really human interface, like the voice that announces the trains when I'm waiting at the station in the morning and that goes back to AT&T and the first phone systems asking you to "press 1 if you..." Or they try and interact with you, like Clippy from Microsoft Office.

What they all have had in common though, even the failures, is they were designed with a friendly helpful tone.

My boyfriend sent me a link to Microsoft's latest go at this kind of interactive assistant or agent, which isn't so friendly. It's pretty mean actually.

This latest version of Bob is Ms Dewey, which is search dog from Windows XP, but it doesn't actually help with searches, it just plays witty and/or bitchy video clips. It deals pretty well with way out their searches and even had a good comeback when I entered Eliza.

Each time you load the site, it plays a different intro video. Here at work Steve noticed she was listening to an iPod in one where she's listening to music. It's useless as a search engine, but was funny for about 5 minutes until it crashed FireFox.