Yes or No Oracle
Stuck on a simple decision? Ask the Yes or No Oracle any question and get an instant, colour-coded verdict — Yes, No, or Maybe. It is a fast, private way to break a tie, settle a small choice, or just have fun when you cannot make up your mind.
How it works
Each answer is drawn with cryptographically secure randomness, not a predictable
pseudo-random sequence. When you ask, the oracle requests a single random byte from
the browser’s crypto.getRandomValues (a value from 0 to 255) and takes it modulo 3:
- result 0 → Yes
- result 1 → No
- result 2 → Maybe
That gives each of the three outcomes an approximately equal one-in-three chance. The text of your question is never read — it only helps you focus the decision.
Example
Type “Should I order pizza tonight?” and press Ask the oracle. Say the random byte is 130; then 130 mod 3 = 1, so the oracle shows No in red. Ask again and a fresh byte gives an independent new verdict — past answers never affect the next.
| Random value mod 3 | Verdict |
|---|---|
| 0 | Yes |
| 1 | No |
| 2 | Maybe |
Nothing you type is uploaded or stored — the oracle runs entirely in your browser with no network calls.
Why use a random oracle at all?
Decision researchers call this a commitment device. When you genuinely cannot choose between two options because you rate them equally, a coin flip or oracle outcome can surface a hidden preference: if you read “No” and feel instant disappointment, that reaction tells you which answer you actually wanted. The oracle does not make the decision — it gives you a concrete result to react to.
The three outcomes (rather than a simple coin flip) also cover the realistic case where neither option is clearly right yet. A “Maybe” result is a useful nudge to gather more information before committing, rather than forcing a binary that isn’t ready.
Best uses
- Breaking a tie between two equally appealing options when the stakes are low and acting matters more than optimising.
- Settling a group debate about something trivial — where to eat, which film to watch — quickly and without argument.
- Testing your gut: ask, see the answer, then check how you feel about it. Your emotional reaction is often more informative than the random result itself.
- Daily small choices — morning run or rest day, tea or coffee — so decision fatigue doesn’t accumulate across genuinely important choices later.
The oracle is deliberately simple. It will not help you choose a career or a mortgage — those decisions need information, not entropy. For anything light and reversible, though, committing to a random outcome and moving on is often the most rational strategy.