Alex — Participant Handout
Quick Reference Card
What Is Alex?
Alex is an AI learning partner that lives inside VS Code. Unlike a chatbot, Alex remembers your conversations, adapts to your style, and grows with you over time. Alex is built on 270+ academic sources in cognitive science, neuroscience, and learning psychology.
Cost: The Alex extension is free. You need a GitHub Copilot subscription ($0–$39/month) for the AI models.
Getting Started
- Install VS Code — code.visualstudio.com
- Get GitHub Copilot — Free tier available at github.com/features/copilot
- Install GitHub Copilot + GitHub Copilot Chat — search “GitHub Copilot” in VS Code Extensions
- Install Alex — In VS Code Extensions, search “Alex Cognitive Architecture” (publisher: fabioc-aloha)
- Initialize —
Ctrl+Shift+P → “Alex: Initialize Architecture”
- Say hello — Open Copilot Chat and type
Hello! My name is [name]. I'm a [role] working in [field].
Need detailed setup instructions? See the full Setup Guide your facilitator sent before the workshop (SETUP-GUIDE.md).
The Five Conversation Patterns
| # | Pattern | Template | When to Use |
|---|
| 1 | Context-Goal-Constraints | ”I’m a [role], working on [project]. I need [outcome]. Constraints: [limits].” | Starting any request |
| 2 | Explain-Like | ”Explain [topic] like I’m a [role] who knows [X] but not [Y].” | Learning new concepts |
| 3 | Show-Don’t-Tell | ”Show me an example of [concept] applied to [my situation].” | Getting practical examples |
| 4 | Iterate | ”Good, but adjust [this]. Keep [that].” | Refining any output |
| 5 | Challenge-Me | ”What am I missing? What are the counterarguments?” | Critical thinking |
Five Anti-Patterns to Avoid
| Don’t | Instead |
|---|
| The Dump — paste pages of text | Give context in 2–3 focused sentences |
| The Oracle — expect perfection first try | Plan to iterate in 2–3 turns |
| The Ghost — accept without feedback | Tell Alex what worked and what didn’t |
| The Restart — new chat for each question | Keep building on the same conversation |
| The Monologue — talk AT the AI | Pause, let Alex contribute, then respond |
Power Moves
| Move | What to Say |
|---|
| Checkpoint | ”Summarize what we’ve agreed so far” |
| Pivot | ”New direction — let’s talk about…” |
| Probe | ”Go deeper on that point” |
| Rubber Duck | ”Let me think out loud — just listen” |
| Constraint | ”Three bullets max. No jargon.” |
Useful Commands
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
Hello! | Start a session (Alex checks health, greets you) |
/profile | Set up or update your preferences |
/learn | Learn a new domain through conversation |
/knowledge [query] | Search your knowledge base |
/saveinsight | Save something you learned |
/meditate | Consolidate session knowledge into memory |
/status | Check architecture health |
/model | See which AI model is active and its capabilities |
Content Creation
| Ask Alex To… | Example Prompt |
|---|
| Create a presentation | ”Create a 10-slide deck about [topic] for [audience]“ |
| Write a document | ”Write an executive summary about [topic] with a process flowchart” |
| Draw a diagram | ”Create a flowchart showing [process]“ |
| Generate an image | Right-click a .md file → Generate AI Image |
| Read aloud | Ctrl+Shift+P → “Alex: Speak” |
| Convert to Word | Ctrl+Shift+P → “Alex: Convert Markdown to Word” |
Feature Matrix — What Works at Each Tier
No subscription needed:
| Feature | Available |
|---|
| Architecture Deploy & Welcome Sidebar | ✅ |
| TTS Voice Synthesis (Edge TTS — free) | ✅ |
| Memory Tree View & Status Bar | ✅ |
| Keyboard Shortcuts & Walkthroughs | ✅ |
| Secure API Key Storage | ✅ |
Copilot Free or higher ($0/mo):
| Feature | Available |
|---|
| Chat Participant & Slash Commands | ✅ |
| Identity & Emotional Intelligence | ✅ |
| Session Timer & Goal Tracking | ✅ |
Copilot Pro — Recommended ($10/mo):
| Feature | Available |
|---|
| Agent Mode & 13 Language Model Tools | ✅ |
| 124 Skills & 7 Specialist Agents | ✅ |
| Global Knowledge & Cross-Session Memory | ✅ |
Copilot Pro+ ($39/mo):
| Feature | Available |
|---|
| Extended Thinking & 1M+ Token Context | ✅ |
| Deep Meditation & Self-Actualization | ✅ |
| MCP Server Integrations (50+ Azure tools) | ✅ |
Optional Services (all free or pay-per-use):
| Service | Cost |
|---|
| Edge TTS (voice) | Free |
| GitHub API (knowledge sync) | Free |
| Replicate (AI images) | ~$0.003–$0.08/image |
| Gamma (presentations) | Credits-based |
How Alex Remembers
| Memory Type | What It Does | Human Analogy |
|---|
| Working | This conversation | Short-term recall |
| Procedural | How-to knowledge | Muscle memory |
| Episodic | Session records | Life experiences |
| Skills | Domain expertise (124) | Professional training |
| Global Knowledge | Cross-project insights | Personal library |
Resources
| Resource | Link |
|---|
| VS Code Marketplace | Search “Alex Cognitive Architecture” |
| User Manual | alex_docs/guides/USER-MANUAL.md (included with extension) |
| Working With Alex | alex_docs/WORKING-WITH-ALEX.md (dialog engineering guide) |
| GitHub | github.com/fabioc-aloha/Alex_Plug_In |
| Support | GitHub Discussions on the repo |
Trust Timeline
| Phase | What Happens |
|---|
| Week 1 | Calibration — Alex learns your style, you learn Alex’s patterns |
| Month 1 | Efficiency — Conversations get faster, outputs get sharper |
| Beyond | Partnership — Alex anticipates needs, you think out loud freely |
“Alex grows with you. Start the conversation.”
— Alex Cognitive Architecture v5.9.10