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From: whitten@netcom.com (David Whitten)
Subject: Re: Building and Buying KBS/ES
Message-ID: <whittenD05rHJ.Huy@netcom.com>
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Date: Fri, 2 Dec 1994 00:46:31 GMT
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Naomi (naomi@rshome.demon.co.uk) wrote:
: Hello all,

: I have some questions that needed some of your opinions.  I got from an
: SSADM book "the basic software architecture of a KBS/ES":
: - Knowledge base
: - inference engine (shell is used to create this part?)
: - man/machine interface
: - Knowledge acquisition subsystem
: - Explanation subsystem
: - Working memory (Is this the working machine's memory - RAM?)

This is complete, I believe.
the knowledge base is the persistent storage,
the inference engine is the program that processess rules/instructions
the man/machine interface handles display/printing/input of facts/data
the knowledge acquisition subsystem handles non-human dependent data input
the explanation subsystem handles explaining how conclusions were made
the working memory handles temporary storage.

I don't know, but maybe you want to include machine learning in the
knowledge acquisition subsystem, and maybe some way to 'correct' conclusions
in the man/machine interface.


 Q1. Do u have any other components of a KBS to add to the above?

: Q2. If I were to build a KBS, is there any component(s) that are 
:     virtually imposible to build?  For e.g., if the working mem. is
:     RAM then its ridiculous to build one in-house!

well, a KBS is just a computer program (albeit a very complicated one)
I suppose the language you choose could limit whether certain components
will be efficient, but I think most computer languages could be used.
(I shudder to think of writing a KBS in Intercal tho...)


: Q3. If I were to buy, which component(s) can I buy other than the 
:     shell?

I don't know. haven't checked out the market.

: Q4. With the development of such system, who are involved for each
:     component?  For e.g., knowledge acquisition subsystem would involve 
:     knowledge engineer, the field expert(s) etc.

I would expect the knowledge engineer to be involved with all of them.
I doubt a field expert would know enough about the tradeoffs for many
components to be able really do much more than helping define the rules,
and maybe design input screens or group rules into overriding principles
to make the explanation subsystem produce more understandable messages.

David (whitten@netcom.com) (214) 437-5255
