Volume 12, Issue 2
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Volume 12, Issue 2
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| Mar/Apr 1998 | |
| Theme: Object Oriented Development |
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To Volume 12, Issue 1
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To Volume 12, Issue 3
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Features
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| ai@work - How are intelligent tools being used to solve real world problems? Sales support, maintaining complex software, managing network phone traffic, and automating documentation and code production are some success stories from AcknoSoft, Neuron Data, Gensym Corp., and Genitor Corp. |
| Expanding WebLS to Support a Breast Cancer Decision Guide -- The WebLS is an inference engine for web-based advisors and problem solvers designed for building expert systems. Recently, Mary Kroening, Dr. Sabina Robinson, and Dr. Fred Hegge used WebLS to support a large web-based breast cancer decision guide. Here they discuss the process and their future plans. |
| The Adoption of OT -- In what ways are companies using object technology? What are the benefits? Paul Harmon reports on the state of the industry as business moves to OT in this excerpt from his study, "The Corporate Use of Object Technology." |
| Modeling Methodology 3: Algorithm Selection - In the third part of his series, Will Dwinnell examines the different modeling algorithms available and why it's important to understand their qualities when selecting one for a project. |
| Intentional Objects in Business and Manufacturing - Modeling a business or manufacturing process using intentional objects, an organization can capture and refine object behavior to yield a competitive advantage where it counts - in the marketplace. Lance Sherry gives a comprehensive example here. |
| Regulars | ||
| Editorial | ||
| Secret Agent Man - IBM Turns Over a New Leaf with Ginkgo | by Don Barker | |
| Intelligence Files - Computer Associates Steps Up to the Plate | by David Blanchard | |
| AI and the Net - Java Based AI Tools | ||
| Product Updates ----------------------------> | 16 late breaking product announcements from around the world in the fields of: | |
| Announcements | Blackboard Technology | |
| Data Mining | Expert System Development Tools | |
| Genetic Algorithms | Help Desk | |
| Internet | Languages | |
| Neural Networks | ||
| PC AI Buyer's Guide -----------------------> | Help Desk | Object Oriented Development |
| Web Utilities | ||
| Product Service Guide - Provides access to information on an entire category of products | ||
| PC AI Blackboard - AI advertisers bulletin board | ||
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Advertiser List for 12.2
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| AAAI | Intelligent Systems Rpt. | Quality Monitoring & Control |
| AI Developers Inc. | IT FORUM | Salford Systems |
| Amzi! Inc. | KnowledgeBroker Inc. | Soft Warehouse Inc. |
| Applied Logic Systems | Logic Programming Assoc Ltd | System Dynamics International Inc. |
| ATTAR Software USA | Neuron Data | Teknowledge |
| Blackboard Technology Group | NeuroDimension | The Haley Enterprise Inc. |
| BotSpot | OXKO Corporation | Ward Systems Group Inc. |
| Brightware Inc. | PAEXPO '98 | WizSoft Inc. |
| California Scientific Software | PC AI AI Report | Xi Computer Corporation |
| Churchill Systems | PHS | |
| Flexible Intelligence Group | Pinnacle Data | |
| Franz Inc. | Primenet Inc. | |
| GP '98 | Production Systems Tech | |
| Hess Consulting | Prolog Development Center |
| Over the past twelve years, PC AI Magazine has covered new technologies as they evolved from initial introduction through acceptance by the computer industry. Successful AI technologies include knowledge management, expert systems, symbolic processing, data mining, intelligent agents, fuzzy logic, neural networks, and the focus of this issue, object oriented development. While the initial hype surrounding AI created unrealistic expectations in the mainstream press and the general public, causing a general abandonment of the technology, we have recently seen a reversal in this attitude. Now many mainstream companies find themselves in the center of the OOD world. | |
| Languages like LISP, Prolog, and the rule-based AI development systems broke away from the entrenched procedural programming paradigm for assembly language, Fortran and C. For those of you who don't remember features of the original LISP machines and object based develoment software, here are some examples: objects, classes, methods, events, demons (agents), multiple inheritance types, query methods, and GUI development tools. Now doesn't that sound familiar . . . the LISP parentheses are replaced with C++ semicolons, the class syntax adjusted, class contents redistributed, and the requirement of a LISP machine to run has been eliminated - so the same software that suffered from the "AI" label is now enjoying success in its new incarnation. Today we call it Object Oriented Development - whether it's C++, Java, or one of the many offshoots. AI didn't make a grand splashy entrance - it simply changed names. By the way, Prolog and Lisp are more powerful than ever. | |
| In keeping with our focus on applications of advanced technology, our feature article by Lance Sherry, "Intentional Objects in Business and Manufacturing," examines the use of collaborating objects in the process control application of juice manufacturing. See how objects understand and influence their environment by autonomously directing their behavior to complete a task. Paul Harmon's "Adoption of OT" examines industry trends in the Object Oriented Technology field. Will Dwinnell continues his series on modeling methodology, covering algorithm selection in this third installment. He examines the different types of algorithms and what to keep in mind when choosing one for a project. Mary Kroening, Dr. Sabina Robinson, and Dr. Fred Hegge discuss a web-based application of expert systems in the medical field. This breast cancer decision guide assists patients in the various stages of the treatment process, including prevention, detection, and coping. In this collection of "AI@Work" susccess stories, CBR is used to create a better sales support tool, a rules language defines business logic, an expert advisory system manages phone network traffic, and we see a better way to document C/C++ code. We hope these applications provide helpful insights into the power and creativity AI technologies bring to business. | |
| We would like to hear from you, so please e-mail your comments to PCAI.TH @ gmail.com.. | |
| Terry Hengl |
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