Conference ulysse::rdb_vms_competition

1103.0. ""natural" language interfaces" by MBALDY::LANGSTON (The secret is strong ears.) Thu Feb 27 1992 22:58

One request/question that seems to come with regularity is "Do we have a 
'natural' or English-like language interface for Rdb?"

I know we don't have one, so I looked in the RSVP catalog.  Two products which 
seem applicable are BBN Parlance Software from BBN and Natural Language from
Natural Language, Inc.

Does anyone have any experience with either of these or know anything about 
them?

( After I wrote that last sentence and before I entered the note I decided to 
make a few phone calls: I just spoke to Mike Krasner of BBN: He said that they 
are not trying real hard to sell the product anymore because it wasn't selling.
It seems that the product, and others like it, according to Mike, are too 
difficult to configure. They have to be "taught" a list of aliases, patterns, 
synonyms and the like and those lists must be continually updated and tuned.)

Does anyone know of anything else or of someone I can contact about any plans 
we might have for this type of user interface?

Thanks,

Bruce

    Bruce,
    
    We had a presentation on Natural Language from a DEC person in January
    at the Symposium.  Try contacting:
    
    Tom {armory::wallist} Wallis    dtn 243-2580  
    Presentation Title:  English Access to RBMSs      
    
    Hope this helps.
    
    Bob J.