Date: Wed, 14 Apr 93 19:45:31 EDT
Message-Id: <9304142345.AA08150@grackle.stockbridge.ma.us>
To: nsn@mullian.ee.mu.oz.au
Subject: database queries...
From: bob@gnu.ai.mit.edu
X-Mozilla-Status: 0001

    Nick, wondering whether his Lojban analyser should implement database
    queries...

What is the alternative?  

The best thing you could do is create a package that other people on
this list could easily run on their own machines and would like to
run.  This would immediately generate activity and feedback and
learning.  Also, some fame.  I am not sure what the package should
consist of.  A database would be OK if you provided an interesting
database.  Something like Mark Zimmerman's browser for unstructured
text might provide more input options than a regular database. (The
browser indexes words then lets you browse for them, with various ways
to get matches, indicate proximities, etc.)

(Hmmm....Calc mode in GNU Emacs simplifies polynomials,
integrates, etc, and would be a way to implement MEX; of course, Calc
mode is written in Lisp; also most people are not interested in
arithmetic or mathematics.  If you could provide a simple circuit for
voice recognition of Lojban, you could implement Emacs and people
would rush to learn lojban so as to talk to their computer for
editing, etc.)

Will you be able to provide a freely redistributable Prolog
interpreter with your package?

    Robert J. Chassell               bob@gnu.ai.mit.edu
    Rattlesnake Mountain Road        (413) 298-4725
    Stockbridge, MA 01262-0693 USA