What talents are needed to create hypertext systems? ==================================================== What is In building hypertext systems, I've come to the conclusion expertise? that there are at least three kinds of expertise: ========== fundamental, operative, and access. I define these categories of expertise as follows: 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � Type of Expertise Essential Skill � � ================= =============== � � Fundamental Knowledge of the literature of a subject � � Operative Knowledge of the shortcuts not described in books � � Access Understanding why people want specific knowledge � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Which is most Of the three types of expertise, understanding why people important? want to access knowledge is the most important thing to know ========= in building a hypertext system. Good hypertext systems match the needs of users by displaying desired information with a minimum number of keystrokes, regardless of the initial understanding of the subject area. For example, if you've answered technical questions for some time over the phone, you'll know the various abilities of the potential users of your system as well as the best way to explain the information. Automatic If you have this background, you can build good hypertext hypertext systems in your sleep. However, if you lack this ========= experience, here's the alternative approach. Our HYPERLINK package includes a decision tree building program . This program rapidly builds a network of hierarchies such that each hierarchy is directly suited to the needs of specific users to easily find whatever information they desire. Time to build Now the surprise! Having for several years sat in the PhD expert systems seminars and courses at UC Berkeley taught by Lofta Zeda ============== (pioneer of fuzzy logic), building an good 100-rule expert system typically takes 2 years and a lot of effort. The problem is that the builders of expert systems have confused access expertise with judgement expertise. Hypertext as an However, if I separate these two forms of expertise, I can expert system build a 500-800 rule access decision tree automatically in ============= a day using MaxThink and the PERM program of HyperLink. Hypertext simply provides rapid access to expert-level information to help users quickly make expert-level decisions. While not providing automatic browsing (AI), hypertext does provide sensitivity analysis on the validity of the information presented (something not found in AI). While a this is a complex issue, hypertext can replace most visions of expert systems. Call for details. Neil Larson -- Voice (415) 540-5508 -- BBS (415) 540-6114