[UCR] Introductory paragraphs for Section 2

As I mentioned on the call today, I have written a couple of
introductory paragraphs for section 2. Although such an introduction
might be considered "fluff," I think it is important for readers to
have some fluff in their lives, especially since this year's Academy
Awards apparently did not provide enough to satisfy the critics and the
public. 

Seriously, I am emailing these paragraphs to the group (see below)
because experience has shown that what might be innocuous or positive
to some, may be controversial or negative to others. 

Thanks in advance for your feedback,

Allen 

=============== Proposed Introduction to Section 2
===============================

Rule-languages and rule-based systems have played seminal roles in the
history of computer science and the evolution of information
technology. From expert systems to deductive databases, the theory and
practice of automating inference based on symbolic representations has
had a rich history and continues to be a key technology driver. 

Due to the innovations made possible by the Internet, the World Wide
Web, and, most recently, the Semantic Web, there is now even greater
opportunity for growth in this sector. While some of these
opportunities may require advances in research, others can be addressed
by enabling existing rule-based technologies to interoperate according
to standards-based methodologies and processes. The basic goal of the
Rule Interchange Format (RIF) Working Group is to devise such standards
and make sure that they are not only useful in the current environment,
but are easily extensible in order to deal with the evolution of rule
technology and other enabling technologies. 

Nearly fifty use cases documenting the need for a RIF were originally
submitted. These were grouped into eight general categories and then
synthesized as much as possible. The following use case descriptions,
guided by this synthesis, provide scenarios that motivate the need and
explain the benefits of a RIF. They are also intended to provide an
ongoing reference point for the working group in its goal of providing
a precise set of requirements for a RIF. 
 

 

 

_______________________________________________________________

Dr. Allen Ginsberg        The MITRE Corporation, Information Semantics 
aginsberg@mitre.org       Center for Innovative Computing & Informatics

Voice: 703-983-1604       7515 Colshire Drive, M/S H305 
Fax:   703-983-1379       McLean, VA 22102-7508, USA

Received on Tuesday, 7 March 2006 18:25:17 UTC