Subject: From: AIList Moderator Kenneth Laws <AIList-REQUEST@SRI-AI>

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 85 23:58:53 edt

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Date: Fri 19 Jul 1985 09:41-PDT
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Subject: AIList Digest   V3 #95
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AIList Digest            Friday, 19 Jul 1985       Volume 3 : Issue 95

Today's Topics:
  Queries -  Prolog-Lisp Combinations & Scheme Benchmark Programs &
    Graphic User Interfaces & AI Handbook & Machine Learning List,
  Machine Learning - Mistakes,
  AI Tools - LISP vs. C,
  Publications - Announcement of IRList

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Date: Mon 15 Jul 85 11:51:05-PDT
From: Yigal Arens <[email-masked]>
Subject: Request for Prolog-Lisp combinations

I'm interested in finding out about implementations of Prolog in Lisp or
Lisp in Prolog(?), or any other version of either that allows one to
program in both.

I'm also interested in hearing from people who have experience using
such a combination, and who can give me an idea how efficiently it works.

Please respond to [email-masked].

Thanks,

Yigal Arens
USC

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Date: 15 Jul 1985 1649-CDT
From: Arthur <[email-masked]>
Subject: Scheme Benchmark Programs Sought

I am beginning a Scheme performance evaluation project here at TI CSL,
an initial task being to build a suite of benchmark programs. Beyond the
Gabriel Lisp Benchmark Suite translated to Scheme and examples from
'Abelson & Sussman', most Scheme programs around these days seem to be
"systems" code such as compilers and editors.

I am soliciting Scheme "applications" code, especially programs that
show off **canonical Scheme programming style**, e.g., extensive use of
lexical scoping and first-class functions/environments/continuations in
solving a problem. Users of MIT Scheme, Scheme 84, Chez Scheme, and T,
let's see that simple, fast, elegant code you've been writing!

What's in it for you? Well, possible enshrinement of your name and all
or part of your favorite program in a "standard" benchmark suite for
Scheme. Also, the good feeling that comes with advancing the cause of
Lisp-Done-Right, since I hope to show off the performance advantages of
the Scheme runtime model.

Code that is as dialect-independent as possible (ideally conforms to the
Revised Revised Report) would be appreciated.  The ultimate suite of
programs will be made available to interested parties, of course.

Thanks for your cooperation,

Arthur Altman
Texas Instruments
Computer Science Laboratory
(214) 995-0383

CSNET: altman@ti-csl
ARPANET: altman%ti-csl@csnet-relay
U.S. Postal Service: M.S. 238, P.O. Box 226015, Dallas, Texas, 75266

------------------------------

Date: Wed 17 Jul 85 13:47:57-PDT
From: Mark Richer <[email-masked]>
Subject: QUERY - references on graphic user interfaces

I am trying to collect references on the design, implementation and evaluation
of user interfaces, particularly interfaces that employ interactive graphics
(basically any bit-map display graphics), multiple windows, non-keyboard
input devices (e.g., mouse), etc.  Basically what are the key articles
that have formed the core of conventional wisdom on workstation design and
user-interfaces.

Even more specifically, I want to get references on user-interface design in
knowledge-based systems, especially browsers.  Besides STEAMER and
work I know of from Stanford (Mitch Model and ONCOCIN more recently),
I have come across very little in the AI literature on graphic
interfaces.
Perhaps, I have missed some key articles, even in IEEE Computer or
something.

If I get a good response I can make a bibliography available one way or
another on the net.

I really would like complete references to specific articles rather
than check out Englebart or Card&Moran.  Though general pointers are
also welcome.

Thanks in advance to anyone that can contribute.

mark

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 16 Jul 85 23:19 EST
From: Bill Faulkner <[email-masked]>
Subject: Review request for AI Handbook

        I was recently thumbing through the July issue of Scientific
American when I came across a Computer Science book club offer.  A
business reply card advertised a 3-volume Handbook of Artificial
Intelligence for $4.95 as an incentive to enter the bookclub (which
requires you to buy 3 more of their books during the next year). The
Handbook and the book club are being offered by the "Library of Computer
and Information Sciences" Riverside, NJ.

        I have been considering taking the risk and as a precautionary
measure thought that I would ask if anybody out there has gotten a look
at this Handbook.  If any of you have subscribed, I would appreciate any
comments you have about the Handbook, the company, and/or the quality and
type of books being offered.

Please send your replies directly to me at

        puppy@clemson                   if you're on csnet
        puppy.clemson@csnet-relay       if you're on arpanet

                                William Faulkner

[This offer has been mentioned previously on AIList.  The book club
is reputable and efficient, and offers substantial discounts and
rebates.  Only about 5% of their offerings have any connection with AI,
however; the rest is slanted toward data processing people and micro
owners.  Some of their currently-offered "past selections" are
Wilensky's LISPcraft; Abelson & Sussman's Structure and Interpretation
of Computer Programs; Schmucker's Fuzzy Sets, Natural Language
Computations, and Risk Analysis; and Pavlidis' Algorithms for Graphics
and Image Processing.  I think they had Steele's book on CommonLisp,
but it's not advertised this month.

The Handbook of AI is an excellent introduction to major currents
in the field;  read it cover to cover if you can find the time.
I have my doubts about whether people will consult this often
enough as a reference work to justify owning their own copies,
but having it on your shelf can give you a warm feeling.  -- KIL]

------------------------------

Date: 18 Jul 85 07:52:15 EDT (Thu)
From: [email-masked]
Subject: Machine Learning List

        Our group here at MITRE is starting a new machine learning project
        oriented toward the improvement of expert system rule bases.  Does
        anyone know if there is a machine learning list like AIList?  This
        would certaintly be helpful for us, providing another outlet to
        banter ideas around.  If there isn't a list, perhaps someone might
        be interested in starting one up.  After all, with the coming
        MACHINE LEARNING journal starting in '86, the field will now have a
        better focus and more interest.
                                Karl Schwamb

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 16 Jul 85 10:18 pst
From: "furth john%c.mfenet"@LLL-MFE.ARPA
Subject: Mistakes

Perhaps the computer fails to beat the best human player for the reason
that "Computers don't make mistakes."  This cliche does not hold up for
every use of term, "mistake" -- one could say that the computer has made
at least one mistake if it has lost.  Let us define "error" as a certain
sort of mistake which might not be a mistake after all.  An "error" will
occur when the response to an input is not "standard", a "standard"
response being a part of the structure which is the context
of the input.  The computer program understands nothing but chess -- its
responses are all standard.  The human player, on the other hand, has
experiences that differ in some or many respects from the experience of
playing chess.  When he or she receives an input in a game of chess, one
which would elicit a standard response from the computer, a pattern there
may be matched to a pattern outside of chess altogether, with the result
that the human player responds with a non-standard move.  Often this
"error" will truly be a mistake.  If the error turns out be superior
to the standard move, then the player will profit by remembering and
repeating it.

      The very attribute which gives the computer its power, the
ability to process ideas in an entirely discrete manner, will always
isolate it from the real world.  Only with difficulty can a program
even approach human experience.  How then can the chess program obtain the
breadth of experience which I am associating here with superior perform-
ance?  I suggest that the chess program be taught other games, mostly
similar ones, say Checkers or Go, but also games of chance, Monopoly, for
instance, or card games.  Any goal oriented activity should do, so long as
it can be discretized.  We should shake the computer up a bit in hopes
that it will survive and gain some insights otherwise unattainable.

John Furth

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 16 Jul 85 14:56:21 BST
From: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: LISP v C

Some of us can do useful work on a small LISP system.  The whole of
the integration code for REDUCE was developed on a 400Kbyte usable
store machine.  Not all LISPs are that big.  I know I am now using 1Mb
virtual, but LISP provides a better environment in 512K than C.
John Fitch

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Jul 85 14:47 EST
From: Ed Fox <[email-masked]>
Subject: Announcement of IRList

This is to announce a new list on information retrieval.

You may submit material for the digest to IRList%vpi@csnet-relay
from the Internet, IRList@vpi from CSNET, IRList@vpics1 from BITNET.
Administrative requests should be sent to IRList-Request.  As you
might expect, archival copies of all digests will be kept; feel free
to ask IRList-Request for recent back issues.  Note that FTP is not
possible, so all communication must be by EMAIL or phone or letter.

IRList is open to discussion of any topic related to information
retrieval.  Certainly, any material relating to ACM SIGIR is of
interest.  Our field has close ties to artificial intelligence,
database management, information and library science, linguistics, ...
A partial list of topics suitable are:

  Information Management/Processing/Science/Technology
  AI Applications to IR                   Indexing
  Abstracting                             Information Display
  Citations                               Information Theory
  Cognitive Psychology                    Knowledge Representation
  Communications Networks                 Language Understanding
  Computational Linguistics               Library Science
  Computer Science                        NL Processing
  Cybernetics                             Natural Languages
  Data Abstraction                        Pattern Recognition
  Document Representations                Library Science
  Electronic Books                        Probabilistic Techniques
  Expert Systems for IR                   Speech Analysis
  Full-Text Retrieval                     Statistical Techniques
  Hardware aids for IR

Contributions may be anything from tutorials to rampant speculation.
In particular, the following are sought:

  Abstracts                             Reviews
  Lab Descriptions                      Research Overviews
  Work Planned or in Progress           Half-Baked Ideas
  Conference Announcements              Conference Reports
  Bibliographies                        History of IR
  Queries and Requests                  Address Changes

The only real boundaries to the discussion are defined by the topics
of other mailing lists.  Please do not send communications to both
this list and AIList or the Prolog list, except in special cases.

I have no objection to distributing material that is destined for
conference proceedings or any other publication.  I am involved in
SIGIR Forum and unless you request otherwise may include submissions
in whole or in part in future paper versions of the FORUM.  Indeed,
this is one form of solicitation for FORUM contributions!  Both
IRList and the FORUM are unrefereed.  [...]

                                        -- Ed Fox

Dr. Edward A. Fox, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Computer Science, 562 McBryde Hall,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VPI&SU or Virginia Tech),
Blacksburg, VA 24061; (703)961-5113 or 6931.

------------------------------

End of AIList Digest
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