Focuses on methods of generating and evaluating hypertext. Highlights include historical landmarks; nonlinearity; literary hypertext; models of hypertext; manual, automatic, and semi-automatic generation of hypertext; mathematical models for hypertext evaluation, including computing coverage and correlation; human factors in evaluation; and…

Benefits of the proposed Common Command Language for online interactive information retrieval, which has been developed by the National Information Standards Organization, are discussed, as are remaining problems in cross-system searching. A summary of the language showing the functions performed by the various commands is included. (MES)

BiblioFile Intelligent Catalog is a CD-ROM-based public access catalog system which incorporates graphics and sound to provide a multisensory interface and artificial intelligence techniques to increase search precision. The system can be updated frequently and inexpensively by linking hard disk drives to CD-ROM optical drives. (MES)

Presents a nine point "User Friendly Index" scale used to describe increasing or declining degree of computer system friendliness. Terms to denote the user system such as intimate, friendly, cordial, polite, crabby, ornery, hostile, and vicious are discussed. Seven references are cited. (EJS)

Describes the uses of Lotus 1-2-3 (a spreadsheet-graphics-database program created by Lotus Development Corporation) and Symphony 1.1 (a refinement and expansion of Symphony 1.01 providing memory efficiency, speed, ease of use, greater file compatibility). Spreadsheet and graphics capabilities, the use of windows, database environment, and…

Several pilot projects that use videodiscs for educational purposes are described, and other sources that are currently planning or producing instructional videodiscs are discussed. (CHC)

Describes the structure and modes of operation of the Bundessprachenamt's (BSprA: Federal Office of Languages of the Federal Republic of Germany) terminology data bank as an aid to translation. Analyzes advantages and disadvantages of each user mode, and discusses probable developments in the immediate future of machine-aided translation. (MES)

Reviews the background of the "TARGET Project for Aids to Translation," its current facilities, and its goals. Describes the system's central feature as an interactive, multilingual terminology database intended to eliminate time wasted in researching unknown terms and to facilitate final document production, study of person-machine…

The development of safety-critical systems (aircraft cockpits and reactor control rooms) is qualitatively different from that of other interactive systems. These differences impose burdens on design teams that must ensure the development of human-machine interfaces. Analyzes strengths and weaknesses of formal methods for the design of user…

Describes two systems--Wide Area Information Servers (WAIS) and Rosebud--that provide protocol-based mechanisms for accessing remote full-text information servers. Design constraints, human interface design, and implementation are examined for five interfaces to these systems developed to run on the Macintosh or Unix terminals. Sample screen…

Discusses artificial intelligence (AI) and considers four potential roles for AI in information retrieval (IR): (1) information characterization, i.e., building a knowledge base; (2) information seeking, i.e., search formulation; (3) support functions, including abstracting; and (4) systems integration. Three examples are given that show how AI…

Describes expert systems and discusses their use in libraries. Highlights include parts of an expert system; expert system shells; an example of how to build an expert system; a bibliography of 34 sources of information on expert systems in libraries; and a list of 10 expert system shells used in libraries. (Contains five references.) (LRW)

A project at the ERIC Clearinghouse on Information Resources has resulted in the extension of the ERIC database to microcomputer. Small subject-related files for current-awareness purposes are downloaded from the ERIC tapes and are made available for searching with Apple II Plus microcomputers. Since the target audience for this system is…

This report consists of two papers on MENUNIX, an experimental interface to the approximately 300 programs and files available on the Berkeley UNIX 4.0 version of the UNIX operating system. The first paper discusses some of the psychological concerns involved in the design of MENUNIX; the second is a tutorial user manual for MENUNIX, in which the…

This paper presents a call for development of a robotic extension of self to give handicapped students control of the environment, a logical offshoot of mainstreaming. Usefulness and performance requirements of a robotic extension are discussed and a research agenda presented. (MT)