CAL - A NATURAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM DEVELOPED WITH THE OZ PARADIGM: IMPLICATIONS FOR SUPERCOMPUTING SYSTEMS.

Abstract

The author presents a technical description of a user-friendly natural language computer application: CAL, Calendar Access Language. The limited context or domain in which the application operates is the management of a personal calendar or appointment book database by computer-naive business professionals. This includes database entry, retrieval, and modification. The system, written in APL, was created through an empirical, iterative, human factors design process called the OZ paradigm. This software design methodology has a general applicability to other supercomputing algorithms. Language in CAL is processed by the system using a simple, non-parsing, three-step linguistic reduction algorithm. The intent was to allow unconstrained English inputs from users with no training (except for a 5 minute introduction to the keyboard and display) and no manual (except for a two-page overview of the system).