Using the Internet for Knowledge Acquisition in Expert Systems Development: A Case Study

Abstract

Knowledge acquisition is a major task in expert system development. This paper proposes one way of acquiring knowledge for expert system development: through the use of the Internet. Internet resources (e.g. Usenet groups, ListServ discussion lists, archive sites and on-line literature/database searches) are knowledge sources. Internet tools such as newsreaders, electronic mail, Telnet, FTP, gophers, archie, WAIS and World Wide Web provide access to these sources. The results of an exploratory study that examined the use of the Internet as a knowledge source are presented here in conjunction with a framework for using the Internet in the planning phase. Four major advantages can be found in this: the availability of multiple experts in multiple domains, the interaction of domain experts and end users, time/cost savings, and convenience. The lessons learned and some additional issues are also presented.