laurie@cybavax.UUCP (Laurie Moseley) (05/16/85)
*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***
I am seeking advice, opinions, or experience on the following question.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
We are planning to develop a small (perhaps) expert system to assist nurses
in their daily round. It will access a small database of information about
a relatively small number of patients (approximately 100 in the initial stage).
It will also access a base of rules, the size of which is currently unknown
but will probably be of the order of 500-700.
Our initial intention is to develop the prototype in Prolog and C. We are
having difficulty in deciding on an appropriate machine, and would welcome
any advice which members of the net community can offer about what might be
a sensible machine to buy. Some of the factors which we need to take into
account are:
1. Must run Prolog and C.
2. Must have Unix or Unix-like operating system.
3. Should be capable of taking 4 (preferably 6) terminals.
4. Has large enough main memory to handle a reasonably large Prolog program
in a time period short enough to prevent nurses turning away in impatience
and disgust.
5. Could be expanded for the second stage of the project when the patient
database will be of the order of 3000 people, and the rules might go over
the 1000 level.
(This would be a bonus, since if the initial system is successful we might
well move to a large machine anyway !)
6. Price under $20K (if this is hopelessly optimistic, please say so)
7. Efficient service support.
We would be glad to hear from anyone who has experiences or suggestions
to share. Negative opinions will be as valuable as positive ones, so that at
least we do not make the same mistakes as other people.
If your experience leads you to think that the Unix-C-Prolog path is
not the correct one, and that perhaps a shell of some kind would be preferable,
we would be equally glad to have your opinion.
Mail me at:
{decvax | seismo | US feeds to Europe}!mcvax!ukc!reading!cybavax!laurie
or:
Laurence Moseley
Computer Science
University College
Swansea SA2 8PP
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 - 792 - 295399
With advance but not, I hope, premature thanks
Laurie
--
If you have skill, you have power.
If you have power, you need responsibility.
Never demonstrate one without the other.