eugene@AMES-PIONEER.ARPA.UUCP (03/30/87)
The following should be regarded as opinion and commentary rather than
the expression of fact.
First, the dissemination of Tiny MYCIN sounds interesting.
I wish I had a convenient Common LISP machine to try it out.
I realize that TMYCIN is just a tool, but I wonder how good a tool
it really is. What is the value of learning about this tool
(to learn about ESs) when you don't have an expert around (rhetorical
question, obviously some value)? I ask this because I have a relative
who does research in pathology and got his PhD in bacteriology
at BYU (any connection with Dugway Proving Ground is not coincidence).
Anyway, anyone in the South SF Bay with a Common LISP machine which we
can try this code out on?
Second, I too am torn about the posting of military AI material.
My immediate response was against it. But Ken Laws (The voice of reason)
made some good points: similar to ones I made about why the UC should
keep the weapons labs (to prevent them from disappearing from public
view, but I don't like the idea of a U doing this work). The comments
by another reader (which had nothing to do with AI) just go to reinforce
certain observations of latent (?) rascism within military circles
and is a prejudice I occasionally get (when I get asked to attend certain
military meetings as an outside reviewer). For some people, WWII has
not ended, nor I guess has the Civil War for some.
Recent trade developments again have people talking about Economic
Pearl Harbors (Fujitsu-Fairchild and other chip agreements). I know a
decorated, one armed Senator and our local House Representative who
are watching developments very carefully. (The Rep is on the side of the
USA, but will defend against any and all attacks against a people who were
interned during a prior war.) Watch it people.
--eugene miya
------ Asian Italian ancestory(?)
NASA Ames Research Center
eugene@ames-aurora.ARPA
"You trust the `reply' command with all those different mailers out there?"
"Send mail, avoid follow-ups. If enough, I'll summarize."
{hplabs,hao,ihnp4,decwrl,allegra,tektronix,menlo70}!ames!aurora!eugene