Rule-based programming in the UNIX® system

Rule-based tools are widely used for building expert systems, and rule-based programming is gaining acceptance as a general method. Our experience with building expert systems suggests that rule-based tools are most effectively used for developing expert systems when they are integrated with a general-purpose operating system such as the UNIX® system. This paper introduces the concepts of rule-based programming, discusses strengths and weaknesses of the method, and describes our current rule-based programming environment within the UNIX system.