From: Steve.Hayes@p5.f22.n7101.z5.fidonet.org (Steve Hayes)
Newsgroups: soc.roots
Subject: Mass indexing and retrieval
Date: Fri, 06 Nov 92 08:27:00 GMT
Organization: FidoNet node 5:7101/22.5 - Novell User Group, Pretoria RSA

This is a description of some files I discovered on a BBS. I wondered if 
anyone else is familiar with this. Could it be useful for genealogy?

        -----------------------------------------------------
             The Mass Indexing and Retrieval (MIR) Project
               "Finding Information in a Gigabyte World"
        -----------------------------------------------------

For:                   Directors of Information Services

            and        Custom software providers

            and        Data publishers

            and        Educators

            and        Programmers

        If you are interested in the technical side of enabling
        people to find information within any quantity of data,
        here's an opportunity, at minimal cost...

            *   to do your job better;
            *   to cut development time and costs;
            *   to learn and to have fun;
            *   to start with world class technology, tinker with
                it, modify it, port it to other computers, make it
                yours and make it better.

What's in this for you?:

        The Mass Indexing and Retrieval (MIR) project offers:

            *   free software covering all aspects of indexing and
                finding information in massive or moderate sized
                databases, including "copyleft" source code;
            *   shareware tutorial sets that explain indexing and
                retrieval techniques, and how to use the software
                to help people find information;
            *   opportunity to share in developing products that
                demonstrate the power of high tech retrieval
                (automated keyword indexing, concept search, hard
                disk and BBS organizers to cut through data glut);
            *   consultation and database services.

Background:

        Open architecture indexing and retrieval technology is the
        aim of the MIR project.  Effective standards and uniform
        high quality in the management of information will not
        happen so long as software providers are committed to
        closely guarded, proprietary technology.  The Mass Indexing
        and Retrieval project has taken the first steps toward open
        co-operative development.

        Marpex Inc. is developing a word/phrase/concept indexing
        and retrieval system.  With assistance from the Canadian
        Government and cooperation from Innotech Inc., Marpex is
        sharing source code under the Free Software Foundation GNU
        Public Licence.  This is to encourage people to develop the
        product further and share their improvements.

        Marpex Inc. was founded in 1976 by Douglas Lowry (Ph.D.,
        Sloan School of Management, M.I.T.)  In 1984-85 Marpex
        invented the technology underlying the FindIt CD-ROM
        system.  Dr. Lowry collaborated in the early development of
        the Discis Knowledge Research literacy tools (recipient of
        Mac User's 1990 Educational Software of the Year award). 
        The MIR project builds on years of working with natural
        language computing and massive databases.

Here's our approach:
        MIR output consists of an introduction and five sets of
        tutorials, together with related software and source code
        under these headings:

            INTRO      What, for whom, why, how, "copyleft"

            ONE        Database Analysis

            TWO        Secrets of Data Preparation

            THREE      Keys to Automated Indexing

            FOUR       Search Engines and Information Retrieval

            FIVE       Related Topics and Applications

        Improvements and innovations from subscribers are edited
        into later releases.  Through cooperative development under
        "copyleft" rules, everyone benefits, most of all those who
        subscribe to successive MIR tutorials.

Features:

            *   "Copyleft" C language source code... "Copyleft"
                means you can do almost anything with the software
                except copyright it
            *   Detailed "how to" hands-on tutorials
            *   Open architecture, interactive publishing invites
                your improvements
            *   Compatibility with emerging interface/server
                standards
            *   Enables an ordinary 386 based PC (or any UNIX
                machine) to be used as an index building platform
            *   Easy access to MIR software and tutorials through
                electronic bulletin board services (BBS such as
                CompuServe and Canada Remote Systems)
            *   The shareware approach means zero risk for you...
                take a good look before you buy; registration is
                only $29 per release of any set of tutorials
            *   The software may be used and distributed by anyone
                without payment of royalty

What's the catch?:

        The Introduction, MIR Tutorial ONE, and about 25 software
        programs have been released.

        The catch is that the schedule of later releases depends on
        the rate of shareware registrations.  If you and people
        like you recognize the value, and if word spreads quickly,
        and if people who use it pay the nominal shareware fees,
        the project may be completed by August 1993.  If a later
        release is more helpful than the copy you registered for,
        please register again.  Our target is to release each
        tutorial with its software when the preceding tutorial has
        reached 1,000 registrations.  That's a modest target, and
        obviously we hope for more.  Please vote in support of an
        "economy of sharing" by registering and participating in
        open architecture development.

Where to from here?:

        If you do not have the MIR files, there are four ways to
        get them:

            *   Have a friend make you a copy (copying is okay!).
            *   Download them from a BBS such as CompuServe or
                Canada Remote Systems.
            *   Use the accompanying order form to ask for up-to-
                the-minute diskettes or laser printed paper copies
                of introduction and text.  (If you need an order
                form, FAX us a request.)
            *   A UNIX version is available via the order form.

        Use PKUNZIP (available on most BBS) to decompress the BBS
        files.  In the BBS file names, # is a revision number:

        MIR0A#.ZIP  65 page ASCII text introduction to the project
        MIR1A#.ZIP  ASCII text of MIR Tutorial ONE (shareware)
        MIR1C#.ZIP  C source code of 26 MIR Tutorial ONE programs
        MIR1D#.ZIP  data file SVP_TXT, useful in connection with
                    the worked examples in Tutorial ONE
        MIR1X#.ZIP  DOS executable of 25 MIR Tutorial ONE programs

        The diskette versions contain an INSTALL program and two
        copies of the Introduction and Tutorial text... one of
        straight text, the other formatted for WordPerfect 5.1. 
        Insert the first diskette, and input the command "TYPE
        A:README.MIR" or "TYPE B:README.MIR" for more information. 
        Then input "A:INSTALL" or "B:INSTALL" to get started.

Consultation services:

        We welcome within reasonable limits (and without fee) FAX
        and electronic mail dialogue with registered users who are
        competent in DOS or UNIX, especially those who wish to make
        and share improvements.  Fee-for-service consultation is
        available in other cases.

   CompuServe  71431,1337                    Douglas Lowry, Ph.D.
   FAX         416 963-5677 *                Marpex Inc.
   Internet    douglas.lowry%canrem.com      5334 Yonge St., #1102
   UUCP        canrem!douglas.lowry          North York, Ontario
   Others      douglas.lowry@canrem.uucp     Canada  M2N 6M2

            * FAX number is subject to change late in August 1992.


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