Managers have discovered a multitude of uses for software that seeks out informative patterns within the tomes of data that rely on corporate computers. The result is a competitive advantage for executives smart enough to harness the increasingly popular technology known as data-mining. In this issue, we show you some applications and principles of this technology. Andrew Colin shows how data-mining combines with genetic programming. Sandow Ruby's Vendor Forum gives you a look inside software that applies this technology to make predictions in real-world domains.
GAs mimic the mechanisms of evolution.
Their objective is to zero in on the best programming solution to a problem. Will Dwinell reviews e, a succinctly named package that enables you to quickly apply GAs. Tony Chang combines Gas and expert systems to produce a system that trains military personnel who install communications networks. We cover other technologies in this issue, too. Anne Breaky, Margaret Floeck, Pete Humphrey, and Jeff Skosnik describe a Prolog-based expert system that assesses human abilities.