Building Intelligent, Rule-Based Applications?

Donald Hughes asks: "What are good approaches for building intelligent, rule-based applications? In particular, I typically build ASP.Net applications. I came across P#, which translates Prolog into C#. I also came across NxBRE, which touts itself as the first open-source rules engine for the .Net platform. Currently, the intelligence in my applications consist of data stored in the database, which is either processed in T-SQL or in a C# class using linear conditional logic. This approach works fine to a point, after which the complexity of the if/then statements becomes extremely difficult to manage. This is especially problematic when returning to a project after several months of not looking at it, or when someone needs to be introduced to it for the first time. Does anyone have some helpful advice?"

Comments

Off topic, of course...

[cr0sh]

Let me go get that hammer to do the welding while we're at it.

Actually - this is possible - it is called (IIRC) "forge welding" - basically, you get both of your pieces of steel super red hot, place them one on top of the other on an anvil, and pound them as hard as you can with your blacksmith's hammer. This may require more than one person to accomplish, and you need some good strength, because you have to pound that shit HARD. Plus, you need to keep it red hot as you work it. In the end, though, with a bit of patience and skill you will end up with a single piece of steel which can then be worked further.

BTW - this was one of the steps in the making of the "folded steel" (can't remember its true name) samuri swords - basically, getting the steel red hot, folding it over, pounding it flat (and welding it together), pounding it out and stretching it, folding it again, pounding it (welding), etc - until you had the material ready, then continue shaping it into the sword (actually, these swords are much more complicated than this - but that is the basic process - the original method was lost, but they have recreated the method in modern times)...