Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 94).

Rule based knowledge representation and reasoning often face a problem of conflict with rules. One common way of solving conflicts is to introduce priorities associate with rules. The thesis describes the underlying algorithm to implement prioritized logic programs (PLPs) proposed by Zhang and Foo in 1997. PLPs are proposed as an extension of Gelfond and Lifschitz's extended logic programs by introducing preferences associatied with rules to the program, where answer sets provide a semantics of PLPs. Major algorithms are presented in detail, and how answer sets can be derived from the algorithm demonstrated. Under this implementation, a PLP is computed efficiently based on previous Niemela and Simons' method of computing stable models of logic programs. Finally, world wide web interface has been employed and embedded to the system to provide great accessibility to the public. / Master of Science (Hons) (Computing)

E-mail is an important tool for faculty and staff at the university, college, department, and instructor levels. E-mail is a useful medium in the academic setting for corresponding at all levels. Instructors e-mail students about assignments, lectures, and urgent information: for example, postponed classes and changes in the schedule. In addition e-mail is used to let potential students know about job opportunities. Other routine uses for e-mail include group communications within academic committees and groups of students collaborating on projects. Most users of e-mail who send messages to multiple recipients enter each recipients e-mail address into the TO: field individually or enter the name and e-mail address into a distribution list individually. Both methods are time consuming. This thesis describes a tool for facilitating the use of e-mail for classroom management. This tool, List Maker converts class roll listings to e-mail distribution lists for five common e-mail clients: Pegasus Mail, Eudora Lite, Netscape Messenger, Microsoft Outlook Express, and Microsoft Outlook 97/98. List Maker also converts address books and distribution lists from one e-mail client to another. The List Maker program has been adopted for use in selected departments within ETSU. A survey of the programÆs users indicates that List Maker made it easier for users to create distribution list from class rolls. Efforts to distribute List Maker to other Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) colleges, unfortunately, have not yet succeeded due to a lack of uniform computing platforms and e-mail policies in the TBR.

The first browser war took place during the second half the 1990s, and Internet Explorer cameout as the winner over Netscape Navigator. Today a new browser war is being fought withmany competitors and the future is uncertain. The purpose of the thesis is to find out how theweb browser market has developed since the start of the previous conflict, and we ask ourselveshow it will continue to develop in the future. This is accomplished with, among otherthings, interviews, tests and already existing statistics. The thesis' conclusions shows that theweb browser market has developed in a positive way from several perspectives, both for theusers as well as for the web developers. The conclusions also show that the web browser market'sfuture looks stable and indicate a probability that the browser war will transition into anormal, healthy market situation with several competitors.The first browser war took place during the second half the 1990s, and Internet Explorer cameout as the winner over Netscape Navigator. Today a new browser war is being fought withmany competitors and the future is uncertain. The purpose of the thesis is to find out how theweb browser market has developed since the start of the previous conflict, and we ask ourselveshow it will continue to develop in the future. This is accomplished with, among otherthings, interviews, tests and already existing statistics. The thesis' conclusions shows that theweb browser market has developed in a positive way from several perspectives, both for theusers as well as for the web developers. The conclusions also show that the web browser market'sfuture looks stable and indicate a probability that the browser war will transition into anormal, healthy market situation with several competitors.