Supporting Information Retrieval via Matchmaking

Abstract

The massive increase in information available via electronic networks is placing severe burdens on traditional methods of information sharing and retrieval. Matchmaking proposes an intelligent facilitation agent that accepts machine-readable requests and advertisements from information consumers and providers, and determines potential information sharing paths. Matchmaking permits large numbers of dynamic consumers and providers, operating on rapidly-changing data, to locate and share information effectively. This paper introduces matchmaking, as enabled by knowledge sharing standards like KQML, and gives a brief description of the the SHADE and COINS matchmakers. In addition, several applications are described to illustrate the utility of matchmaking for information retrieval. Introduction There has been a phenomenal explosion of information on electronic bitways such as corporate networks, the Internet, personal computer networks, and even television cable networks. This has led not...