Human-Readable and Machine-Readable Knowledge Bases Using Specialized Word Processors

The maintenance of knowledge bases is one of the crucial activities in the life cycle of knowledge systems. This paper describes an innovative approach to write complex and large knowledge bases using specialized word processors. According to this, a knowledge model is represented as a conventional document that is written following the standard operations of word processors. Following this approach, domain experts that are not familiar with computer languages could easier read and write complex knowledge models. In addition to that, the processor is able of interpreting the content of the document to automatically perform tasks of the knowledge model. The paper describes the basic characteristics of the document and its specialized word processor and presents our experience following this approach for a knowledge system in the domain of hydrology.