Re: Complex Searches

Trevor wrote:

> I am looking to write a complex search facility for customers to
> search on product descriptions. This area is something like data
> mining, and crosses with a number of db areas.
>
> I would like any pointers to books which may help.
>
> Basic Problem Outline
> ---------------------
>
> Data is stored on part and partdesc, price etc from a range of
> manufacturers.
>
> Cust can search based on a desire, eg cheap bath shower mixer, chrome
> bsm etc
>
> Stored Data:
>
> 1. Bath shower mixer with kit
> 2. Bath shower mixer with shower kit
> 3. BSM with kit
>
> etc (100's of combinations)
>
> The actual descs contain the information but not in a literal form.
>
> Proposed Solution
> -----------------
>
> dbs from different merged dbs into one db, taking commonalities as
> much as possible.
>
> Cust request string is cut up and searched against the db. This
> requires some knowledge of how srings can be cut up and how data in a
> structure relates to the string.
>
>
> When I was a postgraduate, years ago, I remember that people have
> tried to understand these problems and never really succeeded.
>
> Now, I have my own commercial problem for my own company which is more
> related to db searches, than natural language processing, and
> therefore I am hopeful someone here can help.
Sounds like a job for interMedia - it knows about aliases (BSM / Bath SHower Mixer), deals with typo's, etc

-- 
Regards, Frank van Bortel