Blueridge Unveils the First Natural Language Text Search System

Flint Hill, VA - January, 15 1993 - Blueridge Technologies, "The Internet Document Management Company," announced OPTIX Natural Language Search (NLS) - the first commercially available Natural Language text search/imaging system - putting Macintosh computers at the cutting edge of the text search/document imaging industry. (NLS is also available for Windows clients.)

OPTIX NLS is the first text search software that lets you search by word meaning. For example, NLS knows the difference between the "bank" of a river and the National "Bank" down the street - just by how the word "bank" is used in a sentence. Likewise, NLS is smart enough to know that if you ask it to find "articles about baseball" it should locate articles about Babe Ruth and Joe Dimaggio - even if those articles never mention the word "baseball." NLS is the first text search software that lets you search for what you mean, not just what you type.

Another NLS first is Natural English Query - the power to type in a query in English, just like you speak it. To use NLS, you donÃt have to know anything about Boolean searching, concept building, or text search theory¤all you have to know is English. People who have never used a text search system can find what they are looking for faster and more accurately with NLS than can experienced text search professionals using conventional text search technology.

NLS's unique ability to Query By Meaning using plain English is made possible by the most sophisticated Natural Language Processing techniques ever built into a text search system - including syntactic parsing, morphological and semantic analysis, and word sense disambiguation based on an underlying semantic network.

Besides Query By Meaning and Natural English Query, NLS is the first text retrieval software to offer:

Total, Seamless Integration With Document Imaging And OCR
With OPTIX NLS, you have only to learn a single application to master the combined power of Document Imaging, OCR, and Text Search. Integration is so complete that you can scan documents - in large batches if you wish - and have them automatically OCR'd and then indexed for full text search. Then, when you want to retrieve information, you can enter your text queries from the same screen you enter your image queries, allowing you to combine both a text search and a "structured" search in the same query. Document imaging, OCR, and Text Search are for the first time merged into a single application, with a single user interface.

Ranked Relevance Of Returns
When you search using NLS, your results come back in the order of their relevance to the meaning of your query. You don't have to sift through every "hit" to find the ones you are looking for - the most likely matches are automatically placed at the top of your list. ItÃs like finding a needle in a haystack - in seconds.

Scalability
NLS can be installed for a single user or a small workgroup, and later scaled to serve the needs of a large department or even an entire corporation.

Macintosh Interface And The Power of Unix
NLS combines the power of a Unix server with the ease of use of a Macintosh client (or Windows client).

OPTIX NLS brings a new level of speed and accuracy in text search to publishers, law offices, libraries, research firms, marketing organizations, and others who need to search large text databases. Equally important, NLS puts this power into the hands of even novice users who don't have the time or the inclination to master conventional text search technologies.

Founded in 1988, Blueridge Technologies is one of the industry's oldest and most respected providers of electronic document management systems (EDMS). Long the leading industrial-strength document imaging and workflow system for Apple Macintosh computers, in 1994 OPTIX became the first electronic document management system to offer workflow, document imaging, document control, COLD (Computer Output to Laser Disk), and natural language text retrieval for both Windows and Macintosh workstations. Via the new OPTIX WEB interface, OPTIX also supports popular Web browsers, including Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer from Microsoft, Mosaic, and all the client platforms these products support, including Windows, Macintosh, and UNIX workstations. An online demo of OPTIX WEB is available at http://www.optixweb.com. Blueridge Technologies is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Metters Industries.

OPTIX systems begin in the range of $40,000 and include server software, client software for both Macintosh and Windows, installation, training, and support.