Newsgroups: rec.arts.int-fiction
Path: gmd.de!xlink.net!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!usc!yeshua.marcam.com!news.kei.com!world!dmorin
From: dmorin@world.std.com (Duane D Morin)
Subject: Re: Parsers
Message-ID: <CM2o4I.AB3@world.std.com>
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
References: <1994Mar1.140641.23498@schunix.dmc.com> <2l2jq2$17l6@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> <CM20Bz.74D@world.std.com> <2l39v6$16j2@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu>
Date: Thu, 3 Mar 1994 04:50:41 GMT
Lines: 35

In article <2l39v6$16j2@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu>,
Steve Dunham <dunham@cl-next4.cl.msu.edu> wrote:

>>unlock the door
>Which one?
>>the big one

This is a classic inconsistency with text adventure parsers.  Many (most?)
of them will approach ambiguity with a question:

>unlock the door
Which door do you mean, the big door or the little door?

But then fail to accept:
>the big door

As a result.  Yet, a classic example of where this was not the case, from
the original Adventure:

>kill the dragon
With what, your bare hands?

>yes
Amazingly enough, you kill the dragon...

I mean, typing "yes" at that point, for most people, would just be frustration,
because experience tells them that what they should be typing is:
>kill the dragon with bare hands

>Steve Dunham
>dunham@gdl.msu.edu


Duane

