I have built a large Clips expert system to search graphs, recognizing software algorithms that have come from compilers, for my doctoral dissertation.
My project worked and worked well, So I feel qualified to issue an opinion about this overall project.
Correction, my Version 2 worked well, Version 1 was built crappy and I finally realized it and took 6 days to start over and build in a designed way.
The author states he is not an IT guy. Well, you NEED one very much.
I had to build my expert system in very small pieces, the foundation pieces, then grouping sub-searches into larger ones.
I had 110 different test cases to verify small pieces of my matches.
When I saw something in this thread that said 3780 rules in system. I spit out my coffee.
You ask "What is wrong?"
Heck, can you show me one thing that is RIGHT? Verified CORRECT? Paper and pencil checkmarks and list of facts before/after a run of a few rules?
Incrementalism. Test-driven development.
And when you edit the code even one little character, you have invalidated ALL of the previous test cases executions. Regression testing is necessary.
You need to be able to run ALL the test cases in a batch environment from one command.
My 110 test cases took 45 minutes to run, I used to jog out to the railroad tracks and come back later during a regression run.
Save all your code, create a new EMPTY project, add back SMALL pieces with some test cases that you can see are accurate on like 2 sheets of paper. Not 3780.
Gary Riley, thanks for all your efforts over the years. It has been much appreciated.