From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on inbox.vuxu.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.8 required=5.0 tests=DKIM_ADSP_CUSTOM_MED, DKIM_INVALID,DKIM_SIGNED,FREEMAIL_FROM,HTML_FONT_LOW_CONTRAST, HTML_MESSAGE,MAILING_LIST_MULTI,RCVD_IN_DNSWL_NONE autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 Received: (qmail 1742 invoked from network); 4 Jan 2021 15:40:30 -0000 Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (45.79.103.53) by inbox.vuxu.org with ESMTPUTF8; 4 Jan 2021 15:40:30 -0000 Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id E46819C7F7; Tue, 5 Jan 2021 01:40:19 +1000 (AEST) Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8818A9C7D8; Tue, 5 Jan 2021 01:39:40 +1000 (AEST) Authentication-Results: minnie.tuhs.org; dkim=fail reason="signature verification failed" (2048-bit key; unprotected) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="NLybpisv"; dkim-atps=neutral Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id DD34E9C7D8; Tue, 5 Jan 2021 01:39:37 +1000 (AEST) Received: from mail-yb1-f173.google.com (mail-yb1-f173.google.com [209.85.219.173]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 9C9D39C7D7 for ; Tue, 5 Jan 2021 01:39:36 +1000 (AEST) Received: by mail-yb1-f173.google.com with SMTP id o144so26401039ybc.0 for ; Mon, 04 Jan 2021 07:39:36 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20161025; h=mime-version:references:in-reply-to:from:date:message-id:subject:to :cc; bh=bbXTTfu6u0R/RHDL+PzARBD7YRTexaM2LevYCL7IPyg=; b=NLybpisvvzkfmErureepSjq557pEG/L/sp7WxRMREvo7uD91xTrL4nko7mNtQmBbWB 69oA2LX/AXt2IHY1wE+Lf7cImirrjdKAn99Oa5X6MCaOByqDvbnmZSe7r6qjwSqCHX1w Xmmra6VZag17HF0thynNXmmfApjjCReMZBh2cPfMRpyythwQ5Vp2R7m7Yadca7u5UlFR TFpMTqhpDCnxvE52GniDzIt0kxW+2rIR0G6caFEkpiKeMm1vlaYzrzXsl+0mteD3N87B 5jYpsA83S3ldKxRfHIY2dPLxlanZGRwFHHG3htz/LF8iz1XfMy7uCa2eXqK9Q29VrmiP xsmw== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20161025; h=x-gm-message-state:mime-version:references:in-reply-to:from:date :message-id:subject:to:cc; bh=bbXTTfu6u0R/RHDL+PzARBD7YRTexaM2LevYCL7IPyg=; b=rmY4PqmYyCSfbqVEPF1/JJ/QLbXwBtnYotR0wipA+BYPEn6TcFNTkrAZGOKJU3OSVx WjaTSBrpIZZ2vekoHa6wjGwZCmPNanF/9sTob3xZXzeAvyT28UPt3kiSYAw/o8E2Bx+d vY9JQPkXbn22hl7gxLD6Xwp6IDdWw3f2Sy6DzDJnAZM3ykpNp4C6tCA/SQDxKczH0uyz wl/mb9CDAs+ivm0qscvWZ46j5ZE0friAJNNBBd/vsiqLEn2bcaot1ANNYW32gwEhujmd IM1MhoLHqe58HfKfoq7/aYbMvd65P7NNZr+/7drPRZBEvENF1HV4D5WlaYX6HDvMLWTF HyqA== X-Gm-Message-State: AOAM530oLQoKSqWy21Lb4u96vkyjWuGRD+ShZESUkzgjk0JMHbiWWta3 Tx5/DBBxJfOgAYHErljFBDJgNfyYHss/msVn01c= X-Google-Smtp-Source: ABdhPJwjWmCEdjnf1lcaNkjm3ICsapoGYOBETxP7Diyd36kkowwc2mFcyJAKGLPZFWb2XSgNSXo3+IwJSywyrht9dBM= X-Received: by 2002:a25:d3c8:: with SMTP id e191mr105938615ybf.234.1609774775594; Mon, 04 Jan 2021 07:39:35 -0800 (PST) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: In-Reply-To: From: "John P. Linderman" Date: Mon, 4 Jan 2021 10:39:24 -0500 Message-ID: To: Clem Cole Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000aaf14405b814e539" Subject: Re: [TUHS] Question X-BeenThere: tuhs@minnie.tuhs.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.26 Precedence: list List-Id: The Unix Heritage Society mailing list List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Cc: UNIX Heritage Society Errors-To: tuhs-bounces@minnie.tuhs.org Sender: "TUHS" --000000000000aaf14405b814e539 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I still have the grope source. It starts with /************************************************** * GROPE - spelling correction - Bill Taylor - Dept 43231 * * The information contained herein is for the use of BELL LABORATORIES * and is not for publication. (See GEI 13.9-3) ***************************************************/ but I have been told by people I trust that the algorithm is really due to Tom Szymanski. I have used the algorithm for matching city and street names from the US Postal Service, and it did very well, quite a bit better than the Levenshtein algorithm, for that application. It worked well for "ordinary" dictionary matching, but would have been ghastly for things like approximate matching of DNA base pairs. Don't get me started about automating directory lookup. That was my first BTL project in the Business Information System division in the early 70s. It was obviously superior to paper records, and we had no trouble pitching up the corporate ladder until we got to the executive director level. In a blaze of insight, he asserted that microfilm had stolen the market, whereupon our director executed a light-speed 180 about supporting the project, and it died. The executive director later became Vice President of Electronic Information Systems at Western Electric. On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 at 9:13 AM Clem Cole wrote: > I also remember a program that was kicking around WH and MH called > grope(1) that IIRC used the algorithms in the code for the 411 operators. > Was that related? I do remember is that had a separate dictionary from > spell and ispell that was stored in /usr/lib/grope/[a-z]/mumble > =E1=90=A7 > > On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 at 4:08 AM Rob Pike wrote: > >> That was done by Tom Duff, I believe before he came to Bell Labs. I migh= t >> have brought the idea with me from Toronto. The code, or at least a simp= le >> version of it, is in The Unix Programming Environment starting around pa= ge >> 208. We credit Tom in the endnotes for the chapter. >> >> -rob >> >> >> On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 at 8:00 PM Ed Bradford wrote: >> >>> Thank you for responding. My recollection is that one of your >>> folks put the spelling corrector into the shell so when I typed >>> the wrong letters for a directory or file, the spelling correct >>> would help. It was particularly noticible in the "chdir - cd" shell >>> command. Do you recall any such person and if so, did he (and it >>> was a he) use Peter's work? >>> >>> There was a distance algorithm that was far better than anything I've >>> seen >>> since. Yes, please send me Peter's contact information. >>> >>> I am >>> >>> Ed Bradford, Ph.D. Physics, retired from IBM >>> Pflugerville,TX >>> egbegb2@gmail.com >>> >>> PS: We chatted sometime in 1980 or so about >>> adding database capabilities to the interactive >>> environment. I was interested in adding it to >>> the Bourne Shell at the time. >>> >>> On Sun, Jan 3, 2021 at 2:23 PM M Douglas McIlroy < >>> m.douglas.mcilroy@dartmouth.edu> wrote: >>> >>>> > I was a BTL person for 8 years between 1976 and 1984. During >>>> > that time there was a spelling corrector that was better than >>>> > anything I see today. There was a concept of "spelling distance" >>>> > that corrected a whole bunch of stuff that even today cannot be > >>>> corrected. >>>> >>>> > Who in that era worked on spelling correction at BTL. I was at >>>> > Columbus BTL (1976-1979) and Whippany BTL (1979-1984). >>>> >>>> Peter Nelson made an interface to spell(1) that showed putative errors >>>> in context. I believe it could suggest corrections. I remember the pro= ject; >>>> I installed hooks for it in spell(1). I don't remember the date, but i= t >>>> would probably not have been early enough for you to have used it in >>>> Columbus. >>>> >>>> If there's a chance that Peter's program is the one you remember >>>> and you'd like to get in touch with him, I can give you his >>>> email address. >>>> >>>> Doug >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Advice is judged by results, not by intentions. >>> Cicero >>> >>> --000000000000aaf14405b814e539 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I s= till have the grope source. It starts with

/*******************************= *******************
=C2=A0* GROPE - spelling correction - Bill Taylor - = Dept 43231
=C2=A0*
=C2=A0* The information contained herein is for th= e use of BELL LABORATORIES
=C2=A0* and is not for publication. =C2=A0(Se= e GEI 13.9-3)
=C2=A0***************************************************/=
but I have been told by people I trust that the algorithm is really due= to Tom Szymanski. I have used the algorithm for matching city and street n= ames from the US Postal Service, and it did very well, quite a bit better t= han the Levenshtein algorithm, for that application. It worked well for &qu= ot;ordinary" dictionary matching, but would have been ghastly for thin= gs like approximate matching of DNA base pairs.

<= div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"">Don&= #39;t get me started about automating directory lookup. That was my first B= TL project in the Business Information System division in the early 70s. It= was obviously superior to paper records, and we had no trouble pitching up= the corporate ladder until we got to the executive director level. In a bl= aze of insight, he asserted that microfilm had stolen the market, whereupon= our director executed a light-speed 180 about supporting the project, and = it died. The executive=C2=A0director later became Vice President of Electro= nic Information Systems at Western Electric.


That was done by Tom Duff, I belie= ve before he came to Bell Labs. I might have brought the idea with me from = Toronto. The code, or at least a simple version of it, is in The Unix Progr= amming Environment starting around page 208. We credit Tom in the endnotes = for the chapter.

-rob


On Mon, Jan 4,= 2021 at 8:00 PM Ed Bradford <egbegb2@gmail.com> wrote:
Thank you for responding. My rec= ollection is that one of your
folks put the spelling corrector into the sh= ell so when I typed
the wrong letters for a directory or file, the spellin= g correct
would=C2=A0help. It was particularly noticible=C2=A0in the "= ;chdir - cd" shell
command. Do you recall any such person and if so, = did he (and it
was a he) use Peter's work?

There was a distance= algorithm that was far better than anything I've seen
since. Yes, pl= ease send me Peter's contact information.

I am

Ed Bradf= ord, Ph.D. Physics, retired from IBM
Pflugerville,TX

PS: We chat= ted sometime in 1980 or so about
adding database capabilities to the inter= active
environment. I was interested in adding it to
the Bourne Shell at = the time.

On Sun, Jan 3, 2021 at 2:23 PM M Douglas McIlroy <m.douglas.mc= ilroy@dartmouth.edu> wrote:
> I was a BTL person fo= r 8 years between 1976 and 1984. During
> that time there was a spellin= g corrector that was better than
> anything I see today. There was a co= ncept of "spelling distance"
> that corrected a whole bunch o= f stuff that even today cannot be > corrected.

> Who in that e= ra worked on spelling correction at BTL. I was at
> Columbus BTL (1976-= 1979) and Whippany BTL (1979-1984).

Peter Nelson made an interfa= ce to spell(1) that showed putative errors in context. I believe it could s= uggest corrections. I remember the project; I installed hooks for it in spe= ll(1). I don't remember the date, but it would probably not have been e= arly enough for you to=C2=A0have used it in Columbus.

If there's= a chance that Peter's program is the one you remember
and you'd = like to get in touch with him, I can give you his
email address.

Do= ug


--
Advice is judged by results, not by intentions.
=C2=A0= Cicero

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