Teaching language to computers: As our computer dependency increases, so does our need for more intelligent machines

As computer programs become more sophisticated and their users more diverse, the need for these systems to be able to convey messages and information increases. Possibly the greatest area of change in computer software over the last several years has been the interaction between the machine and the user. “Icons” (graphic symbols), “windows” (regions of a terminal screen devoted to different tasks), and “menus” (lists of valid operations) have replaced cryptic command languages as the principal mode of communication between the machine and the casual user.