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Apple V-Twin
V-Twin is the code name for the information access toolkit developed in the Apple Research Labs (formerly known as ATG). V-Twin provides fast and efficient text indexing and search for use by a variety of applications. Eventually, we believe V-Twin will enable a new generation of "content-aware" applications.
Characteristics of V-Twin
V-Twin was designed to satisfy several goals:
State of the art text indexing. V-Twin was built from the ground up to implement the most current models of information retrieval from the research community.
Empowering end users -- making complex technology simple. V-Twin is specifically designed so that end users can take advantage of its most powerful features with little or no previous experience.
Compact memory and disk footprint. V-Twin was always intended as a tool to enhance any Macintosh.
Platform-independence. The core V-Twin engine contains no platform-specific code. This will make it easy for Apple and/or our partners to offer V-Twin-based solutions on other platforms should we choose to do so in the future.
Language-independence. The core V-Twin engine contains no language-specific or character-set-specific code. This will facilitate the development of V-Twin solutions targeted at a variety of international markets.
Modular API. The V-Twin API is designed to support specialization in a variety of areas. For example, V-Twin lets your application decide what a "document" is -- it doesn't have to be a file.
V-Twin In Action
V-Twin is already being used by a variety of Apple's current and forthcoming products and technology demonstrations. These include...
- Cyberdog - The Cyberdog e-mail client uses V-Twin to store and search e-mail messages. Cyberdog is available now on the Cyberdog web site.
- Apple e.g. -- a technology demonstration
Apple e.g. is a CGI that makes MacOS-based web servers searchable. Apple e.g. is extremely easy to use; most webmasters can configure it with a single mouse click. Apple e.g. is a technology demonstration, not a supported product. A beta version is available here , courtesy of the AppleNet division. If you just want to try Apple e.g. in action, you can visit any of the dozens of web sites around the world that are using it, including the De Anza College information server (click on "search the web site" when you get there).
Find-by-Content, a future feature of the Mac OS, will use V-Twin to automatically index all files on your Macintosh. You will then be able to search the files by content. For more information about this and other Apple technology plans check out Apple's "Looking Forward" web site.