If it's text processing it is also batch processing...

Here's a consequence of isolating web services from real text processing:

What about batch processing?

Tired of superficial text processing

I've been looking at CALAIS the open-source web services for performing information extraction on Reuters data. The info extraction tech used under the hood is based on ClearForest's proprietary rule-based info extraction language called DIAL. Like SRA's and Inxight's (now Business Objects and SAP) similar tools of the trade, this type of languages are tailor-made for general purpose info extraction. The biggest asset of working with such tools is that they allow the developer to go as deep as she can and extend the original NLP basis in order to meet specific customer data and requirements. However, tools like CALAIS shift the focus majorly from the underlying NLP/IE technology to the web services and I/O front and related bells and whistles. They even offer "bounties" for innovative web service applications built for CALAIS. All this while the single most important and most attractive element of this tool is its NLP extensibility power! This remains concealed and under wraps with a roadmap promise to be released by the end of the year. Until then the tool runs with the out-of-the-box IE capabilities, which are -arguably- pretty limited and only impressive to those with limited prior NLP/IE experience. Does someone have their priorities screwed-up?