Your Wish is My Command

6 Introduction

conventional applications. The approach enables "visual generalization"--

generalizing on how things appear on the screen, as well as properties of

the data.

Programming by example is one of the few technologies that holds the

potential of breaking down the wall that now separates programmers from

users. It can give ordinary users the ability to write programs while still op-

erating in the familiar user interface. Users are now at the mercy of soft-

ware providers who deliver shrink-wrapped, one-size-fits-all, unmodifiable

"applications." With PBE, users could create personalized solutions to one-

of-a-kind