The success of the internet is radically transforming the way people work, study, shop and communicate. But the next generation web now being developed could see it doing many more tasks for us, thanks to intelligent software capable of interpreting meaning to understand our needs better. For instance, future search engines will no longer merely look for key words and pick out all the websites which contain them; instead they will be able to interpret the meaning of the question they are given, using a new generation 'semantic mark-up' language which is being developed by researchers across the world. More significantly, it also makes possible the development of 'smart agents' which can collaborate with one another on our behalf.

Magpie is an experimental Semantic Web 'filter' developed at The Open University's Knowledge Media Institute. It works as a streamlined toolbar that sits within your web browser, and helps you find and further elaborate things you are interested in. In the context of climateprediction.net, it is a fair bet that you have some interest in climate prediction, but Magpie has broader applicability as well. Magpie automatically highlights key items of interest within any web page you visit, and for each highlighted term it provides a set of 'services' (e.g. explanations, examples, further links) when you right-click on the item.

Magpie currently works with Java-enabled Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or greater

Visit the main Magpie project page. Alternatively, view a sample of climate-related demonstration prototype of Magpie.