34. An information processing system for enabling a non-computer literate expert having knowledge (developer) to develop a computer assisted expert system for a user; said information processing system comprising: (a) a first means for generating a plurality of interconnected knowledge records, each of said records being linked to at least one other record by a pointer, wherein said plurality of knowledge records represent a plurality of decision nodes in an expert system; (b) A second means to enable a developer to enter knowledge in said knowledge records as alphanumeric statements, including questions, in a series of interconnected knowledge records, and a plurality of option actions for said records, wherein each action invokes one or more of a plurality of functional commands to link each record with at least one other record with forward and backward chaining pointers to form an option linkage, said records and said option linkages defining an interconnected decision network representative of the developers knowledge for said expert system; (c) display means for displaying said alphanumeric statements, including questions, and said options for said user; (d) third means for retrieving selectively a linked knowledge record in response to an option choice by said user.
47. An information processing system as claimed in claim 34, wherein said first means includes a data base manager for generating said knowledge records and linking said records in response to option selections entered by the developer.