parser
	parser noun The part of the FE that breaks your input down into words and attempts to extract a command from them. This is the AI sense of the word. SUAs are sometimes said to have 'intelligent parsers' if they can fill in implied parts of a command using the dynamics of the situation, eg. 'light brand' in a room containing a fire would be sufficient evidence to assume you meant that the brand was to be lit from the fire. Although MUD does handle this kind of assessment, it's a feature of the execution of specific commands rather than of the parser. MUD2's parser used to be comparatively dumb, yet because some commands could perform this guesswork SUA devotees insisted on calling it 'intelligent'. See binder, command, vocabulary.
	Copyright © Multi-User Entertainment Ltd. (muse@mud.co.uk) 23rd September 1999: parser.htm