In this chapter, we will explore the concept of extending the power of Watson through the use of external tools such as IBM SPSS.
We've broken down the chapter into the following topics:
- What do we mean by extending?
- Using IBM SPSS
- An example use case
Every tool or technology, no matter how powerful, cannot possibly meet every current as well as future requirement for all users. With this in mind, much of today's software provides options for developers to customize (to better fit a particular environment or user) and add on or extend functionalities or features (to best meet a particular use or need).
Customization and extension can range from simply configuring an online profile to programming with the provided Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
Why would you be interested in customizing or extending a particular application or tool? There are a variety of reasons, but the simplest (which may apply best to Watson) are as follows:
- To adapt an interface—or access to—specific information or an application action (or actions) so that it is less generic and more tailored to a specific purpose
- To provide additional logic or processing that does not exist within the current application or tool