"The software can provide an abstract of any original copy and turn out an accurate digest with 20 or so words," said Zhang Songzhi, director of the Nation High-tech Application Co., which produces the software.

The software will help Internet users, media editors, enterprise managers and government officials, said Wang Yongchen, the software designer and a Jiaotong professor of computer applications.

Demonstrations of the software can be seen at the International Chinese Word Processing Symposium, which ends tomorrow.

Last year, the Information Office of the State Council and Wenhui-Xinmin United Press Group, which includes Shanghai Daily, began using experimental copies of the software to compile daily files and news digests.

"The software saved a lot of time and has improved our overall efficiency," said Li Daoshen, international editor of Wenhui Daily.

Li said the software is especially helpful to editors who tend to be pressed for time after midnight but still need articles condensed.

The software is simple to use, Wang said, as he commanded his laptop to condense the works of late leader Deng Xiaoping related to Hong Kong and produce an abstract. Within seconds, the condensed article appeared on the computer screen.

The speed at which the software works depends on the computer equipment, Wang said.

"This software was based on the works of more than 1,000 Chinese editors who have contributed to the improvement of grammar and rhetorical expressions," Wang said. Those who lack voice-activated programs can direct the software via the traditional method: typing commands into the system, Wang said.

Wang's system can also summarize English-language articles, though its language choices and styles are not as precise.

(Eastday.com.cn 04/04/2001)