Open, Web-Based Expert System

Exists already, have a look at the Law Underground, a expert system for legal advice. Its maintained by volunteer lawers and law students.

It uses very simple rules, similar to those used in the early expert system. In fact the rules are even simple than those used by Mycin (because they don't utilize any numeric certainty factors). A sample rule is:

CONCLUDE THAT The person has standing to object to the legality of a search

IF

1. The person owns or has a right to possess the place searched OR
2. The place searched is the person's home OR
3. The person is an overnight guest at the place searched

Rules are entered in textual form, rules are versioned, the rule base can be navigated along the "depends on" links and there is always a simple way to test rules.