METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR REFINING DESCRIPTORS

A database containing data items, such as images, text, audio records or video records, in both summary and complete forms, is searched by reference to descriptors associated with the data items, in response to user requests. The search result contains the summary form of the selected items. Responses from users indicative of the utility of the search results (implicit in the users' subsequent actions in requesting the complete forms of specific selected items) are used to refine the descriptors to alter subsequent search results.