Interfaces to Database Systems (IDS94)

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-x

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2. Invited Paper

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

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   2. Configuring Database Query Languages

      • Richard Cooper

      Pages 3-21

3. Naive and Application-Specific User Interfaces

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 23-23

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   2. GUIDANCE: Making it Easy for the User to be an Expert

      • David Haw, Carole Goble, Alan Rector

      Pages 25-48

   3. HIBROWSE for Hotels: Bridging the Gap Between User and System Views of a Database

      • G. P. Ellis, J. E. Finlay, A. S. Pollitt

      Pages 49-62

4. Formal Approaches

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 63-63

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   2. A Visual Approach to Multilinear Recursion

      • Tiziana Catarci, Giuseppe Santucci

      Pages 65-83

   3. Database Querying by Hypergraph Manipulation

      • Tiziana Catarci, Laura Tarantino

      Pages 84-103

   4. SFQI: Semi-Formal Query Language Interface to Relational Databases

      • M. N. MdSap, D. R. McGregor

      Pages 104-124

5. 3-Dimensional Visualisation and Virtual Reality

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 125-125

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   2. Design of a 3D User Interface to a Database

      • John Boyle, John E. Fothergill, Peter M. D. Gray

      Pages 127-142

   3. Three Dimensional Interface for an Object Oriented Database

      • Martin H. Rapley, Jessie B. Kennedy

      Pages 143-167

   4. Virtual Environments for Data Sharing and Visualisation — Populated Information Terrains

      • Steve Benford, John Mariani

      Pages 168-182

6. Data Model Issues I

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 183-183

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   2. A Graphical User Interface for Schema Evolution in an Object-Oriented Database

      • Simon Monk

      Pages 185-196

   3. Unifying Interaction with Persistent Data and Program

      • R. C. H. Connor, Q. I. Cutts, G. N. C. Kirby, V. S. Moore, R. Morrison

      Pages 197-212

7. Metaphors

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 213-213

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   2. Bags and Viewers: A Metaphor for Intelligent Database Access

      • Robert Inder, Jussi Stader

      Pages 215-235

   3. Query by Browsing

      • Alan Dix, Andrew Patrick

      Pages 236-248

A brief survey of the major DBMS and HeI conference proceedings over the past 10 years will reveal isolated pockets of research in database user interfaces but little sense of being swept along with the general advances in DBMS technology and Hel. New data models have evolved to meet the needs of different application domains; persistent programming languages are blurring the traditional distinction between data definition and application programming languages; distribution and inter-operability have become issues as have the storage of heterogeneous media types; yet it is still rare to read of the HeI issues raised by these technological innovations being expressly addressed and rarer still to find recognition of the usability problems with longer-established database technologies. There are at least two reasons why this should be surprising: • Database systems are not like other computer systems; existing both as back-ends to other applications and as stand-alone data stores, they are typically slow, deal with very large volumes of data and can involve all sorts of security, confidentiality and even cooperability issues. • Databases are everywhere. Perhaps only word processors and spread­ sheets are more widespread. In addition, as business cultures change and personal computing continues to mould expectations, end-users find themselves interacting increasingly closely with database systems.

• Access
• DBMS
• Database Systems
• database
• database system
• evolution
• object-oriented database
• relational database
• user interface
• virtual reality

• Computing Department, Lancaster University, Bailrigg, Lancaster, UK

  Pete Sawyer

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