Office-by-example: an integrated office system and database manager

ABSTRACT

Office-by-Example (OBE) is an integrated office information system that has been under development at IBM Research. OBE, an extension of Query-by-Example, supports various office features such as database tables, word processing, electronic mail, graphics, images, and so forth. These seemingly heterogeneous features are integrated through a language feature called example elements. Applications involving example elements are processed by the database manager, an integrated part of the OBE system. In this paper we describe the facilities and architecture of the OBE system and discuss the techniques for integrating heterogeneous objects.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.4 INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.3 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
      D.3.4 Processors
          Subjects: Parsing
  D.4 OPERATING SYSTEMS
      D.4.1 Process Management
          Subjects: Concurrency

  E. Data

  H. Information Systems
  H.1 MODELS AND PRINCIPLES
      H.1.2 User/Machine Systems
          Subjects: Human factors
  H.2 DATABASE MANAGEMENT
      H.2.0 General
          Subjects: Security, integrity, and protection**
      H.2.3 Languages
          Subjects: Query languages
      H.2.4 Systems
          Subjects: Query processing
  H.4 INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS
      H.4.3 Communications Applications
          Subjects: Electronic mail

  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.3 COMPUTER GRAPHICS
  I.4 IMAGE PROCESSING AND COMPUTER VISION
      I.4.0 General
          Subjects: Image processing software
  I.7 DOCUMENT AND TEXT PROCESSING
      I.7.2 Document Preparation
          Subjects: Languages and systems

General Terms:
Algorithms, Design, Languages, Management, Measurement, Performance