The term "Office Automation" implies much and means little. The word "Office" is usually reserved for units in an organization that have a rather general function. They are supposed to support different activities, but it is notoriously difficult to determine what an office is supposed to do. Automation in this loose context may mean many different things. At one extreme, it is nothing more than giving people better tools than typewriters and telephones with which to do their work more efficiently and effectively. At the opposite extreme, it implies the replacement of people by machines which perform office procedures automatically. In this book we will take the approach that "Office Automation" is much more than just better tools, but falls significantly short of replacing every person in an office. It may reduce the need for clerks, it may take over some secretarial functions, and it may lessen the dependence of principals on support personnel. Office Automation will change the office environment. It will eliminate the more mundane and well understood functions and will highlight the decision-oriented activities in an office. The goal of this book is to provide some understanding of office . activities and to evaluate the potential of Office Information Systems for office procedure automation. To achieve this goal, we need to explore concepts, elaborate on techniques, and outline tools.

This comprehensive collection is a survey of research in object-oriented databases, offering a substantive overview of the field, section introductions, and over 40 research papers presented in their original scope and detail. The balanced selection of articles presents a confluence of ideas from both the language and database research communities that have contributed to the object-oriented paradigm. The editors develop a general definition and model for object-oriented databases and relate significant research efforts to this framework. Further, the collection explores the fundamental notions behind object-oriented databases, semantic data models, implementation of object-oriented systems, transaction processing, interfaces, and related approaches. Research and theory are balanced by applications to CAD systems, programming environments, and office information systems.

As we approach the end of the 20th century we can look back upon the achievements that have been made in a variety of human endeavours with pride. Enormous strides have been made to improve the quality of life of millions of people through the application of the scientific discoveries made during this and past centuries. The 20th century will be remembered as much for the mass exploitation of scientific discovery as for the discoveries themselves. The technological age has meant that the human being is able to contemplate activities which "defy" nature. For example, some of the work involved in the preparation of these proceedings has been done whilst travelling at over 500 miles per hour seven miles above the surface of the earth. It is not difficult to conjecture about the effect that this relatively recent technology has had upon a number of "systems". Air transportation has provided a number of benefits including such disparate examples such as enabling holidays, famine relief and the cross fertilisation of cultural practices from other lands. Equally, there have been undesirable effects such as enabling the means of mass destruction, interference in other cultures and the speedy transportation of disease. Moreover, the physical presence of the aeroplane itself represents the consumption of fossil fuels, a source of pollution and a change in the way think about life. The view expressed here is of course the view of an inhabitant of the "western world".

Computer Science Workbench is a monograph series which will provide you with an in-depth working knowledge of current developments in computer technology. Every volume in this series will deal with a topic of importance in computer science and elaborate on how you yourself can build systems related to the main theme. You will be able to develop a variety of systems, including computer software tools, computer graphics, computer animation, database management systems, and computer-aided design and manufacturing systems. Computer Science Workbench represents an important new contribution in the field of practical computer technology. TOSIYASU L. KUNII Preface The evolution of database systems research is itself a story. Long after the emergence of systems derived from practical applications, Codd's relational data model has gradually occupied the theoretical domain of database systems and is moving into the realms of practical use. Certainly, the theoretical foundation makes database design, validation, and testing easier. However, Cod d's model allows only fiat tables to be handled, while most business and engineering data in practice are in nested table forms. Thus, a recent major obstacle in database systems development is the large gap between the theory and the practice.