|
|
|
@inproceedings{DBLP:conf/vldb/SoensLSST93,
author = {Kurt A. Shoens and
Allen Luniewski and
Peter M. Schwarz and
James W. Stamos and
Joachim Thomas II},
editor = {Rakesh Agrawal and
Se{\'a}n Baker and
David A. Bell},
title = {The Rufus System: Information Organization for Semi-Structured
Data},
booktitle = {19th International Conference on Very Large Data Bases, August
24-27, 1993, Dublin, Ireland, Proceedings},
publisher = {Morgan Kaufmann},
year = {1993},
isbn = {1-55860-152-X},
pages = {97-107},
ee = {db/conf/vldb/SoensLSST93.html},
crossref = {DBLP:conf/vldb/93},
bibsource = {DBLP, http://dblp.uni-trier.de}
}
While database systems provide good function for writing applications on structured data, computer system users are inundated with a flood of semi-structured information, such as documents, electronic mail, programs, and images. Today, this information is typically stored in filesystems that provide limited support for organizing, searching, and operating upon this data. Current database systems are inappropriate for semi-structured information because they require that the data be translated to their data model, breaking all current applications that use the data. Although research in database systems has concentrated on extending them to handle more varieties of fully structured data, database systems provide important function that could help users of semi-structured information.
The Rufus system attacks the problems of semi-structured data. It provides searching, organizing, and browsing for the semi-structured information commonly stored in computer systems. Rufus models information with an extensible object-oriented class hierarchy and provides automatic classification of user data within that hierarchy. Query access is provided to help users search for needed information. Various ways of structuring user information are provided to help users browse. Methods associated with Rufus classes encapsulate actions that users can take on the data. These capabilities are packaged in a framework for use by applications. We have built two demonstration applications using this framework: a generic search and browse application called xrufus and an extension to the Usenet news reading program trn. These applications are in daily use at our research laboratory.
This paper describes the design and implementation of our framework, our experiences using it, and their influence on the next version of Rufus.
Copyright © 1993 by the VLDB Endowment. Permission to copy without fee all or part of this material is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for direct commercial advantage, the VLDB copyright notice and the title of the publication and its date appear, and notice is given that copying is by the permission of the Very Large Data Base Endowment. To copy otherwise, or to republish, requires a fee and/or special permission from the Endowment.
