Received: by ATHENA-PO-2.MIT.EDU (5.45/4.7) id AA04945; Tue, 14 Mar 89 12:01:05 EST
Received: by ATHENA.MIT.EDU (5.45/4.7) id AA03671; Tue, 14 Mar 89 12:01:01 EST
Received: by decwrl.dec.com (5.54.5/4.7.34)
	id AA04674; Tue, 14 Mar 89 05:44:50 PST
Message-Id: <8903141344.AA04674@decwrl.dec.com>
Received: by decwrl.dec.com (5.54.5/4.7.34)
	for rap@athena.mit.edu; id AA04674; Tue, 14 Mar 89 05:44:50 PST
From: fleischer%glivet.DEC@decwrl.dec.com (Bob, BOSE A/D, DTN 381-0895, ZKO3-2/T63)
Date: 14 Mar 89 08:40
To: @rjf:infolens-team
Subject: "Abstract Objects for Database Programming" (I plan to attend)

From:	CRL::WOLMAN "Alec Wolman" 13-MAR-1989 19:08:08.20
Subj:	REMINDER: DEC Cambridge Research Lab Seminar Series Announcement

 
 
                        Digital Equipment Corporation
                            Cambridge Research Lab
                                  Seminar
 
                    Abstract Objects for Database Programming
                                 David Maier
                            Oregon Graduate Center
 
                           Wednesday, March 15, 1989
                                3:30pm-4:30pm
 
   Abstract:
 
   Programming languages, as we know them, will be gone in 20 years.  What
   is the point in conceiving a highly structured entity, having to reduce
   it to a linear representation, push it through a byte-wide knothole, and
   then have a compiler guess what structure you meant?  With the advent of
   object-oriented database systems and persistent programming
   environments, it is feasible to program by directly creating structures
   that represent programs, without going through the middlemen of a
   scanner and a parser.  People in the database field should be the last
   ones proposing new lexical languages.  The research should be directed
   at inventing storage types for program objects.  Once we are free of the
   strictures of linear syntax, we should discover a wealth of variations
   for control structures, scoping rules and binding environments.
   Ultimately, the semantics of program objects should be describable as
   yet other objects, giving the ultimate in portablility without needless
   standardization:  the semantics of a programming system is ported along
   with a program.
 
   I consider some of the desiderata for database programming models,
   indicate problems with current approaches to database programming, and
   look at the conflict between encapsulation and efficient access in
   database programming.  I then propose "abstract objects" as a building
   block for database programming models, and look at the ramifications of
   this approach.  An abstract object is essentially a template for various
   kinds of matching in database operations and for the structural part of
   type definitions.  Abstract objects are similar to non-ground terms in
   some logic systems, but with the ability to put structural constraints
   on the binding of a variable and distinguish the nuances of identity vs.
   equality.  I will show how to represent database commands with abstract
   objects, discuss the semantics of pattern matching and talk briefly
   about their implementation.
 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
   Dr.  David Maier is a Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at
   Oregon Graduate Center.  Previously he was at SUNY at Stony Brook.  He
   has consulted and contracted with Tektronix, Servio Logic, MCC, DEC,
   Altair, MAD Intelligent Systems, and Brookhaven National Labs.  He is
   the author of books on relational databases and logic programming, as
   well as many papers in database theory, object-oriented databases and
   user interfaces.  He received a Ph.D.  in Electrical Engineering and
   Computer Science from Princeton University in 1978.
 
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
   Digital Equipment Corporation's Cambridge Research Lab is located on the
   north side of Technology Square, at the junction of Hampshire Street and
   Broadway.  The address is:
 
                          Digital Equipment Corporation
                          Cambridge Research Lab
                          One Kendall Square, Bldg. 700
                          Cambridge, Mass 02139
 
   For questions regarding the seminar, directions, or parking, or to add
   your name to the mailing list, call DTN 259-6601 or send email to 
   crl::tss.