Modern database and software system technology must respond to a wide variety of needs. Advanced applications such as office automation, CAD, or software engineering have new requirements in design environments, transaction mechanisms, and data types. This comprehensive volume by designers, implementors and users covers all aspects of building an object-oriented software system from data model through system implementation, interfaces, and applications. Utilizing techniques from databases, object-oriented languages, programming environments, and user interfaces, O2 is a landmark object-oriented database system representing a new generation of database technology. This guide will help researchers, database designers, and users to assess the nature and potential of object-oriented technology for themselves.

Database technology is currently being pushed by the needs of new applications and pulled by the oppor- tunities of novel developments in hardware and systems architecture. The invited paper, two panel sessions and 27 papers in this volume report on how the technology is currently extending. One broad area covered is extended database semantics, including data models and data types, databases and logic, complex objects, and expert system approaches to databases. The other area covered is raw architectures and increased database systems support, including novel transaction models, data distribution and replication, database administration, and access efficiency.