Welcome to 00lS'01 and Calgary! This is the 7th International Conference on Object-Oriented Information Systems (OOlS) that focus on Object-Oriented and Web-Based Frameworks for Information Systems. In the last few years we've seen significant new development in this field, from one-off design technologies to reusable frameworks, and from web applications to bioinformatic systems. We perceive that information processing is one of the most important activities of human beings. Object-orientation and frameworks have been the main-stream technologies for design and implementation of large-scale and complex information systems. Recent research advances and industrial innovations in information systems modeling and Internet applications have explored the new trends in shifting information system vendors from component and system developers to services providers. Users of information systems are increasingly demanding higher performance, mobility, and personalization in order to realize the dream to access and obtain necessary information anywhere and anytime. The new development requires the investigation of new architectures, frameworks, processes, and inter-connectivity of information systems at society, organization, team, and personal levels. The 00lS'01 Proceedings has put together a program of 53 papers from leading researchers and practitioners in the field of object technology and information systems.

New object-oriented technologies have been conceived and implemented over the past decade in order to manage complexity inherent in information systems development. Research has spanned from information systems modelling languages (UML and OML) to databases (ODMG), from programming languages (Java) to middleware technology (CORBA). A more widespread use of the Internet has led to the emergence and integration of various other technologies, such as XML and database connectivity tools, allowing businesses to access and exchange information over the Internet. The main theme of OOIS 2000 was "Object-Technology and New Business Opportunities" and focused on research conducted in the area of effective information systems development for the promotion of e-commerce. Papers were invited from academics and practitioners. The thirty-nine papers accepted for oms 2000 are included in these proceedings. It is nice to see this year that the shift from centralised to distributed systems and the widespread access and use of the Internet has allowed the advent of new opportunities for businesses to exploit, in the form of e-commerce.

This volume contains the papers presented at the Intemational Conference on Object Oriented Information Systems 00lS'94, held at South Bank University, London, December 19 - 21, 1994. In response to our call for papers, a total 85 papers from 24 different countries were submitted. Each paper was evaluated by at least two Program Committee members and an additional reviewer. Together, we selected 41 papers for presentation at the conference and inclusion in the Proceedings. Also included are the keynote addresses by Peter Gray and Michael Jackson. The other submissions were recommended for presentation in the poster sessions. Peter Gray, our invited speaker, evaluates the problems of object-oriented systems and data independence by looking at how object oriented database applications are failing to perceive its benefits, and instead rely too much on encapsulation. He suggests alternative kinds of object storage to preserve data independence. The second invited speaker, Michael Jackson describes a way of solving problems, by focusing directly on the problems themselves, their components and structures and on the relationships between the problem and the solution method. He discusses a particular view of the role of object-orientation in software development.