BAROQUE (BROwse and QUEry) is a user interface that implements exploratory or
browsing searches in a relational database. BAROQUE establishes a view of the
relational database that resembles a semantic network and provides several
functions for scanning it. The author's arguments for the need for browsing,
and the design decisions made with respect to structure and function, are
clearly and convincingly presented. Care is taken to state potential problems
and limitations and to suggest enhancements to the prototype. The four
functions implemented for browsing are classify (what is it?), describe (what
is known about it?), associate (what is the connection between them?), and
suggest (any others like it?). They apply to all aspects of the database,
including the definition (schema) of the database, as well as the values of
attributes. This paper is readable and interesting. It makes a worthwhile
contribution to the enhancement of user access to data.
<p>
R. Crawford<br>
<em>ACM Computing Reviews</em>