imielins@aramis.rutgers.edu (Tomasz Imielinski) (11/06/90)
WORKSHOP ON NONSTANDARD QUERIES AND NONSTANDARD ANSWERS
Toulouse (France)
Time: June 1991
Abstract:
New database applications require extending the traditional function
of query languages and radically modifying the query evaluation
process.
Database systems of the future will deal with a number of novel
categories of information such as knowledge, action, time, permissions
and obligations, which are ontologically different from ordinary data,
but for which there is no specialized support in current database
systems. At the same time, there is increasing demand for a
redefinition of the concept of ``answer to a query''. New applications
which have grown in the last decade require that the classical notion
of an answer to a query, i.e., as a set of tuples, be revised and
broadened. Consequently, not only must the functionality of query
languages be significantly expanded, but also the process of query
evaluation will have to be radically modified in order to provide more
flexible answers. These extensions will have to go far beyond the ones
being currently considered in object oriented and relational
databases.
We have classified the topics of interest into two categories: NEW
KINDS OF QUERIES (meaning new query functionalities) and NEW KINDS OF
ANSWERS (meaning new types of answers).
NEW KINDS OF QUERIES:
- epistemic queries, queries about database knowledge.
- queries about actions
- queries about permissions and obligations
- temporal queries
NEW KINDS OF ANSWERS:
- Intensional answers and answers with constraints
- Cooperative query answering
- Answering with limited computational resources
- Statistical answers
- Answers with objects
- Modal answers
The following are major open questions which we would like to adress
at the workshop:
How will the NEW QUERY capabilities be included in future query
languages: will there be many specialized query languages, or one
"extensible" query language? How will the NEW ANSWERS be specified?
What are the consequences of adding NEW QUERIES and NEW ANSWERS for
query evaluation and optimization?
Finally:
Which framework (object oriented, logic, extended relational) is best
for accomplishing these extensions?
We would like to bring together the leading researchers in databases,
AI and logic programming to discuss the future of this important
research area and the dominant approaches to the problem.
Important dates :
- Submission of an extended abstract : March 1st 1991
(4 pages maximum)
- Notification to authors : April 15st 1991
- Complete paper due : May 15th 1991
Organizers: R.Demolombe, L.Farinas, T.Imielinski
Programme Commitee
R. Demolombe (ONERA-CERT)
L. Farinas (University of Toulouse)
D. Gabbay (Imperial College)
T. Imielinski (Rutgers)
P. Kannelakis (Brown)
J.L Lassez (IBM)
A. Motro (George Mason)
S. Naqvi (Bellcore)
Papers should be submitted to
Tomasz Imielinski
IBM Almaden Research Center
San Jose, CA
Harry Road 650
(I am spending my sabbatical there till September,1, 1990)
Preprints will be distributed at the conference. A book will be
published later with the best revised papers.
The number of participants will be strictly limited (around 50
people).