[Oberon] Re: Commercializing Oberon: User Needs, subdirectories

[mcintosh at vima.austin.tx.us]

I write under my own name to an international readership who speak
English as a second language. I try to be clear and direct, and to
write with deliberation when I post.  I know that I write long posts,
but otherwise I think I merit good reputation.

For reasons too bizaare to be sensible, I have thought about getting
a second Ph.D., this time in computer science.  One dissertation
topic that I have considered is to embed a database deep into the
system and explore the implications.  In Oberon, the simple act of
embedding a "Text," which is an abstract structure composed of files,
deep into the operating system has been profound.  I think that the
database dissertation topic would be very interesting.

If I do implement the file directory as one factory relation in a
system wide, user extensible database, I gain a tremendous amount of
power in the OS.  If the file entities on the disk have a
many-to-many relationship to the directory, I gain a tremendous
amount of power in the user's hands.

If, however, I require low level compatibility with a legacy data
structure invented when portable media was 8" wide and held 160 Kb of
data, my options for innovation are minimal.

It is probable that any research project I pursue in this area would
be Oberon based.  If Danforth's project becomes cohesive, it is
possible that it would be the base for the project.