Author Description

This report describes in a tutorial manner ISIS, an interactive data base management system developed on the PDP11 computer under the UNIX timesharing system. ISIS, designed for computer-naive users, uses an English-like command language to give the use the ability to view, modify, and otherwise reorganize his data base. ISIS operates on data bases of modest size, exploiting the unique characteristics associated with such data bases. The tutorial focus is tactical command and control, but ISIS is more generally applicable. The report introduces the ISIS command language in stages, and the user with access to Rand's PDP11/70 can try ISIS out on the command and control data base utilized in the report. The report also discusses the system development philosophy adopted during ISIS implementation.