Announcing Release 2.2 Patch level 1 of LINCKS - a multi-user object-centred database system What is LINCKS? LINCKS is a research database system developed at the University of Linkoping in a project to explore the area of intelligent information systems. We are releasing it on the net in the hope that we will (1) spark some interest in the work we've done, (2) obtain some users and (3) thus some feedback which will help us to focus our continued research in this area. Finally, we also hope that our system might prove useful for others in their work/research and might lead to fruitful research contacts. LINCKS is an object-centred multi-user database system developed for complex information system applications where editing and browsing of information in the database is of paramount importance. The focus is on sharing of small information chunks which combine to make up complex information objects used by different users for different purposes. The information chunks are semi-structured in that they contain one part which is well-structured to facilitate addition of A.I. processing within the system, and one part which is unstructured and suitable for management by the user. Some of LINCKS interesting features are: * Multiple users - LINCKS is a multiuser database system. * A hypertext-ish X-windows based user interface to the database. * Composite objects - although all objects are built up of small pieces, the user interface presents these as single `composite objects', allowing editing over the entire composite object using an Emacs-like editor. * Database history - the LINCKS system maintains information regarding the history of objects and actions within the system. Object history is maintained at both the single chunk and composite object level. Past versions of objects can be accessed and reactivated. * Alternative views - LINCKS allows a user or application developer to interactively define alternative views on the underlying database objects. This is particularly useful in applications where the same information is to be used for different purposes or by people in differing roles which require a different composition and display. * Information sharing - LINCKS provides an easy way for users to share database objects or for one user to share information across all of her/his accessible objects. This is done by linking objects into composition objects. Thereby, any changes to that object by one user will result in updates to all compositions which have that object as an component. * Parallel Editing Notification - As LINCKS is a multi-user system and allows information sharing, this leads to possible conflicts. Consequently, the LINCKS system maintains a list of objects being edited and issues warnings when parallel editing occurs. * Tutorial - The system contains a simple interactive tutorial to illustrate the basic ideas and capabilities of the system. Availability If you are interested in trying out the LINCKS Version 2.2 system, it is available by anonymous ftp on ftp.ida.liu.se (130.236.30.131) in the directory pub/lincks/lincks-2.2.1.tar.gz (or pub/lincks/lincks-2.2.1.tar.Z for those without GNU unzip). This machine is in Sweden. If it doesn't allow you in the first time, wait a few seconds and try again. Note that ftp.ida.liu.se allows very few anonymous (10) ftp logins at one time, so we have made LINCKS available on the following ftp sites: ftp.sunet.se:pub/unix/databases/object-oriented/lincks/lincks-2.2.1.tar.gz ftp.uu.net:pub/database/lincks/lincks-2.2.1.tar.gz gatekeeper.dec.com:/pub/net/infosys/lincks/lincks-2.2.1.tar.gz To retrieve it, do the following: > ftp ftp.ida.liu.se (log in using anonymous as the username and your mail address as the password) > bin > cd pub/lincks > get README "|more" > get lincks-2.2.1.tar.gz > bye Alternatively, you can pick up the User's Manual in PostScript(TM) format (xlincks_manual.ps.gz or xlincks_manual.ps.Z) if you want to have a look at the Interface user manual. NOTE! This file is also included in the tar file, so you needn't get both. After retrieving the LINCKS tar file, you can unpack it by: > cd some-directory > gunzip lincks-2.2.1.tar.gz > tar xvf lincks-2.2.1.tar > cd lincks-2.2.1 Thereafter, read the README file and the COPYING file, the latter of which explains the terms under which you can use LINCKS. LINCKS Version 2.2 is available under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2. What you need to run it You must have some reasonable sort of UNIX (TM) and X11R5 or something based on it. X11R4 support doesn't really exist, although the interface will run. We hope to fix the X11R4 support soon, but don't count on it. Now that X11R6 is out, we'll try to get LINCKS available on R6 as soon as possible. - Sun 4's, running SunOS 4.1.[1-3], and X11R5. This is the development platform. The rest of these have been tested only minimally and not necessarily by us. - Sun 4's, running SunOS 5.2 (Solaris), and Solaris' OpenWindows (based on R5). - Sun 3's, running SunOS 4.1.1 and X11R4. - DECstations running ultrix and X11R5 - IBM RS6000's running AIX and X11R5 - Sequent Symmetry running DYNIX and X11R4 - Linux 0.99.12 Kernel with X386 1.3 on a 486 box. There's no reason why it shouldn't work on later versions as well. - HP's running HP-UX and X11R5. - SGI IRIX - SCO Unix - PC (386 box) running SVR4.2 - SONY NEWS NWS-3860 (MIPS R3000 CPU) NEWS-OS 4.2R - 4.3 Reno BSD - DEC OSF/1 (1.3A) Alpha - DEC OSF/1 MIPS If you have any of these platforms or any other reasonable kind of UNIX, we hope you will be able to get the system running. Where we can be reached We (the developers) can be reached by sending mail to lincks@ida.liu.se. If you have bug reports, please send them to lincks-bugs@ida.liu.se. Additionally there is a lincks mailing list (lincks-users@ida.liu.se) for interested parties, which you can join by sending mail to lincks-users-request@ida.liu.se. COPYRIGHT Linkoping Intelligent Communication of Knowledge System (LINCKS) Copyright (C) 1993, 1994 Lin Padgham, Ralph Ronnquist. Department of Computer and Information Sciences (IDA) University of Linkoping, Sweden 581 83 Linkoping, Sweden These programs are free software; you can redistribute them and/or modify them under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, version 2 of the License. These programs are distributed in the hope that they will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.