Incorporating GUI in integration of molecular biology databases

The authors describe a loose coupling approach to integrate molecular biology databases that is based on concepts from graphical user interfaces. The system allows the user to custom build a graphical environment in which a uniform set of commands is provided for all the databases chosen to be members of that environment. The paper also includes preliminary description of a system, currently under development, that provides this integration. The system is designed to satisfy a few principles that guarantee that no degradation of previously existing user skills will occur and that the system can be tailored to the needs of different classes of users. The design goals of the system also include operation and database extensibility and robustness in the sense that only a minimal amount of effort is required to accommodate changes in individual database