Gregory Stigers asked a few days ago:

> Our other two developers (mainframe backgrounds, they) have been thrown
>  into the deep end. One of them gets to create a new dataset. Both of
>  them can spell IMAGE, and that's about it on the 3K. I don't have the
>  time to spoon feed them the basics. Any suggestions on where and how
>  they might begin learning? I am giving them the LaserROM reader so that
>  they can RT*M. I also need to get the latest HP course catalog, but
>  attending class right now is probably not possible.

As a part of the manual for our report writer, we wrote a chapter that was
designed to explain IMAGE databases to anyone, regardless of whether or not
they'd had any prior experience with the HP3000 -- or computers in general.

I put together a new web page today so that a few of the more important
chapters of the applications guide can be downloaded in PDF (Adobe Acrobat)
format. This is something that we had been planning on doing for some time,
but Greg's question was the impetus enough to get this done.

Chapter 2 of the applications guide is called, "The Database." While it is
clearly part of the applications guide that explains the use of QueryCalc --
and there are more references to QueryCalc than I originally remembered --
the text can be read in a manner such that the references to the product can
be completely ignored. The subject of the chapter is a reasonably complete
explanation of an IMAGE database -- at least from a user's point of view.

The chapter will be rewritten shortly. There are several items in the text
that are becoming somewhat out of date. There is no mention of the new IEEE
real number format in the chapter. Nor will the sections on the limitations
of IMAGE keys remain correct once the IMAGE b-trees have been released.

Finally, if you print the chapter out, it was originally designed to be
printed duplex with a left edge binding. Some of the pages are actually put
together as "spreads" (spanning two pages) and almost all pages look better
that way.

If I were to suggest a reading list by which to rapidly become reasonably
familiar with IMAGE, starting from ground zero, I would suggest this order:

     o  Chapter 2 of The Applications Guide
         (http://aics-research.com/qc/qcchaps.html)

     o  The IMAGE Database Management System
         Reference Manual, which HP supplies, and which
         I've always thought was quite excellent.

     o  The IMAGE Handbook, written by Bob Greene and
         Alfredo Rego (Alfredo mentioned earlier that copies
         are still available at Adager. Anyone serious about
         using IMAGE should have one of these books --
         but they may not be appropriate for a first-time
         user. Reading the book may be a little like trying to get
         a drink from a fire hose if you're new to IMAGE).

Wirt Atmar