WebFINDIT Objectives
WebFINDIT is a system for describing, locating and accessing data in Internet-accessible
databases. The goal of this project is to build a WWW-centric infrastructure
to elicit interoperation of Web and Internet accessible databases. This infrastructure
would logically present users with one single database whose components will
span every database site that is connected to the WWW. We call this Web-based
logical database the World Wide Database (WWD).
WebFINDIT Approach
WebFINDIT aims to achieve scalability through the incremental formation and discovery
of inter-relationships between Web accessible databases. Clusterings (groupings)
of databases are established through the sharing of high level meta-information,
and individual databases join and leave these clusters at their own discretion.
Users are incrementally and dynamically educated about the available information
space without being presented with all available information. We take advantage
of this architecture by using the information meta-type as a unit of data sharing.
Databases, therefore, need only show and map the information types that need to
be shared.
Querying Web Databases using WebFINDIT is provided at two levels: metadata
level (explore the available information, display meta information about
a particular database, etc.) and data level (query actual information stored
in databases).
(*) Running the Demo
To be able to execute the demo, you need to change your ``.java.policy''
file. This is can be done using the program ``policytool'' shipped with Java.
The easy way to do it is to grant "AllPermission".
You need to restart your browser after modifying your ``.java.policy''
file.
