VAGUE: a user interface to relational databases that permits vague queries

A specific query establishes a rigid qualification and is concerned only with data that match it precisely. A vague query establishes a target qualification and is concerned also with data that are close to this target. Most conventional database systems cannot handle vague queries directly, forcing their users to retry specific queries repeatedly with minor modifications until they match data that are satisfactory. This article describes a system called VAGUE that can handle vague queries directly. The principal concept behind VAGUE is its extension to the relational data model with data metrics, which are definitions of distances between values of the same domain. A problem with implementing data distances is that different users may have different interpretations for the notion of distance. VAGUE incorporates several features that enable it to adapt itself to the individual views and priorities of its users.