The author considers alternative approaches to presenting complex data sets, proposing a more digestible format than traditional database interfaces. The project described explores the application of object-oriented databases and Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) to develop a 3D interface for complex data. Structured Query Language (SQL) and Internet search databases are also considered.

The first section of this paper is an introduction. Sections 2 and 3 provide insight into the rationale for the proposal, namely, that traditional database queries can be complex; results can be difficult to interpret (especially when they contain complex relationships); and users need alternative sources of help. This last point is of great interest; the author considers the possibility of developing links between simultaneous users to gain assistance. Unfortunately, this idea is not elaborated in detail. Sections 4 and 5.3 provide useful insight into how the user interface could be implemented, including a couple of screen shots.

The paper is well written. Its main contribution is the specification of requirements for a 3D visualization system, and a discussion of technical problems encountered during implementation, along with planned future work to overcome these limitations. Its main weakness is its limited information about the interface implemented in the demonstration. It is hard to demonstrate a 3D user interface in a short paper, but more examples of how users would interact with such a system would be very valuable. Furthermore, there appears to be no user feedback or user research on the performance of the design reported in this paper. This would be most useful in evaluating its effectiveness. I look forward to more detailed information in the future.