Perhaps the GNU philosophy isn’t so crazy. Software, that tasteless but hardly odorless substance, may be suitable only as a free prize if you buy something else. IBM used this approach to move mainframe hardware; now Digital is trying it for operating systems by giving Rdb to every purchaser of VAX/VMS.

I have expressed distaste for aftermarket user’s manuals written by staff of the software house (see Review 9105-0330). Imagine my joy in receiving a second such volume, which coincidentally suffers from the same “comprised of” problem. Fortunately, Digital Press is a thoroughly professional operation, and their editor kindly discussed the book’s merits at length.

The text is based on Rdb/VMS version 4.0, released in late 1990. The authors have had an opportunity to use the product and to distill their experience. The layout is attractive, and the many figures communicate well. A sample problem, followed through the chapters, provides a worked example that the reader can copy.

The presentation follows a fairly standard sequence. Chapter 2 covers relational concepts and introduces the example database. Chapter 3 presents query languages; file structures and indexes are the subjects of chapters 4 and 5. These sections explain some difficult material clearly. Unfortunately, that clarity does not carry into chapter 6, which trivializes the black art of query optimization. Chapters 7 and 8 expose VMS vagaries in transaction and security management. Rdb vagaries appear in chapters 9 through 13, respectively a collection of integrity concerns (triggers, journaling, and backup), a fine tutorial on tuning, an explanation of distributed Rdb databases, and coverage of read access to foreign databases. Database interaction with two more VMS services--data dictionary and transaction processing--follows in chapters 14 and 15. Chapter 16 is a compendium of database tools, and chapter 17 guides application programmers.

The fundamental question, Is the book useful? remains. Some material, such as licensing arrangements and future product directions, seems like a marketing brochure. This book will not replace the official documentation set, but it can serve as friendly introduction for the bewildered or those who need a quick, inexpensive way to evaluate Rdb.