The objective of this project is to implement a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for information storage and retrieval (lS&R) that will be easy to use, easy to maintain and easy to extend. The user interface implementation took advantage of the advanced object oriented GUI development environment provided by NeXTstep to provide an iconic interface that allows direct manipulation and supports mixed initiative dialogues.

The GUI will be used in conjunction with a family of IS&R systems at Virginia Tech: CODER (COmposite Document Expert/effective/extended and Retrieval), a test-bed that is being developed to experiment with various intelligent information retrieval techniques, and MARIAN (Multiple Access and Retrieval Information with ANnotation), an advanced on-line public access library catalog system providing network access to all facets of bibliographic information.