In this article I present IEAD, a new interface for astronomical science
databases. It is based on a powerful, yet simple, syntax designed to completely
abstract the user from the structure of the underlying database. The
programming language chosen for its implementation, JavaScript, makes it
possible to interact directly with the user and to provide real-time
information on the parsing process, error messages, and the name resolution of
targets; additionally, the same parsing engine is used for context-sensitive
autocompletion. Ultimately, this product should significantly simplify the use
of astronomical archives, inspire more advanced uses of them, and allow the
user to focus on what scientific research to perform, instead of on how to
instruct the computer to do it.Comment: 13 pages, PASP in pres
