This book is a welcome addition to the literature of computer programming languages. The Massachusetts General Hospital Utility Multi-Programming System, or MUMPS, was developed in the late 1960s to provide interactive support for database applications on minicomputers with limited resources. As the name implies, it was initially intended for use in medical applications in which text processing and complex data structures are the norm. Since that time, the MUMPS user community has grown and a standard language has evolved. There are MUMPS user group (MUG) units in the United States and throughout the world. About half the current MUMPS applications are nonmedical, and vendors of MUMPS systems offer products that operate under virtually all major operating systems.

Each MUG reports a continuing growth in its membership. Still, considering the large number of potential applications, MUMPS is not a very popular language, for several reasons. Early systems worked under dedicated operating systems, and it was difficult to link MUMPS and non-MUMPS applications. The language is not structured and does not address the concerns of primary interest to computer science researchers. MUMPS users tend to be applications-oriented and very dedicated to the language, which occasionally leads to exaggerated claims. Finally, its name suggests that MUMPS will be of value for only a narrow range of applications.

In addition, the only MUMPS teaching materials have been tutorials for the programming-naive and reference sources for the committed. Therefore, one would not expect the interest in MUMPS to expand. But such an interest is justified. Designed for database applications in small computers, MUMPS provides outstanding multiuser performance in a personal computer environment under DOS. In addition to the classic database applications, MUMPS has been used for AI applications, systems software development, device communications, and text processing. Anyone who wishes to set up a very inexpensive teaching laboratory or application development environment at least ought to know about MUMPS. Fortunately, Lewkowicz’s book was designed to help experienced programmers develop this knowledge.

The book assumes knowledge of programming and software development but no knowledge of MUMPS. It is laid out so that it can serve as a teaching text and as a reference manual. Each section that discusses some aspect of the language includes examples of all the allowed formats. Important concepts are presented in a box. Sections on advanced considerations can be deferred for later readings.

With only minimal forward referencing, the author describes the MUMPS language, beginning with simple constructs and going on to present more complex ideas. The first chapter is an overview of the MUMPS environment. A chapter containing descriptions of the MUMPS commands with their options follows. The next two chapters introduce the data structures and expressions. The following chapters treat nuances of the syntax and indirection (i.e., execution of data strings). Next, the author describes the standard MUMPS functions and the use of routines and extrinsic functions. The next chapters describe the structures used to store data permanently (called globals), discuss the way a MUMPS system operates (including some common buffering mechanisms), and cover standard error processing techniques. A final chapter reviews language extensions under consideration by the MUMPS Development Committee.

I found the book easy to read, I learned as I read, and I am pleased to retain my copy for future reference. This book is a very useful resource for those who already are committed to the language, and its availability should entice others to experiment with this powerful (if obscure) language.