This report describes various aspects of generalized or task-oriented programing systems and in particular, how their features can be adapted for retrieval from (typical) information center and library data bases such as those described in a previous report (LI 000 498). It is not meant to be comprehensive in the sense that all such systems are discussed; indeed, many systems have necessarily been omitted. The discussion begins with already existing systems (Control Data Corporation's Information Oriented Language (INFOL), the IBM-1401 Combined File Search System (CFSS)). It then turns to systems now or about to be available in the near future (Informatics Inc.'s MARK IV). The final portions treat more advanced systems not now available (International Business Machine's Generalized Information System (GIS)). The treatment is primarily descriptive and to some extent provides a survey of the features of the above systems as they might be exploited in an environment characterized by a very large-scale (both in the format and content senses) data base problem. (Author/CM)