dbms/rdbms software & its environment

There have been a few astute posts here and there to the effect that notwithstanding the benefit of the development of "the relational model" for databases, for the last 20 years database theory (a la Date for example) has remained database centric in its thinking.

Is this a fair summarisation?

Finally three questions:

1. To what extent is "an environment external to the database" referenced within database theory?
2. What extent of the user interface in any general database application software system and supporting dbms/rdbms
   (or depending on how your view it ... in any general
   dbms/rdbms software and supporting application software system) is external to the dbms/rdbms, and what is internal?
3. In the above, "internal" means literally defined with the dbms/rdbms software as sql or contraints or triggers or indexation management etc. Considering this definition

are there any examples of solutions in today's world whereby database application software systems are functioning close to 100% within the dbms/rdbms environment rather than distributed on the clients, or application servers?
(ie: they are defined close to totally within the dbms/rdbms env)

Thanks for your consideration of the above three questions and any comments on the fairness of the opening comment.

Farmer Brown
Falls Creek
OZ
www.mountainman.com.au/music
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