The article talks about how databases store information efficiently. They discuss the importance of choosing the right way to store data physically, which impacts how fast the database performs. They look at the different options available when designing a database's physical structure and how these choices can affect each other. Their focus is mainly on databases that handle not just simple data but more complex types, like in object-oriented systems. For these complex systems, picking the best way to store data is crucial since the tools to speed up searches are not as advanced as those for more common databases. In a nutshell, picking the right way to store data can significantly impact how well a database functions, especially for more complex systems like object-oriented databases.