jaybee33
Member
probably sound liek a silly question to you guys, but what is a database ? .... in very simple terms 
Question What is a Database
- Thread starter jaybee33
- Start date
jaybee33
Member
no, its not down, i wouldnt be able to get on otherwise. I meant from a person to explain it as Wikipedia uses technical Jargon i dont yet understand very well, im just after a breif summary of what it is and what it does thats all
We can hardly write reams about a technical subject without using technical language. If you want a simple general description then Wikipedia has provided it. If you want more specific details then you should consider asking more specific questions.Wikipedia said:
jimmajsterski
Well-known member
Hopefully this is simple enough---
A database could be something as simple as a sequential (or "flat") file of records,
where each record contains, for instance, a NAME, a SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, and an
EMPLOYEE NUMBER. The information in each record is unique and has no relation to
the information in the other records.
Most of the time, though, a datbase is composed of several files, (possibly tens
or maybe even hundreds of files) where the records in the files contain information
which is RELATED to information contained in the records of other files.
This arrangement is called a relational database.
These files in a relational database are called tables. In some databases, the tables
are each in their own separate file. Some databases have all the tables in one file.
Relational db example:
EMPLOYEE table
DEPARTMENT table
PROJECT table
An EMPLOYEE could be a member of a DEPARTMENT.
An EMPLOYEE could be assigned to a PROJECT.
A DEPARTMENT could have several PROJECTS.
A PROJECT could have several EMPLOYEES.
Now, the beauty of a relational db...
The records in the DEPARTMENT and PROJECT tables do not have to contain all the
information about an EMPLOYEE, they just need to point/relate to the EMPLOYEE.
Also, the EMPLOYEE relates back to the DEPARTMENT and PROJECT tables, but each
does not have to contain all the information about the other, just that relationship.
And the DEPARTMENT and PROJECT tables likewise have relationships.
The purpose of all this is to MINIMIZE how many places any piece of information, such
as an EMPLOYEE name, or a PROJECT description, resides. This makes retrieving information easy and makes UPDATING old or CREATING new information very easy. Also, disk space is well utilized.
The relational database is really nifty and interesting.
A database could be something as simple as a sequential (or "flat") file of records,
where each record contains, for instance, a NAME, a SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, and an
EMPLOYEE NUMBER. The information in each record is unique and has no relation to
the information in the other records.
Most of the time, though, a datbase is composed of several files, (possibly tens
or maybe even hundreds of files) where the records in the files contain information
which is RELATED to information contained in the records of other files.
This arrangement is called a relational database.
These files in a relational database are called tables. In some databases, the tables
are each in their own separate file. Some databases have all the tables in one file.
Relational db example:
EMPLOYEE table
DEPARTMENT table
PROJECT table
An EMPLOYEE could be a member of a DEPARTMENT.
An EMPLOYEE could be assigned to a PROJECT.
A DEPARTMENT could have several PROJECTS.
A PROJECT could have several EMPLOYEES.
Now, the beauty of a relational db...
The records in the DEPARTMENT and PROJECT tables do not have to contain all the
information about an EMPLOYEE, they just need to point/relate to the EMPLOYEE.
Also, the EMPLOYEE relates back to the DEPARTMENT and PROJECT tables, but each
does not have to contain all the information about the other, just that relationship.
And the DEPARTMENT and PROJECT tables likewise have relationships.
The purpose of all this is to MINIMIZE how many places any piece of information, such
as an EMPLOYEE name, or a PROJECT description, resides. This makes retrieving information easy and makes UPDATING old or CREATING new information very easy. Also, disk space is well utilized.
The relational database is really nifty and interesting.
jaybee33
Member
jimmajsterski,
WOW!! perfect! thats the sort of thing i was looking for dude, i hope you understand what i meant earlier, its just you get a better understanding of the answer when someone replies to you on a person to person level rather than a huge Encyclopedia of information from a webpage. tha make more sense.... it makes a lot of sense
thanks for taking the time to write that out dude
much appreciated
WOW!! perfect! thats the sort of thing i was looking for dude, i hope you understand what i meant earlier, its just you get a better understanding of the answer when someone replies to you on a person to person level rather than a huge Encyclopedia of information from a webpage. tha make more sense.... it makes a lot of sense
thanks for taking the time to write that out dude
much appreciated
What's a relationship?
An object with a limited lifetime. When the scope of that life has expired, the object disapears along with half the database an application to which it belonged.
Interpersonal relationship - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWhat's a relationship?
(I had to follow suit)
jimmajsterski
Well-known member
Hey, jaybee33 was happy...
I suppose we could go into primary and foreign keys, normalization of data, referential integrity and all that, but jmcilhinney is right. Jaybee33, maybe you can find a book like "Databases for Dummies". Learn some basics, then post your questions here. There are members of this forum who really know their stuff and are happy to share their knowledge.
BTW, jaybee33, Microsoft Access says a relationship works by matching data in key fields - usually a field with the same name in both tables.
I suppose we could go into primary and foreign keys, normalization of data, referential integrity and all that, but jmcilhinney is right. Jaybee33, maybe you can find a book like "Databases for Dummies". Learn some basics, then post your questions here. There are members of this forum who really know their stuff and are happy to share their knowledge.
BTW, jaybee33, Microsoft Access says a relationship works by matching data in key fields - usually a field with the same name in both tables.
