Database
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Definition
“In computer science, a database is a structured collection of records or data that is stored in a computer system so that a computer program or person using a query language can consult it to answer queries. The records retrieved in answer to queries are information that can be used to make decisions. The computer program used to manage and query a database is known as a database management system (DBMS).” (Wikipedia, retrieved 21:13, 12 September 2007 (MEST)).
The goal of this (future) article is threefold (for now):
- List some useful Wikipedia resources on general database issues
- Point to other articles in this Wiki
- Show where in educational technology various kinds of databases are being used
A guide to Wikipedia's database articles
(by no means complete, these are just some important entry points)
General
- Database: History, Overview of Database models, Technical internals, Overview of Database applications
Models and query languages
- Database models: Overview of flat, hierarchical, network, relational and object models
- Data model (short overview)
- List of database models
- Query language (short table)
- Relational model (the model)
- Relational database (the model again)
- XML databases and files
- XQuery (to query XML data and XML databases)
- XQuery Update Facility (Stub)
- XML databases and files
- Flat file
Technology
- XML database
- eXist
- XML database
- Simple
- FileMaker
- Special purpose applications such as reference managers with their own storage engine
- Simple
- Flat file database (can implement various models)
- Single file
- SQLLite
- SQL Server Compact (Microsoft)
- Serialization to files in some programming languages
- Single file
- Database engines (Low level, i.e. DBMS are built on top)
- MyISAM (used by MySQL)
- InnoDB (used by MySQL)
- BerkeleyDB
- dbm
- Database engines (Low level, i.e. DBMS are built on top)
In education
- Portalware such as Learning management systems or learning object repositories are usually implemented with an RDBMS (e.g. MySQL). Open source platforms mostly use a LAMP/WAMP architecture
- XML databases so far a thinly spread, since education always is slow to keep up with latest trends.
- Many client-side applications such as reference managers or teacher productivity tools use various single file systems, sometimes just a flat file.