Publisher's Synopsis
What makes a database good?
Quality, as applied to databases, is not something abstract or theoretical. It is a very practical issue. In the simplest terms, a database is of high quality if it's useful to the community it's designed to serve.
Commercial databases serve some needs of your user community, but not all. For instance, you may wish to create databases of community resources or unique documents in your collection. With ever-improving computer technology, it's easier than ever to create a database. However, the challenges of creating a good database remain.
In Build Your Own Database, authors Peter Jacso and F. W. Lancaster, show you how to create quality in databases with advice in such areas as:
- designing content while considering domain of coverage, accessibilty, currency, critical mass, and other criteria;
- constructing databases that facilitate retrieval of useful information;
- selecting the best software tools for your needs;
- indexing your data; and
- determining how software features affect database capabilities.
