Hi,
This is my turn, (not forget that my English is as good as I like):
A little longer than others proposed text, not only first words, but
text can be inserted into introduction:
What is Base?
OpenOffice.org Base is a database management part of OOo, it is for data
storing, manipulation. With help of base you can design, database
tables, relations, queries, forms and reports, close tho that you can do
in similar applications. With help of Base you can connect to file based
“databases”, as different address books, dbf, text or spreadsheets, and
connect to database management systems (DBMS) databases (MySQL,
PostgreSQL, Firebird, Oracle, MS Access), and use them as external data
source, through SDBC, ODBC, JDBC drivers. In these cases you can use
Base as front-end to them. If these things not know for you, please not
stop reading it, you will be more familiar them in the future.
If you compare of other part of OOo which are more close to
counterparts, (Writer to Word, Calc to Excel), you can find lot of
differences to Access.
Database vs. Spreadsheet
Before we really start to introduce the database management, think about
why we selected to use DBMS, or choose spreadsheet for this tasks.
What type of data will be stored? - Text, date, numbers, pictures, etc.;
How many people will use it? - One ore more;
Where will you store the data? - on your own computer, over local
network, or internet;
How frequently you change data? - once a month, day, in every hour, or
never;
How much change, the data, how many data will be inserted or changed?
The data retrieve how will happen, in what format and what will be the
retrieve frequency?
If we went through this list we can decide, select a spreadsheet, in
case of slow data changing rate, single user, with small amount of data.
But in this case you must manage the spreadsheet deficiencies when
compared to database usage.
If we see the spreadsheets database features, we can say, it is a
calculator, with list handling capabilities, no relations, the cells can
contains any data, and will not refuse the data input if you insert
wrong data into it. All numbers handled as floating point numbers.
If these features not enough for you select database over spreadsheet.
If the data changes frequently, choose database, your error rate will be
less. If more user use Base file with HSQLDB built in database, on
network, can be enough if you can manage that only the first user can
use all capabilities of Base, others can use as read only, some case it
is enough. If you want to use in multiuser environment with restricted
data access, you must use database server with user access control for
data storage, and use Base as front-end, applying forms for data input,
queries, reports for data retrieve.
Zoltan
Drew Jensen írta:
Howdy,
Looking for your thoughts on this.
Summarize what Base *is* in 1 or 2 paragraphs.
So let those fingers hit the keys.
Let's see if we can put a nice opening couple of paragraphs together
and when we are done we'll pass it along to Dan Lewis who has put
together the first draft of Chapter 1 for the Base Users Guide.
Thanks,
Drew
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