Per wrote:
Q) As for data in spreadsheets. I don't agree with using information on
users
being stored in a spreadsheet. It isn't what it was designed for. It
makes
it to easy for a simple user error to make a mistake and corrupt the
data.
A) That is what this organization does. They have pretty good reasons for
not using Base or Access.
This is not the place to discuss their
strategies, however,
Why not? This is a users group and the question was asked by Richard
Detwiler as to why not to store data in a spreadsheet? It might be
stretched that he hijacked the thread but it is pertinent to the
original problem and this forum is for users to help users.
rather how we can help them achieve the goals
that they have set for themselves.
An Q & A: The answer is from Dotan himself in an other mail here at the
forum...
We all know that a database is made for, well, databases... but in this
case it´s not suitable....
/( sorry Dotan if I took the liberty to give this answer, but.... can´t
they read the mail you wrote earlier ???) ;-) /
Can't you read the email you are quoting? Do not be so quick to
criticize others. We all understand that Dotan's hands are tied. We
were not suggesting that he force his friends to use Base. Merely
discussing the pros and cons for someone who asked.
// Per
Robin Laing skrev:
Gene Young wrote:
Richard Detwiler wrote:
Robin Laing wrote:
I have used OOo since before it was OOo. I have not lost data due
to the software in any case.
As for data in spreadsheets. I don't agree with using information
on users being stored in a spreadsheet. It isn't what it was
designed for. It makes it to easy for a simple user error to make
a mistake and corrupt the data.
Note the question to which we responded:
I'm a bit confused by the statement about how information on users
shouldn't be stored in a spreadsheet, because it is so easy to
corrupt the data.
Does this suggest that the only information that should be put in a
spreadsheet is data where it doesn't matter if it gets corrupted?
If so, that would significantly reduce the usefulness of spreadsheets.
I assume there is some key point that I'm missing, so please
enlighten .... thanks.
Basically a database is for storing and retrieving information. A
spreadsheet is primarily for performing calculations on data. In
common usage, people have come to use spreadsheets to store
information because the learning curve is much shallower than
learning to work with a database.
Also, a database can have fields, records and other areas locked to
protect data from user input or changes. Spreadsheets can be sort of
locked but that isn't perfect either as I have seen so many times in
my work.
A find and replace in a spreadsheet can be very dangerous if used
wrong. A find and replace in a database is much harder to do outside
the current open record.
Also, linking between data fields is much easier in a database.
I agree that most users know how to use a spreadsheet and have to
learn a data base program. It is well worth the time to learn how to
use a database program for storing records like employee information.
--
Gene Y.
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