On Wednesday 16 January 2008 02:44:41 pm Gandalf Parker wrote: > On Wed, 16 Jan 2008, Bryan Richter wrote: > > On Jan 16, 2008 1:30 PM, Dylan Beaudette <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> They work exclusively with Excel. > > > > The big cheese couldn't understand that they needed a database > > application! We're talking terabytes of data over the life of the > > project, and they're trying to get Sue to whip something together all > > by herself because of their complete unfamiliarity with the concept. > > In the computer classes I taught the military I had to broach that > subject. I would say "yes you CAN do it in a spreadsheet, or in Word > tables, or a presentation, etc etc. But why ignore what they do best? > Basically its like this. If its going to be read, then Word does it best. > If its going to be presented, then a presentation is best. If you are > going to do mathematical things with numbers, then a spreadsheet will do > it best. If you are doing things with words like sort and search then a > database is best.
Ok, this is a practical stance dealing with the symptoms of a lack in data management training. What would be really nice is a required data management course - possibly coupled with technical writing - to alleviate the fundamental problems. > > If you start a project in the wrong application then somewhere down the > line you will want it to do something and you will spend alot of extra > time trying to get that application to do it. After all you can haul > freight in a car but if you know the job is hauling freight then why > would you ask for a car?" > > Gandalf Parker all in all a fun discussion! Dylan _______________________________________________ vox-tech mailing list [email protected] http://lists.lugod.org/mailman/listinfo/vox-tech
