NGOs ⇐===⇒ IT Geeks
- Information management system to store and process information
- A box of papers
- Collection of data in organised structure
- Library
- Software on a computer
- Library management software
- Baseline monitoring
- 10-year rainfall data of Bangkok
- Student information management
- Hospital
- Wordpress, WIKI
- Spreadsheet (baby database)
- Accounting transaction
What is the aim?
Every database should help us to know something, monitor changes, forecast etc.
4 components of a database:
Example:
Access - Microsoft, not open source, easy to use and install but not scalable, own database format
Open Office - Base - Free and Opensource (FOSS), other than own database format, it connects to MySQL and PostgreSQL database as well
ASP + SQL Server - Microsoft, not open source, high software cost, not easy to use and install but scalable
PHP + MySQL - FOSS, no software cost, not easy to use and install but scalable
Oracle - for really huge databases, got strip down version for free?
Online database
User ⇐=⇒ Internet ⇐=⇒ Database server
- Good for multiusers at different locations - Needs to be online all the time (doesn't work when Internet connection is down)
Offline database
- for in-house or localised use
Best is the combination of offline and online database, good example is Martus human rights bulletin system.
- In House - Consultant - Free Open Source Software (maintained by a FOSS community)
Issues:
- better own the source code - who can upgrade and maintain
User issues:
- People may not be trained to collect the data - Check data entry to ensure that there aren't errors - The outputs are only as good as the inputs