Databases - ECDL Course

A database is an organised collection of data. We are familiar with many examples of databases that are not computerised. These include telephone directories, address books and TV programme listings. All of these have well organised data referred to as information.

A telephone directory book lists the name, surname, address and phone number of every subscriber. This data is sorted in alphabetical order according to the surname of the subscriber. Accordingly you can only search for a phone number provided you know the person’s surname. However, a database program with the same information as that found on a telephone directory enables you to search a phone number using any piece (name, address and phone number) of information, which you know about the person.

Storing a database on a computer:

• increases the speed with which one can get information;
• makes it easy to store large amounts of information can be sorted;

Typical uses of large-scale databases include airline booking systems, government

records, bank account records and hospital patient details.