Re: Total Cost of Ownership

"Laconic2" <laconic2_at_comcast.net> wrote in message news:<ks6dnSWxvZkcQOfdRVn_iw_at_comcast.com>...
> I decided to deliberately omit accepting new data from the definition. I
> subsumed that under "reserving the value".
>
> One can claim that data that is not updated loses value with time. The rate
> of decay could be different for, say, the area in square miles of US states
> and the latest trading prices of stocks. But that's a value judgement.
>
> Also, it's not clear to me whether the value of newer data is added by the
> database itself, or by the process that adds the data. Clearly, they have
> to work together.
>
> BTW, good point about the API.

And yet, as this is under the "TCO" heading, one can assume that the evolution of data has to be considered over time, and rather than simply "preserving the value of data", a "useful" database (by any measure) will also facilitate, aid & abet in INCREASING the value of the data (through enabling change & exchange [with other applications & databases] etc)

So, could I humbly suggest perhaps :

The purpose of a database is to preserve and increase the value and availability of the data it contains.

(Talk about Occams Razor !) Received on Sun Apr 18 2004 - 14:52:47 CEST