Re: Looking for a library databse of books

Bob Badour wrote:

> servermachine_at_gmail.com wrote:
> > I regard a database as a set of related files that are created and
> > managed by a DBMS, whereas a dataset would be a data file or collection
> > or interrelated data.
> >
> >
> > Bob Badour wrote:
> >
> >>servermachine_at_gmail.com wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>I should correct this to: Looking for a library dataset of books
> >>>
> >>>servermachine_at_gmail.com wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>Hey all.
> >>>>I'm trying to get hold of a database of books, preferably in sql,
> >>>>access or something easily convertable to those.
> >>>>The database should be like a library's, with records containing title,
> >>>>author, publisher, year, isbn, dewey..etc
> >>>>Can anyone help me find one?
> >>>>
> >>>>TIA
> >>
> >>I am curious what difference you think exists between a database and a
> >>dataset.
>
> If a database with hundreds of relations is in a single physical file,
> does that make it no longer a database but a dataset instead?

I see a database as a logical encoding of statements of fact with appropriate schema and integrity constraints, whereas a dataset is merely a bag of 'data items'. Hence when I hear the term database I see it as referring to the strict definition of data as used on this board and in DBMS as a whole. In contrast when I hear the term 'data set' I semantically connect it to the overly-general and wooly computer science use of the term data.

I am still unconvinced there is adequate consensus on terminology across the field. Received on Mon Nov 27 2006 - 17:10:55 CET