Semi-OT: Database for "average" users

[Christopher Browne]

On 4/30/05, Stewart C. Russell <scruss-rieW9WUcm8FFJ04o6PK0Fg at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> billt-lxSQFCZeNF4 at public.gmane.org wrote:
> > In principle I agree, but don't underestimate the utility of a spreadsheet.
> 
> but equally, don't overestimate the seeming functional equivalence of
> two things with rows and columns. A spreadsheet is a good small dataset
> analysis tool, and a passable data entry medium. See Risks Digest
> (particularly vol 20.84, "Report on hacker altering MIT grades: NOT!",
> <http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/20.84.html#subj1>, and following
> articles in later volumes) for more details.

If all of the data will fit on the screen, then I think I'd go along
with the idea of using a spreadsheet for the task.

If the data won't all fit on screen, it is guaranteed that you have to
start to think about questions like "How will I access this?" and "How
will I summarize this?"

If you're of a particular sort of clever sort, then APL or a would-be
successor such as J, K, or perhaps R should leap to mind.  Those are
powerful, powerful, powerful tools for the purposes of applying
reductions to things to get summaries.  :-)
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