Lesson plan
Current database
A current database is a conventional database that stores valid data. For example, if a user inserts "John Smith" into the Staff table of a current database, this asserts that the fact is valid now and until it is subsequently deleted. By contrast, a temporal database qualifies each row with a valid time stamp, valid time period or valid time interval. For example, we can assert the fact that "John Smith" was a member of staff during the period 1 June 2001 and now. As of 2006, current databases were the most common type of database in use. The concept of now is discussed in Clifford et alia (1997).
Article summary
A current database is a conventional database that stores valid data. For example, if a user inserts "John Smith" into the Staff table of a current database, this asserts that the fact is valid now and until it is subsequently deleted. By contrast, a temporal database qualifies each row with a valid time stamp, valid time period or valid time interval. For example, we can assert the fact that "John Smith" was a member of staff during the period 1 June 2001 and now. As of 2006, current databases were the most common type of database in use. The concept of now is discussed in Clifford et alia (1997).
Key claims
No claims recorded.
Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.