2. What is a database

A database is a stored collection of information arranged in a logical, structured manner.

Databases have been with us right through history in various mediums. For example the ancient Egyptians (2000 B.C) kept careful records of their harvests on papyrus and clay tablets.

The famous Domesday book, created during William the Conqueror's reign (1086 A.D.) is a paper based database (tax databases are still with us!)

As science developed in the 16th and 17th centuries, people wanted to store the information and knowledge they had amassed in a logical manner. Brilliant people, such as Carl Linnaeus who developed a way of categorising all the plants and animals in the world, helped with this effort.

And today, databases are everywhere - much of business could not function without them for example call centres rely completely on being able to access customer records