Need Synonym for "Database"

March 6, 2006 10:36 AM

A database by any other name ...

... would not be charged as "Software Enhancement" by accounting.

I work with some engineers who wish to expand the contents of a database, literally a collection of information related to a similar topic.

The problem is that Accounting considers all "database" work to be software enhancement. This is similar to the way the term Computer has evolved over time from "a person who computes numerical results". The original (engineering) sense of changing a Database is that the schema (categorization) stays constant, but more information is added to the collection.

So is there a concise term that refers specifically to this process of increasing the total knowledge of the system/collection, but hasn't been overloaded by software/computer-science terminology?

posted by Araucaria to writing & language (5 comments total)

So is there a concise term that refers specifically to this process of increasing the total knowledge of the system/collection[...?]

"Research"
posted by tkolar at 10:43 AM on March 6, 2006

I'd use the term 'knowledgebase' to refer to that system.
so, "The customer has asked us to add additional information to the knowledgebase"

or, to go totally marketspeak on it, "The client has requested heuristic enhancements to the expert system contained the embeded knowledgebase in our offering."
posted by Davidicus at 10:44 AM on March 6, 2006

Davidicus writes "I'd use the term 'knowledgebase' to refer to that system.
"so, "The customer has asked us to add additional information to the knowledgebase"

"or, to go totally marketspeak on it, "The client has requested heuristic enhancements to the expert system containing the embedded knowledgebase in our offering.""

:-). Knowledgebase is excellent. Thanks!
posted by Araucaria at 11:01 AM on March 6, 2006

I would have the engineer's description would fall into the realm of "Data Entry" myself.
posted by JJ86 at 11:03 AM on March 6, 2006

Corporate library collection development.
posted by stet at 12:28 PM on March 6, 2006