> Date: Mon, 4 Oct 2010 12:57:21 -0400
> From: [email protected]
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [authors] Base Guide
>
> Cecilia Cheung wrote:
> > An outline of restructured chapter 1 for the Base user guide is now
> > available in the feedback folder, please let me know your comments.
> > Cecilia
> >
>
> Looking through your proposed outline for restructuring chapter 1, I'm
> wondering if the outline for the entire Base Guide should be revised
> extensively as well as well (perhaps rewritten). The later chapters
> would flow better from what is introduced in Chapter 1 than they would
> as they are now written. Just one of my thoughts.
>
> Earlier, mention was made for whom we were writing the Base Guide.
> What do we think their expertise in using databases will be? If they
> have an database educational background, they will already know the
> technical terms which apply to databases. What about those who have not
> had a class in databases? How much of a problem will the technical terms
> to be introduced in Chapter 1 be to them?
>
> Here are the technical terms to which I refer: entities,
> attributes, secondary key, and database management system. Terms used
> within base include field name, field type, field properties,
> relationships (inner join, outer left join,outer right join, full outer
> join, and database engine. Another term use: RDMS (relational database
> management system).
> My concern is that introducing too many new terms too quickly
> might create some problems for those not familiar with technical terms.
> To understand what is written, the reader must understand at least 75%
> of the words. (So stated a college professor as she taught teachers how
> to make reading more understandable by their students). Perhaps my
> concerns will be addressed, and I am reading something into the outline
> more than is there.
My intention of including a section on database concepts is to help those who
have very little knowledge about databases. Hence, the coverage will only be
the bare essentials so that they can relate to fields, field types, database
types etc. when creating a database & table in Base. It also helps to visualise
where/who they are in this process. I can imagine that for those who just want
to create a database for their musics collection would probably use the
Wizards, as there are predefined fields to select. Hopefully those basic
concepts will help them to understand why those fields exist.
> Another concern is how to keep the size of chapter 1 from becoming
> too large. And if the size is kept within reason, will the amount of
> technical terms then create the problems I mentioned above? I like the
> outline as it is for the most part. I also think the Base Guide chapter
> outlines should be modified in accordance with this outline.
>
> Dan
>
>
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