Other ways to ensure “integrity of data” would be to back up the database and to make sure that the memory stick, laptops and other memory devices and other ways of storing data are not left lying around where just anybody could get their hands on it. If this was to happen on the day of the competition, Joe Bailey’s brother could get his hands on the database, and change Joe’s scores to allow him to win. To ensure this doesn’t happen, no unnecessary copies should be made and all copies that are made should be kept securely and with the gymnastics database should be fitted with a password and more high security databases, should be encrypted and/or other security measures to ensure data integrity.
Pros and Cons of Computerisation of Databases
Task 3
Pros
I believe the pros of computerising a database would be so that all the relevant information comes to hand easily and quickly. You don’t really need to think too much as in such places as validation rules and queries for finding winners using the short cuts and features available, the computer does all the work for you, e.g., you can just click a button and find all John Smith’s data. Using computerised data means that less paper is needed. The database is more organised than if you have 30 sheets of paper scattered across the desk – trying to find what you want in those circumstances could be quite hard. It is easier, on the competition day, provided you aren’t using a wireless network, to stop unauthorised people changing the data because you can put passwords on your computer and on your database, and a piece of paper doesn’t have passwords. It’s easier to change incorrect data by deleting it rather than Tipp-exing it and ending up with a paper full of Tipp-ex corrections. You can have back-ups in case of accidental deletion, fire or other destructive forces. Windows has search engines to find lost programmes and files, provided you are using Windows. There most probably are more pros which I haven’t seen. In conclusion for the pros, computers are designed to increase productivity, IF you know what you are doing. You can unlock a world of wonders.
Cons
I believe the cons to be that you can accidentally delete stuff on the computer and lose it also. You can mess things up easily on computers and software for computers is expensive and computers themselves are expensive. Computers are expensive to fix. It is expensive to train whereas people know how to use pen and paper. There is nothing too wrong with paper. You can have Spyware on your computer which will tell people what is on your computer, compromising your security. You can get a virus on the day of your event and your system can go down. You can be an unwitting victim of cyber crime (“zombie machines”) resulting in slow computers. You can have judges with them looking at 70% of the internet which they shouldn’t be looking at. There are several other distractions on computers which may mean that the judges’ attention is drawn away from the competitors. If you have a powercut, all the scores will be lost because they haven’t been saved. You need to take into consideration, health and safety, eg., computer screens messing up judges’ eyes. There is unnecessary stress when computers go wrong. If you drop a laptop, laptops break before you can make a backup. You need to employ IT technicians. The scores are not named as “floor scores” and “vault scores” – you could get confused as to which one is A and which is B. In conclusion for the cons, why fix something that isn’t broken?
The Closing Report
Task 4
content
Limitations
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I believe the limitations of the databases to be the lack of reports in my database; reports would make everything easier. I would spend the time learning what reports involve and how to make them and then I would make the report to the best of my ability.
- The database did not identify the winner as there is no system in place to do this. You could do this by making a query to find the top three scores in place order (first, second, third) and whether the contestant is not late. Another query is to have a winner regardless of lateness or address (outside the North West). I would have a query for both events, with and without lateness, and an overall winner, with and without lateness. I would have another query to show all scores and combined scores (score A and score B added together) in descending order, with and without lateness and also in and outside the North West.
- There is no system of keeping old scores – they are not re-siteable. This means that you have to delete last year’s data and so you need a system in place so you can have a regional record of previously recorded data. I would improve this by adding the year of competition to the queries so it only shows up this year’s data and not all data when you only want the current year. You should put each year’s scores and details in different tables.
- There isn’t much validation in my gymnastics database, meaning that you can put in any data and it will be accepted and this is not good for the data integrity and the viability of the database. To ensure the integrity and reliability of the gymnastics database, I will put validation rules, combo boxes and other ways to ensure that only valid data is put in. I cannot stop people putting in ridiculous values, e.g, saying someone is 35 when they are 25. For this, I suggest they should go on an IT course for databases to ensure data integrity is kept to the highest standards. In this way I can ensure that with the validation rules and training, the data contained within the database is reliable and meaningful. With the improved validation rules, it would easier and faster to pull out information when required.
- There is no locking down feature on the database which I mentioned in the cons and , therefore, it is easy to delete all the data on the database, and it is especially easy in DOS. I would learn how to lock the database and put a locking system in place to ensure no accidental deletion and make sure there are up to date backups to make sure there are no losses of data.
- There is no nice easy way to get round the navigation system and no way to get round the reports. It is not user friendly. For new users and for the judges, it is very confusing seeing everything down one side, the tables, queries and reports. It is very hard for the judges to find out what they want easily. I would improve this by adding a navigational system, e.g. what you need is a form with buttons on to easily press to open up all the things you want
Other possible improvements
I think it would be helpful to write a user guide on how to use the gymnastics database and explain it in plain, non-IT jargon. If any jargon is used, it needs to be explained fully, but with the aim of using no jargon. To assist the judges on the usability of the gymnastics database, I would spend my time writing a comprehensive user guide and only covering what they need to know. It would be necessary to have step-by-step instructions with a bit of humour to act as a learning aide.
I would choose names for files, queries and reports that the judges will be able to understand with their limited knowledge of IT, e.g., no abbreviations. I would achieve this by thinking carefully about what I would call my files and queries and reports for the judges’ benefit so they can take advantage of the full use of the database without having to spend 10 minutes thinking about what file they need to open.