>random scribbling of data into a .txt file is also a database “because the data is put into lines”
There are plenty of computer programs that use text files as databases, reading and writing lines. /etc/passwd is one very common example, the passwd file is just a text database that you can read with any text editor.
Yes, but by that definition every group of bits on a computer is a database. The word sort of loses any value.
I mean a HN comment is also a database, a text is a database, a picture of rocks arranger i the shape of names is a database.
In the world of stupid internet arguments, sure we can agree you are right txtfiles are database, .wav files are database, everything is a database. Talk this way about it at a job interview and you’ll get cut by your second sentence
I understand what you say. I mostly agree, but just wanted to push the semantics to the limit ;)
>> Yes, but by that definition every group of bits on a computer is a database. The word sort of loses any value.
Not exactly. We need to define the atomicity we would like to deal with. That is:
- if a bit is what the atomic unit of data is, then a byte is a database
- if a byte is what the atomic unit of data is, then a collection of bytes in properly defined structure is a database. For example, a JPEG file or little-endian or big-endian datatypes.
>> I mean a HN comment is also a database, a text is a database, a picture of rocks arranger i the shape of names is a database.
If a word is the atomic unit, then a comment can be a database. If the comment itself is an atomic unit, then the thread can be a database.
There are plenty of computer programs that use text files as databases, reading and writing lines. /etc/passwd is one very common example, the passwd file is just a text database that you can read with any text editor.