Database Support [Knowledge Base Index]

These resources can help online volunteers wanting to take on assignments relating to databases for nonprofits/NGOs. Each of these sources links to many other web sites as well:

• TechSoup.org
  This initiative by CompuMentor offers many, many IT resources for volunteers working with community-based organizations, including database tips.

• Technology Web Sites to Support Community-Based Groups
  There are links to web sites that provide free online information for community-based groups regarding computer and Internet technologies, including database tips. These resources:
  • are focused primarily on helping nonprofit organizations, NGOs, schools, etc. use computer or Internet technology
  • offer free online information can be easily accessed by individuals and organizations who do not have the latest version of a Web browsing software, do not have the latest Mac or IBM/Clone, and who may have ISP access via a regular phone line, rather than DSN or T1.
• UNESCO free data management and data mining tools

UNESCO used to develop, maintain and disseminate two interrelated software packages for database management (CDS/ISIS) and data mining/statistical analysis (IDAMS). These software systems were available on the "UNESCO Information Processing Tools" CD-Rom, distributed on a non-commercial basis, to agreed distributors and Institutions upon request. CDS/ISIS and IDAMS were also individually distributed either directly from UNESCO Headquarters, or through a network of distributors at national, regional and specialized level. Some software was available for downloading from the UNESCO site. CDS/ISIS is a generalized Information Storage and Retrieval system. The Windows version run on a single computer or in a local area network. The JavaISIS client/server components allowed remote database management over the  Internet and are available for Windows, Linux and Macintosh. Furthermore, GenISIS allowed the user to produce HTML Web forms for CDS/ISIS database searching. IDAMS is a software package for numerical information processing and statistical analysis. It provided a complete set of data manipulation and validation facilities and a wide range of classical and advanced statistical techniques, including interactive construction of multidimensional tables, graphical exploration of data and time series analysis. WinIDAMS release 1.0 for 32-bit Windows operating system run on a stand-alone computer as well as in a local area network. IDIS was a tool for direct data exchange between CDS/ISIS and IDAMS. The packages are no longer available.