标题什么是数据库?——What is a data base?

　　A data base may be defined as a collection of interrelated data stored together without harmful or unnecessary redundancy to serve multiple applications;the data are stored so that they are independent of programs which use the data;a common and controlled approach is used in adding new data and in modifying and retrieving existing data within the data base.The data is structured so as to provide a foundation for future application development.One system is said to contain a collection of data bases if they are entirely separate in structure.
　　数据库可以定义为无冗余地存储在一起的用于多种应用程序的相互关联的数据之集合；这些数据被存储起来以使数据与使用它们的程序无关；采用通用的和可控制的方法在数据库中来增加数据以及修改和检索已有的数据。建立这些数据是为将来应用程序的开发打下基础。如果多个数据库在结构上是完全独立的，那么一个系统就被认为是包含这些数据库的集合。