Requiem for a database

Volume 17, Number 4 • April 2000

Requiem for a database — Why do inferior databases survive while good ones often perish?
by Péter Jacsó

INTERNET INSIGHTS column asks why poor-quality databases continue to thrive while good ones often perish. Relates that the Population Index database hosted by Princeton University's Office of Population Research was discontinued after the last update was added. Maintains that it is not merely an indexing service for population literature but also an abstracting service, and a very good one at that. Speculates on why some horrible databases survive, maybe because there is some tax break involved or a federal grant. Explains what is so good about Population Index, and says that it is a well-organized, reliably maintained, predictable database with excellent content. Comments that while the world's population keeps exploding, the money for population-related bibliographic projects keeps shrinking. Includes four screen displays.