request for examples

I am busy producing a course on statistical computing for stage II
students (to be delivered in the second half of this year).

...

(iii)  killer examples where an important data source is stored in a
database therefore requiring something like SQL knowledge to get access
to the information.

As an advanced something-to-think-about...
The product "Pi" by OSI software is a Real-Time data storage, retrival,
graphing and caluculation package.  While it has an SQL front-end,
the data storage is done in a very non-relational way.  Files are stored in
a binary format, optimised for quick reading of vast ammounts of data.
Calling up a year's worth of data sampled every 10 sec happens in a few
seconds.

The interesting thing here is:

1) SQL front-ends mean a *language* advantage - the advantage is
compatibilty with other apps.

2) the  file format means tight storage and fast bulk retrieval.
Good Things (tm).

The massive ammounts of data here are what makes a database front-end
so useful.  There's just no way to store that ammount of information
any other way, and hope to retrieve it.

Cheers

Jason

Indigo Industrial Controls Ltd.
64-21-343-545
jasont at indigoindustrial.co.nz