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Introduction

POSTGRESQL is the most advanced open source database server. In this chapter, you will learn about databases, open source software, and the history of POSTGRESQL.

  Three basic office productivity applications  exist: word processors, spreadsheets, and databases. Word processors produce text documents critical to any business. Spreadsheets are used for financial calculations and analysis. Databases are used primarily for data storage and retrieval. You can use a word processor or spreadsheet to store small amounts of data. However, with large volumes of data or data that must be retrieved and updated frequently, databases are the best choice. Databases allow orderly data storage, rapid data retrieval, and complex data analysis. 


Bruce Momjian
2001-05-09