If you said “A database is a collection of information stored digitally.”
I would say try again!
Well not entirely I’m just being a little harsh. Anyway, today we’re going to look at databases from an alternative view. Databases are a bit more complex than a huge information storage. Instead, let’s think of databases as having more form. In fact, databases are not only an information storage, they are interactive, changing structures that hold all this stored information together.
Lev Manovich (a prestigious scholar who writes new media theory) believes there are different genres of databases. While before, we could see databases in more of a tangible form (R.I.P. CD-ROM & Floppy Disk) we now see the structure of a database in a metaphorical form.
A website is a database. So is a video. In fact, so are photos, software, music players, a calendar, a television
Netflix, Spotify, YouTube, iTunes, Photoshop, Hulu, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter etc.
Starting to get the picture?
Let’s watch this video really quick.
So now that you’ve enjoyed a 12 minute video about the idea behind Idea Channel, let’s discuss this database. Idea Channel is extremely interesting because there could be a lot of debate regarding what kind of a database it actually is. Technically, they are presenting information to you in the form of a video so it can be argued that the video is the database at work here. This is true, however, they have created a larger database of the “Idea Channel” which includes all videos. Before even getting the data from the video, we can now read short descriptions that let us know what to expect in a larger assortment of videos and we have a larger database. Even further than that however, the database that is Idea Channel is part of an even larger database that is the website they used to create their database: YouTube.
Let’s look at another example and enjoy some rap while we’re at it.
Now I know your first reaction. How could Ricky bring me to this website that is obviously disrespecting Slim Shady? I know I know, I apologize and on a different day, I would love to challenge you in an epic Eminem rap battle, but today we’re going to explore this website for academic reasons. Now you could probably walk me through this one, very similar concept here to Idea Channel, here’s a video playing, within a website that allows additional navigation.
Well, did you notice this one is actually a video game as well?
Let’s introduce a new concept now, the interface.
An interface (in simplest terms) is how all that information we have stored in our databases will actually get to the user. In other words, how is this database allowing you to navigate it?
Time to dissect this Eminem interface. Commence button pushing!
First, focus directly on the video.
Along the bottom of the video there are clickable boxes that take you to certain moments throughout the video. Additionally, there’s a button to play the video backwards and another to play it forward. There is no way to go to a direct point in the video besides this. Now, at each of the clickable boxes, you will also notice that the video becomes interactive and allows you to click different components within it. This unlocks new scenes, new music and new graphics.
Now, zoom out and look at the website as a whole.
When you first get to the website, none of the items on the list to your left are active. After clicking on different components of the video, it opens up this interface which allows you to combine elements you’ve unlocked at different stages of the video. For example, after unlocking the concert ticket, you will be able to view the concert ticket over the video at any point you wish. Another interesting part of this interface is that there are links at the top which redirect you to Eminem’s official website, but the links it actually brings you to have no content, which seems to reflect the artist’s opinion about Eminem.
Why did I just analyze what a database and an interface are? Well to me, reading over this article and playing with these different designs really made me realize what a complicated place our second home “The Internet” actually is. It’s really interesting when you find complex structures and break them down to see exactly what’s going on in them.
I’ve had my fun so it’s your turn.
Try these next two examples and see if you can find out what the Databases/Interfaces are and leave me some comments below.
-RickyV
rickyveliz 