Databases---Poll

Somehow I pposted this before I was finished, Sorry. I'll try again. How do I edit or remove something I already posted?

The little icon directly above your post that looks like a paper and pencil edits the post.

Not sure how that works with polls though.

Thanks, Puzzler!

I am ashamed to say I didn't read the FAQ before I posted the request for help with editing.

K

FAQ?! Do you mean to say there is a FAQ?!

I thought we were just supposed to experiment and have fun! Oh Noo!



edit typos done when I should have been asleep. Sorry.

I have a large airmail collection. When scanning an auction or ebay, I need a quick reference to see if I already have something. Otherwise, I'd have to go through my albums.

My database is a simple Excel flat-file. Developing a relational database would be massive overkill for my purposes.

I have Microsoft Works and use it for some things.

But I also use Windows to store photos and the file name is info about it.

Something like Rod's but very simple. More to store photos with some info here and there. More info is on a Word doc.

Canada-2012-dragon-etc etc

It is getting big enough now that I need to start having some naming rules so everything is find-able in Windows Explorer. I lose things and find them a year later.

With respect,
the poll does not reflect my route,
I know what your after, but any collection
of data, in whatever form, even non relational,
is a database.

For example, I believe all text driven databases in philately
for me, to be a waste of time, the data is extremely personal
as is the method of collection and maintenance.
Once the ownership expires, or the collection is passed on
I would think the thousands of hours of input to be wasted.

With an image based database, the history and work
could perhaps last forever and be easily transferred improved on and
updated. An image can indicate vast amounts of information
without nery a single keystroke.

There are exceptions of course, the database to
record pricing history and auction results, and
my unfilled wish list, a simple text driven database
for identifying all stamps in existance, that would be
a database simply revealing catalogue number and country
and currency tablet.
With that, one could easily identify an unknown stamp,
and direct the user to te appropriate year / place in whatever
catalogue they employed.

So far this is a small sample size but it confirms what I have heard over the years.

So many people have told me how important it is to have a database to keep track of everything so I thought I should be looking into getting one.

I made a pretty basic one in Excel, but I found the time I spent with it was rather unsatisfying. I would rather spend the time with my stamps.

Thank you, rod222, for expressing your thoughts so eloquently! (I guess that's another way to say I agree with you )

Now all I keep is a wish list and I hope soon to have a growing photo file as soon as I get a new scanner.

K

I have found recently that I have buying stamps that I think I needed only to find out that I already have them. I didn't want a complicated spreadsheet as I don't really care about what the stamps are worth, I only care about what I have and don't have.

I think I already posted this somewhere but here is what I use. One of the guys from the stamp club gave it to me and I Just photocopy as I need it and add the country.





As you can see I haven't done Australia yet. I will simply check off the stamps I have and highlight the ones I don't. Has I acquire the missing stamps I will put an X across them. I will only do this when I have about 50% of a countries stamps for now until I get caught up.

Dianne

In 2011, it would be good to have a database on your phone,so you can glance at it quickly, if you're in a store or on ebay.

My problem is, I don't want a list of what I have, I want a list of what I need.

If you want it one the phone, whey you not store in the "cloud"..., so you can retrieve and update it even from yur smartphone...

I am using Stamp Manage 2012, and so far it is the easiest and most complete stamp database that I have come across. (I tried the demo versions of almost all of them). Has the ability to track, value, and view your collection in a very easy to use manner, and gives you a "want list" to track all the ones you are missing. You can export your lists to various file formats that can be taken with you in your smartphone for quick access. (I export to a .pdf so I can read it on my iphone and tablet).

And Stamp Manage is a Windows program, which does me absolutely no good. The problem with these apps is the barrier to entry is rather high, because the author needs to license the catalog numbers from Scott, Michel, Stanley Gibbons or others.

And if you buy a program that doesn't have a catalog built in, you end up having to enter each stamp by hand, which in sanely time consuming.

If anyone has a spreadsheet with every single US stamp and their Scott number, I would love a PM from you, so I could get a copy and try and import it into some database program, and save myself a whole lot of typing.

I use spread sheets from "Open Office" It lets me enter whatever data or Information I want to keep record of. I can make any changes/add or delete information I want to. The spread sheets work just fine for me and I can delete anything I find I really didn't want.

I am using Stamp Manage as well.
Don't know what I would do without it.