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Topic: deletion of information
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computer science >
archives
Topic:
database change management
Topic:
error safe systems
Topic:
preventing accidental errors
Topic:
usability errors
Topic:
version control
Summary
An information management system needs to delete out-of-date and obsolete information that is not worth archiving. This requires careful procedures to prevent the accidental deletion of useful information.Perhaps all data should be marked with a destruction date. Then if the data isn't preserved by that date, it is automatically deleted.
The destruction of data should delete dependent data. For example deleting an employee record from a company's files should also delete records that describe the employee's family.
Wild-card file deletion should confirm the request by printing a list of files deleted.
One alternative is to never delete data. This is the usually approach with computer-based systems where grandfather tapes of the entire database are permanently archived. Besides ever-increasing storage needs, permanent data has a permanent effect on organizations. With time, information can become more harmful than useful. (cbb 6/83)
Subtopic: trash can instead of deletion
Quote: most existing databases for real-world systems require non-deletion; e.g., financial accounts [»copeG3_1980] Quote: do not lose information [»cbb_1990, OK]
Subtopic: existence depending on other entities
Quote: because of Lisa's trash can, folders, reports, and tools do not just disappear; they were either thrown away or filed somewhere [»willG2_1983]
Subtopic: confirmation
Quote: the existence of a weak entity type depends on the existence of other entities; e.g., the set of children for an employee [»chenPP_1977b]
Subtopic: automatic versioning
QuoteRef: cbb_1980 ;;5/10/83 The delete command with a wild-card filename, should show all the matching files and then ask for confirmation. Similar to dired.
Subtopic: generated files
Quote: all file versions in Cedar are full copies; automatically limits number of retained versions [»giffDK3_1988] Quote: Cedar keeps two previous versions of modified source files; most files are read-only without old versions [»giffDK3_1988] Quote: Keep-Safe guarantees that a file version is retained for an interval; deleted after a younger version or permanent deletion [»santDS12_1999] Quote: half of data and 98% of updates stored in Keep-One files, quarter of data in Keep-Safe, two thirds of files as Keep-Landmarks; distribution files mislabeled [»santDS12_1999]
Quote: the Elephant file system uses Keep-One for unimportant and easily recreated files; like standard file system [»santDS12_1999] Quote: half of data and 98% of updates stored in Keep-One files, quarter of data in Keep-Safe, two thirds of files as Keep-Landmarks; distribution files mislabeled
[»santDS12_1999]
Topic: archives (19 items)
Topic: database change management (12 items)
Topic: error safe systems (76 items)
Topic: preventing accidental errors (37 items)
Topic: usability errors (6 items)
Topic: version control
(34 items)