This course will introduce the basic concepts and technologies dealing with the construction of information, the storage of information and the retrieval of information. In many ways, these are fundamental technologies and concepts of the information age in which we live. This is not a 'technical' course where we will do a lot of hands-on manipulation, but instead the focus is on the human aspects of information. This means that our focus will be on such matters as language, culture, and information design. There are many people who would argue that the more interesting and also the more difficult problems lie in this area, i.e., it is probably easier to code a computer to manipulate a 'word' than it is to decide what 'words' are.
The objective is to provide you with a solid conceptual foundation for your study of information. Particular technologies will come and go, but a solid conceptual foundations will serve for a long time. By the Autumn 2005, database technologies are more than 30 years old and extensible information technologies are being developed and are assuming new important roles. Now days, a lot of search is done on the Web and not in databases. Our course will avoid these changes in the waxing and waning of specific technologies and focus instead on some of the fundamentals behind these changes.
My expectations are that you are a motivated self learner who can study the examples, read the material and apply them to your own projects. I have designed the course in 10 modules. You can speed along as fast as you like.