Learning to recognize the myths and exaggeration surrounding the Web will go a long way toward reducing your frustration online. The best defense against succumbing to Internet hype begins with a basic understanding of the technology. The Internet is a massive network of computer networks that supports such protocols, or systems, as the World Wide Web. In an analogy that I hope does not cause tech-savvy readers to shudder, the Web is to the Internet what software is to computer hardware. Moreover, the Web is not a database.
Databases present an orderly means for storing, defining, and drawing relationships between, data.
Traditional online systems like Westlaw typically comprise one or more databases. Often, successful research techniques on the Web resemble methods employed prior to the advent of online systems. In days of old, skillful researchers began their task by identifying potential sources. Those with knowledge of a topic might begin with a known work, and then investigate its references to expand the research. Others might browse relevant sections of a library for newer or similar material.