The European Vitis Database is an example of a website that uses what is called the "frames" design. What is most noticable about a frame site is that the only link that works is the one to the Homepage. There are practical solutions that enable one to 'break out' of the frame, and link directly to a page of interest. The 'cost' of doing this is that the normal website navigatation is left behind. The links I provide below are of this sort (except for the Homepage, of course).

Frames are an 'Internet issue' and of possible significance to anyone with an interest in a website, such as this one. I will put a longer discussion of frames on a Software page, and announce it.

These links and the comments with them are intended to publicize the presence of the detailed database descriptor documentation that is made available at the EVD website. Descriptors define the types of information that go into a database. Identifying the important types of information for a new database is a major part of the undertaking, and the EVD documentation puts a real-world system on display.

European Vitis Database Homepage
There are 3 search-boxes in the left navigation bar, which represent access tools to the data. At the bottom of the toolbar are links to information about the database and downloading it. Those will be further explored.

Primary and Secondary Descriptor Classes Documentation
This link leads to a simple table containing links to 8 PDF tables which form the base documentation for the overall EVD Descriptor system. The content of these files will be expanded on here.

Individual Descriptor Documentation
There are 71 separate descriptors. The system is quite detailed. This link is to the first of 4 pages of identifications, 20 per page. Each is accompanied by a link to a PDF documentation file . More info coming.

Passport Descriptors
There are 28 Passport Descriptors. This is an internationalization program. Two of the field names are active links to further coverage. There will be further information here about the Passport program.

The version of the EVD I downloaded has, I'm sure, an abbreviated set of fields, and other material, such as images, has been left out. The full collection of materials at EVD is very large.

The wider question of large-database standardization will be pursued.