3. Factual and digital databases

Numerous collections of data on the thermodynamic and thermophysical properties of substances and their combinations have been built up in university laboratories and public and private research centers. Public establishments, by virtue of their status, are called upon to facilitate access to the data collected.

Developments in micro-computing mean that these collections can be organized in databases without major investment. Communication facilities (telecommunication networks, Internet) enable shared local and remote use. Internet access offers unprecedented ease of use and user-friendliness.

Unfortunately, these databases are difficult to exploit commercially, for reasons that have to do with legal and administrative issues. Infrastructure constraints have not disappeared, but they have been reduced by technological advances.