Abstract: A database system includes receiving, storing and retrieving data using the following database elements: an item element comprising database data; a link element comprising a link between the item element and a further item element; an item type element comprising type information of the item element; and a link type element comprising type information of the link element. The item element has a type field for connecting to an item type element, and the link element comprising a type field for connecting to a link type element. In each database element an actual timestamp is included. For retrieving an actual version of the database element, the timestamps are evaluated and the most recent database element is retrieved. Using the above four basic database elements and the timestamp advantageously allows entering data without prior design of a database structure, and modifying both data and links on the fly using the time stamps for keeping consistency.