Relational Database Writings, 1994-1997 [Paperback]

C. J. Date (Author), Hugh Darwen (Author), D. McGoveran (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201398141 | ISBN-13: 978-0201398144 | Publication Date: December 1998 | Edition: 1st

This book is the fifth in Chris Date's well known Relational Database Writings series. Like its precursors, the book consists of a collection of papers on various aspects of relational technology. It is divided into four parts: I. Theory is Practical II. Relational Database Management III. The Problem of Missing Information IV. Relational vs. Nonrelational Systems This unique collection combines practical advice on how to solve real world implementation problems with more thought-provoking and sometimes controversial articles. The first part consists of installments from Chris Date's regular column in Database Programming and Design magazine in which he takes a variety of theoretical aspects of relational technology and explains, in a non-academic way, just why those aspects are important and why they should be of interest to the database practitioner. In Part II, Hugh Darwen and David McGoveran comment on the true nature of databases and on the status of attempts to implement the relational model in the industry. There is also a detailed introduction to the ideas behind The Third Manifesto - the logical foundation for object/relational databases - something every database professional will want to read. Part III addresses the much discussed but serious issue of missing information and provides a well argued case for why many-valued logics are unsuitable as a basis for addressing the problem. Finally, Part IV provides a critical and sometimes controversial analysis of object databases. In addition, an appendix contains the transcript for a live presentation entitled "Database Graffiti". Relational Database Writings 1994-1997 continues the tradition established by its predecessors and will need no further recommendation for readers familiar with them. It is essential reading for all serious database students and professionals.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

    *    The fifth in the series of books written by Chris Date on the general topic of database technology

    *    Chris Date is renowned for his ability to explain complex technical material in a clear and understandable fashion

    *    Should appeal to anyone working in the area of database technology from professional to academic

    *    Covers articles he has written from 1994-1997 that he feels are worth preserving 0201398141B04062001

About the Author

C. J. Date is an independent author, lecturer, researcher, and consultant specializing in relational database systems, a field he helped pioneer. Among other projects, he was involved in technical planning for the IBM products SQL/DS and DB2. He is best known for his books, in particular, An Introduction to Database Systems (7th edition, Addison-Wesley, 2000), the standard text in the field, which has sold well over half a million copies worldwide. Mr. Date is widely acknowledged for his ability to explain complex technical material in a clear and understandable fashion.

Hugh Darwen has been involved in software development since 1967 as an employee of IBM United Kingdom, Ltd. He has been active in the relational database arena since 1978. He was one of the chief architects and developers of an IBM relational product called Business System 12, a product that faithfully embraced the principles of the relational model. He has been an active participant in the development of SQL international standards since 1988.

David McGoveran is the founding president of Alternative Technologies, a relational database consulting firm based in California. He has consulted for numerous users and virtually every major DBMS vendor, covering needs such as database design, development methodology, performance tuning, and migration and integration. He is co-author of A Guide to SYBASE and SQL Server and is best known for his ability to blend practical solutions with a technical understanding, resulting in robust and flexible systems.

0201398141AB04062001

Product Details

• Paperback: 586 pages
• Publisher: Longman Pub Group; 1st edition (December 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201398141
• ISBN-13: 978-0201398144
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,194,236 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Don't pick this one first (but it's still good), June 26, 2000

By 

Jonathan Leffler "Ankylosaurus" (Palo Alto, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Relational Database Writings, 1994-1997 (Paperback)

I own all the SELECTED WRITINGS books by C J Date, includingthe 1991-1994 book ................. This is the fifth in the series, and is the least compelling of them. However, it is still a worthwhile purchase if you own the 1991-1994 book.

The first section reprints Date's articles from the now defunct Database Programming & Design magazine. They are interesting articles, especially the ones on quota queries.

The next section is entitled Relational Database Management and covers articles on the 25th Anniversary of the Relational Model, and What a Database Really Is, an introduction to The Third Manifesto, and a discusion on units and data types. These are interesting but not revelatory.

The next section is an extension of the diatribe against NULLS in SQL. The four articles or chapters by David McGoveran are extremely interesting, but also pretty tough going. The last two contain some practical advice on how to avoid nulls. The other two chapters in this section are responses by Date and his colleagues to other people's articles discussing the subject. If you've read the other books in this series, there is little new material in them. These are also tough going and although they they *do* make sense without the articles to which they refer, it is much harder to read them than it would be with the articles.

This complaint carries over, redoubled, into the last section, which consists of 5 chapters, three of which are replies to other people's articles about the Object-Domain vs Object-Relation mapping for OODBMS. While I have every sympathy with Date's view that the Object-Domain mapping makes sense, these articles do not stand well on their own when you have not had the opportunity to read the originals (and I haven't).

Overall, this is like the Curate's Egg -- good in parts. I'm not sorry I bought it, but if someone is starting to buy these books by Date, they'd be much better off with the 1989-1991 or 1991-1994 books than with this one.