The Relational Model for Database Management: Version 2 (Hardcover)

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Product Description

Written by the originator of the relational model, this book covers the practical aspects of the design of relational databases. The author defines twelve rules that database management systems need to follow in order to be described as truly relational and then gives the motivation behind these rules. This book is a perfect resource for students and professionals in the field. 0201141922B04062001

Product Details

• Hardcover: 538 pages
• Publisher: Addison Wesley Publishing Company (April 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201141922
• ISBN-13: 978-0201141924
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #833,213 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars From the creator of relational databases, November 11, 2002

By	Gary Sprandel (Frankfort, Kentucky) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dr. Codd, an IBM researcher, first developed the relational data model in 1970 (eg., A relational model of data for large shared data banks: 1970 Communications of the ACM Vol 136:377-387) and spawned a whole industry. In this 1990 book, Codd introduces "Version 2", where he collects a number of his ideas and extends his model. This book is not about specific database package or about SQL (Except for a chapter entitled "Serious Flaws in SQL"), but rather about the concepts behind relational databases. Codd sets the standard and goals that, as yet, no vendor completely delivers. His emphasize on corrective steps for duplicate rows, should not be ignored by vendors.

This is not an easy book to read, with some of his own notation (For example "And clearly S \ U / T = T \ U / S"), but he presents an understanding of the basis of the relational model. The chapter on "Missing information" and his 4 valued logic, with Missing-but-applicable and Inapplicable presents a richer understanding than the usual "Null" concept. His chapter on "View updatability" is helpful for those who has gotten the message "Recordset is not updateable". Fabian Pascal and C.J. Date have reviewed the relational model in articles available online as well as in a Date's recent book "The Database Relational Model: A Retrospective Review and Analysis." Codd challenges the alternatives to the relational model to present a clearly worked out model. With XML going strong, it will be important to develop mathematical underpinnings.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Relational Manifesto!, November 4, 2009

By	Michael Tozer (Bloomingdale, IL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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Dr. E. F. Codd, for those who don't know of him, is the inventor of the Relational Model for Database. And this magisterial book stands as a clear and concise articulation of the theory and practice on which this model is founded. Now, Dr. Codd was a mathematician. However, the writing is not overly riddled with formulaic representatiions. In fact, the writing is stunningly clear, and convincing.

Personally, I was introduced to the relational model formally in 1984 and began working on relational database design at that time. In the mid-to-late eighties, I was privileged to work for Oracle Corporation, the leading standalone relational database software product vendor. In fact, I was even fortunate enough to meet with Oracle founder and President, Larry Ellison, on a couple of occassions. My work over these past twenty-five years and serious study of these matters leads me to the conclusion that Dr. Codd's invention of the Relational Model was one of the most important things to have happened to the data processing industry in the last half of the last century.

This book is truly excellent and extraordinary. Recent works by Chris Date, and other sophists, truly pale in comparison to Dr. Codd's magnificent work. This book should occupy an honored place in the library of any person who is serious about modern database work. God bless.

5.0 out of 5 stars Required reading for all Database professionals, October 1, 2009

By	T. Haig (UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book should be required reading for anyone developing database systems. It clearly explains the sound theorethical foundation of Codd's Relational Model. It should be obvious whilst reading, that the book is more like a specification than an abstract treatise. Having understood the theory, it enables the reader to understand the whys and why nots of many database implementations. The like of Oracle, Ingres, Sybase et al owe a tremendous debt to ole Edgar .

In an age when so much IT seems to the rapid implementation of fashionable ideas, its refreshing to see that databases have a very solid mathematical foundation, and therefore almost like a theorem, will endure.

Before Codd there were network and hierarchial databases. The relational model was a revolution but a quiet one given its simplicity. Later came OO databases which Codd deals with in the book. Latterly we have XML databases. Read this book and you'll understand why relational will be the only enduring model.

Quite an easy book to read, and written to inform rather than impress.