Re: Design approaches about primary key

On Fri, 28 Nov 2003, damorgan_at_x.washington.edu wrote:

> But you are incorrect about 'textbook examples'. Too many
> databases are built based on some textbook example or
> cannabilizing a design from some other system rather than a
> serious analysis of the business and data integrity
> implications of the specific case.

A textbook example of natural keys would cause the same issue. If one doesn't define the data model correctly, natural or surrogate keys won't matter.

I have not worked on any database systems that were based on textbook examples, or to say it more precisely, I wouldn't know how to identify a database system based on textbook examples. The issue I always identify is that people are under the gun to get a database out so that an application can get coded so customers can get satisfied ... In all those pressures, people cut corners. I very much utilize the surrogate key design, but my only issue with them is that cutting corners with surrogate keys designs is far easier than it is with natural keys. The poor design flaws show up later rather than earlier. A natural key design forces you to know all sources of your data at the beginning of the project and define the precise keys. A surrogate key design doesn't.

-- 
Galen Boyer