Re: maximum number of columns per table

On Tue, 20 Jul 2004, damorgan_at_x.washington.edu wrote:
> Joel Garry wrote:
> It can be argued that

>> a spreadsheet is quite relational - rows and columns, and
>> that's it.

I have used the spreadsheet example quite a bit to explain to business folks about relational technology. I ask them, "Don't you usually have more than one sheet and then tie those sheets together with an address?" After they get what I'm talking about, I say, "See, you were thinking relationally and you didn't even know it."

The point about spreadsheets is that business folks use them in a relational way because relational technology ends up being alot about common sense. Why maintain the same information in more than one place? Saying a spreadsheet is quite relational, isn't valid, even a little bit, but I understand where Joel is coming from. And, hell, saying a database is relational isn't at all valid either. The use of a spreadsheet or the design of a database can be quite relational though.

-- 
Galen Boyer