Re: confused about normalisation

crossfade wrote:

> I'm new to databasing and I've just recently been getting my head around
> mySQL. After talking to some people about databasing, they all seem to
> mention normalisation. From what I have gathered it is essential to do this
> when designing any database for optimizational purposes. I have purchased a
> couple books on mySQL, neither of which describe normalisation at all. Is
> there anywhere I can go to find out more about this? Possibly any books
> that would help? Do I even need to know what normalisation is? Thanks.

Books on a specifik product will usually assume, that you know the basics.

Buy a book on generic database theory, eg. Chris Date: An Introduction to Database Systems. Don't be intimidated by it's size. Date talks a lot, and you may skip a lot of chapters. But the books does give a good backgroun in database theory. And some useful pointers on further readings.

Later on you may want to buy Joe Celko's "SQL for smarties", but this is NOT a beginners book. "smarties" are not meant to be ironic.

--
Kristian Damm Jensen
kristian-damm.jensen_at_capgemini.dk