Re: Dreaming About Redesigning SQL

Seun Osewa wrote:
>
> Sometimes I wonder why its so important to model data in the "rela-
> tional way", to think of data in form of sets of tuples rather than
> tables or lists or whatever. I mean, though its elegant and based
> on mathematical principles I would like to know why its the _right_
> model to follow in designing a DBMS (or database). The way my mind
> sees it, should we not rather be interested in what works?

Relational is the _right_ model because 'it works'. It's the only truly comprehensive data model and subject of decades of research. All other data models have been found to be flawed and (nearly) discarded.

If you don't care for mathematical principles, there's always ad-hoc database models. Check out Pick, OO and XML databases. They're interested in what works and ignore elegance and mathematical principles.

-- 
Lee Fesperman, FirstSQL, Inc. (http://www.firstsql.com)
==============================================================
* The Ultimate DBMS is here!
* FirstSQL/J Object/Relational DBMS  (http://www.firstsql.com)