Re: foundations of relational theory? - some references for the truly starving

From: daveb <davebest_at_SuPsAaM.net>
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2003 15:37:07 -0800
Message-ID: <CUYmb.86063$Ms2.64480@fed1read03>

"Ross Ferris" <ross_at_stamina.com.au> wrote in message news:26f6cd63.0310260541.7a6a9af9_at_posting.google.com...
> "Bob Badour" <bbadour_at_golden.net> wrote in message
news:<GumdnaAjFvrJmQaiU-KYvg_at_golden.net>...
> > The values in a foreign key reference are redundant because they appear
in
> > multiple relations. In this case, the redundancy is appropriate and
> > necessary to represent the data.
>
> Interesting "admission", or at least an observation. Of course this
> redundancy is ONLY necessary because of the "flat earth" nature of SQL
> implementations.
>
> If the data were stored in a multi-valued database, or even an XML
> data store, then the redundant data could be removed.

No, you have merely encoded the redundancy in the structural relationship.

Dave Received on Sun Oct 26 2003 - 17:37:07 CST