Re: In an RDBMS, what does "Data" mean?

"Eric Kaun" <ekaun_at_yahoo.com> wrote in message news:Q%0Ac.50$NZ6.36_at_newssvr33.news.prodigy.com...
> "Dawn M. Wolthuis" <dwolt_at_tincat-group.com> wrote in message
> news:canb6q$rab$1_at_news.netins.net...
>
> > Is the star join a relational concept? I heard someone suggest that
> > fact-dimension tables with star schema is bad design, but I forget the
> > rationale for that and they seem to be very effective.
>
> Star schemas are created primarily for performance reasons, because SQL
> DBMSs are so bad. They're typically denormalized extracts /
transformations
> of normalized schemas, and thus can be regarded as large views. I think
> they're 2NF but not 3+NF. In any event, you wouldn't want to update one of
> them, because not only are they denormalized enough that you'd need to
> update N other rows, but expressing the constraints as triggers in a SQL
> database, as a derivation of the real integrity rules in the source
> normalized schema, would be ugly (to say the least). Thus the ETL
> (extract-transform-load) as basically a big function over the original
> database.
>
> > and that's fine behind closed doors. I'm thankful that there is less of
> > that in public on this list than there was when I started (I'm not sure
> now
> > what to do with the balls I had to grow at that time, but pleased that I
> no
> > longer need them to chat here ;-)
>
> I won't ask where they go when you're not using them, or whether you're
> still able to regrow them at will like the gender-changing frogs whose DNA
> provided the catalyst for the dino-crisis in Jurassic Park... oh wait, I
> guess I just begged the question I was too demure to ask directly. :-\
>
> I do wonder whatever happened to Bob... maybe he's reading, maybe not. I
> can't say I miss the abuse, but do think he knew his stuff relationally.
>
> - Eric

Yes, and I feel bad about him leaving. I didn't let him bully me off the list and I think that contributed to him either leaving or going into a silent state. I figured the list was big enough for both of us and I also think he knew a ton about relational theory and would prefer to learn from him than have him gone. I don't miss being called names constantly, but I hope he is doing well. So, Bob B, we miss you (even if not your abuse). If you need me to leave before you return, let me know and I will bow out.

--dawn Received on Thu Jun 17 2004 - 01:43:08 CEST