Re: Primary vs. Surrogate! What a nightmare debate.

"--CELKO--" <jcelko212_at_earthlink.net> wrote in message news:18c7b3c2.0410171238.3096021a_at_posting.google.com...
> We have a lot of problems with terminology on this one, so let me get
> that out of the way. [...] Here is my
> classification of types of keys:
>
> natural artificial exposed surrogate
> ==================================================================
> Constructed from reality |
> of the data model | Y N N Y
> |
> verifiable in reality | Y N N N
> |
> verifiable in itself | Y Y N N
> |
> visible to the user | Y Y Y N

In the kinds of applications I work in, "natural" and "artificial" keys are an impossibility; we create data structures, and there simply is no corresponding reality to reference. "Surrogate" keys as you define them strike me as vile. We just use "exposed" keys exclusively. I haven't found it to be any particular source of problems, but perhaps, if there *were* a reality being referred to, there would be problems.

I find it quite interesting at times to what a surprisingly great degree the specifics of the application domain influence the value of particular design choices.

Marshall Received on Mon Oct 18 2004 - 08:56:30 CEST