Re: Can we solve this -- NFNF and non-1NF at Loggerheads

Dawn M. Wolthuis wrote:
> <lauri.pietarinen_at_atbusiness.com> wrote in message
> news:1107807726.330299.215610_at_l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>
> > I hope this clarifies my stand.
>
> It sounds like you are reading from the relational theory bible, and
anyone
> who has never worked in a more productive environment than that would

> naturally tend toward these beliefs. I know I haven't proven
anything other
> than this at this point, but I do hope to at some point. I
anticipated when
> I started my research (compared to "my practice") that I would be
swayed
> again to relational theory and would come up with some abberation
that would
> explain why my experience did not synch with theory. However, I have
seen
> that the theory is not exactly airtight and I suspect that is why
data
> modelig approaches, such as will be done for XML document design,
will end
> up booting relational theory from the king-of-the-hill position it
has been
> enjoying for a couple of decades -- just an opinion, of course.
> cheers! --dawn

Of course I can't claim that your experiences are wrong. I have been working with SQL-products for nearly 20 years and have lot's of pratcical
experience using them. I am always surprised and deligted with the power and flexibility the approach provides.

One thing that is certain is that the integration of SQL DMBS's and application environments is very poor and that might be the reason for your experiences.

Anyway, there is nothing in the RM-theory that prevents you from coming up with a domain like
 EMAIL_LIST = {all possible lists of emails} and then using this domain to create the relation PERSON:

(person_id: integer, person_name: string, person_email: EMAIL_LIST)

Guaranteed to be in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, BCNF, 4th and 5th normal form!

Now you would just have to have an app. development environment that understood what this list was all about. Maybe it would even be a good idea? The RM is a friendly model. It happily welcomes all kinds of approaces into its embrace.

Lauri Received on Tue Feb 08 2005 - 06:09:20 CET