Re: What does this NULL mean?

From: Alfredo Novoa <alfredo_novoa_at_hotmail.com>
Date: 14 Dec 2005 07:27:51 -0800
Message-ID: <1134574071.843808.11170_at_g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>


"mountain man" <hobbit_at_southern_seaweed.com.op> wrote

>Theorists like Date who think the null should be rationalised
>out of existence have no demonstrated understanding of the
>database change management environment,

Database design maintenance has nothing in special. We should be able to manage the schema applying the usual relational operators on the catalog relvars, besides the shorthands like: drop Table, etc.

> and specifically
>the management of schema evolution and its consequences
>in regard to the generation of nulls.

They are completely independent issues. Nulls are a mistake and schema maintenance is something elemental and straighforward.

>Change management or schema evolution is not adequately
>addressed by Date et al,

It is sufficiently addressed, but it is so trivial that there is little to say about it.

> however by the time they set forth
>the processes covered under this subject, it will become very
>apparent that the NULL will never be rationalised away, and
>it is better to therefore appropriately manage its identification,
>its existence and its resolution interactively.

Plain nonsenses.

Regards
  Alfredo Received on Wed Dec 14 2005 - 16:27:51 CET

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