Re: Trend towards artificial keys (GUIDs) sez my textbook...is AI next?

raylopez99 wrote:

> My beginner's book on RDBMS theory by Louis Davidson (APress) says
> that there's a trend towards using GUIDs (artificial keys) as
> computing power increases.
>
> This makes sense, though I do appreciate the point made by a poster
> here that if you use compound keys you have "built in" protection
> against accidentally inserting the same data by mistake, rather than
> having to programmically guard against this.
>
> Just point out what the textbook says, not trying to start any flame
> wars... hahaha.

With all due respect, from your description of what Davidson writes, he sounds like an idiot. Just more evidence that our industry regresses.

> Another thing: has it occurred to anybody (and sorry if this idea is
> old) that the Codd RDBMS scheme of PK/FK/Constraints is a way of
> avoiding pointers and saving memory?

The RM (relational model) has nothing to do with physical pointers or memory. The whole point of the RM is to divorce logical considerations from physical considerations so that one can specify what one wants separately from how one expects the dbms to deliver it.

Indexing, clustering, and physical pointer chains happen at the physical level independent of the logical design. This is extremely important because it allows one to change the performance characteristics of the database without breaking every application ever written to use the data. Think about it.

[snip] Received on Sat Dec 15 2007 - 18:16:44 CET