Re: Natural keys vs Aritficial Keys
From: Bob Badour <bbadour_at_pei.sympatico.ca>
Date: Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:24:49 -0300
Message-ID: <4a4cd144$0$23771$9a566e8b_at_news.aliant.net>
>>"paul c" <toledobythe..._at_oohay.ac> wrote in message
>>
>>news:0KfQl.28513$PH1.15846_at_edtnps82...
>>
>>>To most people, "natural" means "physical"
>>
>>That's not true in my experience. Most of the people I've dealt with tend
>>to think a vehicle's VIN is a natural key, and a bank account's account
>>number is a natural key. both of those entities are articificial to begin
>>with, and therefore all their attributes are artificial. Still, your mileage
>>may vary, if you've dealt with different people than I have.
Date: Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:24:49 -0300
Message-ID: <4a4cd144$0$23771$9a566e8b_at_news.aliant.net>
lawpoop wrote:
> On May 18, 1:15 pm, "Walter Mitty" <wami..._at_verizon.net> wrote: >
>>"paul c" <toledobythe..._at_oohay.ac> wrote in message
>>
>>news:0KfQl.28513$PH1.15846_at_edtnps82...
>>
>>>To most people, "natural" means "physical"
>>
>>That's not true in my experience. Most of the people I've dealt with tend
>>to think a vehicle's VIN is a natural key, and a bank account's account
>>number is a natural key. both of those entities are articificial to begin
>>with, and therefore all their attributes are artificial. Still, your mileage
>>may vary, if you've dealt with different people than I have.
> > Isn't any key that partially relies on a date/time field thereby > partially artificial?
All keys are equally artificial. They are after all artifices for identifying things. Your own name is an artifice chosen by your parents and to which you were conditioned to respond. Unless your name is George Foreman or Prince Michael, it was chosen to be somewhat unique for your parents' ease of reference. Received on Thu Jul 02 2009 - 17:24:49 CEST