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From: "dawn" <dawnwolthuis@gmail.com>
Newsgroups: comp.databases.theory
Subject: Re: MV Keys
Date: 3 Mar 2006 14:01:15 -0800
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David Cressey wrote:
> "dawn" <dawnwolthuis@gmail.com> wrote
>
>
> > This issue of minimizing complexity is confusing.  A logical data model
> > is implemented by developers using an interface to a dbms.  There are
> > trade-offs in any design, of course, and if we are going to build a
> > house with round walls it will cost additional dollars.  But we don't
> > want dbms tool designers to suggest they will be making design
> > decisions based on simplifying the design for the computer or for the
> > dbms developers.  The simplicity we need to care about a bit more is
> > the simplicity for the user of the tools.  I think that is where
> > Marshall's use of the term "power" comes in.  Surely you can implement
> > a list, for example, using the RM, but the tool is not doing much work
> > for you.  It doesn't have enough power.  It isn't simple enough from a
> > user standpoint.
> >
>
> "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler than
> that."
> --Albert Einstein--

I have certainly heard that many times.  It is a good rule of thumb in
the "wisdom literature" genre.

Now, if we want to address the needs of a user, do we write the
simplest software possible even if that affects the usability?  Or are
we are willing to assume some complexity in the software in order to
make the product simpler or more useful for the user?  Similarly with
our DBMS tools.  If we were to take a design-for-usability approach to
developing a DBMS, would the interface be SQL?  Would we require the
user to manage their own list processing, etc?  I would think not.

--dawn