Re: A database theory resource - ideas

On Mar 16, 9:58 am, "JOG" <j..._at_cs.nott.ac.uk> wrote: <snip>
Perhaps it may even provide a reference link for
> common arguments that continually arise. Who knows.

I like that idea. Providing links to all sides of the common issues would be very helpful.

> Anyhow I am initially aiming to concisely cover the following topics:
>
> * The vital nature of separating conceptual/logical/physical layers in
> data modelling
> * Working in terms of Propositions and not Objects

You say later "with as little impartiality..." but I think you meant "with as little partiality" or "as much impartiality" (perhaps someone has already corrected that, but I did not read all replies). With this one and others you are definitely not taking an impartial approach.

> * The argument against OID's (and hence for the information principle)

Would you want pointers to the arguments for OID's and against the information principle too, or are you thinking in terms of a repository in defence of relational theory only?

> * Why Navigation was replaced by Declaration

Heh heh, and they are not even mutually exclusive ;-)

> * That Data models involve not just structure, but also manipulation
> and integrity.
> * Why hypertext models are insufficient (due to irreducible tuples)
> (web 3.0 ... good grief)
> * What semistructured data is (or rather is not).
>
> I am planning to omit well covered ground such as eliminating
> redundancy and anomalies through normalization, simply referring to
> external links. Obviously all of the above has been covered somewhere
> in the literature, so the aim is rather to produce a central, concise
> and hence accessible resource as opposed to resorting to a text-book/
> academic paper format.
>
> The main purpose is to provide a purely educational resource, with as
> little impartiality as I can muster, constraining to established
> theory and facts, or clear logical arguments.

May I be on the committee to decide whether something is a logical argument? big smile.

> So my question to cdt is to ask what /you/ believe the priorities for
> such a resource would be?
> - which pivotal questions are most misunderstood?

1NF
nested structures
lists
navigation
partitioning of the DBMS so that the language of (some) constraints is altogether different from the languages used to address end-user- defined constraints.
and everything else that I _don't understand_ yet.

> - where does most ignorance lie in our field?

so many possible responses to that straight line

> - are there are any crucial topics that you believe it would be useful
> to address that I have not listed.

Emperical evidence to support theory.

> Any input is gratefully received.
>
> Regards, Jim.

cheers! --dawn Received on Sat Mar 17 2007 - 02:32:43 CET