Rich,
Several years ago in the old "Database Programming and Design" magazine (a
really useful publication, IMHO - too bad it's gone), C. J. Date and
another database guru (I can't remember his name) carried on a debate that
lasted several months about the "badness" (Date) vs "goodness" (the other
guy) of Three Valued Logic in general and Nulls in particular. Date even
wrote an article showing how to design a database with all Not Null
columns.
The issues are many, but, for me, the bottom line is that it's easier to
live with the "evils" of Nulls - including the extra coding you have to do
to make sure they're handled appropriately for each SQL statement - than to
do all the upfront work required to eliminate them.
Theoretically speaking, I think Date is totally correct. Practically
speaking, I'm too lazy to implement his ideas. ;-)
Jack C. Applewhite
Database Administrator
Austin Independent School District
Austin, Texas
512.414.9715
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"Jesse, Rich"
<Rich.Jesse@qti To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
world.com> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent by: cc:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: No Nulls? (was: Warehouse
design:
m snowflake vs star schemas)
10/14/2002
12:33 PM
Please respond
to ORACLE-L
On the link below is this quote from C.J.Date:
"I don't want you to think that my SQL solution to your problem means I
advocate the use of nulls. Nulls are a disaster."
Of course, he doesn't expound upon it (probably not a need except for
dummies like me). Anyone care to comment? (On the quote, not on my
dumminess...)
Rich
Rich Jesse System/Database Administrator
[EMAIL PROTECTED] Quad/Tech International, Sussex, WI
USA
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robson, Peter [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Monday, October 14, 2002 4:59 AM
> To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
> Subject: RE: Warehouse design: snowflake vs star schemas
>
>
> Just for the record (and perhaps to confirm that there are
> always two sides
> to a story). Readers may like to see the article Chris Date
> wrote to Ralph
> Kemball on the subject of business rules and integrity constraints:
>
> http://www.dbdebunk.com/kimball1.htm
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