Dear Terry,
Nope, this is not Normalisation, although I thought for a minute this might
have been the 4th Normal form. However, it's probably not even a relational
database, just something for research.
By the way, the original paper on data modelling was written 35 years ago.
The fathers of data modelling are Ted Codd and Chris Date. I am reminded of
the now-moribund PC users group where they were so steeped in dBase that the
slightest understanding of relational databases was impossible. Their
journal published one article on database design which was complete twaddle.
I have just bought a book on XML which has a couple of chapters on data
modelling in XML. This too is twaddle, it's merely a knee-jerk response to
databases that can import and export data and the data definitions in XML
format.
The best way to do data modelling is on the white board in a conference room
with your best users who know the business. Sure, this is not programming
or Linux, but if you don't have a decent data model before letting
programmers loose to build your database, then you will be plagued by poor
performance and continual software updates.
If Linux if to be in the race, good database designs are essential. PHP is
pretty much line for line in concepts with VB/ASP scripts, so good database
design is what it's really all about.
Brian
===============================================================
At 08:26 PM 9/08/05 +1000, you wrote:
>
>Normalization? And something to do with Corn, not cobbs, nor the band
>from South Park, but the man?
>
>
>--
> Terry Collins {:-)}}} email: terryc at woa.com.au www:
>http://www.woa.com.au
> Wombat Outdoor Adventures <Bicycles, Computers, GIS, Printing,
>Publishing>
>
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