[ic] Normalized database for the Foundation demo.

[Dominique Kongolo]

Hi Mike,

>This is all fine when the database *is* the application. When it is
>not, and is only a repository for it, then things are different.

I was precisely thinking of a n-tier application (No business logic on 
database). Normalized DB , audit trail and 3-tier apps are not imcompatible.

>Designing a rigid and inflexible system that requires all sorts
>of effort to maintain data integrity is not what we are after.

We agree that the RDBMS should take care of data integrity. Again it doesn't 
go against normalisation.
Also relational databases have proven to be more FLEXIBLE than spreadsheets 
style databases hence their MASS ADOPTION.

>Interchange's object is to generate sales orders, which are the
>same things people still write on an order form. It is not an
>accounting application, where 3NF is definitely appropriate.

Shouldn't technology no just emulate but improve business process and 
worker's life.
(I know it's a philosophical question ... :°) )

>A lot of people will tell you that you have to have type-checking
>to have a reliable software application, ala Java or C++.

You mean software development language?

>It is simply not true.

Well ...

>Interchange has none of it, yet is pretty robust
>as these things go. It is not perfect nor error-free, but then again
>I have not seen a large application in a fast-moving environment like
>e-commerce which is. 8-)
>

Aim at perfection my father once told me :-))

>This is all fine. But once you delve into the difficulties of making
>all that portable between at least Pg, Oracle, and MySQL let me know
>what you think. There is a reason that most applications that try and
>achieve 3NF are not very portable between SQL implementations.

Like I said earlier, you DO NOT need to explicitly declare a foreign key as 
a foreign key to be able to have a normalized schema and join tables.
If you do need to explicitly declare foreign keys (for i.e cascade delete) 
make sure that the DB you support is ANSI SQL92 compatible in its DDL.

> > >That being said, it wouldn't be too difficult to produce a 
>"foundation-3NF"
> > >template which implemented a normal-form database structure if you 
>wanted
> > >to do that.
> >
> > Yes, I would like to do that. Any idea of where I should start from ?
> >
>
>No, because I can't help. I won't be using it except where it is
>appropriate in interfacing to other applications. 8-)

Interfacing ????
OK I take that as your final answer. Thanks for your time Mike.

Cheers,
Dominique.

p.s.
Anybody else who could help on exactly where to look or should I do that all 
by myself like a big boy :-}


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