A Sane Approach to Database Design
Even if you have 30 years plus experience of databases and know everything in the book already you will still find this book to be interesting reading. For those with less experience in designing databases this book is just about the most essential one to be in your library.
My Rating: 
+
Pros
- Easy to follow step by step instructions for beginners.
- Covers all of the situations you are likely to see in the real world as well as some of the rarer ones.
- Explains the difference between knowing SQL and knowing how to design a database properly.
- Clearly identifies why capturing all of the rare exception conditions is important.
- Covers the material in a logical progression from the start of the requirements process to the implementation of the database.
Cons
- Doesn't cover Boyce-Codd normal form.
- Some examples based on obscure American codes that no one else would understand.
Description
- First Edition: Copyright 2008
- 187 page paperback
- Published by Lulu
- ISBN 1-4357-3338-X
- Author Mark Johansen
Review
There have been a few novels where once I started reading I couldn't put the book down until I finished it but never a computer book until this one. Even though there was nothing in this book that I didn't already know, the way that the author describes all of the things that you need to take into account in designing a database properly (including a number of real life examples of when it wasn't done properly and the consequences which brought a smile to my face as I remembered similar situations that I experienced) as a clear, easy to follow set of instructions that is applicable to any database.
My first thought when reading many of the chapters in the book would be "that's obvious, it doesn't need to be said" and then I'd get to the real life example and remember other similar situations and remember that it isn't so obvious to most of the people who make databases without having first learnt how to design it properly. Actually I expect that the true situation is that it would be obvious to anyone who has a reasonable idea of how computers work and who actually takes the time to consider all of the aspects that need to be considered in designing a database properly. The problem s that so many people think that they know more about computers than they really do and so in many cases they do overlook the obvious. If they read this book then they will be far less likely to make those same mistakes again.
How well your database fulfils your requirements of it will depend on how well it is designed in the first place and applying all of the information in this book to the design of your database will give you the best database for your requirements.
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