RE: Large databases

I said "had a point", I didn't agree that there is a solid limitation. 4 columns is NOT a limit I'd suggest or enforce.  

Basic database normalization will lead to "thinner" tables; it is often the case that "wide" tables (ones with many columns) are poorly designed for transactional systems (ie inserts and updates versus read-only). OLTP == transactional, of course.  

Just because ERP vendors, many of whom originally designed their systems on non-relational database systems have abused this design principle doesn't mean it isn't valid.  

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2003 9:24 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L

Jeremy,  

Are you serious?
Where did you get this limitation (4 columns per table) for transactional (btw. did you mean OLTP?) systems?
Are you ready to substantiate your statement?  

Igor Neyman, OCP DBA
ineyman_at_perceptron.com <mailto:ineyman_at_perceptron.com>       

• Original Message ----- To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L <mailto:ORACLE-L_at_fatcity.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2003 1:03 PM

> From: Lyndon Tiu [mailto:ltiu_at_alumni.sfu.ca <mailto:ltiu_at_alumni.sfu.ca> ]
>
> Ths is real and happened to me last month.
>
> An "Access DBA" told me after seeing my Oracle/Postgresql database ER
> Diagram:
>
> "Your database is too big. I took an Access course last year
> and the instructor mentioned that tables should have no more
> than 4 columns each."

Would it be cruel of me to point out that s/he has a point? Assuming you're talking about a transactional system, of course...

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Author: Jeremy Pulcifer
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