Re: What is The Current Definitive Book for Database

In article <3ce3a647_1_at_news.iprimus.com.au>, you said (and I quote):
> >"An Introduction to Database Systems" C.J. Date
> >Addison Wesley; ISBN: 0201684195
>
> An introduction? that doesnt sound very definitive.

Chris Date is credited together with Ted Codd as having "invented" and "refined" the concept of RDBMS. What he calls an "introduction" is more in depth than anything else you can read from ANY maker.

>
> I ask this question because there are so many database books out there,
> which makes it difficult to decide which one purchase. Surely, there must be
> a definitive book for database where all serious database employees/managers
> should own.

For RDBMS, it's Date. He has a few books out, so try to read them all. Then get Fabian Pascal's books. That's the theory, no specific maker (although Date favoured Ingres many times). Then you may take a more vendor specific approach. Your choice, then.

For other types of database (Codasyl, hierarchical, OODB, etc), you may have to dig through the net. Do a search on google for the terms and you'll get more than you bargained for.

The only books that treated with theory of databases in general (outside of RDBMS) have been out of print for decades. I still have a few, but they are sparse. McGraw-Hill was the "bible" publisher for a lot of them, back then. Maybe a search in their site?

-- 
Cheers
Nuno Souto
nsouto_at_optushome.com.au.nospam