Re: List Database Theories

Em Tue, 27 Apr 2004 07:14:39 -0500, Dawn M. Wolthuis escreveu:

> In an effort to play by the rules of the game, I'd like to get a
> handle on the purpose of this forum.

        Discuss database theoretical aspects, but that you knew already!

> For starters, what are some currently valid database theories about
> which we can hold discussions in this forum? How many of them are
> there and what are the names by which they are called?

        If you stick to what a theory should be -- meaning well-defined, consistent, formalisable -- there is only one, the relational model of data and database management.

        Now there should be possible to define a graph data model, but to my -- admittedly very limited -- knowledge no one ever did so. There are several graph-like models and products, namely XML, OO, hierarchical, network, but none rises to be a data model or theory.

> Additionally, is it valid to discuss how one arrives at such a theory,
> what the purpose of such a theory is, whether a theory achieves its
> purpose, etc or is the purpose of this list to work with data within the
> framework of a mathematical model only?

        I guess that's OK.

> Thanks. --dawn
> P.S. I posted a question yesterday with a subject something like "Views,
> Nodes, and number of data portals" to which Kevin P responded that we
> should stick to theory (or some such) and both my original post and
> Kevin's response are missing from both my ISP's news and the google groups
> cdt list of postings. While this could be a technical glitch of some
> sort, I'm guessing that someone had the power to remove the thread and
> did. Does anyone know how to get that thread back or where it might have
> gone?

        Email and news are not guaranteed, QoS media. * happens.

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