PAPERS

We offer two series of papers:

Series 2: UNDERSTANDING THE REAL RDM (see full description)

An informal, easy to understand access for the data professional to David McGoveran's formal exposition and interpretation of the real RDM envisioned by E. F. Codd; and
A contrast with the conventional wisdom that emerged after Codd's passing and the practical implications of the differences.

Series 1: PRACTICAL DATABASE FOUNDATIONS

Dispel common, entrenched fallacies about data and relational fundamentals;
Clarify important aspects of data management that are systematically ignored, misunderstood, misused and abused;
Expose the practical implications of the Relational Data Model which practitioners are unaware;

for the data professional and user who thinks critically and independently, rather than operates in the IT industry's "cookbook mode".

The papers in both series are listed in descending chronological order of publication:

NEW!!! The Key to Relational Keys: A New Understanding, PRACTICAL DATABASE FOUNDATIONS #4 (v.3 February 2015) NEW!!!

Table of Contents

Abstract

Introduction

1 Relation Interpretation

2 Entity Properties, Names and Identification

3 Relational Keys

4 Primary Keys
4.1 Formal Primary Key Mandate
4.2 Primary Key Selection
4.2.1 Candidate and Alternate Keys
4.2.2 Composite Keys
4.2.3 Natural and Surrogate Keys
4.2.4 Some Examples
4.2.5 Surrogate Key Illusions

Conclusion

References

Appendix A: Duplicates and their consequences
1. Duplicates and SQL
1.1 Logical Validity and Semantic Correctness
1.2 Nestability
1.3 Result Interpretation
1.4 Performance Optimization
1.5 Duplicate Removal

Appendix B: Keys in SQL

NEW!!! Logical Symmetric Access, Data Sublanguage, Kinds of Relations, Redundancy and Consistency, UNDERSTANDING THE REAL RDM #2 (v.1 July 2017) NEW!!! (see description)

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

1. Logical Symmetric Access

2. Universal Data Sub-language
2.1. FOPL vs. SOPL
2.2. Relational Completeness
2.3. Computational Completeness and Hosting

3. Kinds of Relations
3.1. Expressible and Named Relations
3.2. Derived Relations
3.3. Relations with Stored Data

4. Derived Relations and Redundancy
4.1. Database Consistency

5. Database Catalog

Conclusion

References

NEW!!! The Interpretation and Representation of Database Relations, UNDERSTANDING THE REAL RDM #1 (v.1 April 2017) NEW!!! (see description)

Table of Contents

Series Preface

Introduction

1. The Interpretation of Database Relations
1.1. Attributes as Constrained Domains
1.2. Time-Varying Relations

2. Representation of Database Relations
2.1. Physical Independence
2.1.1. Uniquely Named Attributes
2.1.2. Primary Keys
2.1.3. Relations and R-tables

3. Database Normalization
3.1. Simple Domains and Normal Form
3.2. Non-simple Domains and Normalization
3.2.1. Foreign Keys

Conclusion

References

Business Modeling for Database Design: Formalizing the Informal, PRACTICAL DATABASE FOUNDATIONS #1 (V.4 May 2015)

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Business Modeling
1.1. Basic Modeling Concepts
1.2. Business Rules
1.2.1. Property Rules
1.2.2. Class Rules
1.2.3. Associative Entities
1.3. Business Models

2. Database Design
2.1. Formalizing the Informal
2.2. Predicates and Propositions
2.3. The Relational Data Model
2.3.1. Relational Structure
2.3.2 Relational Integrity
2.3.3. Relational Manipulation
2.4. Logical Models

3. Understanding Database Management
3.1. Note on missing values
3.2. A Foundation Framework

Appendix A: Constraint Formulation and Verification

Appendix B: Integrity Constraints in Dataphor’s D4

Appendix C: Some Misconceptions Debunked

References

The Costly Illusion: Normalization, Integrity and Performance, PRACTICAL DATABASE FOUNDATIONS #2 (v.4 May 2015)

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. R-tables, Keys and Dependencies

2. Normalization and Normal Forms

3. Further Normalization As Design Repair
3.1. Join Dependencies
3.2. “The Whole Key” and 2NF
3.3. “Nothing But the Key” and 3NF
3.4. “The Whole Key” and BCNF
3.5. Multivalued Dependencies and 4NF
3.6. Interval Data and 6NF

4. “Denormalization For Performance”
4.1. The Logical-Physical Confusion
4.2. Redundancy Control
4.3. JDC’s and SQL
4.4. The Real Problem and Solution

5. Conclusion and Recommendations

References

The Final NULL in the Coffin: A Relational Solution to Missing Data, PRACTICAL DATABASE FOUNDATIONS #3 ( V.4 May 2015)

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. “Inapplicable Data”: Nothing's Missing

2. Missing Data: Into the Unknown

3. SQL’s NULL: What-Valued Logic?

4. Known Unknowns: Metadata

5. A 2VL Relational Solution
5.1. The Practicality of Theory
5.2. 2VL vs. NULL’s in the Real World
5.3. Relation Proliferation
5.4. TRIM™

Conclusion

Appendix A: What’s Wrong with this Picture?
1. "Not Complicated"
2. "Part of the Real World"
3. "Integral Part of Relational Databases"
4. "Throw a Damn Exception"
5. "Useless"

Appendix B: Comments on the Proposed Solution

References

Truly Relational: What It Really Means, PRACTICAL DATABASE FOUNDATIONS #5 (V.3 May 2015)

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Relations on Domains

2. Relation Representation

3. Time-Varying Relations

4. Relation Interpretation

5. Data Sub-language

6. Atomicity, Nested Relations, and Normalization

7. Foreign Keys and (First) Normal Form

8. Operations on Relations

9. Kinds of Relations

10. Derivability, Redundancy, Consistency

Conclusion

Appendix A: Codd’s 1969 Relational Operators

Appendix B: Debunking Misconceptions

Domains: The Database Glue, PRACTICAL DATABASE FOUNDATIONS #6 (V.2 January 2015)

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Domains and Types
1.1. Meaning and Representation

2. Kinds of Domains
2.1. “Simple” Domains
2.2. “Complex” Domains
2.3. User-Defined Domains and System-Defined Types

3. Domains and SQL

4. Some Practical Implications
4.1. “Universal” DBMS
4.2. Database Design
4.3. ODBMS
4.4. NoSQL
4.5 Tackling Complexity

Conclusion

Price

1 paper         $ 25.00
2 papers        $ 45.00
3 papers        $ 65.00
4 papers        $ 85.00
5 papers        $105.00
6 papers        $125.00

Contact us for volume discounts.

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Next year revisions are free.
Next year or later new versions are half price.

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Fabian Pascal
Founder, Editor, Publisher and Debunker-in-Chief