Conceptual database questions...

[Ruslan Zasukhin]

On 5/26/05 6:07 PM, "Lynch, Jonathan" <bnz2 at cdc.gov> wrote:

>> Your questions are interesting because you are conceptualizing
>> databases in >a very different manner than I do. I think of them as big
>> spread sheets >with columns (tables) and cells containing data.

> I think of it this way:
> 
>      Database: A collection of tables
> 
>      Table: A collection of columns
> 
>      Column: A collection of cells (visualized with a vertical
> orientation)
> 
>      Rows: A collection of cells (visualized with a horizontal
> orientation), all cells from different columns, but all cells with the
> same recordID and from the same table
> 
>      Record: A row of a table

:-) very correct

> This visualization is, I think, basically the same as visualizing a
> table as a spreadsheet.

Analogy with spreadsheet can be used, but it is weak.
Only from point of view of storing data into tables.

Relational Database model also adds Relational math,
Which do not use spreadsheet.
 
> It seems to me that figuring out manipulating a database is akin to
> figuring out how to manipulate nested groups. It is a big pain at first,
> but once the structure is fully in my head, it will be relatively
> straight-forward.
> 
> At least, I hope so :)

-- 
Best regards,

Ruslan Zasukhin
VP Engineering and New Technology
Paradigma Software, Inc

Valentina - Joining Worlds of Information
http://www.paradigmasoft.com

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