Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!cica!ctrsol!lll-winken!uunet!daitc!daitc.daitc.mil
From: jkrueger@daitc.daitc.mil (Jonathan Krueger)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: Do you normalize?
Keywords: normalization
Message-ID: <604@daitc.daitc.mil>
Date: 20 Jul 89 04:20:23 GMT
References: <242@6sigma.UUCP>
Sender: jkrueger@daitc.daitc.mil
Reply-To: jkrueger@daitc.daitc.mil (Jonathan Krueger)
Organization: DTIC Special Projects Office (DTIC-SPO), Alexandria VA
Lines: 29
In-reply-to: blm@6sigma.UUCP (Brian Matthews)

In article <242@6sigma.UUCP>, blm@6sigma (Brian Matthews) writes:
>Do you normalize your databases?

Yes.

>If you do normalize, do you do so by hand, or with an
>automated tool?

By hand.  Usually I put a pen in my hand first, though :-)

>How far do you take it - 3rd, 4th, or 5th normal form?

I aim for 3rd.  Sometimes I make it.  Sometimes the source of data
can't define entities in a concise enough manner.

>Do you think it was worth the effort?

Always.  When I can make it to third, applications behave more
predictably, I'm more productive, and performance isn't the natural
enemy of correctness.  When I can't, it still pays to define the
problem.  A useful further step is to state the problem in a simple
declarative sentence.  Examples on request.

>What DBMS do you use?

Mostly INGRES.

-- Jon
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