Thread: [Slightly OT] data model books/resources?

Anyone care to share the great books, articles, manifestos, notes,
leaflets, etc on data modelling they've come across? Ideally I'd like
to find a great college level book on data models, but I haven't come
across one that even slightly holds "definitive resource"-type status.

Feel free to reply off list to keep the clutter down - I'd be happy to
summarize responses for the list.

Thanks,
aaron.glenn

In the last exciting episode, aaron.glenn@gmail.com ("Aaron Glenn") wrote:
> Anyone care to share the great books, articles, manifestos, notes,
> leaflets, etc on data modelling they've come across? Ideally I'd like
> to find a great college level book on data models, but I haven't come
> across one that even slightly holds "definitive resource"-type status.
>
> Feel free to reply off list to keep the clutter down - I'd be happy to
> summarize responses for the list.

Any web search involving the word "modelling" is likely to take you
down some wrong paths :-).

One interesting looking web site with a barrel of examples is
<http://www.databaseanswers.org/data_models/index.htm>.

A problem with this is that it is common for your application
framework to, a priori, strongly affect the shape of the data model.

Thus, if you're building for Ruby on Rails, you'll be drawn into
models that are RoR-shaped.  If you use a particular OO language,
there will probably be strong temptation to try to map directly onto
its object model, which will, again, heavily affect the shape of your
data models.

It seems likely that this factor (which might be simplified to "to one
with a hammer, everything looks like a nail, including your thumb")
will shape things almost moreso than the direct domain of the problem.
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On Thursday 30 March 2006 03:03, Aaron Glenn wrote:
> Anyone care to share the great books, articles, manifestos, notes,
> leaflets, etc on data modelling they've come across? Ideally I'd like
> to find a great college level book on data models, but I haven't come
> across one that even slightly holds "definitive resource"-type status.
>

I've heard that "Relational Database Design" (ISBN: 0123264251) is good for
college level introductory material, though the book I generally recommend
most is "Practical Issues in Database Management" (ISBN: 0201485559)

> Feel free to reply off list to keep the clutter down - I'd be happy to
> summarize responses for the list.
>

We're all about clutter :-)

--
Robert Treat
Build A Brighter Lamp :: Linux Apache {middleware} PostgreSQL

Robert Treat wrote:
> On Thursday 30 March 2006 03:03, Aaron Glenn wrote:
>> Anyone care to share the great books, articles, manifestos, notes,
>> leaflets, etc on data modelling they've come across? Ideally I'd like
>> to find a great college level book on data models, but I haven't come
>> across one that even slightly holds "definitive resource"-type status.
>>
>
> I've heard that "Relational Database Design" (ISBN: 0123264251) is good for
> college level introductory material, though the book I generally recommend
> most is "Practical Issues in Database Management" (ISBN: 0201485559)
>
>> Feel free to reply off list to keep the clutter down - I'd be happy to
>> summarize responses for the list.
>>
>
> We're all about clutter :-)
>

I also highly suggest:


Database in Depth : Relational Theory for Practitioners (Paperback)
by C.J. Date

It is a great, pratical book that isn't a snore.

Sincerely,

Joshua D. Drake


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                      http://www.commandprompt.com/

> On Thursday 30 March 2006 03:03, Aaron Glenn wrote:
>> Anyone care to share the great books, articles, manifestos, notes,
>> leaflets, etc on data modelling they've come across? Ideally I'd like
>> to find a great college level book on data models, but I haven't come
>> across one that even slightly holds "definitive resource"-type status.
>>
>
> I've heard that "Relational Database Design" (ISBN: 0123264251) is good
> for
> college level introductory material, though the book I generally recommend
> most is "Practical Issues in Database Management" (ISBN: 0201485559)
>
>> Feel free to reply off list to keep the clutter down - I'd be happy to
>> summarize responses for the list.
>>
>
> We're all about clutter :-)
>
Well then, in that case, can I add to the clutter by asking a question about
IT training?  I was just asked today, by a vice president in the company I'm
working with, to train one of his staff to become a database programmer and
administrator.  I have taught software engineering using UML, and
programming in Java and C++.  I have not taught database programming and
administration, although I have done some of each for some of my own
applications.

My Question?  Can the folk in this group help me develop a reading list and
a list of competencies for this fellow to master?  While I can easily
develop a list of books dealing with databases in general and SQL in
particular, it is not so easy to separate the wheat from the chaff, and I do
not want to waste a pile of money on evaluating the range of books that are
available.  I'd therefore like accounts of books to avoid, and why, as well
as books that are essential in any respectable collection, and why.  I'm
interested both in text books, with exercises, and reference books (both
theoretical and practical).

Thanks

Ted

In an attempt to throw the authorities off his trail, xzilla@users.sourceforge.net (Robert Treat) transmitted:
> On Thursday 30 March 2006 03:03, Aaron Glenn wrote:
>> Anyone care to share the great books, articles, manifestos, notes,
>> leaflets, etc on data modelling they've come across? Ideally I'd like
>> to find a great college level book on data models, but I haven't come
>> across one that even slightly holds "definitive resource"-type status.
>
> I've heard that "Relational Database Design" (ISBN: 0123264251) is
> good for college level introductory material, though the book I
> generally recommend most is "Practical Issues in Database
> Management" (ISBN: 0201485559)

The one trouble with PIDM is somewhat like that of the discussion of
SQL in the "Third Manifest" book, namely that it's a lot better at
prescribing "Things Not To Do" than it is about how models *should* be
constructed.

With that caveat, it's on my desk :-).
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a haphazard mission to assassinate the hero."
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On Apr 1, 2006, at 0:19 , Robert Treat wrote:

> On Thursday 30 March 2006 03:03, Aaron Glenn wrote:
>> Anyone care to share the great books, articles, manifestos, notes,
>> leaflets, etc on data modelling they've come across? Ideally I'd like
>> to find a great college level book on data models, but I haven't come
>> across one that even slightly holds "definitive resource"-type
>> status.
>>
>
> I've heard that "Relational Database Design" (ISBN: 0123264251) is
> good for
> college level introductory material, though the book I generally
> recommend
> most is "Practical Issues in Database Management" (ISBN: 0201485559)

Might be a bit OT your OT (as it leans towards the relational model
in general rather than data modeling--applying the relational model
for a particular use), but I am really enjoying "Database in Depth :
Relational Theory for Practitioners" (ISBN: 0596100124).

Michael Glaesemann
grzm myrealbox com