| Re: Mr. Stuckle and Mr. Miller - explain normalisation with an example [message #185292 is a reply to message #185289] |
Mon, 17 March 2014 01:14   |
Lew Pitcher
Messages: 60
Registered: April 2013
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On Sunday 16 March 2014 20:12, in comp.lang.php, "Scott Johnson"
<noonehome(at)chalupasworld(dot)com> wrote:
> On 3/16/14, 2:29 PM, Lew Pitcher wrote:
>> On Sunday 16 March 2014 16:22, in comp.lang.php, "richard"
>> <noreply(at)example(dot)com> wrote:
>>
>> [snipe snipped]
>>
>>> The table I have now consists of the following columns.
>>> songid,hits, title, author, license.
>>> Please explain how this data should be normalised.
>>> And why.
>>> Thank you.
>>
>> For what it's worth, I don't think that you have to normalize your
>> tables. Your table design seems to work for you. Normalization won't
>> "fix" anything, because nothing is "broken".
>
> Nobody said his DB was broken
Perhaps. I haven't been following every post.
The point is that richard's current design will not, of itself, cause a
problem. It will, however (as I implied later) be less than optimal.
But, if richard isn't concerned about optimal performance or design, then
there's nothing that normalization will bring to him.
> rather an effort to....(read next section)
Yes, I'm familiar with the effort. I've "assisted" richard a couple of
times, and find his design and implementation less than... what I would do.
But, I'm not him.
>> What normalization (and, a proper database design, for that matter)
>> /will/ do is make data maintenance and manipulation easier and possibly
>> more efficient. For big datasets, normalization reduces storage costs,
>> improves data reliability, and makes data manipulation (and the program
>> development that goes with it) more consistant.
>>
>
> What for the most part most have been trying to explain. And yes at
> time it gets in the weeds out of frustration but the foundation has been
> solid all along.
>
>> You seem to need none of these benefits. So, normalization is not for
>> you. Perhaps, when your application and database grow larger, you will
>> see the need for the improvements that database normalization and proper
>> database design bring.
>
> It is when your DB is small that you want to incorporate a normalized
> design so you can work out exactly what you need before you start having
> to code and run DB routines to normalize it.
>
> Nightmare scenario.
Very true. And, most of the "you need normalization" and "you need to
redesign your data table structure" comments have been well-meant attempts
to address that scenario.
> Kind of like saying, don't get health insurance until you are
> sick....wait. Never mind
Yup.
Richard has passed on the health insurance. Nothing that we say will change
his mind. All we are doing is cluttering up an unrelated newsgroup with
unrequested advice that won't be listened to.
Bottom line: richard's app works to his satisfaction, without a proper
database design and without database normalization. I think that the
subject is closed, and it is time to move on.
--30--
--
Lew Pitcher
"In Skills, We Trust"
PGP public key available upon request
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