Preface (Second Edition)

   

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From the First Edition . . .

Perhaps you're wondering why the world needs another book on database design. When Mike Hernandez first discussed this book with me, I wondered. But the fact isas you may have discovered from leafing through pages before landing here in the forewordthe world does need a book like this one. You can certainly find many books detailing the theories and concepts behind the science of database design, but you won't find many (if any) written from Mike's particular perspective. He has made it his goal to provide a book that is clearly based on the sturdy principles of mathematical study, but has geared it toward practical use instead of theoretical possibilities. No matter what specific database package you're using, the concepts in this book will make sense and will apply to your database-design projects.

I knew this was the book for me when I turned to the beginning of Chapter 6 and saw this suggestion:

Do not adopt the current database structure as the basis for the new database structure.

If I'd had someone tell me this when I was starting out on this database developer path years ago I could have saved a ton of time! And that's my point here: Mike has spent many years designing databases for clients ; he has spent lots of time thinking, reading, and studying about the right way to create database applications; and he has put it all here, on paper, for the rest of us.

This book is full of the right stuff, illustrated with easy-to-understand examples. That's not to say that it doesn't contain the hardcore information you need to do databases rightit does, of course. But it's geared toward real developers, not theoreticians.

I've spent some time talking with Mike about database design. Over coffee, in meetings, writing courseware, it's always the same: Mike is passionate about this material. Just as the operating system designer seeks the perfect, elegant algorithm, Mike spends his time looking for just the right way to solve a design puzzle andas you will read in this bookhow best to explain it to others. I've learned much of what I know about database design from Mike over the years and feel sure that I have a lot more to learn from this book. After reading through this concise , detailed presentation of the information you need to know in order to create professional databases, I'm sure you'll feel the same way.

Ken Getz

MCW Technologies

[e-mail]

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