Sebastopol, CA--From web applications to job tracking systems or accounting packages, you don't have to go far to find a relational database. But when it comes to understanding the relational terms in most documentation, many people quickly find themselves neck deep in jargon soup--or worse--wading through hundreds of pages of beginner books to find a good explanation.
So who better to give us a precise explanation of the hundreds of terms used in relational theory than relational theory pioneer C. J. Date? After all, he wrote An Introduction to Database Systems which has sold close to three quarters of a million copies across its eight editions, not to mention that it is used by several hundred colleges and universities. Unfortunately you can't get a personal line to Dr. Date but he has given us the next best thing.
Date's latest book, The Relational Database Dictionary (O'Reilly, US $14.99) contains more than six hundred entries dealing with issues, terms, and concepts involved in, or arising from use of, the relational model of data. Many of the entries include not only definitions but also one or more illustrative examples. Dr. Date says, "I've done my best to make the definitions as clear, precise, and accurate as possible; they're based on my own best understanding of the material, an understanding I've been honing gradually over some thirty-five years of involvement in this field."
Whether you're using Oracle, DB2, SQL Server, MySQL, or PostgreSQL, The Relational Database Dictionary will prevent confusion about the precise meaning of database-related terms (e.g., attribute, 3NF, one-to-many correspondence, predicate, repeating group, join dependency), helping to ensure the success of your database projects. The dictionary has been carefully reviewed for clarity, accuracy, and completeness to make certain it's an authoritative and comprehensive quick reference for any reader's database programming needs.
The one-of-a-kind dictionary provides a single, compact source where DBAs, database designers, DBMS implementers, application developers, and database professors and students can find the accurate definitions they need on a daily basis--information that isn't readily available anywhere else. If you're working with or learning about relational databases, you'll find this pocket-sized guide to be essential.
Additional Resources:
The Relational Database Dictionary
C. J. Date
ISBN: 0596527985, 113 pages, $14.99 US
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