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Comment by mathnode | Hacker News Reader

Hanging off this great comment, please anyone wanting to learn about relational databases I strongly suggest reading Database in Depth by C J Date. It's around 200 pages, you will learn a lot about the relational model, database/query/index design in a short amount of time, with a little bit of logic thrown in there too.

Just need a good SQL reference? 'The Art of SQL' or 'SQL and Relational Theory'

Are you not entertained? Fine, choke on this : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third_Manifesto

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And once you know the basics, I strongly recommend "SQL Anti-Patterns" for a good guide for what not to do and why not (and what mitigating circumstances might make an otherwise bad choice OK (or simply the only available option)). I read it while considering myself experienced and found it to be a useful refresher. The style/tone is light and well organised by task/objective, so I suspect everyone down to a beginner will find it well worth their time perusing.

"I read it while considering myself experienced and found it to be a useful refresher."

I'll be honest and say I read it and found it terribly embarrassing yet comforting. Remember that dumb thing I did back in '96? (insert red face) Yeah I guess I'm not the only guy to learn that the hard way. That lack of deep experience is a significant danger of nosql designs. The folks doing that now, don't even see the icebergs that relational folks successfully dodged decades ago. Much better off being nostalgic about the olden days of steam engine trains than not even seeing the diesel-electric headlight at the end of the tunnel rushing toward you.

Thank you for the recommendation, just ordered a copy for my office

Ha, I knew that looked familiar, Hugh Darwin is a lecturer where I was at university so half of the coursework for a databases module was in Tutorial D.

Sorry I missed the reference - mathnode == Hugh Darwin ?

mathnode != Hugh Darwen

They are some big boots to fill. I'm just some DBA in London.

Funny to see another ex-Warwickian here. Yes, I remember that coursework - I also found in interesting that Hugh Darwin thought SQL was too lax and flexible. I wish I'd taken the chance to ask his opinions on nosql.

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