Database Design for Mere Mortals: A Hands-On Guide to Relational Database Design [With CDROM]

by Michael J. Hernandez

Book Overview

The #1 Easy, Commonsense Guide to Database Design--Now Updated Foreword by Michelle Poolet, Mount Vernon Data Systems LLC Database Design for Mere Mortals has earned worldwide respect as the simplest... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0201752840
• ISBN13: 9780201752847
• Release Date: May 2003
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
• Length: 672 Pages
• Weight: 2.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 7.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

NOT FOR EVERYONE (what else is new?)

I have to temper my enthusiasm for this book with the perspective gained by reading the negative comments of those who seem to be, by and large, professional database developers, programming experts, and teachers. First, I just gotta say: "no offense, but geez, what a bunch of snotty know-it-alls!" Now that I have that off my chest, this book was manna from heaven for me! I am a newbie, I'm using Access, I'm trying to create a system for my workplace (without knowing what I'm doing, mind you!), and I learn best through a logical approach, reinforcement, and repitition. I actually enjoyed the experience of skipping some paragraphs thinking, "yeah, yeah, you said that already, I GOT it!" But I think even having that experience helps me learn by shoring up the information deposit in my head. If you're in my situation, and you like starting at the beginning and getting a solid foundation, AND if you're not a big whoopdie doo database mogul, you will love this book! BTW, this is not a book about Access or any particular brand of database software, but a book about FUNDAMENTALS of database design that is probably most appropriate for people who don't intend to make their living designing databases. I'd bet that's a lot of people.

The book for everyone who must talk design with their DBA

I'm buying this book a second time because I lent it out one too many times to people at my last job. I agree with the other reviewers that note that learning everything this book has to teach will not make you a DBA. But it will help you talk intelligently to your DBA. I highly recommend this book for Project Managers and Business Analysts that will gather end-user requirements for development projects that will entail building or revising databases. The highly detailed end-user interview method described is worth the price - its eessentially why I'm buying it, again. In that way, this book has a place in larger DB development projects.But this book can have an even more prominent role in smaller DB development projects. The "Design" part of the title is justified because it does explain enough about normalization, referential integrity, and other technical topics to help a first-time, amateur database designer create a good design for a simple database. But be forewarned 1) it won't help you administer that DB over the whole software life cycle or 2) tell you how to implement your design in any specific RDBMS (e.g. SQL Server, Access, Oracle) - you'll have to get that from an RDBMS-product-specific title. And 3) you'll need more theory from some other book for more complex databases.A lot of books that attempt to explain a technical topic to a wider audience leave the intended, amateur audience confused and the experienced professional bored. This book will bore any competent DBA, who should know all this stuff. But for "Mere Mortals", the intended audience, this book is a gem. That is why I rate it 5 stars.

Excellent concepts for all database designers

I was first introduced to this book in College while I was learning relational database design and modeling concepts. Almost anyone can open Access and build a database, but are they doing it correctly? Knowing how to do something and WHY you are doing it are entirely different things. This book takes complicated technical information and breaks it out into an efficient and easy to understand format that anyone from a beginner to an expert can use and understand. Not only do you finish understanding the how and the why of relational design, but you have also been exposed to the detailed process of designing for others, methods of interviewing and example questions that show you how to get the information you need from your users that's crucial to your design. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it since the concepts are software independent. At my last job, our SQL DBA called this book his Bible. I just recently ordered it again for a friend who's beginning to learn about databases. Two thumbs up!

Building a database? READ THIS BOOK FIRST!!!

A very clearly written guide to designing a relational database. I started with the other 'how to' books (Access 97 Bible, eg) but kept drawing a blank when it came to the most critical part of building a database: the design! This is NOT a guidebook for navigating dialog boxes; you already know how to do that. Mike leads you through lessons in how to think about the data you're trying to track. Once you start organizing your data along these lines, everything else just follows. I also bought ISBN: 1565926269. Most of that book is oriented towards VBA programming, but the first few chapters gloss over a few of the ideas that Mike covers more thoroughly. Start with Mike's book; it'll make more sense for the critical early design phase!

A Must-Have For Beginners To Database Design

Outstanding - Easy to read - Well written - Great bookThese are some of the comments from my students.I have been using this book for nearly a year now to teach an Access/Database Design class and my students love this book. Mr. Hernandez makes what could be a very complicated subject EASY to understand for students new to database design.It does belabor the user/management interviews. But here the author is emphasizing the fact that you are creating the database for users and management. Their input to the design is of paramount importance to its success and to help minimize future revisions to the design and RDBMS.If you're new to database design, or your concept of a database is one huge spreadsheet, BUY AND READ THIS BOOK and you'll be well on your way to building better databases.