Re: Database in depth, by C.J. Date

  • From: jsb@xxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2005 14:41:14 -0400 (EDT)

On Mon, 13 Jun 2005, Mladen Gogala wrote:

> in my opinion, the author did shy away too much from using mathematics.
> Cary Millsap did not make such mistake. I don't want to keep this
> esteemed audience under suspense any longer:  yes, I am a mathematician,
> with college in mathematics. The book is good, but it needs more math.

No sour grapes intended, but none of that mathematical theory has ever
been of any use to me.  I've never worked in an environment that afforded
enough time to profess a theory - I always had to base my statements on
observed results.

The thing that makes this theory analysis possible is the company where an
employee works - some companies bring in enough money so that they can
handle the overhead associated with employees spending half their day
analyzing theoretical ideas, but the vast majority of companies employing
people (DBAs, in this example) have an overwhelming amount of work to be
done and any theoretical ideas have to be done on an employee's personal
time.

Honestly, I think the use of theoretical math in a world of absolutes is a
dodge used by mathematicians to force their way of doing things when their
assertions cannot be proven by empirical data.  If you're fortunate to
work in a company that allows you to do that, enjoy it...  because it
isn't the real world.


Cary's book (particularly Method R) was a smash hit where I work (5,000+
employees) but the section on M/M/m Queueing Model might as well not even
have been printed for as little attention it has received.


I apologize in advance if I have hurt anyone's feelings - no ill will
intended - but like Bruce Hornsby said, "That's just the way it is."


regards.
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