Data and Reality: Amazon.co.uk: William Kent: Books

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, though incomplete conclusion, 22 July 2005

By

David Allsopp (Worcestershire, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Data and Reality (Paperback)

Kent blows away misconceptions and confusions about data modelling and highlights many of the fundamental problems with trying to represent complicated real-world data in simple computer systems. This book is old, but the message is as fresh as ever. The only disappointment is that Kent begins to outline a system for better data modelling then admits it is incomplete and leaves much unfinished - an exercise for the reader, if you like! Readers with a technical background in databases or ontologies will find a lot of his insights spookily familiar.

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It didn't stop there!, 28 Jun 2005

By

Ken Evans "ormer" (Stickford, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Data and Reality (Paperback)

This book covers essential concepts that are even more essential to understand than they were when the book was written (circa 1977). In the intervening years, the consequences of poor data management have become much worse. The good news is that help is on the way!
In the last 25 years, solutions have been developed to many of the data problems described by Kent. Sadly, it seems that very few developers or analysts really understand the issues raised by Kent which is probably why so many software projects end up as expensive failures.

Chapters 1-9 expose the data management problems and the awful limitations of what in 1977 passed as "data models" (e.g. the necessity to force fit "many to many" concepts into the inflexible "1 to many" structure of the traditional heirarchical databases and the aparrent lack of any widespread understanding of conceptual models and abstract domains. (Still true today)

Chapter 10 gives interesting insights into the relational model which at the time (1977) was only 8 years old and was not widely available in database products.

Chapter 11 is entitled "Elementary Concepts: Another Model?"
In this excellent chapter, Kent explains n-ary relationships and shows how binary relationships are best seen as instances of the set of n-ary relationships.

Chapter 12 contains insights into the hidden effects of language on thinking.

Many of the ideas in Chapter 11 later appeared in NIAM (Nijssen's Information Analysis Methodology). In the mid 1980's Terry Halpin worked with Sjir Nijssen and formalised NIAM as ORM (Object-Role Modeling language). Terry's most recent books on this matter are:
1: "Information Modeling and Relational Databases" -MKP 2001.
This 754 page book is the ORM Bible and is a set book for University Students in the USA.

2: "Database Modeling with Microsoft Visio for Enterprise Architects" MKP 2003.
This book shows you how to use the ORM tool which provides solutions to most of the problems that Kent describes in his book. This book is also a set book for University students in the USA. (I'm pleased to have co-authored this book with Terry)

Historical Note:
An ORM tool was developed in 1989 and first appeared as a product called "InfoDesigner". This tool evolved through the 1990's as "InfoModeler" which was bought by Visio who incorporated it into the high end Visio product. Microsoft then bought Visio and the fruits of Terry's many years of hard work and dedication are now (fairly deeply) embedded in Microsoft Visual Studio.NET for Enterprise Architects. (You can download the latest beta from the Microsoft Website).

In conclusion:
"Data and Reality" gives an excellent description of the horrendous data definition problems that are still with us today.

If you read "Data and Reality" and then say "Wow! Yes! William Kent has articulated problems to which we urgently need a solution!, then I strongly recommend that you investigate ORM.

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5.0 out of 5 stars True 30 years ago and still true today!, 3 May 2010

By

Steve Hoberman "Data Addict" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Data and Reality (Paperback)

I love this book because the first 100+ pages discuss data issues and design considerations from the original publication of the book in 1977, and almost all of these issues and considerations are still true today (despite incredible advances in technology). Integration and data quality issues are discussed with Kent's wit making for a great read.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Required reading
This book is a nightmare and it is not for the sqeamish. It tells you the truth about trying to model real systems and the problems you are about to tackle. Read more

Published on 12 Aug 2004 by Eddy Grabczewski