Product Description

Continuing in the eighth edition, An Introduction to Database Systems provides a comprehensive introduction to the now very large field of database systems by providing a solid grounding in the foundations of database technology while shedding some light on how the field is likely to develop in the future. This new edition has been rewritten and expanded to stay current with database system trends.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #158591 in Books
• Published on: 2003-08-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 1024 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
The newest edition of the classic An Introduction to Database Systems incorporates the latest developments in relational databases, including semantic modelling, decision support and temporal modelling.

There's better information on distributed databases, security, and the mathematics of relational databases, too. With the same strong coverage of fundamental theory that made its predecessors stand out, this book ranks as the definitive textbook for those studying database systems.

This is an extraordinarily academic book. In his preface, C. J. Date goes so far as to lament having to use Structured Query Language (SQL) in some of his examples because it's "so far from being a true embodiment of relational principles." What's more, he writes in a very academic style, peppering his heavily footnoted prose with mathematical expressions and words like "relevar" and "tuple." The academic style and highbrow language isn't a bad thing, since this book deals with complicated, largely abstract phenomena in depth.

Be aware that An Introduction to Database Systems is a far cry from the highly graphical, problem-focused books that target the community of commercial database developers, and as such requires more careful study. This book is about theories, concepts and ideals rather than problems, solutions and specific implementations. As such, it will enable you to become a better database programmer--but only if you supplement it with practical guides and hands-on experience. --David Wall

Customer Reviews

The best possible foundation for a career in databases
The mere fact that this book is in its 8th edition tells you it is a standard work in the field. I have had several previous editions sitting on my desk during the last 20 years, and it is the first and last place I ever need to look for answers.

Unlike any other IT/programming specialty, database management has a coherent body of theory underpinning it. Database design and programming can (in principle) aspire to real scientific and engineering rigour. Date's books, and this book in particular, are an authoritative (albeit demanding) introduction to the indispensible theory and mathematics of the field. Without that knowledge any self-described practitioner could rightly be called a "dabbler" or even a "cowboy", or worse. (I make a very good living cleaning up after such people.)

The title of this book has occasionally led a naive buyer to think it will provide a quick "brain dump" of recipes for using whatever is the currently fashionable product-du-jour. It will not do that. Instead it will prepare you for a satisfying career that could occupy you for lifetime. Not too many books can claim that.

Great in-depth book
This book is really great.

I purchased it to go along with an rBDMS undergraduate course at University as it was the recommended text. It's easy to see why!

The book is well structured and contains everthing to do with database systems from the logic behind rDBMS systems, to SQL and the failings with SQL.

The only problem with the book is that it can be a bit difficult to read in places if you're not that "into" databases. Although, if you're not into databases, why would you be buying a book on Database Systems!

A Difficult Read
If you're looking for a book that get will get you up to speed with using databases quickly this isn't it. You need to wade through several chapters before you have even have the basics grasped and there is no 'tutorial' chapter as such. The text is cluttered with reiterations of the same facts at a level of detail entirely inappropriate for an introductory book.

More seriously, coverage of SQL is relegated to final subsections of chapters rather than being directly next to the theory, which would aid those learning SQL. Although, as the author points out, no current SQL implementations are true relational database systems, SQL is still the de facto industry standard so this style is counter-productive. Instead, the author's own Tutorial D language is used throughout. Even worse, Tutorial D is explicitly chosen over the more common mathematical notation for the Relational Algebra and Predicate Calculus, obfuscating the simplicity of the relational model, especially for mathematicians.

Overall the style of language comes across as rambling and ranting. On the plus side, if you have the time to look, all the information is there and there are many good references to the literature.