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<div>Mark</div>
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<div>You have excelled once again.</div>
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<div>Let's hope we get some sort of advice from VCAA (Hi Paula)</div>
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<div>Mark Scott</div>
<div>Luther College</div>
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<font color="#000000" size="2" face="Tahoma"><b>From:</b> itapps-bounces@edulists.com.au [itapps-bounces@edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Mark KELLY [kel@mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au]<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Saturday, April 09, 2011 5:13 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Year 12 IT Apps] Holiday overload<br>
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<div>Hi, normalised people,<br>
<br>
I woke this morning at 5 of the clock brimming with vacation lethargy and - dammit - thoughts of database normalisation. I'm sure
<i>you</i> did too. If you didn't, you obviously are <b>not</b> fully normalised. I have done some research into the pit of normalisation and developed an equally pitiful theory slideshow of normalisation theory:<br>
<br>
http:/<a href="http://vceit.com/slideshows/Database-Normalisation.ppt" target="_blank">vceit.com/slideshows/Database-Normalisation.ppt</a><br>
<br>
I still have to flesh out 3NF, but the main problem is clearly delineating 1NF from 2NF since no-one amongst the original normalisation theorists seems to agree what 1NF really
<i>means</i>. e.g. does 1NF include tables within tables or not? I can only trust that the examiners do NOT try a question on the real exam similar to the one in the practice questions which requires tertiary IT qualifications and boxing gloves for which to
to even <i>venture</i> an answer. Normalisation theory is not merely a set of guidelines: it is a battlefield of conflicting ideologies, and the more research one does, the less certain any answer becomes.
<br>
<br>
Examiners beware! I reckon the best you will get for an ITA exam question on normalisation is something like, "Is normalisation good? Why?" instead of delving into the differences between 1NF, 2NF and 3NF which are still argued by database theory experts, and
are peripheral to the bigger, basic question of good basic database design. <br>
<br>
All I know is the great joke about 3NF: "so help me Codd". You have to view the 3NF theory to get the joke. Honestly, it's worth a 30 minute lecture to get to the punchline. Well, it
<i>might</i> be worth it. Your mileage might vary. I'm on holidays. <i>Bare feet</i> amuse me at the moment.<br>
<br>
I did my 30 minutes of theory on NF1-3 with my kids. They got the gist of <i>degrees</i> of normalisation. They even laughed at the "so help me Codd" line. They got the
<i>need</i> for normalisation, but I couldn't pluck out the toenails of my best kid to clearly tell me the basic difference between 2NF and 3NF... It's
<i>there</i>, but it's not ITA territory, IMO.<br>
<br>
I completely understand your stoic indifference to database normalisation at this stage in the blessed annual term 1 recuperative cycle.
<br>
I'd rather be fishing (or cutting my toenails - I might schedule that for tomorrow) than doing normalisation theory.
<br>
I'd rather be lion taming, but I lack lions. And I lack normality, but thankfully I can blame that on my parents.<br>
<br>
Enjoy the holidays, and please end up <b>5NF</b> - fully normalised (as long as you accept the premise of 4NF and 5NF) by the start of term 2<br>
<br>
Basking in the Saturday evening holiday rain,<br>
Mark<br>
<br>
-- <br>
Mark Kelly<br>
Manager of ICT, Reporting, IT Learning Area<br>
McKinnon Secondary College<br>
McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia<br>
Direct line / Voicemail: +613 8520 9085, Fax +613 9578 9253<br>
<a href="mailto:kel@mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au">kel@mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au</a><br>
VCE IT Lecture Notes: <a href="http://vceit.com" target="_blank">http://vceit.com</a><br>
Moderator: IT Applications Edulist<br>
<br>
<font size="+0">All generalisations are false, except this one.</font><br>
<br>
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