Re: Alternative to serial primary key

From: Chris Browne <cbbrowne(at)acm(dot)org>
To: pgsql-sql(at)postgresql(dot)org
Subject: Re: Alternative to serial primary key
Date: 2006-07-07 14:33:48
Message-ID: 60zmflscvn.fsf@dba2.int.libertyrms.com
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darcy(at)druid(dot)net ("D'Arcy J.M. Cain") writes:
> And even given all of that, I would probably still use serial.
>> and has been recommended. But having a hash function over the address
>> column as the primary key means I can always regenerate my primary key
>
> Danger, Will Robinson. The phrase "regenerate my primary key"
> immediately raises the hairs on the back of my neck. If the primary
> key can ever change, you have a broken schema.

Actually, I'd call it worse than that...

A schema is "merely" a technical detail.

The trouble is that if the primary key can ever change, then you have
a broken model for the data.

You can do "technical things" to fix problems with a schema; if the
data model is busted, then your schema is necessarily broken, in a way
that cannot be fixed.
--
(format nil "~S(at)~S" "cbbrowne" "ntlug.org")
http://cbbrowne.com/info/unix.html
MICROS~1 is to quality software what MacDonalds is to gourmet cooking

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