Re: question on serial key

s == sam(at)samason(dot)me(dot)uk writes:

s> On Fri, May 22, 2009 at 08:41:46AM -0500, Brandon Metcalf wrote:
s> > I am looking for criteria on deciding whether or not to use a serial
s> > (auto-incrementing) key for rows in a table.

s> Wow, that's the second time today someone asked that!

s> > Intuitively, it's pretty clear to me when a serial index is called
s> > for. Is there a succinct set of guidelines that one could go by?

s> Not that I'm aware of; it's a fuzzy design choice with benefits and
s> costs for either option. There are lots of people who arbitrarily
s> pick one side which tends to make things worse, using one or the other
s> *exclusively* will add complication. General terms to search for are
s> Natural keys vs. Surrogate keys.

The search terms help. I wasn't searching for the right thing and
finding very little information.

--
Brandon