Relational Database Theory
When databases first began, they were flat. This meant that they were not stored in a table, such as that which we are used to when using Excel. The flat file, was called a tab delimited file. Information was entered into these in a way which you will be used to if you have used Matlab. In Matlab, you must enter tables/matrices in a single line, with a ";" separating the entries. The linear nature of the data meant that searches had to be performed by progressing through the whole document, and there was no way to identify records by their particular fields.
This is where relational databases come into play. This breakthrough meant that tables could be created that were accessible to those who were not specialists in computing. All the data was gathered and stored in a way that it was readily accessible. The math behind the idea ensured this. The programming meant that the computer was able to figure out how and where the information was stored. The data was linked instead of being separate instances. By storing data in rows and columns, you allow for it to be accessed very quickly. This aids the computer in manipulating the data.
By linking the data, you are able to nest thousands of tables within one larger one. Many retail companies use this. One of which you will all be familiar with is Amazon. The advantages of this are clear. By nesting these tables, you are able to create a situation where requests for data can change often, such as when a customer requests certain items that are under $100 and over three stars. This is made possible by relational databases.
Sources:
http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/ibm100/us/en/icons/reldb/
http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~maier/TheoryBook/TRD.html
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question599.htm
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Hi Sam, this is a great post! I like the example that you use to compare Matlab with the databases. It helps me to understand the relational database theory in another way.
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