In part 1, we saw how relational and non-relational databases differ in structure. Tables must have a singular, ‘unbreakable ‘ piece of information per row and column in a relational database, while non-relational databases can even contain tables inside tables (called nested data).
In this part, we will see how a relational database wreaks havoc with a piece of information so fundamental, that by the end of this post, you will start wondering why relational databases have been in use for so long! We are talking about human names today. We are talking about how a term I call ‘structural rigidity’ of relational databases caused an unnecessary and unwilling ‘standardisation’ in the way we look at human names today. Continue reading “Say NO to SQL: Part 2”