Ken,

If I "denormalize" I try very hard to do so into temporary files. I really resist doing that to my primary tables.

Maybe a VIEW would be a better place to start for something like what you're suggesting? That way you can make it as ugly as you want *g* and you don't goof up your basic data set.

Best,

DD

>Nancy,
>
>PMFJI -
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>I denormalize in a limited amount - primarily for performance reasons on searches, reports, etc. Too much normalization can make a system uneccessarily complex and sluggish - both in development and for users - I know - I've been there. As developers, we need to concentrate more on user practicalities than holy grails of database academia.
>
>Again - the thought that "Noramlization is the way it has to be always" is one of those "truths" that are espoused without any true justification. In fact - I submit that for many - if not most - systems, a designer who does NOT implement strategic denormalization doesn't know what they are doing.
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>Ken
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>
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>>>But SQL is slow - why normalize if you SQL?
>>
>>Why use a relational database if you don't normalize?