7.4 Temporal Databases and SQL
A temporal database is one that includes some representation of time. The example databases we have discussed so far all contain records that represent current facts about the enterprise, so the time is assumed to be the present. In the University example, the tables only show data about the current session. In the Worker and Project example, we keep information about active projects, workers, and their current assignments. As changes are made in the real world, the records are updated to reflect the changes, overwriting the old values so that the database state always reflects just the current information. For the university, such a system would require a complete change periodically. As each new semester starts, ...
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