XML and SQL: Developing Web Applications

Getting Data-Centric

The first problem to tackle when data modeling is realizing why you need a data model. You might say to yourself, “Forget all this data modeling hokum; I want to get started!” To which I say, “Hold your horses, Tex.” Starting data-oriented application development without first understanding what your data is and how you want to use it is like showing up at the O.K. Corral with a jackknife. You're going to get murdered. I can't overstate this: You need data modeling. Without it, you will inevitably fail at whatever you're trying to do, thereby disappointing your user community, your family, and your country. Do you really want your kids to look up at you, their eyes wide with disbelief, and ask, “Why didn't you do the data ...