Talk:Multidimensional database

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References to the Pick operating system, and the external link to pickwiki may be unintentionally misleading. Pick supports a multi-value, not multi-dimensional data model, concepts which I beleive are very different.

--Burt Harris 05:48, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

I would agree; it seems that multivalue (or 'post-relational', which I prefer because it sounds more advanced!) databases have been lumped in together with multidimentionals. The first paragraph shows the different usages of 'multidimensional', so I don't think this is a minor difference. I vote we split the multivalue ones out. As far as I know, this means we take out Pick, OpenQM, U2, UniVerse and UniData, and leave the rest. Karaken12 08:18, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

Yes I agree too (although I disagree with Karaken12 that multivalue is 'post-relational', it is in fact 'pre-relational', and I would say it is less advanced). I also think there is a confusion between hierarchical or network databases and multidimensional databases. I think the confusion is primary due to fact that OLAP systems offer both multidimensional access patterns and hierarchical navigation. Wikiolap 16:48, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

Technically it is post-relational (whether you think it is more advanced or not!) since it breaks one of the axioms of relational databases. Unfortunately I'm no database expert, so I can't say with great certainty, but afaik a post-relational database is one where multiple values (n-tuples) can be referenced in a single field; essentialy, multivalues.
Just out of interest, I notice that a google search for 'post-relational' throws up Caché as it's first result. Karaken12 10:53, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

I promised to myself I'd steer clear of my professional fields whilst on WP, but I can't help but nose around. The separation is necessary.

Pick, et al are commonly referred to as multi-value, or post-relational databases (the latter being coined, IIRC at a Pick vendor conference). Merely breaking one of Codd's tenets does not make a database post-relational, it merely makes it non-relational. "Post-relational" is simply market speak for "newer than relational", which it both is (as the model and products have been subsequently developed and improved) and is not (since it dates back to the late 1960s). Cain Mosni 02:28, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Proposal to merge with Dimensional database

• Support as nominator Wikiolap 22:52, 8 December 2006 (UTC)