[AccessD] Slow day - normalization discusion

Repetition isn't the only thing to consider:

1.) Smallest unit -- we think of those 7 digits as its own value. Therefore, 
as a whole, the 7 digits aren't repeated, but some numbers have the same 
first 3 digits in common. You can find that commonality in all kinds of 
values. So, when you look at the digits as a whole, they aren't truly 
repeated values.

2.) Data entry -- consider how much work will be necessary to put those two 
values back together to faciliate data entry. Normalization aside, human 
beings aren't use to entering 3 digits and then 4 -- it will only confuse 
people and slow down data entry.

Susan H.



> If the numbers in the database are not clustered in the areas, having the
> same prefix codes, it won't make sense to pull the prefixes out. I don't 
> know
> the exact mechanics of why, but I wouldn't separate data into another 
> table
> unless the new table was going to contain significantly fewer rows than 
> the
> original. You also have to account for how much this will speed up 
> searches
> etc. versus the burden of performing the join slowing updates etc.