David Vance
Paper records and data base systems that emulate them keep the most information possible in the smallest number of records. Hence the format is variable and highly redundant and must incorporate open-ended lists, including lists of external references. This practice is contrasted with the analytical division of data among multiple, interlocking, non-redundant relations without lists. The process is illustrated with surprising results. In spite of the unconventional organization that emerges, it appears that rigorous application of relational principles need make little difference to the capture and presentation of data as perceived by a system user. The apparently rigid relational data base is revealed as the most flexible of all but presents an intellectual challenge to the planner.