RE: MySQL on System i

[dkimmel@xxxxxxxxxxx]

<snip>
As far as accessing legacy iSeries data from the MySQL, I think the
chances of that working are pretty slim. Most Iseries data is completely
un-normalized. Try to access it through SQL is a nightmare. I work with
Mapics and one of the nice things is that mostly it is pretty normal but
it is the first in 20 years on the machine that I seen anything that is
even semi-normal. The only thing I have seen is stuff that I have done
and I have gone back and found out that the programmers where
de-normalizing the database because they didn't want to have to do a
join (True story). 
</snip>

You have a weird view of normalization.

Most of the stuff in System i databases that I've seen is in at least 
third normal form as described by Date in his landmark book on database 
methodology. The difference between third and fourth normal form is the 
elimination of multiple dependencies. I agree that there are lots of 
legacy iSeries applications with repeating information in columns of a 
table, but many of these are fading away as applications are slowly 
redesigned to take advantage of the System i DB2400 capabilities. In any 
case the limitation is the knowledge and dedication of the database 
designer, not a limitation of the capabilities of the database engine. And 
yes, even in the heyday of AS400 development in the '80s, lots of AS400 
developers knew how to normalize a database.