IBM Computer pioneer, dead at 79, revolutionized database system

Mercury News ^ | 4/20/03 | Lisa M. Krieger

[NormsRevenge]

Edgar F. Codd, an IBM computer pioneer who created the ``relational database model'' that underlies a $7 billion industry of storing the world's online business data, died of heart failure at home Friday in Williams Island, Fla. He was 79.

[HAL9000]

E. F. Codd was a giant in the industry.

[HAL9000]

Codd's '13 Rules'

[sinkspur]

E. F. Codd was a giant in the industry.

The father of DB2.

Too bad he did not live to see the revolution that XML will bring to database technology.

"Any-to-any."

[1stFreedom]

Well, if he saw SQL Server 2000, then he did.

[kezekiel]

My old boss, who was trying to build a commission tracking system in a flat-file database, couldn't understand what I was talking about when I was trying to explain relational databases. When he got it, it was like the lights were turned on.

One of the great computing innovations, indeed.

[The FRugitive]

What will XML bring? What's the big deal with XML?

[HAL9000]

fyi

[sinkspur]

What's the big deal with XML?

XML (Extensible Markup Language) applications communicate with each other, independent of platform or format.

HP/UX XML applications will transfer data to IBM XML web-based applications via a style sheet.

Operating system, database independence is a very big deal!

[killermosquito]

I wouldn't have a job today if it weren't for Codd.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Operating system, database independence is a very big deal!

One of the Holy Grails!

[Hank Rearden]

I wouldn't have a job today if it weren't for Codd.

Careful with those simple extrapolations. That's like saying if Thomas Edison had never been born we'd all still be reading by lantern light.

[RichInOC]

Dr. Codd's son Dave and I both went to UC Riverside, and we were and are fraternity brothers. I was a local boy and Dave of course came down from the Bay Area, so I didn't really have much contact with his father, but I got to know Dave quite well...bright, very funny (if a lot less dry than his dad apparently was), a very good guy. I think it goes without saying that my thoughts and prayers, and I'm sure those of our Phi Kap brothers from UCR, are with Dave and his family tonight.

[Fred Mertz]

RIP Edgar F. Codd and thank you for your valuable contributions.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I actually installed the early QBE (IBM Yorktown) package at a customer location .

It could eat up a mainframe !

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[NormsRevenge]

to db or not to db .. this is the question that haunts a man's soul (sorry! :-\)

I never met a db I couldn't crash. ;-)

[TopQuark]

The father of DB2.

WEll, SQL/DS actually. IBM never marketed it seriously.

[sinkspur]

WEll, SQL/DS actually. IBM never marketed it seriously.

Not enough money in it.

[alnitak]

COMMIT TRANSACTION

[Mr. K]

XML is the trendy new way to do 20 year old technology - i.e. 'text' file transfers of data.

It is just repackaged with a new name, the Linux people have grabbed hold of it as new wisdom (God Save Us from the Linux 'gurus') and it has become a buzz word.

It is text file transfer of data- nothing more (OK it has 'TAGS' around data telling you what it is... TEXT tags you have to parse - or, in other words, even MORE text data...)