Chris Date (born 1941) is an independent author, lecturer, researcher, and consultant, specializing in
relational database
A relational database is a (most commonly digital) database based on the relational model of data, as proposed by E. F. Codd in 1970. A system used to maintain relational databases is a relational database management system (RDBMS). Many relatio ...
theory.
Biography
Chris Date attended
High Wycombe Royal Grammar School (U.K.) from 1951 to 1958 and received his
BA in
Mathematics
Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
from
Cambridge University (U.K.) in 1962. He entered the computer business as a mathematical programmer at
Leo Computers Ltd. (London), where he quickly moved into education and training. In 1966, he earned his master's degree at Cambridge, and, in 1967, he joined
IBM Hursley (UK) as a
computer programming instructor. Between 1969 and 1974, he was a principal instructor in IBM's European education program.
While working at
IBM he was involved in technical planning and design for the IBM products
SQL/DS and
DB2.
He was also involved with
Edgar F. Codd’s
relational model
The relational model (RM) is an approach to managing data using a Structure (mathematical logic), structure and language consistent with first-order logic, first-order predicate logic, first described in 1969 by English computer scientist Edgar F. ...
for database management.
He left IBM in 1983 and has written extensively of the relational model, in association with
Hugh Darwen.
As of 2007 his book ''An Introduction to Database Systems'', currently in its 8th edition, has sold well over 700,000 copies
not counting translations, and is used by several hundred colleges and universities worldwide.
He is also the author of many other books on
data management
Data management comprises all disciplines related to handling data as a valuable resource.
Concept
The concept of data management arose in the 1980s as technology moved from sequential processing (first punched cards, then magnetic tape) to r ...
, most notably ''Databases, Types, and the Relational Model'', subtitled and commonly referred to as ''The Third Manifesto'', currently in its third edition (note that earlier editions were titled differently, but maintained the same subtitle), a proposal for the future direction of
DBMSs.
Works
Chris Date is the author of several books, including:
* ''An Introduction to Database Systems'', 2004,
* ''A Guide to the SQL standard, 4th ed.'', Addison Wesley, USA 1997,
* ''Databases, Types, and the Relational Model, The Third Manifesto'' (with
Hugh Darwen), 2007,
* ''Temporal Data & the Relational Model'', 2003,
* ''Database in Depth: Relational Theory for Practitioners'', 2005,
* Several volumes of ''Relational Database Writings'': , , , .
* ''What Not How: The Business Rules Approach to Application Development'', 2000,
* ''The Database Relational Model: A Retrospective Review and Analysis'', 2001,
* ''SQL and Relational Theory, 2nd Edition: How to Write Accurate SQL Code'', 2011, .
In recent years he has published articles with
Fabian Pascal at Database Debunkings.
See also
*
Nikos Lorentzos
*
David McGoveran
*
Fabian Pascal
*
Lex de Haan
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Date, Christopher
IBM employees
Database researchers
1941 births
Living people
People from Watford
People educated at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe