While good database design is always necessary, the value of good design is reinforced by such endeavors as service-oriented architecture. The semantics-laden engineering of service-oriented tactics ...

Good software habits apply to databases too. Trust in these little design tips to build a useful, rot-resistant database schema. It is a universal truth that everything in software eventually rots.

Similarly, good database design need not worry so much about describing an objective reality. Arcs or straight lines, or even dashed lines are fine. If indeed an absolute objective reality were needed ...