Subject: Relational Database: A Practical Foundation for Productivity
From: "Edgar F. Codd" <[email-masked]>
To: Alan Turing <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1981 12:00:00 -0800

It is well known that the growth in demands from end users for new 
applications is outstripping the capability of data processing departments 
to implement the corresponding application programs. There are two 
complementary approaches to attacking this problem (and both approaches are 
needed): one is to put end users into direct touch with the information 
stored in computers; the other is to increase the productivity of data 
processing professionals in the development of application programs. It is 
less well known that a single technology, relational database management, 
provides a practical foundation for both approaches. It is explained why 
this 
is so. 
While developing this productivity theme, it is noted that the time has 
come to draw a very sharp line between relational and non-relational 
database systems, so that the label "relational" will not be used in 
misleading ways. 
The key to drawing this line is something called a "relational processing 
capability."