Re: Database design, Keys and some other things

>> A VIN, a bank account number, and an SSN are all surrogate keys. <<

No; read Codd's definiiton of a surrogate key. These are all
industry-standard, externally verifiable keys with known validation
rules. Honking BIG difference!! The big part of this is that they
are EXTERNAL to the database.

When you use (longitude, latitude) for a location, is it also a
surrogate? If so, wouldn't every key be a surrogate? I verify a
location with a GPS; I verify a VIN, a bank account number, and an SSN
by computers or phone calls. Just a different device ..

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