Entity Attribute Value Database vs. strict Relational Model Ecommerce

Question

It is safe to say that the EAV/CR database model is bad. That said,

Question: What database model, technique, or pattern should be used to deal with \"clas

Answer 1

// At this point, I'd like to take a moment to speak to you about the Magento/Adobe PSD format.
// Magento/PSD is not a good ecommerce platform/format. Magento/PSD is not even a bad ecommerce platform/format. Calling it such would be an
// insult to other bad ecommerce platform/formats, such as Zencart or OsCommerce. No, Magento/PSD is an abysmal ecommerce platform/format. Having
// worked on this code for several weeks now, my hate for Magento/PSD has grown to a raging fire
// that burns with the fierce passion of a million suns.

http://code.google.com/p/xee/source/browse/trunk/XeePhotoshopLoader.m?spec=svn28&r=11#107

The internal models are wacky at best, like someone put the schema into a boggle game, sealed that and put it in a paint shacker...

Real world: I'm working on a midware fulfilment app and here are one the queries to get address information.

CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW sales_flat_addresses AS
SELECT sales_order_entity.parent_id AS order_id, 
       sales_order_entity.entity_id, 
       CONCAT(CONCAT(UCASE(MID(sales_order_entity_varchar.value,1,1)),MID(sales_order_entity_varchar.value,2)), "Address") as type, 
       GROUP_CONCAT( 
         CONCAT( eav_attribute.attribute_code," ::::: ", sales_order_entity_varchar.value )
         ORDER BY sales_order_entity_varchar.value DESC
         SEPARATOR '!!!!!' 
       ) as data
  FROM sales_order_entity
       INNER JOIN sales_order_entity_varchar ON sales_order_entity_varchar.entity_id = sales_order_entity.entity_id
       INNER JOIN eav_attribute ON eav_attribute.attribute_id = sales_order_entity_varchar.attribute_id
   AND sales_order_entity.entity_type_id =12
 GROUP BY sales_order_entity.entity_id
 ORDER BY eav_attribute.attribute_code = 'address_type'

Exacts address information for an order, lazily

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Summary: Only use Magento if:

1. You are being given large sacks of money
2. You must
3. Enjoy pain