Article and discussion was a good read, but I couldn't really agree with the schema used to get the point across. Especially at the end, where you start de-normalizing the database structure just so developers can write quicker, easier queries. This should never be a design goal in my opinion. I would much rather design a database towards scalability, and what the application requires, then build views/procedures for developers that don't quite understand the language. Teaching the opposite breeds over-bloated, thrown-together databases that usually end in a re-write and a major headache.

As someone above noted, I have never heard bridge table used, but understood the purpose right away. I usually said "relationship table", doesn't roll off the tongue as easily! 😀