Re: Do you use PL/SQL

On 24 mai, 17:51, DA Morgan <damor..._at_psoug.org> wrote:
> hasta..._at_hotmail.com wrote:

>
> > Daniel, I have to say with Zizag that having to maintain
> > synchronized a sizeable code base of stored procedures
> > in three or four dialects is for me a *very* frightening
> > perspective.
>
> Not if done properly?
>
> Consider that Oracle supports this very same database on multiple
> versions of Windows, Linux, Solaris, HP/UX, AIX, etc. And they do
> it with essentially one code base while taking advantage of those
> aspects of each that are product specific.

Oh certainly. But Oracle uses portable languages, presumably with a tiny layer abstracting os dependencies.

However, we are not talking of a small layer here. We are talking of essentially three or four re-implementations of a medium to large subsystem, where not much can be shared since :

• The SP languages are different.
• Presumably, the algorithms are also different, as the whole point is to exploit each database specific feature to its fullest.

> > I suspect that only few companies - with lots of
> > resources and very strong processes - will go that route
>
> Likely you are correct. That doesn't make it something to
> be copied or envied. It is far easier to claim "independence"
> than it is to read one of Tom Kyte's books.

Certainly again. Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating the three-tiers approach either.

I believe that building a large, efficient, robust, reasonnably affordable, database independent system is intrinsically *very* hard, whatever the selected architecture is.

For our systems we decided that portability shall never be a target.

>
> > Would you have examples of actual products that
> > achieve database independance with SPs?
>
> Yes but I sign NDAs so I can't be too specific. One though is a CRM
> product that supports both SQL Server and Oracle built by a company
> in Bellevue Washington founded by former Microsoft employees. Another
> an accounting program, again from a Bellevue company built to run on
> Informix, SQL Server, and Oracle. I expect to see the same for the
> Oracle apps stack.

Thanks much, Daniel. Would your NDA allow you to disclose the magnitude of the SP code ? Would that be 1000 lines ? 10,000 ? 100,000 ?

I'm really interested (especially in the accounting system)

• Raoul