Re: newby (very) question on XML DB theory

"ccc31807" <ccc31807_at_hotmail.com> wrote in message news:22e055d5.0404090526.19b2c513_at_posting.google.com...
> Basically, we have a lot of data in documents with a highly irregular
> structure that we need to make available over networks. Historically,
> this evolved from printed text documents, to a spreadsheet, to a flat
> file database, to a real database. The question is: can we do this
> without the overhead of the RDBMS. My job was not to answer yes or no,
> but point the decision makers in the direction of the information.
>
> We're fairly well versed in DB stuff but totally ignorant as to XML
> database possibilities.

I'd recommend looking at the basics: www.dbdebunk.com will give you a very critical view of XML, and will point you to the writings of Chris Date and Fabian Pascal. Using an XML database assumes you'll only ever want to spit out XML in the same way you stored it; you sacrifice the meaning of the data to the god of presentation. Stick with a relational DBMS, and try some different ones. Is raw speed your main requirement? Do clients always want the data only in one format?

I'm sure others can point you to XML database information, but rest assured it's got a very feeble foundation.

• Eric