Re: newby (very) question on XML DB theory

From: Jan Hidders <jan.hidders_at_REMOVETHIS.pandora.be>
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 20:55:00 GMT
Message-ID: <Eyhfc.71539$0O2.4854903@phobos.telenet-ops.be>

Dawn M. Wolthuis wrote:
> "Jan Hidders" <jan.hidders_at_REMOVETHIS.pandora.be> wrote in message
> news:CWXec.70566$IX6.4421683_at_phobos.telenet-ops.be...

>> 
>>You think XQuery is too difficult?

>
> I think it is a language for IT professionals and would like to see a
> standard "end-user query language." I'll admit that I haven't done enough
> work with XQuery to see just how simple one could make queries against a
> database by defining functions, virtual data, and "views" of the data so
> that the user need not think in terms of navigating. I realize that GUI's
> can be put "on top" of it as it is, but such a GUI would presumably be
> proprietary rather than a standard end-user tool for database access. Users
> who can ask their database now with a 40-year-old language by typing
> LIST COURSES WITH INSTRUCTOR_LAST_NAME LIKE "VAN..."
//Courses[starts-with(.//@instructor_last_name, "VAN")]

I've taught this stuff to CS students and non-CS students. I have no idea why you think this would be too difficult for the latter. I do, however, have an idea why a non-declarative query language that requires programming if queries get a little bit more difficult would be problematic for them.

Not that I would claim that XQuery is as simple as can be. Far from that.

>>By the way, what makes you think that
>>in XQuery / XML databases you have to drag tags along with values? 

>
> I don't think you need to do so for XQuery, but I did think that was the
> case with XML databases, or at least that your input to and output from the
> databases using "read" and "writes" would retrieve XML documents.

?? Obviously you have to indicate which documents you are querying. What does that have to do with dragging tags along?

• Jan Hidders

Received on Wed Apr 14 2004 - 15:55:00 CDT