Re: Database vs. DBMS

Marshall Spight wrote:

> I just want to go on record as saying that I find the
> whole pedantic insistence on differentiating between
> a database and a dbms tiresome and counterproductive.
> It isn't "precise"; it's ostentatious.

The two things are radically different. I endeavour to use the correct term each time. I don't usually bother correcting someone else's misuse of either term - actually, I don't think I recall seeing DBMS used where database would be correct - but I'll couch my answer in the correct terminology.

> Humans are very, very good at disambiguating, and I've never seen
> anyone confuse a database and a dbms, even when the wrong term was
> used.

Since they are two different things and they have separate names, I see no virtue in blurring the distinction. Why both with two names if you don't distinguish between them. Computers tend to prefer precise language - if you work with them, you can expect to be misunderstood if you do not use precise language.

> People don't confuse classes and objects either,
> even if their diction would lead you to believe
> otherwise.

I can't always tell from their diction whether they are confused or not.

-- 
Jonathan Leffler                   #include <disclaimer.h>
Email: jleffler_at_earthlink.net, jleffler_at_us.ibm.com
Guardian of DBD::Informix v2003.04 -- http://dbi.perl.org/