Re: the relational model of data objects *and* program objects

Kenneth Downs wrote:
> Indeed <sigh>. The good news is that the commercial world is in fact
a
> meritocracy, if you remember that the judges are the customers, not
the
> managers. A good manager is usually a poor innovator, but customers,
by
> voting with their dollars, will reward the innovator.

In terms of development technology, managers and executives (not developers and end users) vote with dollars, but what do they vote for? The majority of purchasing decisions I've seen are alleged and pseudo-quantitive criteria like "market presence," "platform consistency," "standards-based," and "technology partnership-driven". More realistically, you have "stock options," "sales perks," and "whatever was in InfoWeek this week." Much hides in the word "merit" - it's seldom technical.

> But if you build a better mousetrap, the world will not beat a path
to your
> door. They will steal it and sue you for patent infringement. So to
be
> successful, you must follow the advice of a famous proponet of new
ideas,
> to be "as wise as serpents, and as innocent as doves".

Agreed.  

• erk