Re: MultiValue Databases

Neo wrote:
[]
> > Just from thinking about it, xrdb can be shown as better than relational
> > databases when it comes to storing data or completely unpredictable structure.
>
> Yes, that is a scope where xrdb should be appropriate. I have suggested
> it for AI-type apps and this usually bring the news group to it's knees
> (in laughter :)
>
> > The problem is that someone has to retrieve that data,
> > enforce integrity constraints on it etc.
>
> What problem retrieving data? Like finding a person with two phone
> number in RM? Data integerity is provided at xrdb-engine level.
> Constraints have to implemented in user's application currently (see
> response to Ed's similar post). Currently the integration of
> constraints in RMDBs is much superior.

I've long had a saying, "self documenting code isn't" In this case I'd phrase that as "user application constraints don't"

trying to maintain data integrity in the application layer is well known to be a BAD IDEA. As soon as you go that route, there will exist a user application that fails to implement a constraint (either accidentally by programming error, where the constraint is known but the programmer did not implement it, or maliciously by misguided design, where the designer did not know about the constraint or chose to ignore it). Not all constraints can be enforced in the Database, but the fundamental ones are best done there (data types, foreign keys, not null).

there are reasons why you DB project gets laughed at, Neo. You consistantly fail to understand the field you are trying to work in. Received on Fri Jun 10 2005 - 18:37:59 CEST